Health Anxiety-heart skipping

[timetofeelbetter]

Hi

I am new here so wasnt sure where to find this topic if there was one. I am 54 and have had a hard time with anxiety around my heart for the last 20 years. I seem to get better then like now i am scared. I have had all the tests known to man i think about my heart and it still doesnt make me feel more reassured.

[DocSi]

Do you have anxiety that your heart is skipping? Or does it actually skip? Because I've been experiencing some strong panic regarding possible problems with my heart the past two weeks. Even though I wake up every day, I still think something is wrong. Would like to hear back from you.

[jessed03]

When I first suffered from panic attacks and anxiety, this was one of the first symptoms I noticed, along with breathlessness, and one of the scariest. When your heart is doing strange things, it's normal to be pretty afraid. My heart beat would terrify me, I would count my pulse rigorously and there would pass sometimes 8-10 seconds where my heart wouldnt beat, or would beat the faintest of pulses. My heart was so irregular, that if you'd have hooked me up to a machine, my heart beat would probably have drawn and an arrow!!!

It's very normal to have strange heart issues when suffering stress. Couple that with an overactive mind, which perceives dangers where there actually aren't any, and you have a recipe for fear.

Thankfully all your tests have come back showing regularity, and even though this doesn't reassure you, at least it means you remain alive! :)

Have you explored the psychological aspect of it, through some therapy, to help with this obsession over worrying about your heart? Sometimes the worry needs to be dissected and analyzed, so you can see what thoughts are triggering this stress, and aim to reduce them.

You seem a seasoned man with regards to anxiety, sorry if this post seems slightly simplistic, as that's not my intention, my intention is to let you know how erratic my heart has been over the last 10 years, with my pulse topping 110 on occassion. It was with CBT therapy, and breathing exercises like the Buteyko method (recommended to me by paniccured) that my heart is now at around 50bpm resting, and incredibly rhythmic.