Palipitation

[hitsho]

I am a senior medical officer attending board exams... my emaxs will be starting in three months but i started focused studying few days ago.... my problem is that i cant fall asleep because of palpitations... my heart keep beating whenever i try to sleep and get some rest. I feel afraid of exams and of fail.
i tried beta-blockers but they make me feel numbness in my extremities ... my blood pressure without any medications is 110/70... so, should i continue on beta-blockers or it is better to try an SSRI "escitalopram"?
Thanks for your help

[hitsho]

thanks alot

[achillea]

One way to decrease awareness of palpitations in bed is simply mechanical:  Many people feel ectopics more when they lie on their left side, where compression of the chest causes the apex of the heart to be thumping nearer the ribs, so lying on the other side can sometimes help.  Second, you can use pillows or a bed wedge to raise your torso a bit. You will feel and hear the odd beats less if your chest is not on the mattress.

Third, beta blockers slow the heartbeat and some patients find that this creates more of an opportunity for the rogue heart cells to initiate an ectopic in the pause between normal beats.

Fourth, you are dealing with anxiety over your exams, and anxiety increases palps.  I'd vote for an SSRI in this case.  However, these meds vary greatly in their effects, and I personally have found Lexpro (escitalopram) to be more stimulating than others in this group.  For me, Zoloft and Celexa are more calming.

[ed34]

probably silly, but have you tried reading a book to take you mind off things? I can quite easily fall asleep reading, or even watching a movie.