Anxiety Guru

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How to Stop Heart Palpitations

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Heart palpitations. Don’t these two words make you shudder with anxiety?

Well, maybe the words don’t, but the sensations caused by heart palpitations certainly do scare people.

In fact, it’s the main topic of emails that I get from people who contact me with questions.

And given that this anxiety symptom is so common among anxiety sufferers, I thought it would be helpful to do a “how to” article on palpitations.

First, a few basics. A heart palpitation is an abnormal beating of the heart AND your heightened awareness of your heart beat. Palpitations can cause your heart to beat fast (tachycardia), slow (bradycardia), flutter, or to even have ‘skipped’ heart beats (PVCs).

Heart palpitations can be caused by electrolyte imbalances, adrenaline, anemia, heart disease, arrhythmias, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and of course, anxiety disorders. There are more causes, but the ones listed are common.

Now, because heart disease could be involved, it’s always a good idea to see your doctor if you’re experiencing new or ongoing heart palpitations.

No need for fear, this is mainly a precaution to safeguard your health and your sanity. When you go to your doctor he/she will run an ECG and take some blood. If the results come back negative, then you can start your efforts to stop your heart palpitations without having to worry about having a heart attack.

How Palpitations Work

When related to anxiety, heart palpitations are triggered by the fight or flight response. If you’ve had problems with anxiety for any length of time then I highly recommend that you get acquainted with this term.

This is because the fight or flight response is the source of much of your misery, and a detailed understanding of it can help you to reduce stress. Because with knowledge comes less guess-work, more facts, and less anxiety.

So then, the fight of flight response is essentially your sympathetic nervous system gone wild. When you become scared, nervous, and worried, your brain will trigger a fear response, which, in turn, causes your body to undergo  a few changes, like:

  • Palpitations
  • Cold/Hot flashes
  • Dilated pupils
  • Urge to urinate
  • Diarrhea
  • Tunnel vision
  • Muscle tension

It’s also important to point out that palpitations are almost always accompanied by anxiety and panic.

Part of what also happens when the fight or flight response is triggered is that the brain signals the body to release stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, in preparation for violent action. But, in your case, there is no action to be taken.

The adrenaline and cortisol however  still get injected into your bloodstream, where it acts on the nerves of the heart and causes palpitations. So, in most cases, it’s adrenaline causing all the havoc but, there could also be other causes.

One such cause is electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are electrically charged ions. They include elements like: sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, sulfate, phosphate, bicarbonate, and magnesium.

These elements are important in maintaining proper voltage levels in the body, and are also critical to muscle function. The heart, as we all know, is a big muscle. If these electrolytes become imbalanced then palpitations can occur.

This is because electricity and contraction are what makes your heart beat and keep a rhythm. If there is a disruption in the electrical impulse, or the contraction of your heart muscle, then you get things like a fast, slow, or weak heart beats.

How to Stop Heart Palpitations

There are several ways to stop palpitations. If you’ve been cleared of heart disease by your doctor the following techniques can be effective.

1. Balancing electrolytes: When it comes to matters of the heart, the four most important electrolytes are potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. If any of these electrolytes become too high or too low then palpitations may result.

A simple blood or urine test will tell your doctor if this is the case. If you have excessive/deficient levels of electrolytes then you can speak with your doctor about how to bring them back into balance.

In general, this would mean taking supplemental vitamins or increasing/decreasing the consumption of certain foods.

List of foods rich in the four major electrolytes include:

Potassium – See full list here.

  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Milk
  • Orange Juice
  • Potatoes
  • Raisins
  • Wheat bread

Calcium – See full list here.

  • Dairy Products
  • Almonds
  • Beans
  • Tofu
  • humus
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Oatmeal

Sodium – See full list here.

  • Meats
  • Dairy products
  • Frozen foods
  • Snack foods
  • Canned food
  • Spices

Magnesium – See full list here.

  • Nuts
  • Cooked soybeans
  • Peanut butter
  • Yogurt
  • Milk

2. Diet: Diet is an important part of any anti-palpitation strategy. Here are a few more examples.

Foods that you want to eat more often would include:

  • Grapes
  • Guava
  • Honey
  • Fresh fruit and Vegetables
  • Whole wheat foods

Foods and activities that you should try to avoid include:

  • Foods that contain caffeine like chocolate, soft drinks, etc.
  • Sugar
  • Alcohol
  • Smoking

3. Hydration: Water is a fundamental part of what you are. If you don’t drink enough water then even mild dehydration can create palpitations. You don’t need to go overboard and start walking around with a gallon of water, either. Many of the foods you eat already have water in them, but it’s still a good idea to drink about 5-8 8 oz cups per day.

