i have had anxiety about my heart for most of this year. have had ecgs and blood tests nothing seems wrong. i get skipped beats most nights and this often sets me into almost a panic no matter how hard i try cognitively to override it
does anyone else have a fear about their heart and do you get things like skipped beats etc that come BEFORE the anxiety???
Read some more on this board. I think the majority of posters here have palps and anxiety about their heart.
I have had palps since I was 19 and just recently after a ER visit someone mentioned anxiety as the cause. I have had EKGs, ECGs and even a nuclear stress test and nothing is wrong with my heart. I also have chest pain, and nothing seems to help, but a few big deep breaths and some xanax.
I was palp free for 5 years until this past new year's. After purchasing a new house and having issues with my apartment complex, my heart started racing at 300 bpm.
Since I have been seeing a therapist and been taking .25mg of xanax in the morning, I haven't had an issue since July. From what I am reading out on the internet, some dr's think that anxiety is the cause of palps, and SVTs. Looking back through my life, I think it is true also. I am about to be 36 soon and the palps haven't killed me yet!
I think for most of us, our anxiety ends up centered around our heart, whether it's heart rate or palpitations or whatever. I have anxiety disorder (no obvious triggers, no agoraphobia), and it's largely under control thanks to clonazepam. But anytime my heart does anything that seems unusual (beats fast or hard or flutters), I notice it and focus right in on it. I think we notice everything heart-related. Things that most people don't even notice, we feel like it's a major event. Bottom line: you are far from alone. Hang in there. You've got lots of company, and the good news is, as long as you've been cleared by your doctor, none of it is really a problem.
Count me in, my heart is my most recent infatuation and I'm finding the hardest one to get past. I get what I call the butterflies right in the center of my chest. It drives me insane. It takes all the self control I have not to jump in my vehicle and head to the ER. I just saw the Dr. yesterday and he said "yea I get those too". I've been off meds for a few months now and the palps for me started after I quit the meds, probably not a coincidence since my right eye has been fluttering like heck also. You don't worry about your eye fluttering though. Coincidentally I had a routine eye checkup and the eye Dr. said, "that's no big deal, it's from too much stress or caffeine".
I restarted my Lexapro this week, the "heart butterflies" are more than I can take. If they go away in the next few weeks I'll know. My palps seem to be mostly at night and in the evening. How does that compare to others?
Know exactly what all of you are going through. Mine seem worse in the evenings also and I try to do deep breathing to settle myself down or I would be in ER every other night. Just a sad way to live my life really. I was to have a stress test done last Friday (sure Dr. was doing it just to try and calm my fears) but have a pinched nerve in lower back so couldn't do that. I do drink the 1/2 caffienated coffee but am a Dr. Pepper addict..Right now (at work) my eyes are goofy, headache feel like yuck but am going to fitness center and try to work out some, haven't been for a few weeks and need to get back at it ..Keep in touch
Yeah, I've been having anxiety over my heart for 7 years now. Have had the pac's and pvc's, and this last year the heart racing fast with skips. The Dr.'s kept saying it was anxiety attacks, and then finally they caught it on a holter and it wasn't just anxiety attacks, but really svt attacks. Now, which causes which, who knows. Because I do have bad anxiety, before the heart. I think my heart races so fast in an anxiety attack, that it triggers over to the svt, but not sure. So now, I get to deal with a real heart condition, and anxiety. Yay! I will survive tho, what else can we do? Lots of people on here have fast heart rates and skip beats and other things. My chest has been pinching hard, and left arm aching for awhile now, and that is all from anxiety, and NOT my heart. So, it's hard for me as an anxiety sufferer to really know what is real or in my head. Take Care, Michelle
Definitely paranoid about my heart! I've had skips, pains, etc. for years. My docs told me that if I had serious heart issues I'd probably have died during my two awful childbirths or a pulmonary embolism I had 4 years ago. Still, most of us with anxiety want 100% reassurance and no cardiologist is going to give us that. My cardiologist told me that my tests were ok, I'm a young woman and that my heart disease risk is low. He said to just live right and not worry unless I got weird and different symptoms. (of course they have to say SOMETHING to scare us!!!)
