Rock bottom

[Cowboymo 8]

Everyone that's read my posts knows I'm concerned about my heart. I've literally done everything to fix this issue. I'm in therapy, on medicine,  and I try my best to not focus on it.  But no matter what, it's getting worse I feel. My heart rate is about 95-100 bpm and up all day even when I'm resting.  I've been getting chest pains and I get shooting pains in my left arm pit and shoulder down to my arm along with numbness in my left arm. I sometimes feel light headed as well. I'm scared that I've convinced myself I have anxiety while ignoring a serious heart or medical condition

[JOYCICLE 654]

Again 95 to 100 is NOT a racing heart.  I'm sorry your'e struggling. If you feel the need to get it re checked by the doctor, then do so. But I think you will get the same results. 

[Cowboymo 8]

95 to a 100 is on the lower end for me. Many times it's 110-120. And I've had people say that the heart beating that fast all the time will do damage to it long term 

[BrokenArrow 52]

The more you focus on something the more it is going to act up. When you check your heart rate I am sure that you are worked up and thats why you are checking it. It is going to be elevated because you work yourself up. Honestly even 110 isn't really a racing heart. Athletes try to get their heart rate very elevated to exercise. The average exercising heart rate is supposed to be 220 minus your age. So if you were 25 your ideal exercising heart rate is 195 for 20-30 minutes. You're supposed to get it that high up there when you work out. 

Having it be slightly elevated when you are panicking is nothing. That's just the bodies way of responding to the fight or flight response. The adrenaline in your body is forcing your heart to be faster and your healthy heart is responding to it the exact way that it is supposed to. No worries at all. You are just hung up because someone told you that having it that high up will do you damage. That's what anxiety is. A million people could tell us we are fine and that won't matter. We will focus on the one person that says something different. It's almost like we want to believe that we are sick. 

[KathyC 88]

Cowboymo,

I have had really fast heart beats about 8 months ago.i was always taking my blood pressure and and heart rate. I was so worried about my heart because I could feel it beating so hard and racing. When I would go to the Dr and my heart was beating the same way they told me it was nothing to worry about. The more I focused on that heart of mine the more I could feel it. I was worried I had somethong wrong with my heart. I had all sorts of test done and everything was fine.

I have chest pains, shooting pains, numbness and off balance feelings. I accepted them due to anxiety. Shooting pains, chest pains and off balance has been this week.

Remember you got your heart checked out and everything is fine. I know our anxiety, panic, worrying, thoughts, fears and being exhausted can increase our heart rates.

[Cowboymo 8]

Athletes are working out when it goes up. I could be laying there or literally walk from my desk to the bathroom a few feet away and I'm out of breath and my heart races like I just ran a marathon. I'm 32 years old btw. 

[JOYCICLE 654]

When you go from laying still to moving your body requires blood flow to move your arms and legs. Your muscles will not work to walk to the bathroom without blood flow. SO it's 100% natural and normal for there to be a rise in the heart rate when you go from dormant to active. With our brains being so hardwired to wait for trouble, you are surely anticipating this and nervous to walk to the bathroom and that is making it higher.  I have told you in the past when I'm really redlining on anxiety, my heart can race over 150 bpm.  It's ok. It's supposed to do that. If the heart were not sending out extra blood for your body to move, that would be a concern of a malfunctioning heart. You have the opposite which is a perfectly functioning heart. 

[Cowboymo 8]

What about when you're laying there doing nothing and you see it racing? I wouldn't worry if my heart sped up here and there.  Mine is above 95-105 all the time right now it's about 130 and I'm just laying here 

[KathyC 88]

Maybe your focusing on your heartbeat and also your so in tuned to how fast your heart is racing that your worries, fear and them anxiety causes your heart to race so fast even when you don't think about it. Like me for instance I find myself worrying about some symptom and boom it happens. Even when I think or worry about it. But in the past you mentioned your Dr said everything is fine so you need to convince yourself that it is because if you don't your always going to have that symptom. I know when I thought I had neuropathy I had mostly all the symptoms even if I was not thinking about it but deep in my unconscious mind I was scared and worried I had it and it kept my symptoms active. I hope you can try and find a way to fight this feeling of the heart beats because each day or week you will notice it will slow down and one day disappear as long as you don't remind yourself about it. It is hard but hey we are strong people dealing with anxiety and if we deal with the anxiety we can beat these symptoms. Kathy

[Snowbunnyface 31]

Cowboy, anxiety alone can raise your heart rate just doing nothing. Your fight or flight system is just like the body exercising. My heart rate increases walking from my house to my car because I am anxious. It doesn't have to be a strenuous activity. In the house I'm 77 and in the car it's 101! It happens that quickly. And I know it before I even measure it because I start feeling all the anxiety symptoms with it. 

i know deep breathing is promoted to calm anxiety but I've reduced my heart rate in real time by inhaling in and exhaling out of the nose with mouth closed, not deep breaths, just slow even ones. It reduced my heart rate right in front of me. Which means - breathing affects heart rate and our breathing is automatically sped up by any anxiety. If you are worried about your heart that is going to immediately put you in that shallow breathing pattern. 

It doesn't hurt to check with a doctor but then you have to believe it's anxiety. My heart rate was 140 with palpitations a few weeks ago, dizziness, sweatiness, I was convinced it was my heart  and I called the paramedics and it wasn't. 

Regular exercise actually lowers your resting heart rate as well. My mom has a high resting heart rate because she's always stressed, her mind never stops, yes stress alone WILL increase heart rate. Especially stressing about your heart.

[JOYCICLE 654]

On 10/16/2016 at 7:06 PM, Cowboymo said:

What about when you're laying there doing nothing and you see it racing? I wouldn't worry if my heart sped up here and there.  Mine is above 95-105 all the time right now it's about 130 and I'm just laying here 

But you're not just laying there. If you were laying there relaxing that would be one thing. But you're laying there worrying yourself sick and your mind and heart are reacting to that.

[LouAnne 5]

Hi cowboy, 

ive been where you are right now & believe me when I tell you this it will pass I was exactly like you, no matter what anyone said to me I wouldn't believe it I was convinced that the doctor had missed something. I would sit there day & night obsessing over the feeling of my heart beating, constantly checking my pulse, my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest 24.7. I was in that much of a state of fear I layed in Bed for days thinking if I move I'm going to have a hear attack... My advice here is, face it head on, except that its beating fast because your terrified of the feeling. Put your hand on your chest & let yourself feel it beating as fast as it wants too, except it & it will eventually stop bothering you so much. It worked for me & I have all faith that if you keep practicing this it will work for you too. 

If you need to chat please feel free to email me.