4. Medication: You may also want to talk to your doctor about medications. Doctors will usually prescribe beta blockers, which block the effects of adrenaline on the body. This would be a good option after experiencing palpitations for a prolonged period of time.

5. Valsalva Maneuver: This technique can be used to stop a fast heart beat. First, pinch your nose and close your mouth. Next, breath out forcibly. The idea is to strain as if you were trying to defecate while holding your breath. This will cause a quick spike in heart rate, followed by a slowing of the heart rate. If you have heart disease, or are advanced in age, please do not try this maneuver.

6. Coughing: Coughing vigorously causes pressure to build in your chest, which “squeezes” your heart back into a normal rhythm. This is not a preventative measure, so do it when you’re actually having a palpitation.

7. Cold Water: Splash cold water on your face. This technique works well for palpitations and panic attacks. The idea behind this is that the cold water shocks your nervous system back to normal. The water should be as cold as possible.

8. Relax: Palpitations can strike at anytime, even while you sleep. As a result, they tend to startle you and make you feel as if you’re going to die at any moment.

This is why it’s important to not rush around in a panic, thereby adding stress to your racing heart. It’s best to have a seat, breath deeply from your stomach, and chill out for a moment.

9. Exercise: Exercise might sound like the opposite of what you want to do when you know that palpitations can occur. But after a good workout your blood pressure and heart rate will generally decrease.

This is why it’s not unusual for highly conditioned athletes – like Lance Armstrong – to have very low resting heart rates. A normal resting heart rate is between 70-80 beats per minute.  People that have conditioned bodies, on the other hand, can get their heart rates down in the 50’s or lower.

Let’s not forget that the heart is a muscle, and if it is worked, it will get stronger and more efficient and what it does. So despite the apparent contradiction, exercise is a great way to cope with palpitations absent any heart disease.

Caution: If your palpitations are accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain or shortness of breath, then it could be something more serious. The unfortunate reality is that panic attacks and intense anxiety can mimic symptoms of a heart attack.

One of the tell-tale signs of something serious is severity and duration. If you have chest pain or the like continuously for more than a few minutes, and if the pain is severe, you likely have a problem. Always err on the side of caution though  and get checked out if you’re just not sure.

If, on the other hand, you’ve already been screened for heart disease and nothing was found, wait. Be patient and wait about ten minutes and the symptoms will usually die down on their own.

I know that heart palpitations can be frightening, but they are usually not dangerous. That’s why I encourage you to see your doctor if you haven’t already. Because once you’re cleared medically, you will have the confidence needed to cope with the fear tied to palpitations.

Understand that heart palpitations are a very normal part of having an anxiety disorder and stress in general. When they happen don’t over think things and start jumping to conclusions. Instead, try some of the techniques outlined above and try the best you can to not shock yourself with fear. I hope this helps.

 

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Comments

  1. Hi Jackie,hope u feeling better now darling don’t go to the hospital trust me I use to go every two day within two years that’s bother my husband with me like me I can’t calm myself down and I used to have everyday and night every minute and second but I’m not taking nothing coz it’s over taking medication it’s not going to work anymore my psychiatrist gave medication I didn’t take it but u need to know how to deal with I’m like u exactly but after all those test I done to my heart and blood test I don’t think it’s going to be more than that brood to me I’m not going to have a heart attack I’m 32in this age no way u going to have it that’s what my doc said and the heart foundation help line trust me site in a very quiet room and try a very deep breath without thinking about what happen arround think positive and say to yourself when you breath out from your mouth and very slow (calm) do it couple time and see how u go if u feeling like ur chest fluttering could be like me I felt it in my chest and my neck
    I hope this advice can help u if u some for me I’m more than happy to take the advice coz we all need it him
    Take care

  3. Hi summer fall, it is really really scary coz sometimes comes for nothing so it’s make me really scared like I’m going to have a heart attack soon but that’s the mind

  4. I commented a while ago on this… I suffer with anxiety… All I can say is- although it feels like death is coming, that is far from the truth.

    I have slowly managed to overcome my fear of it.

    Evernight without fail, just as I’m about to fall alseep my body releases adrenaline, it will do this everytime I recover from the last ‘shot’ and get relaxed again… I worked out, all I have to do is not react to it, and just continue to try and sleep.

    Cannabis was what caused it for me, without a doubt. I still have the occasional smoke, and I still get amazing heart rates. Last time me and my friends wrote down… 130’s 110’s…

    All you have to do is relax, I know it sounds hard- I was told this when I first started with these… I answered the same as most “How can I relax when I feel like I’m going to die” – Anxiety plays with the mind, remember; the mind control your body- if you let your mind get tricked into thinking something’s wrong, then it will change your perception to match those thoughts.