Count me in please, for 4 years now since my anxiety started my main focus is always on my heart. Despite my many visits to the ER and all the tests coming negative, I still keep thinking what if. I get the chest pain quite often, fast beats, slow beats, skipping beats, I got it all and thank God all the Cardiologists have told me that I am okay. Yet, every time I get some funny feeling in there, I think to myself what if just die I get so scared.
I should know better by now but it's a scary feeling. Ladies and gents I believe in God very strongly and yet I am ashmed that if I have such a strong faith why do I doubt God and fear death?????
Bottom line you brain can be your best friend or your worst enemy
edz61~You said it perfectly regarding the deep faith in God, so where is our trust ? Do the same thing all the time and then feel totally ashamed of myself. BUT today am having a BAD BAD day, feels like heart is beating really fast, then slow and then I had a little dizzy spell, FREAKED me out. Just took 1/2 aspirin and 1/2 zanex, God this is horrible. Had EKG 2 weeks ago, full blood work up and all looked fine but the symptoms are REAL. Do you run to Dr., ER or have faith in God and see what happens ? I'm scared to death right now ! Taking deep breaths trying to calm myself. Have alot on our plates at home right now and really freaking out about that too..Wish I was my old self from 20 yrs. ago..God Bless and hope to hear from you..
Yup, me too. All about heart, or some other thing that could kill you. Right now it is blood pressure. Last check was 135/86...fairly normal. Usually mine has been running 127/82, very normal. But I feel weird at night, like I am breathing colder and yet, my face is glowing. Sometimes I feel like I am cooking from the inside out, and think "hot flash" but I am 27 and they last all evening...it is possible that it is hormonal. We are also getting used to a wood stove that I absolutely hate, but cannot afford natural gas. Sigh. I too have wonderful faith in God. My father-in-law is a Pastor. He tells me that the best thing I can do for myself is to put it all to God. Leave my anxiety and worries with Him and He will make it better. I want to believe that SOOOOO much, but I guess I am scared to do that. The what if's of life are too much for me sometimes. However, I have gotten plenty sick and tired of those "what ifs". I try everyday to give a little more of my worries to God. After all, if we die, will we care? Heck no, we will be dead! LOL. But it is true. I just worry the most about leaving my little girl. She is the true love of my life. I want to see her grow up, and I want grandchildren someday. So, that said we just keep trucking through life and do what we need to to stick around as long as possible. Anxiety or not! Sorry I rambled, but it is what I believe.
Dinney: Have to fear, 1st of all there is nothing wrong with your health or any of us on this forum. Anxiety is so nasty it can mimick any symtoms. Stand up to it and dare it to do what it wishes as God is behind you and gues what it will then be powerless. The doctors go with their cheat sheets and the facts the know but God over rules them all.
Yes I totally understand it's scary as I get scared all the time too. To add to my problems I even get headaches when i anxious and stressed. I get so scared when I am alone and anxiety comes. Yet nothing ever happens and nothing ever wil
Like you I take Xanax or Ativan when required. {REMOVED}
It's funny I close I feel to some of the members here. No matter how much money, fame or ..................whatever you have, anxiety humbles us. We are all one big family and I pray for all of us. I will keep writing. God bless XOXO
Last edited by ms_mod; 11-09-2006 at 02:40 PM.
Reason: Read and follow the posting rules. Ms_Mod
Hey,I just wanted to jump in here and tell you guys that I just got home tonight from having my Holter moniter and when I got on the internet it was a releif to see others having the same problems as me and also a deep faith.I still dont know exactly what my problems are but my dr seems to think its anxiety.Still it is a comfort to know you are not alone.Although my desire would be that nobody would have to suffer with nerves and anxiety I have been comforted by these boards because atleast you can see you are not the only one.Anyway I hope you dont mind but I felt the need to give my two cents...........May you all be blessed~Heather~
count me in also, I have palps etc and etc etc etc
I have every symptom under the sun, and I am sick of it
I was house bound with anxiety up until 2 wks ago and then started fighting it BIG TIME!!!!!
Only trouble is I have just doubled my anxiety by buying a new salon today and doubling the stress!!!!
Got a docs appointment in the morning and am gonna ask for sum strong RELAXERS to take as and when it all gets to much..........
