Hi All. For the last couple of years I have had terrible anxiety - always had it but nothing like this. Obsessed with checking pulse rate, fear of panic attacks, panic attacks in middle of the night and sometimes when I’m awake. I have put off anti-depressants for all this time (several doctors have said I should be on them) but finally I will be starting Sertraline on a 25mg dose. The reason I don’t want to take them is because they can cause a fast heart rate which no one wants when they’re scared of panic attacks! How can a medication that is supposed to calm you down cause an increase in heart rate?! 
. I was wondering if anyone can relate to this and if you did choose to take sertraline (or similar) how your heart rate was affected.