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New anxiety induced Tachycardia, ruining my life!
Hello,
I have been reading posts on this forum for a few days, and I decided to register because I think this is a very helpful site. Here is my situation. I am 29 yrs old, F, healthy weight, non-smoker/drinker, no caffeine, relatively active, and no family history of heart disease. I do have a STRONG family history of anxiety and panic attacks though. I also suffer from GAD, and although I have been in therapy, I have never tried medications. Well, last week, I woke up on a Sunday morning, and all the sudden I felt my heart just start beating really fast. It scared me so bad, that I sat up in bed, and literally just waited to fall over dead (I know that sounds extreme, but that's how I felt). My husband didn't know what to think! After a few minutes, it slowed back down, but not to my normal resting rate---or at least I don't think because I was just too scared to check my actual numbers. I was pretty shekn up by this, but got over it after a day or so. Then, the following Thursday, I woke up with the same thing. Except, this time, my HR just stayed elevated. Not as much as the initial episode, but enough for me to notice it. I layed around all morning, and finally around 1pm, I called my friend who took me to the ER. When I got there, my HR was about 140, and my BP was 157/94 (all of my vitals were up because I hate going to the hospital anyway). The docs checked me over, did an EKG and blood work to check my thyroid, and everything just came out normal. So...they gave me Ativan thru an IV and just told me that it was anxiety and I needed to just relax (yeah---easier said than done!). Eventually, I was knocked out and they sent me home with my hubby. Since then, the tachy/anxious feeling has never went away :(
Yesterday, I went to see a new doctor. She was very understanding, and felt that after talking to me, that indeed I was suffering from anxiety /panic and that perhaps I should try meds. She gave me .25 Klonopin and Celexa. I tried the Klonopin before bed last night, and I felt that my heart was beating out of my chest! I don't know if this was actually caused by the med, though, or the fact that I read it might be a side effect. I got some sleep, but I woke up this morning feeling extremely tachy and wound up, and I havent been able to shake the feeling all day. It sucks because I am fairly active, but right now I feel like every time I move, my heart just pounds really fast. And I CANNOT stop thinking about it!!!
This has really taken a toll on me this week :( I have distanced myself from all things that I love, and I just feel like I'm going to just die at any time. I tremble after some episodes, and I sweat a lot too. Also, I have lost about 5 lbs. because I don't have an appetite. To make matters worse, I am supposed to be starting a new job tomorrow, and I don't even know right now how I am going to make it. In fact, I think the new job may have triggered all this :(
Oh--and I am also graduating with my Masters in Counseling this week.
So---I just need some help. Whatver you guys can tell me, I'm totally open to hearing. I guess, I just want to know that I am going to be OK---that I'm not going to die soon---and I can get back to being "me" again.
This discussion is related to Sinus Tachycardia.
I have been reading posts on this forum for a few days, and I decided to register because I think this is a very helpful site. Here is my situation. I am 29 yrs old, F, healthy weight, non-smoker/drinker, no caffeine, relatively active, and no family history of heart disease. I do have a STRONG family history of anxiety and panic attacks though. I also suffer from GAD, and although I have been in therapy, I have never tried medications. Well, last week, I woke up on a Sunday morning, and all the sudden I felt my heart just start beating really fast. It scared me so bad, that I sat up in bed, and literally just waited to fall over dead (I know that sounds extreme, but that's how I felt). My husband didn't know what to think! After a few minutes, it slowed back down, but not to my normal resting rate---or at least I don't think because I was just too scared to check my actual numbers. I was pretty shekn up by this, but got over it after a day or so. Then, the following Thursday, I woke up with the same thing. Except, this time, my HR just stayed elevated. Not as much as the initial episode, but enough for me to notice it. I layed around all morning, and finally around 1pm, I called my friend who took me to the ER. When I got there, my HR was about 140, and my BP was 157/94 (all of my vitals were up because I hate going to the hospital anyway). The docs checked me over, did an EKG and blood work to check my thyroid, and everything just came out normal. So...they gave me Ativan thru an IV and just told me that it was anxiety and I needed to just relax (yeah---easier said than done!). Eventually, I was knocked out and they sent me home with my hubby. Since then, the tachy/anxious feeling has never went away :(
Yesterday, I went to see a new doctor. She was very understanding, and felt that after talking to me, that indeed I was suffering from anxiety /panic and that perhaps I should try meds. She gave me .25 Klonopin and Celexa. I tried the Klonopin before bed last night, and I felt that my heart was beating out of my chest! I don't know if this was actually caused by the med, though, or the fact that I read it might be a side effect. I got some sleep, but I woke up this morning feeling extremely tachy and wound up, and I havent been able to shake the feeling all day. It sucks because I am fairly active, but right now I feel like every time I move, my heart just pounds really fast. And I CANNOT stop thinking about it!!!
