Palpitations

[mhuxjien]

Hi everyone, I'm 26, male, and suffer from panic disorder and anxiety, have done for a bout a year now.

Though the gravity of it all waxes and wanes I have pretty much started to deal with the symptoms & rarely end up having a full blown panic attack (hyperventilation, tettiny etc). one physical symptom I still find very difficult to deal with are palpitations... I don't get them that often, in fact I went 6 months without having any bouts, but now they're back & I feel my tolerance slipping.

My palpitations feel like butterflies in my chest, during which my heart actually seems to skip a beat and then come back with a vengeance (a thump which i feel deep in my chest). the sequence is very irregular. I get these palpitations at any time of the day and out of the blue, they're not usually a symptom of a panic attack but rather the cause of one (as they make me really nervous). They can last up to a few hours and may be accompanied by either a few other symptoms (chest pains, shortness of breath, dizzyness) or otherwise none at all.

I've had my heart checked out last May and all seems to be fine and its not my thyroid either.

Can any of you identify with this? I'm sure this topic has been brought up before on this forum... sorry If I am repeating... Just they're really getting to me.

I was reading this article were a woman said her palpitations involved heavy thumping in her chest at a regular rhythm which ultimately lead up to a panic attack... this is not the kind of palpitation I get at all an it has got me worried... should I go talk to my doctor? Get another Ecocardiogram?

Thanks to all, really glad I found this site

[proxi]

to be sure do a stress test, but looks like normal anxiety symptoms so don't worry they won't hurt you. Check also your minerals, magnesium deficiency often cause heart palpitation.

[noonanjs]

I am victim of the palps BIG TIME. And I totally know how you feel. I can get them soooo randomly and then I get anxious then I think about it, then more anxious, then take xanax, then concentrate on not panicking. Around and around. This may sound stupid but there were a few main things that we making the heart palps happen.
Pop, Coffee, Red bull vodka/ jager, night drinking, smoking, chocolate.
I have given up caffiene and all stimulants. I love coffee and it's not fair that I should have to give it up, but I have 2/3's the palps I used to have. I don't know if you use any caffiene or smoke. Also I found excercising hard because my heart would pound and I just want it to be calm.
Suggestion. I have a stethascope (spelled wrong) and I put it on and listen to my heart. When you listen and concentrate your breathing steadies and the palps usually supside.
Jaclyn

[Steve_P]

I used to have the same palpitations and pounding heart problems for years. Like you, I was very freaked out by this and thought I was going to die, and went to the doctors to have every medical test possible done on me. And of course, they said I was in perfect help, I just needed to 'relax'. :roll:

I have overcome my panic and anxiety problems, and can give you some advice on how I dealt with my pounding heart problems.

1) Exercise regularly. I mean really get after it and get your heart rate up. Not only is this great for building the strength of your heart, it releases pent up stress and anxiety as well as endorphins (that give you that euphoric good feeling post-workout), and helps to regulate your sleeping patterns. Also, the more often you get your heart rate up in a natural way through exercise, the more accustomed you become to this sensation, and the less scary it will seem if this happens as an anxiety side effect.

2) Learn some breathing/relaxation techniques. One that helped me the most while having panic attacks is to take in a very deep breath and hold it, and then tense up every muscle in your body and hold it for 10-15 seconds. Then at the same time release your breath and relax every muscle... you can feel a huge wave of tension leaving your body. This always helped me lower my heart rate when I was stuck in an anxious situation.

Get checked out of course, but you're probably in fine health, and it's your thoughts that are causing your physical symptoms.

Cheers.