Please help with my heart rate. I'm scared

[Moxxi]

Hello I'm 26 years old and I do have a bit of health anxiety. I have had a Fitbit for a few years and in 2020 it was showing my resting HR as 103...I was overweight and didn't exercise at all, had a very sedentary lifestyle.

Now it's 2021 I have started wearing my Fitbit again after losing some weight and going for some walks in the morning. It's showing my resting heart rate as 85.

I'm really concerned, during the day my HR is between 90-106. I am on beta blockers but still I'm terrified of doing intense exercise incase I die from sudden cardiac arrest. I did try some running at some point but my heart got up to 172 and I was too scared to carry on. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm also scared that doing regular exercise isnt going to reduce it.

Even when I'm sleeping my heart doesn't go below 79.

Anyone experienced this or got any help/advice?

Thanks in advanced

Hi Moxxi

I honestly could have written your post word for word 6 months ago. I have had an anxiety disorder for years (think decades) much of it related to health. My HR at rest can be 94, other times in the 80’s, like you it would worry me that I was going to have a heart attack. My GP prescribed beta blockers that I take as and when needed for the anxiety.

Decided when lockdown started to start exercising, so started with dumbbells. Absolutely hated the elevated heart rate, but every time it felt too high I paused for as long as I needed. Nothing bad ever happened, the more I did this I was happier to go a little longer and it was comforting to know I was in control & could take a break if needed.

My HR now hits 189/192 most times while playing fitness games on the Nintendo Switch & I’ve realised it’s completely normal for me. Take off the Fitbit if it’s becoming a compulsion to keep checking it, find an exercise you enjoy, you are safe, you can pause at any point. Put a fan on to cool yourself down & drink some water. If you start to panic think about all the times you’ve had a really high HR before and nothing bad happened. Take as long as you need, it’s not an overnight miracle cure but it will get easier I promise.

Your heart is amazing and is so much stronger than you believe it to be.

@Purplepeopleeaterz thanks for much for getting back to me. Is ther anyway we can chat not on here? I can give you my email address x