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 🙏🙏

This is very relatable and true. Once the nervous system becomes sensitised and dysregulated it is a horrible cycle and difficult to break. I went through a similar experience last year as what you've described.

Yoga nidra on YouTube is very good for helping break this if done daily and as you say stepping away from as many responsibilities as reasonably possible. Staying away from news/media and filtering what you're being exposed to also helped me break this.

Thank you everyone for your responses had a good few days took propanol now back to feeling exactly the same today we did have a family death yesterday which hasn't helped my health anxiety as I always think that it could happen to me so today is not a good day constantly worrying about every lil twinge I get tiny bit of pain it's so horrible

A death will certainly increase health anxiety. I'm sorry for your loss. I lost a family friend in Sept last year and had a big set back in my health anxiety because of it. If the propanol has helped I'd keep going with it, it may take the edge off while you go through a difficult time now.

@Nogodsnomasters I have already taken 1 a few hours ago but no I feel the same again pain in my left arm fear and doom 😭

BUMP

I take propanol and it works really well for me, brings my heart rate back down to a normal for me 72bpm. Occasionally it makes me feel a bit too relaxed and sleepy but it’s better than being anxious, the racing heart ends up causing me a migraine so I end up in bed anyway.

@Lovemusic82 yeah I might take another one

Propranolol is great and very safe.

You have to keep reminding yourself that you're not ill, you're anxious and that's giving you symptoms of an illness.

Did you try DARE as mentioned upthread? You can also listen to them on YouTube.

Another option is Paul Mckenna freedom from anxiety. I have the audible book and it includes lots of practical techniques to calm down the nervous system.

So sorry for your loss @Chelbell2012 . Be gentle with yourself and realize it may take quite some time to feel calmer after the death of your loved one.

Take the propranolol.

@Mischance it's the pain in my arm it's making me worse then I make that worse I know it my anxiety I have no chest pain no sweats ect pain just comes and goes

unfortunately op I don't have a solution, however I would like to let you know, you are NOT alone. I suffer with severe health anxiety it's horrible to deal with, I also experience my heart pounding out of my chest it's so uncomfortable and scary. At times I also get arm pain and my head immediately goes to I'm taking a heart attack! I also always have high BP readings down to anxiety. I also take propranolol , when I was first prescribed it , it took me 2 weeks to take! I really do get it OP, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. You're not alone xxx

I am not dismissing depression either , not by any stretch of the imagination, but jeez, I suffer with severe GAD , separation anxiety, emetephobia and OCD.
The anxiety. Wow. It’s crushing , terrifying and utterly evil. I genuinely think you can’t understand it unless you have truly experienced it.
I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I only stay here for my children.
I get left arm pain too. My Drs have turned out to be utter wankers. I have no other words for them. You have to be either sectioned or suffer very mildly imo to get any sort of help.

It utterly sucks.

Sending love and hugs OP.

@ehfar100 yes I'm constantly thinking I'm going to have a heart attack then I think cause I'm thinking it I'm going to make it happen xx

@BananaSplitsss is it left arm pain?

You need to somehow break the cycle you’re in. Your nervous system has got stuck in a flight/flight/freeze response.

Short term: splash your face with very cold water, rub ice cubes on the back of your neck and wrists, eat something really sour like haribo sour sweets, stand up and do some ‘heel drops’ fairly hard onto the earth, learn to do EFT tapping on your face and head (loads of YouTube videos on this, I recommend Brad Yates).

Longer term: find an EMDR therapist to get to the root cause of your anxiety.

Im sorry for your loss 💐

I have suffered with severe anxiety, alongside bipolar and ASD. When it has been at its worst the panic sets in and can cause some awful physical symptoms, some that match your own. So I know how you feel, and can say that feeling like that doesn't last forever, and you can get through it and feel much better. I would urge you to try whatever help that is offered to you. If you aren't happy with the result you can always change back. I can't overly relate to your health anxiety, as I have not experienced that. But I know you are not alone in feeling that way, as I have seen others post about similar situations one here. Take the help, talk about your problems, be kind to yourself, and GL!

I have had so much help I'm 29 I was 13 when it started maybe 15 I started having palpitations and was rushed to hospital for a suspected blood clot on lung on new year's eve the health anxiety kicked in properly about a year ago when my mum had a heart attack she all clear now no signs of damage all stemmed from a blood clot in her leg to which the found a hole in her heart that had never been closed you get them when your born bit normally they heal on there own her didn't and was never picked up till the heart attack x

It is , yes . How are you feeling?