Suffering constant fast heart rate/new to Diazepam

[lisaxo]

Hi all. I suffer with anxiety after my mums heart stopped out the blue at home December 2011. I saw her having CPR and shock pads and was told there wasn't much chance she would survive this as they couldn't keep her heart going. Luckily she pulled through and was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome. This gave me Anxiety and I had PTSD. I had to be tested as there was 50/50 chance I could of had Brugada too. The tests took a year, I had several anxiety attacks, once I was sent to hospital from my doctors because my heart rate was 187bpm. I had several ECG's, an ECHO and the Adjmaline test which was awful I got told the good news that I didn't have Brugada but I still suffered with Anxiety and PTSD. I had CBT and counselling. This helped massively and I had finally learnt how to control it and noticed when I was started to get anxious so I could deal with it. The last 2 weeks for some reason it has all kicked off again and I don't know why. I am stressed with work, life etc as most people are but nothing has happened to make me understand why it is so bad right now. I was given Diazepam 2mg on Friday by my doctor - with my anxiety I have a constant fast heart rate and that makes me breathless, scared and worried which doesn't help. I woke up on Monday morning around 4am having an anxiety attack. it's really distressing and scary. I took 2 tablets and they calmed me a little but but after 4 or so hours my heart rate was racing again and it felt like they had worn off. I had to take 2 to get to sleep last night as I was so bad but I'm not sure if I passed out from exhaustion from it all. This morning I woke up with fast heart rate again, took 2x 2mg again, this helped a little but then wore off. I took another 1, this did nothing. I then had another horrible attack and took 2 more. This has made me feel calm but my heart rate is still fast, my heart rate is from 104-120bpm and I can hear it pounding and it's like it all the time. This is really scarying me - is it safe for my heart to beat this fast for 3 days now? I have had to have monday and tuesday off work due to this. I have a doctors app tomorrow as i think i need a higher does of diazepam. He offered me beta blockers originally but because I have asthma he wouldn't give me them. Has anyone else had the fast heart rate for so long? Its really scary and stressing me out as I'm so worried my heart can't cope with it. It's such a vicious circle, nothing I learnt at CBT is working any help I would appreciate so so much xo

[ab123]

I certainly can relate to you,

[ab123]

You can message me if you want. I havr ptsd from my own heart incident, and now i have a whole other something going on,...

[lisaxo]

Thank you Abi, do you get the fast heart rate for days and night? I know it's silly but I worry my heart won't be able to cope. As soon as I wake up my heart is 120bpm without even doing anything. I'm so so sorry to hear you had a heart incident. I hope you are ok now. It won't let me PM you as I haven't sent 10 posts yet x

[Yazzy]

Hi all. I suffer with anxiety after my mums heart stopped out the blue at home December 2011. I saw her having CPR and shock pads and was told there wasn't much chance she would survive this as they couldn't keep her heart going. Luckily she pulled through and was diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome. This gave me Anxiety and I had PTSD. I had to be tested as there was 50/50 chance I could of had Brugada too. The tests took a year, I had several anxiety attacks, once I was sent to hospital from my doctors because my heart rate was 187bpm. I had several ECG's, an ECHO and the Adjmaline test which was awful I got told the good news that I didn't have Brugada but I still suffered with Anxiety and PTSD. I had CBT and counselling. This helped massively and I had finally learnt how to control it and noticed when I was started to get anxious so I could deal with it. The last 2 weeks for some reason it has all kicked off again and I don't know why. I am stressed with work, life etc as most people are but nothing has happened to make me understand why it is so bad right now. I was given Diazepam 2mg on Friday by my doctor - with my anxiety I have a constant fast heart rate and that makes me breathless, scared and worried which doesn't help. I woke up on Monday morning around 4am having an anxiety attack. it's really distressing and scary. I took 2 tablets and they calmed me a little but but after 4 or so hours my heart rate was racing again and it felt like they had worn off. I had to take 2 to get to sleep last night as I was so bad but I'm not sure if I passed out from exhaustion from it all. This morning I woke up with fast heart rate again, took 2x 2mg again, this helped a little but then wore off. I took another 1, this did nothing. I then had another horrible attack and took 2 more. This has made me feel calm but my heart rate is still fast, my heart rate is from 104-120bpm and I can hear it pounding and it's like it all the time. This is really scarying me - is it safe for my heart to beat this fast for 3 days now? I have had to have monday and tuesday off work due to this. I have a doctors app tomorrow as i think i need a higher does of diazepam. He offered me beta blockers originally but because I have asthma he wouldn't give me them. Has anyone else had the fast heart rate for so long? Its really scary and stressing me out as I'm so worried my heart can't cope with it. It's such a vicious circle, nothing I learnt at CBT is working any help I would appreciate so so much xo

Hello

I am glad that you haven't got anything serious wrong with your heart. Sounds like a vicious circle... You are worrying about your heart which gives you an attack and then the attack makes it worse too. I really do advise you not to take too much Diazepam. Diazepam/valium is very addictive and your doctor should only give you 2 weeks worth at the most. It will help for a while and makes you relax but also very drowsy. Obviously something is triggering your attacks... Stress or worry. Easier said then done but try not to panic about your heart as it is normal for someone with anxiety. When I first had a racing heart and palpitations I thought I was having heart attacks and I had to have ECGs too. But as you said... It turned out to be anxiety. Has CBT given you breathing techniques to control your attacks at all? X

[ab123]

I am okay, im sorry i should have clarified ive just had svt like rapid heart rate episodes...and now...when i stand...my heart rate goes way up sometimes to 160 or 180...so it gets difficult.