Palpitations and dizzy - anxiety

[Anonymousxo]

Hi everyone I just thought I would post on here for some food for thought, I'm so faint all the time I've been tested for bloods all normal and I've even had small ecgs but I've now been referred for a 24 hour one, my small ecg I have had at a&e showed tachycardia however I have bought a Fitbit recently and my heart rate is stable around 45bpm which really really worries me.
I called 111 this morning because I feel so bad all the time I have palpitations, severe lightheaded ness all the time to the point I can't even work now.
I'm so fed up with it and I'm on a 10 week waiting list.
The 111 nurse said I don't sound short of breath to her (I think I was suffering from a bit of anxiety this morning) but I wanted to see if my heart rate was normal to a nurse or doctor and she couldn't even tell me she said just go to a&e and get an ecg or contact your doctor tomorrow.
I said to my partner I won't go a&e because I will just end up being referred back to doctor anyway and back into square one and doctor messaged me the other day saying she contacted cardiologist for advice and apparantly cardiologist said I need to wait for my ecg before I can be referred to them.
I'm debating going A&e now as my anxiety is really playing on my mind and the fact she never answered me or gave me peace of mind if my low heart rate was 'serious or not' as such.
I'm just really scared that I have a heart problem and no one is taking me seriously, I really feel to go private now just to get this over with and get my diagnosis.

Just really worried :/

Have you verified your heart rate by checking your pulse and counting beats manually? I wouldn't want to rely on a Fitbit as many things could prevent an accurate reading eg position on your wrist.

@bagofconkers

Have you verified your heart rate by checking your pulse and counting beats manually? I wouldn't want to rely on a Fitbit as many things could prevent an accurate reading eg position on your wrist.

Yes I checked my pulse and everytime I checked it, it ranged from 58bpm to 54bpm inbetween those

You have a thread already about this

Constantly lightheaded - experienced, diagnosis? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/4382688-constantly-lightheaded-experienced-diagnosis

@peacelily3

You have a thread already about this

Constantly lightheaded - experienced, diagnosis? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/4382688-constantly-lightheaded-experienced-diagnosis

It's a bit different, but idk why it matters anyway??? I wanted to make a new thread :/

Is your pulse in 50s when you are at rest (ie sitting down) or when you are moving about?

How long have you had the Fitbit? HR in 40s/50s at rest is normal for some people so it may be normal for you. If you've had the Fitbit for a while then you can see how/if it has changed over time.

The fact that you were tachy during your ecg shows it's not persistently low at least!

What is your level of fitness?

@bagofconkers

Is your pulse in 50s when you are at rest (ie sitting down) or when you are moving about?

How long have you had the Fitbit? HR in 40s/50s at rest is normal for some people so it may be normal for you. If you've had the Fitbit for a while then you can see how/if it has changed over time.

The fact that you were tachy during your ecg shows it's not persistently low at least!

What is your level of fitness?

Yes it's only when I'm at rest it gets really low like that, when I'm walking around it shoots into the 100's. I've never been a fitness person but before all my symptoms started I did go gym now and again, haven't been gym since. I've had my Fitbit for a few weeks but from the data on my phone is telling me my average heart rate is 54bpm

After waiting over a month for a letter or appointment I called them today just to be told I'm not even on the waiting list! Fantastic :)

Not on the list for the 24 hour ECG? Were your other ECGs normal?

I don't think a resting heart rate in the 50s is anything to worry about - it's not uncommon. And you mentioned in your other thread that your BP is healthy, so that's good.

Obviously there is something going on if you're feeling extremely lightheaded all the time, but it doesn't mean it's heart-related. Vertigo maybe? Labyrinthitis?

@bagofconkers

Not on the list for the 24 hour ECG? Were your other ECGs normal?

I don't think a resting heart rate in the 50s is anything to worry about - it's not uncommon. And you mentioned in your other thread that your BP is healthy, so that's good.

Obviously there is something going on if you're feeling extremely lightheaded all the time, but it doesn't mean it's heart-related. Vertigo maybe? Labyrinthitis?

The reason why they think it's heart related is because my dizziness is not spinning, it's a near fainting so it's not vertigo and my ear mri was completely normal. Yes they didnt refer to ecg but it's all sorted now thankfully

I suffered from exactly the same when I first went into perimenopause. All symptoms of anxiety. I had all cardiology tests and everything came back normal although my resting heart rate is naturally very low. I stopped all caffeine and that helped and increase water consumption and that helped.

@vivainsomnia

I suffered from exactly the same when I first went into perimenopause. All symptoms of anxiety. I had all cardiology tests and everything came back normal although my resting heart rate is naturally very low. I stopped all caffeine and that helped and increase water consumption and that helped.

I'm only 26 I doubt it's that :/

Do you drink a lot of coffee or caffeinated soft drinks?
Are you anaemia?
Do you have a restricted diet?
There are lots of reasons for palpitations, but by far the most common is anxiety, which of cause has a spiralling effect.
Start by excluding caffeine and eating a healthy diet that is not calorie restricted.
When you start to have palpitations and feel dizzy sit down or lie down, slow down your breathing or even hold your breath for a count of 15. Anxiety can cause panic attacks, which are the bodies reaction to low CO2 levels. To restore the level you need to allow CO2 to build up by holding your breath. You may be able to find some breathing exercises if you google.
If your ecg showed anything alarming then you would have been seen. Usually if they don’t see anything from a short trace they advise a 24hr trace to see if they can pick anything up. It usually means that they haven’t found any abnormalities if they do a 24hr trace.

Just to clarify it’s low CO2 levels in your blood not in the air you are breathing.

@Angrymum22

Do you drink a lot of coffee or caffeinated soft drinks? Are you anaemia? Do you have a restricted diet? There are lots of reasons for palpitations, but by far the most common is anxiety, which of cause has a spiralling effect. Start by excluding caffeine and eating a healthy diet that is not calorie restricted. When you start to have palpitations and feel dizzy sit down or lie down, slow down your breathing or even hold your breath for a count of 15. Anxiety can cause panic attacks, which are the bodies reaction to low CO2 levels. To restore the level you need to allow CO2 to build up by holding your breath. You may be able to find some breathing exercises if you google. If your ecg showed anything alarming then you would have been seen. Usually if they don’t see anything from a short trace they advise a 24hr trace to see if they can pick anything up. It usually means that they haven’t found any abnormalities if they do a 24hr trace.

Hey, no I don't, I have a coffee in the morning and that's it, all they found on the ecg is tachycardia, the lightheaded ness is not caused by anxiety, anxiety has never done this to me and it happens when I'm not even thinking about it, just from standing at the traffic lights il feel faint, something isn't right.

What are your iron levels like? When mine get low I get low heart rate and low bp, so I get all fainty and out of breath and dizzy. If you're sensitive to the amount of iron in your blood the leavels don't have to be that low to do this.

@DeclineandFall

What are your iron levels like? When mine get low I get low heart rate and low bp, so I get all fainty and out of breath and dizzy. If you're sensitive to the amount of iron in your blood the leavels don't have to be that low to do this.

I was told my iron was good

I have a heart condition and a few years ago my cardiologist recommended I get a Kardia device. They’re around £100 you can get them on Amazon. It’s the best thing I’ve ever brought, ever. It give you a real-time ecg portable ecg reading, so when you’re not feeling great you can do it on the spot. It also give you an accurate heart rate. I think after reading your thread this would be good for you as it really eased my anxiety knowing everything was okay, and if it’s not you print it off and take it straight back to tour GP/cardiologist, it’s created by doctors for doctors so they trust it. Good luck