Need your help here guys!

[ScrewAnxiety]

i am 29 years old healthy individual, not overweight, do not smoke, eat very healthy for the most part, blood pressure is perfect. I perform extensive cardio exercises daily - lots of running and especially cycling. the other day i cycled for about 40 miles and at times when i go up the hill and i really push it i feel my heart is going to jump out of my chest but i am not afraid of that and thinking it is perfectly normal and how it should be. I do however have a lot going on in my personal life because at times it gets hectic when i try to balance things between my full time job, personal business and also things at home with my family. I do drink plenty of coffee throughout the day (mostly in the morning), drink alcohol socially with my friends clients, etc (on weekends mostly), can have a cigar once in a while and even weed once in a while. Basically i allow myself a number of things but not excessively, just a typical normal guy. I have been getting the following things lately:

- During the moment when I'm about to fall asleep i tend to concentrate on my heart beats and my breathing and for some reason i get to the point that i feel like my breathing is going to stop and i get a sudden wake up jolt going through my body and it scares the hell out of me. i go through a good number of cycles before i pass out and sometimes it can take a while until maybe 3-4 in the morning and then i don't get enough sleep. I do sleep very deeply however once i finally pass out.

- i constantly have a fear of loosing pulse and i try to feel it and measure it like 50 times a day. i read that normal pulse is between 60-100 but when i am in bed my pulse is somewhere in mid 50 or sometimes it can get below and it scares the hell out of me.

- while all of this is happening i get a feeling i am going to get a heart attack and die.

- today at work i got one of those jolts and right after i think i had my first real attack because i felt lightheaded, dizzy, received hot flashes and could not sit still and had to fidget all the time. i was at the client and couldn't concentrate on my work and didn't get much done at all and it made me really mad and angry but i couldn't control it.

the thing is,guys, i do realize all this is mental because i know i am in superb physical shape since i can cycle 40 miles no problem on my road bike and can hike up Mt. Washington in NH and feeling perfectly fine after, but when i get these crazy stupid thoughts about my pulse and these weird jolts at night and attacks at work like today i CANT CONTROL IT and i feel like this shit is getting deeper and starts taking tolls on me.

I just want to be normal guy again. going to the doctor and taking pills is UNACCEPTABLE to me because i know i am perfectly fine physically. I do want to hang out with my friends, i do want to drink my coffee in the morning, i do want to go out for drinks with my clients and buddies. i just need to learn how to control this stupid thing.

PLEASE HELP.

[HockeyRules]

Well hello...... You have some health anxiety.....and just like me....nothing is really wrong. The good thing is that you know that...I didn't at the time. I would schedule a physical with your doctor..."tell him or her your thoughts....get the tests done to put anything screwy at your backside and behind you. After that....I hate to tell you......it will take time and patience and proper breathing when those feelings come. It WILL get better. Research on this forum proper breathing.....because most of the time those crappy feelings are from improper breathing and sometimes adrenaline. All your symptoms are very normal of a general anxiety disorder. Good news is that it will get better. Do NOT quit being active....it will help you...trust me. I took up running and while I love it.....it also soothes my mind and body. Exercise is very important and it will do more than Meds .....at least in my case anyway. Have your coffee, a beer here and there......but don't go crazy. Moderation is best.

Cheers,

David

[Anne1221]

I think you should continue to read this forum and continue to research and see doctors about ways to control your anxiety without medication. There are tons of tips/techniques for controlling anxiety and breathing techniques and meditation have helped many people. You need to be in control of your anxiety, not the other way around so start reading and taking full advantage of the information and help on this forum.
That being said, I have a different take than you on medication (and I believe in taking the smallest amount that is helpful). I think a person can be in perfect health physically but still need some (however small) amount of medication to keep their anxiety under control. I would be in a constant state of panic/anxiety/worry/depression if I didn't have my small amount of medication to help me, 5 mg daily of Lexapro and 25 mg of Buspar. (anti-anxiety). But I hope you can get it under control without medication! I'm just saying if you try and you can't and you're miserable, just consider it. I know people who are in perfect health physically who still need medication, but I can understand your not wanting to take it.

[Irish Sammie]

Hey there and welcome! :)

I won't comment on everything you said, but I remember something that my cousin (Who's a senior Doctor working in a hospital) said to me when I told him about my symptoms. He told me that your heart is incredibly strong, and can undergo so much more exertion that it can normally achieve on any given day. Being one of the strongest muscles in your entire body. That you should never ever worry about something bad happening to your heart given it's amazing resilience. The fact that you seem to be quite fit and healthy only further emphasizes this resilience! :)

[xogemxo]

Hey am exactly the same I have this constant feeling that I can't breath and am loosing my breath, and the worst part is I can't get my mind off it so am having panic attacks thought my anxiety had gone away but has come back even stronger HELP lol xxx