To go to A & E?

OP I've just come across this thread and read the entire thing.

I'm flabbergasted that HQ have allowed that poster's comments and account to remain, it's beyomd me.

Anyway, I am so proud that you took them. That's so great. A big step forward.

Please keep posting if it helps.

I suffer from palpatations and an elevated heart rate too and have been through similar. If you ever want to talk feel free to PM me.

I hope your symptoms are beginning to decrease

@AlwaysAnxiousAnnie Well done OP. Keep going with the pills each day x

If you're still getting issues in a couple of weeks then see your GP again- as PP's say, they could up the dose, or try some other anxiety med.

I'm really proud of you for taking them! It might be that you need a slightly higher dose so maybe give it a few more days then speak to your GP.

Really proud of you though!

Well done OP, you've made great strides.
You sat with the uncomfortable, scary feelings the other night and didn't "feed the beast" by going to A&E.
And now you've started the medication prescribed for your symptoms.

Super proud of you.
Onwards and upwards!

Well done OP. I am super impressed. You have taken the first step, just gotta keep going now!

Well done, important first step

Hey OP so proud to hear you took them!! Was it the diazepam that you took?

I used to have ectopic beats and it would almost feel like that pound every now and again.

What have you eaten today with the medication? Keep it up and hopefully you will get the awesome benefits :)

I also had this for years and told anxiety. I did have CBT and it helped but I still noticed odd sensations. I believe that I have finally cracked what causes some of the sensations of flutters/palpitations and it is gas bubbles. This sounds random and strange but I think they make my vagus nerve irritated when gas is in my oesophagus. I literally tracked all of my symptoms and heart rate etc and was never ever able to catch one of these episodes on any monitors or but what I did catch eventually was that I would burp or feel like burping at some point after the event - it might be 20 mins afterwards, usually not immediately which is why it took so long to work it out. Sometimes bending over can set it off and it can be like this after I have eaten of if I am hungry. I have a very active and noisy bubbly digestive system but this did feel like my heart for a really long time - like 20 years!

It sounds like something physical, needs further investigation. If you haven't already called 111 , I'd call them, they can get you a quicker A&E appt if need be. Obviously you are going to panick if your heart starts beating out of rhythm, which will cause anxiety so it could be making the whole experienceseem worse. Definitely give them a call.

Great that out of the thread you started the medication…

Yes I would give it some time…2 days is not going to be enough for full effects of treatment and just as importantly, for you to not be focussed on and worrying about the medication. Once it’s become part of your daily routine and you aren’t thinking about it, you’ll have more idea how it’s working.

At the moment, assume you will have raised anxiety because you are anxious about taking the medication…The new episodes will feel different as your heart won’t race as fast.

Have you also looked in to long term strategies such meditation, mindfulness etc as a daily practice? A course of CBT specifically focussed on how you manage these body sensations could also be helpful?

Regarding exercise, how do you feel about swimming? Walking in nature?

I'm so proud of you for taking them!

Your body will adjust.

You are doing an amazing thing for future you, and your DH and dd.

Nicely done OP. 💖

It's a really positive thing that you've started taking the bisoprolol.

You may need a higher dose, but give it a couple of weeks.

They take a while. My DS is 28 and has been on them for 3 years because of palpitations. He gets those thuds as you describe. It's an ectopic beat. Most people get them and don't notice but when you are hyperaware because of palpitations they tend to be more noticable. You need to give them a few weeks and if after that they don't help maybe ask for a higher dose.

@guineverehadgreeneyes

My partner has been through full cardiology workup due to lots of runs of bigeminy pvcs. Almost high enough frequency to require beta blockers due to future heart failure risk (more than just symptom management). Had echo and cardiac MRI to rule out structural issues.

He has a lot of issues with anxiety but he always says the thing that sets the ectopics off is a big meal!

@AlwaysAnxiousAnnie

"Thank you. This is helpful, I have found that a heavy meal or even too much salt can trigger then. Specially if it's a very carby meal."

A family member has had problems with anxiety, tachycardia and palpitations this last 12 months; he did find a beta blocker helpful. He only took one or two doses on days when he needed it, so did not take them regularly.

He also has orthostatic intolerance symptoms some days and narrow pulse pressure and has found that an evening meal containing a lot of pasta seems to push his HR up afterwards, so we now limit how much pasta in one meal. Whether it's the carb load or an overly full stomach, I don't know, but a lot of carbs does seem to affect his HR. He also gets GERD.

If I have a short run of palpitations, I try singing out loud, drinking a glass of very cold water or coughing several times. (The type I have are described in one of Dr Gupta's YouTubes and resolve within a few seconds but can still be unpleasant to experience.)

Submersing your face in a bowl of cold water can also help, as the body, in these conditions, automatically reduces the HR - but I've not tried that as the palpitations resolve quite quickly.

Someone mentioned increasing exercise - even if it's just walking. It gets the body used to a normal increase in heart rate.

As others have said, a trip to A & E is unlikely to result in anything other than a long and stressful wait to be seen, monitoring of your BP, HR and temperature and possible an ECG and to be sent home with advice to take beta blockers. They won't be geared up for doing structural investigations like an echocardiogram.

Don't forget also, if you were given a 48 hour Holter monitor to monitor your heart rate at home, you might find that when you are asleep, your HR often naturally dips quite low at times and your heart copes with that every night. So I would not worry that a low dose beta blocker might send your HR too low. They are also used for people with certain heart problems to take the strain off the heart.

A low dose propranolol would take my family member's HR down from over 100bpm to around 80bpm and he'd feel a lot more comfortable.

I wish you well. Living with constant anxiety is exhausting.

The other thing that helped me (I had generalised panic disorder) was exercise
Get used to your heart beating fast and breathing harder and realising it can be a good thing

@AlwaysAnxiousAnnie as you mention food - do you ever suffer from indigestion ? Acid reflux causes palpitations too.

If it has not already been mentioned: have a look at the YouTube channel of consultant cardiologist, Dr Sanjay Gupta:

https://www.youtube.com/@YorkCardiology

Lots of help info on benign palpitations, tachycardia etc.

Avoid high cocoa content chocolate, too. I find this can sometimes trigger a run of palpitations, as can a heavy meal or bending over a table, reading a newspaper, for example, can also trigger the vagus nerve.

You don't need to take a beta blocker daily - you can use one on an "as and when needed" basis when you want to steady your HR and lower it back towards normal.

https://www.bighealth.co.uk/

Digital therapeutics to help you manage your anxiety. Please try and resist the urge to post on MN ( and especially on AIBU) when you are feeling like this. It is not helpful.

Focus instead on the support and advice you have been given by health care professionals and create a ‘bank’ of useful breathing/relaxation techniques that you can use for mental health first aid.

You NEED to try the medication that has been prescribed for you alongside all the non pharmacological things you can try.