Anxiety and palpitations

[Happymumoftwo21]

Hello
Sorry if this is a long one! I have suffered with anxiety for a few years now. Have been back and forth to the GP’s, out of hours, A&E with chest pains and thinking I have definitely got a heart problem. Have had ECGs, bloods, blood pressure, chest X-ray and all have always come back normal.
My husband works away a lot and is currently away during the week and only home of a weekend. I don’t really know many people where we live and family are 2 hours away.
At the beginning of January I started to notice that my heart felt like it had skipped a beat, this happened a couple of times a day. Spoke to GP who said it must be anxiety. This last week they have been non stop all day long. Only time I’m not feeling them is when I’m asleep! The GP prescribed propranolol, the only thing is I’m getting these palpitations but my heart isn’t racing. I’ve read lots about propranolol and they lower your heart rate to help with the palpitations but I’m worried to take them as my heart isn’t racing at all. I don’t want to take them and then my heart drops further creating more problems. I completely understand I am stuck in a viscous circle I’m anxious about being anxious and now I feel every single heartbeat.

Hi OP, I'm not a doctor but have suffered with health anxiety for a number of years and your symptoms are very familiar to me. I get the same on and off so think it definitely is anxiety related. Taking the propranolol does help, itsnot going to stop your heart beat. Maybe just have a chat with your GP if this is what you are scared about so he can reassure you. To me it sounds like your anxiety has increased because you are feeling alone and isolated and have become fixated on your heart beat. The more you think about it the worse it then gets. I've found doing yoga with Adriene really helpful. It's free on you tube and she has specific sessions for anxiety. It's really reassuring all your tests are normal. Focus on that and trying to lessen your anxiety. The propranolol does help so don't be afraid to take it.

@Sisisimone thank you so much for your quick reply. I feel so much better when I write it down and talk about it. Yes I’m definitely focused on my heartbeat, I notice every beat and always checking my pulse.
Anxiety is awful. When my husband is away I think something is going to happen to me and nobody will know. We do have a lot going on at the mo. We’re due to move house around Easter time, so new schools for the children and new job for me! I think everything just builds up.

Hi 👋
Just wanted to know how you are doing now? Did you get any tests done regarding the palpitations?
I just had the 24hr ecg monitor on Friday, have an ultrasound scan of abdomen this Saturday and been referred to cardiologist via gp the first appointment is in September. However, for my reassurance I have booked an echocardiogram of heart privately in london. I initially had chest pains travelling to my left and right arm on and off since march to may. However, after going to A&E many times all tests have come back normal- no inflammation, not anaemic , no thyroid problems. Not sure about other vitamin levels. But I am taking the daily wellwoman multivitamin tablet. However, I don't know due to being very anxious about the chest pain but now I am having daily palpitations since 6 weeks now. Getting loud thuds, fluttering from chest to throat and weird pulse sensations on my left and right abdomen below ribs- have been to A&E for this as well. I am not going to hide the fact that when I started googling my initial symptoms my mental health went downhill and I actually thought that I have unstable angina and have a serious irregular rhythm and my heart will stop. I am trying to stay calm but the palpitations are still there, my heart doesn't race as I have checked my heart rate and it is around 78 at rest and when standing about 88. However, since palpitations have started I can see my heart beating in my chest when I am standing up and changing my clothes and it seems the rhthym is weird. They are really scary and make be believe that my heat is under stress. I have had health anxiety in the past with my bowel which was all fine after colonoscopy and endoscopy in 2015, I do have nausea when I am anxious but have never had Palpitations and back pain.

@Happymumoftwo21
Sending you hugs and we'll wishes 🤗

Have a google of the reticular activating system. It's a part of your brain which filters out the stuff that your mind considers important - which explains why we can sleep through a thunderstorm or a partner snoring, but the random click of a door opening can have us wide awake and terrified. That's what's happening when you're fixated on your heartbeat and pulse.

This is a really informative and detailed guide to what happens to the body under stress - knowing that it's all completely normal will hopefully reassure you;

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?

@anonxc
Hi,
After having tests on my heart, anatomically heart is fine just have PAC/SVE- ectopic heartbeat originating from upper chambers somewhere which is what the thuds/flutters are. All my symptoms were due to severe anxiety. After having various tests done last year and being informed results were fine, my symptoms started to ease off. Looking back now I think the anxiety and panic attacks were most likely due to my 2 consecutive miscarriages I had in 2022, I am trying for baby number 2. The sadness and trauma was too much for me I was devastated. I am making time for myself and doing things I enjoy, not letting negative thoughts always occupy my mind which is easier said than done. Thank you for your message x

Palpitations a very common symptom of anxiety. I used to get them as had bad anxiety. Prozac and a short course of counselling has cured me. Don't just struggle on - you don't have to live with anxiety. best of luck to you

Glad to hear you are are ok now, I am currently experiencing all of your symptoms and I think my anxiety was triggered as I was given wrong medication by an out of hours gp which I should not have been given and it interacted (stomach pain) I was told to immediately stop but since then two weeks ago I have chest tightness and palpitations every single day all day. I have also been a&e and an ecg with bloods all normal