Anxiety and heart racing ruining my life

[Chelbell2012]

Please is there anyone that feels the same I feel so alone I have always suffered with anxiety since I was about 13 I'm now 29 I also suffer with severe health anxiety started after I had my twins they will be 2 in march got extremely worse as my mum had a heart attack last year. My heart is constantly racing I had loads of test years ago now ECG 48 hour heart monitor ect all came back fine. My heart is racing everyday pumping out my chest I get pain in my left arm then I'm absolutely petrified I'm having a heart attack because my mum had one. I take duloxitine and diazipam I have been prescribed a beta blocker propanol but my anxiety literally gives me fear of tablets it took years for me to settle with the ones I'm on so I'm so scared about taken them I literally had to call an ama few weeks ago heart rate was 175 blood pressure was up and pain in my left arm they sent me to my local walk in egc was fine was told it was anxiety I just feel I can't go on like this does anyone feel the same have any resolutions please 🙏🙏

BUMP

I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks but they're not as you describe with the pain in your arm...
What other stresses do you have?
What do you do to calm down when your anxiety hits a high?
Have you tried doing the 54321 method?
5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can touch. This helps me pause and focus

No I haven't tried that one. Yeah I get pain in my left arm it's strange but doctor said it's anxiety I'm always scared I'm having a heart attack 😭💔

ANYONE BUMP

Take the propranolol.
It really helps and will reduce the physical symptoms of the anxiety. Which will in turn help you feel less anxious.

Going for daily walks and or any kind of exercise, relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation should help.

@Bigearringsbigsmile I took it about half hour ago as couldn't go on the way I felt I think sometimes I let my brain take over the tablet so sometimes not don't work the anxiety is so strong or takes a while to work if you see what I mean. Does anyone else get pains in there arms ect?

@Whataretalkingabout I walk alot as sometimes I can't even stand being in my own home cause of my anxiety it's really horrible

What treatment have you had for the anxiety?

So sorry to hear how bad you are feeling.I could have written your post myself! I have exactly the same problems. I do also get the pain down my left arm too. Had loads of tests ECGs, holster monitor, heart scan, no problem found. I suffer from terrible anxiety so that must be the cause. I’ve been given propranolol but won’t take it because I’m too scared. My dad died of a heart problem, it wasn’t one that is hereditary but I’m sure that’s why I’m so scared.

@Cheeseandcrackerswithpickle loads of different medications finally settled with duloxitine and diazipam I've had counselling x

@Cheeseandcrackerswithpickle oh I'm so sorry Hun. I lost my dad to. It's so horrible how it makes u feel I always think to my self when people doctors ect say u will be okay. They don't live with it how I feel every day thinking something terrible is going to happen wanting to ring an ambulance every time I get a twinge in my chest ect the sickness the heart palpitations the not wanting to be in my own home and so on I find the propanol work but if my anxiety over rules them I'm still stuck feeling the same x

@reflecting2023 loads of different medications finally settled with duloxitine and diazipam I've had counselling x

@Chelbell2012 i already have low self esteem and confidence and whenever I end up in a&e or ambulance it makes me feel even more worthless when they are nice to me but can’t find anything wrong. I just don’t know why I can’t get over being so scared and so convinced I’m going to die. When I come back from hospital I’m okay for a while, but then I get the pain again, and it all starts again.

@Cheeseandcrackerswithpickle that's exactly how I am. the last few days it's been so bad I've had headache for 3 days I wake up with it that's it my heart starts raining cause I'm anxious because I woke up with this headache it's just constant x

Have you ever tried the dare app? It's free to download and there is a section on there for health anxiety but the word dare stands for - dismiss, accept, run toward, engage. It's those 4 steps to follow and the app has audios you listen to to explain it properly. You can pay for a more in depth version of the app if you end up liking it. It's been very helpful for my anxiety (I have PTSD, GAD & health anxiety).

On a side note, I understand exactly how you feel, I've suffered with bad mental health for over a decade and had counselling several times. The problem lies in the fact that you can't stop thinking about the symptoms and fearing the symptoms, and that in turn perpetuates them, you need to break the cycle and I found this app helped that.

@Nogodsnomasters thank you I'm going to try this x

Anyone else feel the same and want to chat about it? BUMP

I could have written this. Really really struggling at the minute. I found a recommendation on another thread to listen to a podcast called 'freedom from nervous suffering' by Dr Claire weekes which I think is helping a bit so do give it a try. It's a vicious circle, I get anxious fell my heart rate rise then panic sets in that the increased heart rate is going to cause serious problems so panic more! Desperate for a cure which doesn't involve more meds. Drs are sick of me I think

@Wehavealaughdontwe same here I'm constantly asking them to check my heart ect x

Was just thinking about coming back on this thread to add another suggestion when I got the notification that you'd posted.

Another thing I've been using for a good 6 months that I've found very helpful that you could try is the "anxiety guy", he has a podcast which is good but the main thing I found helpful was his YouTube videos he has specific health anxiety ones as he used to suffer from it himself, affirmations and surrender sessions specifically tailored to HA.

I've got the Dr Claire weekes book in my audible library have heard it's good but haven't started it yet.

does anyone else get pains in there left arm ect BUMP

Hello again @Chelbell2012 , anxiety is really an awful mental health problem- worse than depression I feel. And noone should have to suffer or be ashamed about it. When your arm is hurting why not take a paracetamol? And then maybe exercise it by turning it around and around- very slowly. Raising it, lowering it ,bringing it forward then backwards. Maybe try lying on the floor with outstretched arms, bent knees, feet flat on thd floor, slow breathing and do a few slow yoga leg movements. Etc.

There are lots of exercises for stretching and relaxing the heart rate which should help refocus your mind off of your anxiety.

Another thought I have for you is to find a gentle slow rthymic hobby like knitting or crocheting, or maybe coloring mandalas? Any activity you enjoy that takes your mind away from worries and especially not your phone of tablet.

Hi op, can you identify the root cause of your anxiety? From before you were 13?
It sounds to me as if your nervous system is so dysregulated that you can’t get out of the vicious cycle (speaking from experience!). Last year I got ‘stuck’ in a dysregulated state and the anxiety was going from bad to worse as I wasn’t ‘breaking the cycle’. Eventually I got some EMDR therapy and took a step back from as many responsibilities and jobs as I could. I rested and slowed right down. It all made a huge difference to the anxiety. I still get anxious over the original trauma but the ‘generalized’ anxiety has eased a lot. htH.

Have you been offered any therapy? I suffer GAD and so I really feel for you. I get pains in my arms from tensing up the muscles when I’m stressed.