    Find some relaxing music, interact; don’t sit there and think about it, that will only make it worse- AND DON’T TRY TO NOT THINK ABOUT IT- that just makes it the center of attention, remember- it doesn’t deserve your attention; It’s just attention seeking.

    My honest advice:

    Go for runs & jogs, increase the strength of your heart… Give up Caffeine, cigarettes & any drugs- These will keep you having episodes; Don’t go anywhere near foods like Mcdonalds (I know because I did on my break at college) it caught me off-guard.

    And stay mentally strong, meditation is a mental tool as well as a physical.

    Peace

  5. you are right alex!! i have said to anyone on here that suffers like we do that its their negative thoughts that cause the attack!! if u think you will have an attack then it will happen!! if you think im not going to have an attack im ok!! it wont!! x

  6. Cognitive behavoural therapy!!!! i can always tell u how to do it if you would rather not go doctors for it!! email me!! Me and Alex have beat this!!! u can too!! x 😀 get ur lives bk!! x

  7. Hi. im up late tonight having many of the same symptoms you all describe here. I must say its a relief to know im not going through this alone. ive been to the doc a few times and every time they tell me my heart is strong and healthy. its crazy! because i feel that something is just not right with it. usually however, after the visits to the doctor my symptoms go away for a long time, for months at a time. but recently, ive been under alot of emotional stress. yes, a guy. im inlove with him and he was everything you could ever ask for in a man. then he broke up with me and threw me off guard. since then, ive been a mess. its been a couple months now and were talking and he took me out to see a movie the other day. but i cant help but notice that hes not the way he used to be. not keeping his word, not as reliable, and not calling half as much as he used to when we were together. im very independent, not a clingly girl at all. i tend to be rather lax and allow him to initiate things but i really feel that i have a broken heart. its affecting me physically. this man broke my heart. he spilled his heart out to me and pursued me for months saying he wanted to be mine but as soon as i agreed he left me and acts like we never had a thing going on… please help me. i am really hurt by this. and its not something to easily get over. i cry every night. i need to move on even though i dont want to. i cant take the suspense of what he will say or do next. he says he wants to work things out but honestly i dont think my heart can take it. this is seriuosly affecting my physical, emotional and mental well being. could these palpitations really be a result of this?

  8. Kaysha-
    I’m interested! What’s your email? I’ve been suffering form Palps since Feb05 and since having gallbladder surgery this last Jan…..my minds on “what’s next” ALL the time!! Any advise would be greatly appreciated!! I was a pretty healthy 32 year old women, great family, job, and now this has really played w/ my mind!

    thank you! 🙂

  10. Hi Mimi it’s normal when you stress u got palps or fluttering but to be onest don’t think too much about what happen trust me u going to find a better one I know it’s not easy but by time u going to forgot and to relax and calm down take a breath and say relax I know it’s not easy but I’m the same I have this fluttering and it’s bothering me but the docs said my heart is healthy so I have take it and give all my stress and sadness and griff to god to help me so take it easy and be selfish

  11. my email is kaysha_7@hotmail.co.uk i am happy to help anyone!! i had therapy, i can either give advice on how to go about getting the therapy or try and give tips on what i learnt!! contact me anytime x

  12. I suffer with this madness, too. It has destroyed my life. I’m a 42 year old male and I now realize that I have had mild anxiety since childhood. It had never been an issue until a little over a year ago when I experienced a tragic event that set in motion full blown anxiety / depression. The heart palpation has been the scariest part to deal with.
    I’ve been to therapy and was diagnosed with PTSD. I’ve been to the ER, and Dr’s office countless times and have seen the top cardiologist in the state twice. The cardiologist told me I have a normal, healthy heart and that he has no concerns. That’s all well and good but I still have a constant sense of impending doom and feel that I have one foot in the grave. I have become totally obsessed with death and dying. So out of character for me. I feel my quality of life has been destroyed.
    The worst part is that I have no one that can truly understand how much I suffer with this. I pray that I get past this some day.

  13. Hi,mike im 32 and I don’t feel I’m alive too when I feel this bad symptoms palps fluttering feel I’m going to faint or die in any second
    My life turned upside down since the first anxiety attack
    So we all in the same circle lol
    Don’t worry you’ll be fine and u going to use to ur new life

  14. its so sad to see how many sufferers of panic disorder there are, none of us who suffer would wish this upon anyone!! i really want you all to go to your doctors and explain to them that it is effecting your quality of life and you are at the point where you are unable to cope!! ask about cognitive behavioral therapy or to see a psychologist, if you already no you are physically fit then next best thing is to treat the anxiety, which will stop the physical symptoms of your attacks. and you will be free from the feeeling of doom and palps, it worked for me and i recommend it to anyone!! x

  16. I was enjoying a decaf mocha this morning and my heart ran wild for a minute. I could feel my rapid pulse in my neck. I did some deep breathing, felt a little light headed, and after a few minutes, needed to run to the bathroom. I really hope it’s just the coffee/chocolate/sugar combo. I had my heart checked just last year and all is good but these little attacks do rattle me.

