Does anyone else get "winded" easily when doing everyday tasks?

[glimmer2525]

As the title suggests, I'm having a hard time with this one. I recently posted a thread entitled "My panic won't stop" (forum won't let me post links yet) and I've been getting great information from fellow forum users about what to do and what not to do. Today, after a good night's sleep, I was feeling pretty good overall and decided that I needed to try and tackle some long overdue chores. After eating a bite and taking 2.5 mg of Buspar, I decided to get some things done. While attempting to clean my bathroom I noticed I was getting winded very easily and my heart rate was getting higher (as if I'd been running or something). After taking a break for a few minutes, I tried to continue on. I went about my business and couldn't help but notice the heart rate climbing up there again and then something strange happened. It honestly felt like my heart stopped for a brief moment. It was very scary and ended up triggering a full blown panic attack for me. This experience may have only been a palpitation but I've had palpitations before and this one felt different (maybe just more severe?)

Anywho, I've had about 4 different EKG's done within the past year and they all turned out fine. But after this experience I'm kinda scared again. I stopped cleaning my house and I've sat here and nursed this panic attack down, and here I am.

Earlier this year, before the anxiety issues and health scares started overwhelming me, I was very athletic. I took Zumba classes twice a week, worked out all the time and was in good shape. Now I can't go up my stairs at home without getting winded.

I'm wondering if I should get more extensive "heart checks" done, or if I can attribute it all to anxiety and just keep on trying to tackle it. :( I can't believe what my life is becoming. I've already had to take time off work (and will likely not be able to return for awhile).

Basically just looking for anyone else who might have experienced this!

[Im-Suffering]

As the title suggests, I'm having a hard time with this one. I recently posted a thread entitled "My panic won't stop" (forum won't let me post links yet) and I've been getting great information from fellow forum users about what to do and what not to do. Today, after a good night's sleep, I was feeling pretty good overall and decided that I needed to try and tackle some long overdue chores. After eating a bite and taking 2.5 mg of Buspar, I decided to get some things done. While attempting to clean my bathroom I noticed I was getting winded very easily and my heart rate was getting higher (as if I'd been running or something). After taking a break for a few minutes, I tried to continue on. I went about my business and couldn't help but notice the heart rate climbing up there again and then something strange happened. It honestly felt like my heart stopped for a brief moment. It was very scary and ended up triggering a full blown panic attack for me. This experience may have only been a palpitation but I've had palpitations before and this one felt different (maybe just more severe?)

Anywho, I've had about 4 different EKG's done within the past year and they all turned out fine. But after this experience I'm kinda scared again. I stopped cleaning my house and I've sat here and nursed this panic attack down, and here I am.

Earlier this year, before the anxiety issues and health scares started overwhelming me, I was very athletic. I took Zumba classes twice a week, worked out all the time and was in good shape. Now I can't go up my stairs at home without getting winded.

I'm wondering if I should get more extensive "heart checks" done, or if I can attribute it all to anxiety and just keep on trying to tackle it. :( I can't believe what my life is becoming. I've already had to take time off work (and will likely not be able to return for awhile).

Basically just looking for anyone else who might have experienced this!

It is not that you are winded, or out of shape...You are not breathing correctly during your chores because of the belief in your anxiety and heart issues. You can catch yourself doing it and not let fear escalate.

Now, the heart rate will rise because you are always teetering on the brink of an attack, so the body chemicals are higher as the norm. (Anxiety raises chemical levels to a new normal, higher than the avg person without it.) and so you are literally one step away from attack where the avg person may be several steps, so to speak.

Allow the rate to fluctuate, allow it to skip, ALLOW IT. With no fear and continue your easy chores. When you see the rate drop because you payed it no mind, then you can explore more challenging physical exertion. Do not test the self, you see. But relearn like a baby.

As you clean the bathroom, breathe, and as the rate climbs, continue to belly breathe as normal. You see.

[aml0017]

Watch your breathing like I'm Suffering said. You are probably starting the activity with the thought that something is wrong before you even start. You may not be aware that you are going in with a preconceived notion that something will be wrong but anxiety is insidious. Athletic or no, any physical activity, even cleaning will cause our heart rates to go up a bit. Without anxiety, you'd never even think to notice it. But now you are consciously or unconsciously checking it, if you think your heart rate is going up then you start getting more anxious, which causes your heart rate to go up more, and so on and on. As for the feeling your heart is stopping, I have had that many times. It is scary but it really is just your anxiety, especially since your ekg's were ok. My doctor actually attributed to my esophagus and stomach spasming due to the nervousness (butterflies in stomach) effect, it just feels like your heart. When this does happen to me, I just make myself cough hard and it goes away.

Once you start to accept that it is the anxiety you can let go of the fear of it. Anxiety starts in the mind and the mind controls the whole body, it is a powerful thing. When you feel this happening again, stop - tell yourself it is just anxiety, take some deep breaths and keep going. When you are done and you feel fine, remind yourself that you got through it just fine and you are ok. Remember this when you next experience it.

I used to be so afraid of every palpitation, twitch, ache and pain I had due to anxiety. One day I just had enough. I kept feeling a flutter in my "heart" and was driving myself to insanity thinking my heart would stop while I was taking a walk. I just got aggravated and just said "whatever, if my heart stops it stops". Funny enough after that the fear just went away. My anxiety is still an issue but I find the physical sensations no longer are scary to me.

[Im-Suffering]

Watch your breathing.

**You are probably starting the activity with the thought that something is wrong before you even start. You may not be aware that you are going in with a preconceived notion that something will be wrong but anxiety is insidious**.

I just got aggravated and just said "whatever, if my heart stops it stops". Funny enough after that the fear just went away.

Beautiful.

[aml0017]

Thx, I'm - suffering :) this worked well for me I really don't ever worry about the physical symptoms of anxiety anymore. If only I could do this for everything else.