Heart racing when waking from sleep

[Mad_1_max]

Hey everyone so this is what has been going on with me I haven't been sleeping well and when I try to fall asleep I'll get a clue hours and then wake up and my heart starts racing blood pressure spikes. I have suffered from anxiety and panic disorder since I was 18 years old I am now 41 and I'm a male. This racing heart thing has been happening to me for quite a few weeks now and I have went to the hospital several times they took EKG and blood work and everything is normal. I also suffer from acid reflux gerd irritable bowel the wonderful things that come along with anxiety. I am on meds for my anxiety but this heart racing thing is driving me nuts. I'm worried it's my heart and the er doc's are saying it's anxiety. What do you guys think?

[DaintyHeir]

Hi, I've suffered exactly what you're going through from 2009 to 2016. The anxiety attacks and palpitations, arrhythmias, tachycardias all affected the way I ate. I lose weight 35 lbs in 2 months. Living in Los Angeles, CA, I had access to the best doc's at top hospitals here. Many tests, ct scans, emergency rooms, blood pressure spike, heart fast and very slow, you name it, I had it. Not one doctor could tell me what was causing the anxiety. I refused meds until I was diagnosed with something. My condition was sudden, after seeing the passing of my father in hospice care. Never been sick, good eating habits and vegetarian. The symptoms kept occurring. I was still losing weight; it got so bad to the point where my body could just shut down. My aunt found someone for me, her referral was to a person who not only read the blood, she works side by side with doc's for her patients to have tests incl any diagnosed-specific meds needed.

The first thing she checked was my blood. She detected I had a thyroid issue (controls heart, pressure, etc.). Then, she requested that I get an Echocardiogram, it immediately diagnosed me as having Mitral Valve Prolapse (arrhythmias/racey heart as a symptom, but no meds needed for now. This test can reveal or other problems with heart if there is one. I have Food allergies, etc.

Seeing her for the past 7 years all of the symptoms has drastically calmed down, they come here and there but I know why. Before, I didn't know why, whilst having the attacks w/ heart issue through out the day, everyday for 4 years. Results: I'm on thyroid medication, and herbs on a regular basis to calm the heart and body; it's Magnesium, Pantothenic Acid (these two are from www.Naturessunshine.com, and B12 (a sublingual tablet by Source Naturals from Vitamin Shoppe. The lady I see provides the B12 patches but I can use them). If you're in CA, I'll be happy to give you her contact info. Otherwise, get an Echocardiogram to check your hear, have your Thyroid checked (withdrawal of blood), and as 2nd opinion, see an herbalist or naturopathic doc who can either read your blood or the eyes. Her help has made me look healthier physically, and those who saw me in my worst, are now seeing her because what she does works! She doesn't replace doctors in general, however, she saw what docs didn't see. Docs many times oppose vitamins/herbs as they are supplements to health and they work; it doesn't replace a necessary prescribed medication.

[Rosemary349]

Hi, shortly after I lost my Dad, I would wake with my heart racing.  I am still not convinced it was anxiety though.  The reason is that with anxiety you know it and you just wait for it to calm down.  This seemed like something 'tripped' into creating a faster rate, and it was so fast I couldn't feel my pulse each time.  I drove to the ER, and 20 mins into the journey my heart would be back at 90bpm.

I did my best to work on the anxiety around it and managed not to have any episodes for a week, but was afraid to fall asleep because it was happening when I woke.

So my doctor gave me bisoprolol which really did the trick (warning though, I didn't realise it would make me put on weight, something to watch, but was a good drug otherwise).

I'm wondering these days whether the fast heart rate was a response to REM sleep, but it tripped into something super fast because of my anxiety about it.  I've noticed that often the refreshing sleep means that I wake with a fast heart rate, these days though I've learned to expect it and know it will calm down as I wake up....perhaps that's all it was before.  Who knows, but thought I'd share the experience because you've been told it's anxiety and so was I.  All the best.  Try to stay calm as much as possible and keep an open mind, things may change for the better.