This has really taken a toll on me this week :( I have distanced myself from all things that I love, and I just feel like I'm going to just die at any time. I tremble after some episodes, and I sweat a lot too. Also, I have lost about 5 lbs. because I don't have an appetite. To make matters worse, I am supposed to be starting a new job tomorrow, and I don't even know right now how I am going to make it. In fact, I think the new job may have triggered all this :(
Oh--and I am also graduating with my Masters in Counseling this week.
So---I just need some help. Whatver you guys can tell me, I'm totally open to hearing. I guess, I just want to know that I am going to be OK---that I'm not going to die soon---and I can get back to being "me" again.
This discussion is related to Sinus Tachycardia.
I know the feeling you are talking about.. I too suffer from anxiety and I get these fast heart beat attacks that feel like they come on too suddenly and strongly to just be normal. When you get those attacks do you feel very hot and almost sweaty and you feel like you have to breath in heavier? If they caught your beats on the monitor while you were 140 and said you were normal, that is a great sign. I wish I could have that piece of mind. I never caught mine on a monitor, but I got an echo done and ekg's when i didn't have symptoms and they said it was normal.
I think a possibility is that perhaps our body just dumps a large amount of adrenaline all at once. and than we get more nervous about it and it prolongs it. I find that even when my heart rythm seems severe, if I just go with it, accept it and almost even analyze it as calmly as I can muster up, it goes away a lot faster.. If i panic over it,, It gets really bad. feels like im going to die and can't catch my breath and my heart just goes totally crazy fast.
I think a possibility is that perhaps our body just dumps a large amount of adrenaline all at once. and than we get more nervous about it and it prolongs it. I find that even when my heart rythm seems severe, if I just go with it, accept it and almost even analyze it as calmly as I can muster up, it goes away a lot faster.. If i panic over it,, It gets really bad. feels like im going to die and can't catch my breath and my heart just goes totally crazy fast.
That's great you made it to your new job. One day at a time. You might find it two steps forward and one back for a while. So try to remember on the days that you feel like you're back to square one. The meds might have some side affects too and these peak about 7 days into them (nausea and sweating are the most common I think). They then settle down.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Thank you so much for your reply :) I am actually at my new job today, taking a lot of deep breaths and managing fairly well so far. It has helped so much connecting with others who have experiences like mine. I really feel stronger now :) Thank you, thank you...and, yes, I will definitely check out the anxiety forum :)
It will take a while before the anti-depressant starts working (3 to 5 weeks) so in the meantime you are going to need to be kind to yourself. Nothing about what you've said indicates anything other than anxiety and you have had lots of tests and an understanding doctor who has seen this many many times I'm sure and has made the correct diagnosis.
Atheletes have those heartrates all the time for hours on end and do not keel over and die and neither will you. When you feel the heart start to race try to relax your stomach and think "come on then panic, do your worst". If you try to stop fighting the feelings, just let them wash over you, "float", your body will stop fighting and releasing all the stuff that is causing your heart to race in the first place.
A new job is a sure trigger for an attack like this but you will manage. Eat well, do a relaxing hobby that you don't need to think about (cross-stitch?), do something nice for yourself every day, and you will get better.
You might like to visit the anxiety forum and you will meet many people who have had similar, no identical, experiences.
I'm impressed you've made it to 29 before experiencing this. You've done very well.
Good luck.
Atheletes have those heartrates all the time for hours on end and do not keel over and die and neither will you. When you feel the heart start to race try to relax your stomach and think "come on then panic, do your worst". If you try to stop fighting the feelings, just let them wash over you, "float", your body will stop fighting and releasing all the stuff that is causing your heart to race in the first place.
A new job is a sure trigger for an attack like this but you will manage. Eat well, do a relaxing hobby that you don't need to think about (cross-stitch?), do something nice for yourself every day, and you will get better.
You might like to visit the anxiety forum and you will meet many people who have had similar, no identical, experiences.
I'm impressed you've made it to 29 before experiencing this. You've done very well.
Good luck.
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