Need some stories/advice/ opinions on panic, heart racing, anything will help.

[Zac Wallace]

I know this is a ridiculously large post but I feel i need to explain all this so people can fully understand.

Hello guys, I'm new here and this is my first post. I just want to hear other peoples symptoms and situations with anxiety and panic so I don't feel alone and crazy and maybe some re-assurance that its just anxiety / panic. This is a huge post and it describes exactly my situation, If you take the time to read it all I extremely appreciate it!

I had my first panic attack at 19 and now I'm 22.

My anxiety and panic is mainly focused on my health, particularly my heart.
I feel my heart racing and palpitating upwards of 120+ and it scares me so much - I'm convinced it's going to over work and fail on me.


I don't work or study I pretty much just sit at home on my pc playing games with friends until it's so stressful that i end up burning up and my heart is racing and I need to lay down and sometimes take a benzo. ( I know this is a terrible lifestyle and probably contributes to my anxiety, I also eat a lot of takeaway yet im only 60kg (132pounds).


The last week as been pure hell. It's never been this bad.
I went to my doc about my heart and anxiety, I've had like 10 ECGs done and they all come back good, no irregular heart beat, just a fast sinus tachycardia usually ranging from 100 - 130+

He prescribed me some beta-blockers Propranolol.( These basically are given to heart attack survivors to prevent further problems and take stress off the heart, They block the adrenaline in you body from going to the heart). I had been prescribed these in the past however too scared to take them because they effect the heart directly. However because I've been so bad lately I manned up and took the medicine.. I took one 10mg pill each day for 3 days. My heart was so slowed that it felt weird, like 55-70bpm at all times. I could not sleep at all only for an hour or 2 max and it was making me depressed. So i decided to stop taking them the night before Easter.

I still couldn't sleep all night, and was panicking all night long until early morning - I freaked bad, I woke my girlfriend up and was convinced I was dying so I called and ambulance. - They did ECGs and and the usual tests, said I was fine and its just anxiety. I had called ambulances before because of my racing heart and I even knew the ambulance man because he's come to my house before. - He seen how bad this has been over the last month of constant hospital visits and ambulance call outs and managed to get me put in a bed in the ER while they hooked me up to another ECG machines and did several x-rays and tests on me. The doctor said to me look, see that rhythm on this machine, that's your heart beat, it's a bit fast but it's consistent and regular, when it's irregular that's when we start to worry something is wrong but you're young and just very stressed and anxious so it's beating fast. He did a trop test which tests for damaged heart enzymes and it came back fine, he also tested thyroid and it came back fine. He recommended I go see a cardiologist just in-case mainly just for re assurance for myself and said there's a 99% chance it's all anxiety related but go see a cardiologist for peace of mind.

I've booked the cardiologist appointment for next tuesday and wednesday where I'm getting the H monitor, echo and probably more ECGs.

I went home from hospital Easter day around midday so stressed and exhausted from no sleep and constant anxiety. Because the Propranolol was blocking the adrenaline (anxiety fuel) for 3 days then I randomly stop the medication it was like flood gates of adrenaline were surging through me.
I tried to get some sleep with my girlfriend only to wake up 2-3 hours later convulsing and shaking uncontrollably, my legs and stomach and every muscle was like tremoring / spasming/shaking. I had so much adrenaline in me that it was pumping through my muscles, I was freaking out again, because this was different to my heart this was terrifying and I thought I was about to have a seizure. I had some valium laying around and took one because I knew it relaxed muscles. It wasnt really working so I went to my doctors and just ran into the treatment room and laid on the bed legs still shaking and convulsing, they did ANOTHER ECG only to say it was anxiety and the results are fine just sinus tachy. He prescribed me valium to take over the next week or so to calm me down and sedate me so I can rest. And I already see a psychologist but he wants me to go to a psychiatrist and get a full evaluation done.

I went home took more valium this time I took 1 and a half (7.5mg) and slept for a bit more only to wake up again with the same shaking and convulsing. I was so scared and stressed out that I was actually in tears and just wanted all this to stop and get some sleep.
I got my girlfriend to call the hospital just to ask for some advice if this shaking and and convulsing is okay, she ended up recommending an ambulance come out. They came over saw me laying on the lounge in misery shaking and anxious, they did yet another ECG and all the standard checks, they said it's honestly just my anxiety and to take more valium to literally sedate me. They asked if I wanted to go to hospital but I know the procedure and it would all end up back at square one.

I eventually took more valium and got some rest. I woke up early and wasn't shaking but still anxious and focused on my heart as usual. I said F*** it, all these tests say im fine so I decided to go for a fast walk with my dog outside and got my heart racing, i came inside and was panicking a bit and just kept telling myself it's all fine im just anxious and did some breathing exercises. I calmed down a fair bit and then towards the end of that day I was feeling really good like all that adrenaline had calmed down and I even went back to my doc and gave him some letters from the hospital and was feeling good and relaxed. Came home listened to music had a small amount of valium and finalllllly got some nice 7 hours or so sleep with my girlfriend, woke up at like 1am and went back to sleep for a few more hours til like 4-5am.

I've stayed off my PC and have been focusing on relaxing and curing my anxiety.

Which brings me to now where I woke up, was feeling better continuously telling myself it's just anxiety and I'm fine. Had a small argument with my brother about anxiety and it made me stressed and hot but i was coping okay.
Eventually took a small dose of valium only 2.5mg then went out to a Cafe with my brother mother and girlfriend, had a milkshake got some fresh air it was good. I was very tired probably because of waking at 4ish am and on Valium. I was having breathing difficulties but I know it's just from my over-breathing / hyperventilating.
Came home felt good, was relaxed doing some breathing exercises. Went into a mall by myself to get some milk and felt pretty anxiety free. Came home and went to sleep around 9.30-10.

Now I'm awake I woke up at like 4-4.30am and every time I wake up I have an extremely dry mouth and throat / always have water next to my bed for this. and my heart races when I wake up. I try to calm down and breathe properly, go wash my face with some water and eventually it slows down to about 68-80bpm. I cant sleep now and have stumbled across this site in hope of some help / stories/ advice anything. Could I be waking with a fast heart because of my obsession of thinking and analyzing it? Could I be panicking from my sleep?


I guess I just want to know other people's experiences and stories with panic and anxiety, especially heart related.

Do you wake up with a fast heart rate?
Have you visited the ER before for heart related anxiety?
Can you not exercise because when your heart starts racing you panic?

Any stories, advice, any feedback would be greatly appreciated
If you actually read all this I love you and hope you reply.

Thanks, Zac.