Working out and anxiety?

[jloca215]

So I've been working out regularly for three weeks now with a trainer. I decided that it would help my self esteem and improve my physical ailments and fatigue. So far though it seems like I've been having a lot of chest pain/ tachycardia when I'm home at rest. While I'm working out I don't focus on it and afterwards I usually feel great for a few hours. But when I relax in the evening or before bed, I noticed my heart is pounding hard and the rate is anywhere from 80-100. Shouldn't it be going down? Especially with exercise? And then I get terrible chest pain with it. I try to do deep breathing but it doesn't shake the inner nervousness I feel when my heart is like that. I had an EKG and cxr two weeks before I started working out and they were normal. I'm definitely overweight by about 40 lbs., which is why I hired a trainer, but what else could it be? I don't feel anxious or stressed about anything!! Except for this of course.

[purpleorchid13]

Could it be you're having an anxiety attack? Whenever I have one I know that I can't breathe, feel like I'm having a heart attack and I feel like I'm dying. Normal resting heart rates are between 60-100 usually.

[jloca215]

Well it certainly could be but why?? I'm resting in my own home, watching tv or on my phone. I know they come out of nowhere sometimes but it's just weird. And it's worse on days I go to the gym.

[purpleorchid13]

I often have anxiety for absolutely no reason at all

[Jernau G]

Im guessing you get anxiety just because you are worried about getting anxiety. This is pretty normal and happens to lots of people (myself included)

You just get trapped in the fear-adrenaline-fear cycle where you get scared of the symptoms, then release adrenaline, the symptoms get worse, etc.

Basically what you have to try and do is to not be afraid, and just wait out the feeling.

You should stick to working out, getting in better shape and feeling better about yourself is a step in the right direction!

[jloca215]

Yeah I know. It's a vicious cycle. I just started to not focus on all my bodily symptoms too because of the exercise. In a weird way I think it could just be extra energy that I'm not used to having?? Maybe that's making me feel a little jumpy.

[hiswaywardgirl]

Anxiety can cause very strange symptoms, but the chest pain and the fact that it's worse when you exercise makes me think it might not be anxiety. The EKG may have been fine, but there are other things that could be affecting your heart (for example, nutrient deficiencies). My boyfriend went through chest pains and heart palpitations which were worse after exercise, and after years of being misdiagnosed by doctors, we found out it was his gallbladder (he had it removed, and the issues completely disappeared). You never know.

[AmberGbenga]

I can't say I've experienced this after a workout, but during.. Whenever my heart rate goes faster than normal and I'm out of breath which happens while excersizing.. My mind automatically thinks I'm having a panic attack and boom.. I get a panic attack.. Although it generally goes away after a couple weeks of pushing through it..

[jloca215]

Well I went to the dr today and of course they think it's anxiety but my blood pressure was high 128/98!!! It's never been like that! Now I'm even more worried. She said the working out is good and to keep doing what I'm doing and check back in a few weeks. She said high bp isn't diagnosed by one reading but it still upsets me.

[trinidiva]

Well I went to the dr today and of course they think it's anxiety but my blood pressure was high 128/98!!! It's never been like that! Now I'm even more worried. She said the working out is good and to keep doing what I'm doing and check back in a few weeks. She said high bp isn't diagnosed by one reading but it still upsets me.

Om gosh...that isn't bad at all. My husband is a firefighter/paramedic and he mentioned he has seen bps of people 228/111...and similar. ..and the people weren't exhibiting any high bp symptoms. My own bp was at its highest 186/100+.

[jloca215]

Well I'm a nurse and I've seen bps like that as well but these people were stroking out! I've always been 110's/ 70's so this alarms me especially since I have heart disease and stroke history on both my parents sides. I'm afraid that if it stays like that over time I will have an mi or stroke. Pre hypertension is considered 120-30/70-80, I'm just nervous.

[AmberGbenga]

I'd just like to say that I think it's great, well not great but interesting to see a nurse suffer with anxiety.. When they always seem to just be like oh it's just anxiety, breath, pop these pills and go home. Just goes to show anyone can suffer regardless of knowledge!!

[jloca215]

I have had anxiety even before I became a nurse but I think it's become worse since. It's true that when you know too much it can be deadly. Plus I see so many tragic things and younger people than me that have terminal illness it really has caused me to become a hypochondriac.