Also gonna chase up sum counciling as promised by my GP as been waiting for 2 months now.. I carry a bag containing blood pressure machine, asprin, water and cd player with relaxing cd and many more items which helps me to leave my comfort zone... I just wanna be "normal" After 15yrs of on and off anxiety you would think I would be some where close.... NOPE after every attack which can sumtimes leave me in a constant state of anxiety I always seem to be back to square 1. Heart is my BIGGY but stress about every illness possible. Tell ya what though this board is my pick me up.. How can any1 understand but a "fellow sufferer" I read the posts and its good to know that people understand xxx
How's this for a history.
In 1965 after leaving Vietnam with a foot injury, I was laying in bed and had a rapid heartbeat(180 bpm).Freaked me out but the doc said "normal sinus tycycharida"
Didn't believe him and kept freaking out about my heart. Had PVCs almost daily.After I was discharged, I slowly got worse and was more & more afraid to do anything for fear I'd have a heart attack.
One day 14 years later, I decided after reading Ken Cooper's book on aerobics, that I would start running. I lost 50 lbs and ran an average of 40 miles a week for 21 years.During that time I had 3 maxiumal stress tests at a major cardiologists clinic plus an echochardiogram and was told I had excellent heart function. Went on to become one of the 50 fastest distance runners in Texas over 40 years old.
Five years ago, I quit running and started walking 5 days a week due to neck and knee problems.Injured my knee 2 months ago and have not yet been able to start running again and lately have gone back to multple PVCs and being a total hypchondriac.
What is up with that? How can somenone who did all that running and bicycling for 20 years now have a heart problem? Chloesterol less than 160, BP 136/84, no smoking, no family history of heart disease.Never been told I had a heart problem but I am freaking out again.63 years old.
Hey everyone...I also suffered from heart palps etc. The things I've read about you guys I can sympathize with. For the longest time I obsessed about my heart. Every day I thought I was going to die of a heart attack. I went to my Dr.'s two different times and had ekg done with good results. A few months ago I learned how to breathe properly and have been walking. I notice that when I stop walking for a long peroid of time I start getting symptoms of an attack coming on. I've not had an attack for 3 weeks now although I sometimes I feel like I could have one so I go for a walk or do some deep breathing. I, like many of you out there, am tired of this "disease" controlling my life.
I too truly trust and believe in God and feel ashamed of myself for being scared when I have heart palpitations and for the last four years I've been experiencing chest tightening and pressure. I've made peace with the fact that death is inevitable but it's how I may die that scares me. My husband walked away from our marriage after 30 years and my children are all grown so I'm here in the house by myself a lot. Sometimes the anxiety is so great that nothing helps including praying or reading the Bible. Having these symptoms for so long causes me to wonder if I really was to have a heart attack would I delay getting help thinking that it's just anxiety. I feel like my body is in a constant state of stress and I have suffered almost every anxiety symptom listed here. I'm sure that in the long run all this stress can't be good for the heart. God Bless us all.
edz61 and all on this post: Thanks for all the comforting words and encouragement. Had a stressfull, tiring week-end and today back at work am doing the "dizzy" thing, eyes blurry (weird), chest feels tight but ALSO know that I lifted, carried, worked hard over the week-end so think alot is muscle pain too (trying to convince myself, ha). Have thought about getting into chiropractor as she usually helps me alot. What scares me (but not enough to make serious changes yet) is that I do smoke (1/2 pack a day) and my father did die from heart disease at age 45 soooooooo, you would think I would make major life style changes but no I continue to worry, take my 1/2 xanex, pray hard and rely on all of you for comfort. My husband is great but not understanding about what I have been dealing with for 20 yrs. Thanks to all of you and God Bless.
looney how does th lexapro work for you? i am suppose to start taking it for depression but i have a medicine phobia and am afraid to start it. i have had all kinds of heart tests done and the heart dr and family dr says depression will make your body react in all sorts of ways. i have had anxiety all my life and have never taken anything for it until i put my dog to sleep and thats when the depression kicked in. i hate it. i just want to go back to being me again. the lexapro is 10 mg. to start. thanks for any info.
Re: anyone paranoid about heart? 
I get so scared.
Re: anyone paranoid about heart? 