  17. I am so glad you are here. I have had palpatations since I was 16 and now I am 33. They are always so scary. You would think that I could handle this after 17 years. It is 4:51am right now. I woke up in a panic. Trying to go back to sleep.

  18. I am coming off of Ativan after 7 years and started having heart palpatations during the day and especially waking me up at night. My BP and e/thing is good except any little problem makes me have burning in my chest and chest pains. Any idea’s on how to get over this?

  19. Hi Nancy did u wean yourself off the ativan? U could be having withdrawal also I’ve noticed when I stop my anxiety or depression medication my anxiety gets alot worse and I end up starting tje medication again

  20. U are all very helpful and I’m thankful to have found this site. The only thing I can’t get over is the shaking of my heart it feels like it stops beating and just starts shaking in my chest. I always thought that was a sign of cardiac arrest when the heart gets out of rythm and starts shaking. My ekgs are normal and so is my echocardiogram the only thing they said have is a small heart mummer and an xtra electrical pulse in my heart I’m only 28 years old I have 2 children I want to enjoy life with my kids and not worry about going into cardiac arrest everyday when my heart starts to shake

  21. age 59, m, have had paliptations since 1990. 1991 was worst year where I estimated I had some 1.5 to 2 million skipped beats. Now maybe I get 50,000 to 150,000 a year. I appreciate the comments here, it tells me I am not the only one. Sometimes I can go for months and not have bad episodes. Other times they seem to dog me for days at a time. If I am very busy such as on vacation, I don’t seem to get paliptations bad at all, because I am concerned with other things. They seem to run in cycles. sometimes exercise seems to bring them on, sometimes exercise seems to cure them. hard to pinpoint it.

  22. Hi everyone I am very new here but after reading all about u guys I felt bit relieved n confident . Few months ago my mom passed away that was sudden death n couldn’t tolerate nstressing from that time n start having palpitation n I went to emergency because of this crazy Palpitation yep they did blood test n ecg but the test result was all good. But sometimes this palpitation drives me crazy I even can’t go to sleep.it really scares me n worried about my 8 months old baby girl. I have no idea way to do.gys please help me to get rid of this .thanx

  23. Hi Ed, I am 54,(F) and can totally relate except I have had palpitations since I was a kid. They still scare the crap out of me. I was on vacation for 2 weeks and felt great but last night they hit me again and it was very stressful. I also get them when I exercise and sometimes not at all.
    It’s very hard to deal with this condition!

  24. I’m Bee. I’m 25 (F) and have currently been siffering from palpitations.
    Not just the odd.. 1 or 2 every minute?

    I get them every 3rd beat which has lead me to believe I have arrythmia.

    I’m currently undergoing some tests, and have already done an EKG which rled out any form of heart attack. I’m just scared I have a damaged heart muscle / heart disease due to lack of respect for my body over the years.

    I have noticed that after performing the Valsalva Maneuver, my palitations go away. I only started doing this about an hour ago, and it seems to have worked. As well as keeping my water in-take up and relaxing it seems to help slighty.

    So overal, I get thousands of PVC’s / PAC’s / Palpitations a day.

    I’ll let everyone know about my Holter Monitor results when they come back 🙂

  25. Hey I’m 21 and used to mess around with drugs a lot , I’ve now stopped and quit smoking and drinkin well some days I have a fag but that’s not every day as I want to stop completly , the 1st time this happend was when I was on drugs so I stopped taking that drug it was just a wkend thing n then 1 night I had a joint and it happend ansd I went a n e cause I was petrified n now I’ve stopped everythin n scared to drink n I don’t want to touch drugs as I’m growing up n want to enjoy my life and not be high on drugs just to have fun, the docs and hosp said anxiety , I had the joint the start of jan n I’ve been feeling shit everyday and night since then , n my chest sometimes burns or if I run up the stairs I feel really poo n my hearts going really fast and sometimes hurts or if I cough or sneeze n if I go for a walk I feel light headed as if I’m gonna faint n have to sit down or take deep breaths :/ I’m really worried n reading these makes me know I’m not alone but wondering is mine really serious as I can’t even go on a walk without feeling faint n my heart going funny n I’m waiting to have a heart monitor on on the 19th for 24hours n I have heart problems in both sides of the family, really annoys me that the docs haven’t checked for heart disease or anything just say they doubt al have it as I’m young !n I’m always having rumbling in my belly n now my heart palpitations shock me there horrid as if it takes my breath n hurts when I feel the beat n just recently I’ve been having a lot of headaches n a sore throat 🙁 , could someone please email me so I have someone to talk too x

