Heart palpitations...... feeling anxious.....

[TiredWife]

I can't decide whether this is just a temporary thing or something I should be more worried about.

Over the last 6 months or so I've begun to have occasional heart palpitations where suddely my heart starts beating at what feels like double speed. It usually goes back to normal within a couple of minutes if I sit down and concentrate on breathing.

However I've now had 3 of these in the last 4 days (2 this morning!) and it's making me feel a bit scared. Also last week when I was alone in the suprmarket I also had what I can only imagine a panic attack feels like - felt as if everything was swirling around/ as if I was about to burst into tears/ as if I couldn't cope with even the simple task of shopping.

I AM stressed at both home and work at the moment, but can't see how I can change anything to reduce this right now.

Tiredwife, Do understand how you are feeling.
I am too very stress and feel very emotional at the moment.
It does sound like a panic attack ( my mother had them a while back)
She went to the doctors and was told she was suffering form depression. She has been put on tablets and is much better now. The tablets are helping her cope better. I would go to your GP and at least you will get an expert opinion. larsxx

hi tiredwife, i agree with lars that you should go to your GP. it does sound like it could be panic attacks, but best to get them to exclude any physical problems first, like thyroid or anything.

in terms of the panic attacks - relaxation/breathing exercises can help with that, though of course it would be better if you could deal with what is stressing you out at home and at work. if you eat and sleep as well as you can, that should help stress levels a little too.

there is a useful website on dealing with panic attacks:-

www.panic-attacks.co.uk which you might find useful.

sympathy to you tiredwife. I get this sometimes too, and it can be really scarey.

Mine is due to stress, but best to get it checked by your doctor, and see if there is anything they can do.

Agree with Lars, this sounds more likely to be a panic attack. You poor thing.
Do see your GP to rule out heart problems, and that will then be one thing at least to cross off your list of worries.
Feeling your cares are overwhelming and can't be reduced is a common side effect of being stressed, TiredWife.
Am assuming there is a TiredHusband around too, can you chat to him about how you are feeling? I think women often cope better with stress than men and husbands can have selective blindness and deafness unless things are spelt out to them. Sincerely hope he is not part of the problem.

Tiredwife - DON'T PANIC. This is quite common. I get occasional panic attacks which get so bad that I become convinced I'm having a heart attack because my heart is beating so fast. I had one when I was pregnant and had to call NHS Direct. I had another when I got really scared that I was going to black out so walked around the streets at 3am. I have learned now to keep calm and focus on breathing and stop thinking that I'm going to drop dead. It is merely anxiety. Some people say breathing into a paper bag really works. It would be good to talk to a GP (hope you have a sympathetic one)and try not to get too exhausted. I get them when totally knackered. GOOD LUCK, lots of love xxx

Thanks everyone.

I think deep down I know they're probably noting to worry about, but at the time you DO worry that it's going to escalate into soemthing else. The otehr thing is that I have quite a demanding job which often puts me situations where I have to make presentations at meetings/ conferences etc and I simply don't know what I'd do if I had one then (although ironically these aren't things that seem to make me so anxious!)

Marina - yes - there is a TiredHusband, and unfortunately I think he probably IS part of the problem - I think he is suffering from mild depression/ mid-life crisis and he seems to be offloading lots of his issues onto me .
However I think he was scared when he saw how upset I was by these incidences over the weekend, and he has been trying to be less self-centred over the last couple of days.

I took myself off to my gym/health club last night for a long swim/ sauna etc, 'cos I know this helps me unwind. I just need to try to do it more often I think....

Tiredwife, it sounds to me, too, like a panic attack, but could be something like supraventricular tachycardia, which is when your heart goes into double time for a while, for no apparent reason (and wouldn't usually be accompanied by the dizzying, swirling panicky feelings) and then sorts itself out. A lot of people have that condition. Does the quality of the heartbeat feel different, too? It wouldn't feel like "pouding" (which would be more indicative of a panic attack) but more like a very light fluttery (but regular) beating.

Mummytosteven's right, you need to rule out possible physical causes, eg thyroid.

So I'd suggestion you immediately cut out all caffeine (see if that helps) and book an appointment to see your gp. Even if it's "just" a panic attack, which I think it likely is, having 3 of them in the last 4 days is disruptive to your life, and you may need to think about medication or some other treatment. Hugs.

TW, I've been suffering with something similar lately but I'm not sure it's a panic attack with me because I've had those in the past and this doesn't seem the same. I get lots of irregular beats plus my heart pounds and I also feel a heavyness in the centre of my chest and my head pounds. It really really frightens me when it happens. I also feel very anxious and on edge when it's happening but I don't know which comes first, the panic or the physical sensations. Very frightening though.

My mum descibed something like this to me and shes got something wrong with her thyriod and now she takes pills for it and she doesnt have it anymore.