Cant take the adrenline thuds in the chest anymore

[kmarie30]

M still getting these adrenaline surges and:or palps. I can't tell what they are. I went to the doc once again. He says my heart sounds fine and it's just a manifestation of anxiety. But what if they've all missed something. I'm so terrified it's my heart. Im too afraid to even move its been over a week of these. Anyone know what in talking about. Are the docs right? In soo scarred

[CarJim75]

I get them too, it's anxiety. I know it's difficult to accept but that's what it is. Try to relax, you'll be fine :)

[dazza]

Hey Kmarie

I think I know what you're talking about...

Can you try to describe the sensations as best you can please?

I'll reply to this in depth later (gotta go to work now).

[chelc1225]

I get the same thing. I had all sorts of work ups done, saw a neurologist, cardiologist etc. in the end, it's just anxiety. It's crazy what your mind can do to your body! The sooner you tell yourself "it's just anxiety", the sooner it will go away. Or so is the case with me, at least. You're not alone :)

[dazza]

Palpitations occur for many reasons, but most commonly because of stress/anxiety.

It takes several seconds for adrenalin to circulate throughout the whole body and while adrenalin irritates the heart somewhat, it is more the instantaneous fright or scare your brain has just reacted to that is likely to be the cause.

I'm betting you're already feeling stressy before the palps occur? (so your body is already fuelled with adrenalin). Couple this with the innapropriate extremism thoughts you're anxious mind is having and you're most likely to experience a palp.

Palps most commonly occur at time of rest (particularly the moments following lying down)
A way to help prevent this is to SLOWLY get into bed. Start by sitting up and relaxing in that state, then slowly make your way to a lying down position.
(Most importantly - TRY to keep negative thoughts at bay)

STOP caffeine, sugary & fatty foods. Minimise alcohol and smoking.
Try to exercise for some 20 mins during the day.

Fright or anxious palps are not the beginning of a heart attack - and you MUST take this on board.
A heart attack is something completely different and you'd know about this because you'd feel awful for hours before it happened.

It's best to sit and chill when a palp occurs. Hard I know... but it's the best way.
The faster you relax the quicker they will dissapear.

TRY not to focus on your heart. Us anxious folk tend to be highly tuned to our own bodies... and ironically, this causes most our issues.

If you feel your heartbeat in your ear, neck or other places you're not used to - this is because you're listening for it!

[kmarie30]

So I went back to the doctor. He said my heart rate is too fast. 120. I'm 30 year old female. Plus my anxiety is high so he started me a beta blocker to calm my heart rate and the anxiety as well. But as you can imagine I'm freaking out about having a heart issue. Like FREAKING OUT!!! So I doubt my heart rate will go down now. He called the palps benign symptomatic pvc's. Will these go away? I don't want to die right now. I have a little boy and I'm trying so hard to overcome this. I'm too afraid to even get up for fear of dropping dead. Help please

[fletch127]

Palpitations occur for many reasons, but most commonly because of stress/anxiety.

It takes several seconds for adrenalin to circulate throughout the whole body and while adrenalin irritates the heart somewhat, it is more the instantaneous fright or scare your brain has just reacted to that is likely to be the cause.

I'm betting you're already feeling stressy before the palps occur? (so your body is already fuelled with adrenalin). Couple this with the innapropriate extremism thoughts you're anxious mind is having and you're most likely to experience a palp.

Palps most commonly occur at time of rest (particularly the moments following lying down)
A way to help prevent this is to SLOWLY get into bed. Start by sitting up and relaxing in that state, then slowly make your way to a lying down position.
(Most importantly - TRY to keep negative thoughts at bay)

STOP caffeine, sugary & fatty foods. Minimise alcohol and smoking.
Try to exercise for some 20 mins during the day.

Fright or anxious palps are not the beginning of a heart attack - and you MUST take this on board.
A heart attack is something completely different and you'd know about this because you'd feel awful for hours before it happened.

It's best to sit and chill when a palp occurs. Hard I know... but it's the best way.
The faster you relax the quicker they will dissapear.

TRY not to focus on your heart. Us anxious folk tend to be highly tuned to our own bodies... and ironically, this causes most our issues.

If you feel your heartbeat in your ear, neck or other places you're not used to - this is because you're listening for it!

In what way would you feel Awful?

[ivanas757]

I would get a heart monitor like the one you use to.exercise because in my opinion if you were scared to go to the dr appt your heartbeat could have been high just from high stress and anxiety. To me that does not mean a diagnosis for dropping fess any time soon. Get more info on the actual diagnosis and get a second opinion. Try to remain calm at the next appointment. Have they done an ekg or any actual heart testing?

[kmarie30]

I just had an ECG this morning. My pulse was 77 so that's good. I started my beta blocker which is also to help the anxiety last night so I'm praying for a better day. Still so scared though

[dazza]

In what way would you feel Awful?

Like an elephant was sitting on your chest.
You can barely breath.
You sweat.
You often have severe left arm and jaw pain.
You often go in and out of consciousness.
You generally feel like shit.
You can't do anything physical (sitting/lying is the only option).

[dazza]

Kmarie

I assume you've had your blood checked for major issues? (and all were clear?)

If you haven't already - I recommend you also have your thyroid checked.
(Put your hands out and see if they shake - often a sign of over-active thyroid)

It really doesn't take much to irritate the heart. It's an EXTREMELY SENSITIVE muscle (has to be to work with the very low-level electrical signals) so in times of stress the heart is often "tickled" with spurious signals.

(As mentioned above, the heart is also "tickled" with excess caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, drugs and sugary foods to name a few bad things)

As almost impossible it is to comprehend, the (often subconscious) stress thoughts in your brain can send innapropriate signals DIRECT to the heart. Like in an instant.
A palp is most often one of these signals.

You may also find that in times of depression this can occur, since, you may have an overwhelming thought of "there's no point in living" or "i can't take any more".
Stress signals caused by these darkest thoughts will invariably go straight to the heart and cause a palp.

Really... the best you can do is try as HARD AS YOU CAN to remain calm and NOT THINK ABOUT YOUR HEART.

Ironically, the very thought/worry of your heart can send one of those signals which actually causes the palp you fear. A punishing game of "chicken and egg" if ever there was one!

[dazza]

Couple more things worth noting:

As mentioned above, the heart is VERY sensitive and easily aggitated.

People often find that lying on their left side can cause palps. This is because the left lung, left chest muscles, fat, etc. and heart are somewhat crushed together. Not dangerously of course, but the heart will be put in much closer proximity to it's surroundings... and if touched, that can cause palps.
(I've experienced this a few times and just turn over to my right side if it occurs)

By the way, what type of palp sensations have you experienced?

There's two distinct sensations, one is a fluttering (like there's a buttlerfly flapping its wings in your chest), the other is a sudden THUD.

[dazza]

Sorry, forgot to mention the other point:

GAS can also cause palps!

Yeppp... gas build-ups around the chest can encroach the heart area and irritate it!

This is a real bummer since anxious folk often get excessive gas (and stomach acids).

Anxiety disorder really is an arse-hole of a disorder. It is self-motivating in that one symptom can cause another... and so on.

In my experience, palps are the worst symptom of them all though.
I can deal with everything else but palps still frighten me... especially if they continue for more than a few seconds.

[kmarie30]

It's like getting really bad butterflies in my belly then shoots up to my chest for a little thud. I just started beta blockers today and I'm really tired and feeling sick. I'm worrying now for real in going to stroke out. Im beside myself upset. Hating my life.