  26. Hi guys please Bee please stop thinking about heart attack u tooooo young for heart problemes I used to be like this but after al my heart test done and the docs here in Australia there no way in 1%in younger age having heart attack so don’t think like that I’m 32 and I spoke to Australian heart foundation to take advice the nurse said to me you young no smoking no cholesterol no blood pressure so what is the reason to have attack just think if u don’t have any. Of what I list below so y u worried about heart attack for no reason
    Tell yourself stop write down all the test resale you’ve made if u realy health do u don’t have to think about heart attack
    I’m not perfect I’m the same but I have to start beleiving my docs coz anything will happen to me that’s going to be under their responsibility so

  27. Hi, I am also very happy I have seen this website as it looks like a lot of people have this and seem to be ok. I am in my late 30`s and have noticed this since around 18. I also seem to fit the common denominator of having high anxiety but I feel that I have it under control mentally, its just that my heart doesnt hide it some times. My first reaction was it felt like an air bubble passing through my heart. It peaked around 2 years ago when I would feel the air bubble repeatedly and then maybe slightly light headed. I kept this all secret as I was scared and didn’t know what to do. I did mention it casually to some people but they looked like I was crazy and then I stopped talking about it. I figured I was a dead man and started engaging in dangerous behavior as I thought I would be dead within a few years. Finally, I got the courage to see a dr. about it and take tests. To my surprise there was no problem with my heart shape, or anything. I even wore something over my heart to measure. FYI, I am very healthy and work out all the time and at a good weight . I laughed at godsmacks comments as that is exactly how I felt. When I start getting these palpitations I stopped working out for fear of dying while running and then finally I said bring it on. I actually started to work out a lot and took the problem head on after the tests and said If Im going to die, then Ill die fighting.
    I have improved my situation a lot by bringing my sleep from 4 to six hours to around six to 8 hours. I cut coffee but I realized that had no effect so I drink again and seems to have no bad effect. I cut down on a spicy sauce I used for cooking and I think that may have helped. Recently I cut booze and see if that will totally get rid of it. But due to my nature, I will always have anxiety as I think things will always go bad nobody what I do. Maybe, that keeps me driven but I guess gives me these palpitations that I can’t control. I can only control my mental state. The main thing worry about is all these stories about people just dropping dead from their heart stopping. This seems to happen a lot of famous athletes lately. Did they have palpitations?

  28. Hey guys
    Im 17 years old
    last summer i had the first Palpipation.i thought it was just because i was stressed and it wont happen the next day.Next day i woke up i was fine.I started walking and guessing what happened yesterday…Heart palpipations started again.Idk what i thought but i didnt tell anyone.Next day i woke up with my arms and legs blocked.I went to the doctor and made an Echo and Holter.I was diagnosed with very low Mitral Regurgitation and Doc told me its nothing to worry about.When he told me this i thought Heart palpipation will stop very soon.But its been almos 1 year and there hasnt been a day without palpipation.Sometimes i think im about to have an heart atack and die.Here on this forum im learning that there has been guys with more than 20 years with these problems.MY QUESTION IS:WILL HEART PALPIPATIONS EVER STOP?

  29. If anyone needs to talk, my email is: alex_bl_rixon@hotmail.co.uk

    I, right now am having palputations- infact, there isn’t a second in the day where my heart isn’t beating different to what it used to in some way… I can give advice, share experiences & hopefully make people feel better.

    Peace,
    Alex.

  30. hwy im 24 male, been having anxiety since i was 17…anxiety wouldnt be nearly as bad with out the damn heart palps i also get them when i try to workout which i love doing and nother thing when i exercise i get heart palpitations along with being light headed is that serious?

  31. Hi Corliss,

    Yes it is indeed hard to deal with these. I was getting real bad episodes of palpitations a few weeks ago when I wrote my post, but they seem to have settled down the past two weeks. I wish I knew reason for all this, or what specifically makes them subside.

  32. 25/Male – Just knowing that there are people going through the same feelings and fears as me has already made my day better. I was just on the phone with my 2nd Cardiologist for another apointment, because i thought for sure what I was experiencing was a one of a kind problem. I completely agree that this fight is 100 percent mental. The catch is that I feel my mind is the hardest to control. I can take a walk, close my eyes, breathe deep and usually get myself under control, but there is always that moment the pap happens and my mind goes into shock “What if this is the big one?” “How many more of these can I take?” – I really like the ideology of saying, if I’m going to die, then bring it on, however, I really don’t want to die!

    I really just want to thank all of you that have posted comments on this thread. I may reach out to a couple of you for further guidance.

    Best,
    Luke

  33. Hiya everyone,just found this site and happy that its recent,i suffer with palpitations,i know i had anxiety in the past but i am fine now,i am 6 months pregnant and am getting palpitations all the time,i work in a hospital and the other day i came out of handover and felt my heart going fast were i couldnt control it i felt so uneasy and it was goin even faster so i told one of the nurses and they checked my pulse and it was 149 bp but it did slow down,i went downstairs and had an ecg and 24 hr tape but i was in sinus tachi on ecg which was fine and 24 hr tape fine but in the past aswell i have had 3 24 hr tapes done and have had 2 heart echos and all fine so why does my heart go fast and i can feel every beat and it bangs aswell,i get ectopic heartbeats aswell they found them on a 24 hr tape yrs ago,i still feel not convinced there is something up,if anybody wants to email me it is buttonsj@hotmail.co.uk.

  34. I just was diagnosed a couple weeks ago with heart palpitations, however a few days latter I started having mini stroke symptoms, which was diagnosed as anxiety. I was put on lorazepam and it did absolutely nothing to help. I have never had this before, and life has been good till this stuff started happening? So is anyone else with heart palps and anxiety having tremors like Parkinsons up one side down the other, can’t smile, and trouble speaking, dizziness, leg cramping, blurred vision, sweats, chills, low greade fever, and feeling like they are being stung in their veins in their legs by bees?

  35. Hey jessica , I feel exactly the sAme but today I’ve had tingling alll round my head n like inside my mouth its weird n am always feeling cold n then feel fine n my feet n hands r mostly the worst :/ my speech has gone alit weird aswell gettin words mixed up 🙁 , is anyone else feelinglike this?x

  36. It is caused by anxiety… When my mind is in the Now, nothing happens. But then whenever I get heart burn or something suddenly, it scares me for a sec.. But then I think about my heart & then it skips a beat. This only happens to me at night, I lay down & I can hear my heart beat & I start thinking about it, then I get anxious & can’t sleep. That’s when my heart does what it does.. But whenever I started exercising more & doing things to drain my energy through out the day.. Im to tired to think about it & then I sleep just fine. It’s only when I think about it, it happens… & it is scarey.

  37. Posting update on my post from April 2, 2012. Went to one of the best heart doctors in my area yesterday and had an ECHO. The ECHO went well and my heart is in great shape other than the lame palpitations. I was informed that my problem is caused from an ELECTROLYTE imbalance due to low potassium. Not sure how long it takes to come back to normal from this deficiency, but even after increasing my potassium intake I still feel terrible and still having symptoms.

  38. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THEM ALL THE TIME FOR 13 YEARS AND NO ONE SEEMS TO NO WHY BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT IS GAS BUT SOMETIMES NOT I HATE IT IT MAKES ME THINK IM GOING TO HAVE A HEAT ATTACK!

  39. Same here, Michelle–mine seem to be gas-related, too, more often than not. Just try to stay relaxed. For me, lying down in bed on my stomach helps me to pass the gas; light exercise, like a walk, works, too. It’s an uncomfortable feeling and anxiety-causing; works best to stay as calm as you can and know it will “pass”….*smiles*

  40. I am 31 years old and have had palpitations on and off since I was 17. I also suffer from anxiety and panic disorder. I have been having these heart palpitations non stop for 3 days. It scares me, makes me feel weird, a little shortness of breath (due mostly to the anxiety) and in turn, makes me more scared, and makes the palpitations worse. I went to the ER last night and they did and EKG and blood work to check my magnesium, potassium levels, and my heart enzymes. All of it came back normal and basically told me they couldnt find anything medically wrong. My heartbeat feels like it skips, and then makes this hard thud in my chest, which they called a “premature heartbeat”. Nothing serious though. I am supposed to go and wear a heart monitor for 24-48 hrs and Im assuming, when I go to the doctor tomorrow, they will set that up. I know this is all because of my anxiety and panic issues. Unfortunately, Im breastfeeding and Im not sure what they can give me because of that. I have been off medication for almost 12 years for the anxiety and fought it on my own, but the attacks have gotten worse and I panic alot. Sometimes to the point, I want to call 911 on myself. I wouldnt wish this on anyone and it sucks to not be able to explain what its truly like. You would have to have it to know and that sucks the most, to not be able to let people know how awful this really is! I do alot of praying and its gotten me through alot. I just want everyone to know that other people have this. I havent met anyone with the exact same anxiety issues as me, but Im sure Im not alone. Maybe one day, they can cure this because its a horrible way to live.

  41. HI TONYA; I KNOW WHERE YOU’RE COMING FROM. I’VE BEEN DEALING WITH ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS SINCE MY EARLY 20’S – I’M 49 NOW. I TOO SUFFER FROM A MYRIAD OF HEART ARRHYTHMIA’S. I’VE HAD MY HEART CHECKED MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT AND I ALWAYS GET THE SAME ANSWER – “YOUR HEART IS FINE – YOU JUST NEED TO RELAX”. MY ANXIETY AND PANIC BECAME INTOLERABLE, SO I DECIDED TO GET SOME HELP. HOWEVER, THE HELP I CHOSE REALLY DID ME NO FAVORS. I SELF MEDICATED WITH ALCOHOL, BENZOS AND HEROINE – ALL THESE WERE TAKEN TO THE EXTREME. BELIEVE ME THIS CREATED A SHIT STORM THAT I STILL DON’T KNOW HOW I GOT OUT OF. I DON’T USE ANY MEDICATIONS OR ALCOHOL NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WILL NEVER HELP ME. I KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT MY ANXIETY AND HEART PALPITATIONS ARE A PART OF ME AND THEY ALWAYS WILL BE A PART OF ME. I’VE ADOPTED THE MIND SET THAT THESE TWO ASPECTS ARE JUST SIMPLY THAT, ASPECTS OF ME. IF THEY GO AWAY FINE, BUT I DON’T COUNT ON THAT HAPPENING. FOR YEARS I USED TO HEAR EVERYBODY AROUND ME SAY, “YOU JUST NEED TO RELAX”. BULLSHIT, I SAY. I FOCUSED SO MUCH ON RELAXING AND TRYING TO CALM THE ANXIETY, THAT I LITERALLY COULD NOT GET OUT OF MY HEAD. TODAY, WHEN I FEEL THE ANXIETY AND HEART PALPITATIONS COMING, I TELL MYSELF TO BRING IT ON – GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU GOT. I CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE MY “ANXIETY MAKER” AND SAY IS THIS ALL YOU GOT, ETC. THEN I GET UP AND GO FOR A RUN OR BIKE RIDE OR SOMETHING. I’M NOT TRYING TO TAKE MY MIND OFF MY ANXIETY, I’M ACTIVELY CHALLENGING IT. I’M AGGRESSIVELY CONFRONTING MY ANXIETY AND SAYING I’M IN CHARGE GODDAMMIT NOT YOU-IF I’M GOING TO DIE TODAY, OH WELL AT LEAST I’M IN THE DRIVER SEAT. GOOD LUCK TONYA, I KNOW THIS ANXIETY SHIT IS PURE HELL WHEN IT’S IN CHARGE, BUT YOU CAN TAKE CHARGE AND WALK THROUGH IT.

  42. i have the same problem but my docs are totaly useless went in after paplpertations they gave me an ecg said it not totaly normal but cos of my anxiaty attack i was having at the time so far a week n half long and still going strong couldnt say if there is a problem or not they gave me beta blockers as my heart was upto 150 beats but today had to stop taking them as i have bad circulation as it is an the turned my nails blue, am at the moment waiting to be seen by a specialist to check my heart but could be waiting months, i am scared, which is making my anxiaty worse i lost my appetite and have nearly a stone in a week an a half so not good at all the doct wont give me any other drugs till ive seen the specialist im only 21 and have a 19 month old but i feel to ill and tierd to look after her, i feel so alone an depressed atm

  43. Hi Tonya,
    I am a 31 year-old at-home mom of 2 little ones, 2 and 3, and I feel like I understand some of what you are feeling. I have PAC’s, my heart contracts early creating a harmless stutter type feeling. Often, when my heart feels like it is beating abnormally, I panic. It becomes a horrible cycle, as the panic attack makes the heart palpitations worse. Even though i have had an ecg and wore a holter moniter for 24hrs, I am sure that something more serious is happening and want to call 911. It is so scary to feel such a loss of control, to feel alone and responsible for little ones. I have found that when a physical symptom brings on a panic attack, it is harder to vercome. I can get a hold of the panic and calm down some, but another stutter in my heart and I am taking my pulse and panicing again. I have struggled finding an anti-anxiety med, as alot have side effects just as bad as the panic attacks themselves. I wish i could give some advice to help you through, but it seems I have yet to find an answer for myself. I also try to focus on prayer and scripture during this times, but I truley wish there was something more concrete to help me, like a live in Dr! 🙂 I will pray for you, that this will be a passing thing, and that you will will have peace and joy fill your life. Please take comfort knowing you are not alone, and there is no shame in having a panic disorder. May God bless you and you wee one.

  44. I to get them really bad when im stressing out or just
    thinking bad things.It scares me every time ive had anxitey
    For 11 years and I hate it.its scary I have for kids and I cant evenspend time with them its that bad I think im dieing everyday i have really bad headaces I stay in bed all the time .can some one please help me im really going crazy .. And on top of that I have bad asthma…

  45. i get headaches all the time as well mine feel kinda prickly and i feel dizzy when i move so i feel alwful unless im in bed too, im pretty sure its bad cirrculation to the head which is also buggering my memory, it can can be caused by anxiaty but can be controlled with drugs but doc wont give me them till any major heart problems are rulled out, but the docs are total crap if they dont no what is wrong with you they just say oh its just stress and lack of sleep, ive had these symtoms for over two years upto now every time ive been to the docs they were not helpful at all, made me feel like i was waisting their time, and when i go home lots of things go through my head like cancer and i think im dying, this is a very cruel illness 🙁

  46. Hi I am 43 years old , last year I had a partial hysterectomy the OBGYN accidentally cut my Kidney And Bladder , prior to this incident I was a normal human being now I have high blood pressure , anxiety attacks , heart palputations . I wish all this would just go away .. Got tested for SRESS TEST, EKG , BLOOD WORK and they say my hearts fine ! I have gone to the ER 3 times this year I finally told my husband I’m tired of going to the hospital .. So now when I get those palputations I just pray and tell god please don’t let me suffer just take me …. ;(

  47. Two years ago I was a normal, active person that was happy and content with my life. In November 2010 I experienced a traumatic event. A month later I began experiencing anxiety and fell in to a deep depression. I sought medical advice and my Dr. diagnosed me with PTSD. I went to therapy for a while and was able to work through SOME of the problems.
    Somewhere along the way I started having heart palpitations. I’ve seen several Dr’s and they all say I’m healthy. I went to a cardiologist and after all the testing he said that I have a “…normal, healthy heart.”
    Yet the palps persist. When I’m not having them I worry about having them which in turn puts me in to a deep depression filled with anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle.
    This has stolen my life. I’m no longer active. I don’t do the things I enjoy or involve myself in normal activities that I’ve always loved. I’ve become obsessed with death and dying and I always feel so down.
    All of this has caused my wife and children so much sorrow. I feel that it’s destroying my family.

  48. everyone is becoming so negative on this site… we need more positive and happy stories to overcome anxiety…afterall this site is suppose to help…When you go to the cardiologist and he says your heart is fine,,what more do you people need… Thank God everyday you are alive and healthy… Volunteer at a local food pantry or volunteer at a cancer center for kids or volunteer for disabled children centers Sooooo you get off your soap box and see how good God has blessed you and your life….Pray, breathe, take a walk… the last thing you want to do is feel sorry for yourself…. think of it as the devil is winning your life over from God… anxiety feeds on negativity…. i actually do have a heart problem and it sucks from time to time but i have 4 kids to love and enjoy.. i figure if my time is up then i hope i am having fun…
    Gods blessings

  49. to warmy666…….clearly you have never suffered a panic attack. I am a positive, grateful, God loving, people loving person but because of multiple traumatic events from my past and a present traumatic family crisis, panic disorder can set in without much warning. Believe me – I pray- try to breathe and take a walk or run every time but in the middle of a panic attack those things are nearly impossible to do for a time period where you feel like you are dying and choking. I don’t feel sorry for myself and the devil has nothing to do with it. You say you have a heart problem and I am sorry to hear that but panic disorder is a different thing. You need to educate yourself more before you make the comments you did. You clearly do not have an understanding of what happens because you have never experienced a full blown panic attack let alone a series of them. I wish you health in your battle with your heart issue but please don’t preach on something you’ve never experienced.

  50. Am suffering palpitations for nearly a year after withdrawing myself from Effexor and replacing it w/a low dose of Zoloft. Went thru the halter monitor now waiting on an event monitor. Certainly not getting any better. Have been on a steady diet ofstress and loss for 9 years. Am going to ask for a benzo script as my doc thinks the palps are anxiety related. Good luck you say on getting a benzo script. I feel for all of you.

  51. About 30 minutes ago, my heart started pounding furiously out of the blue. I’ve felt this once or twice before, but could not remember what to do — stretch? lie down? DON’T lie down? The computer was on so I sat down to do a quick internet search while trying to breathe normally and not panic. I couldn’t believe how hard it was to get information on managing or treating palpitations WHILE they are happening. Result after result about what course of drugs to take, lifestyle changes to make, etc. All ideas for longterm treatment, no suggestions as to how to handle what was happening to me in that moment. It took several minutes, but I was very grateful to finally see this thoroughly informative post.(Valsalva technique was especially helpful.) Thank you.

  52. Hi my name is Shannon, and about 9 years ago I started experiencing palpitations. It landed me in the emergency room, because with the palpitations I had tingling all over my body and the urge to constantly urinate. My fiance’ at the time, now husband works in the medical field and he was alarmed enough to take me in.
    I had the million dollor work up and they found nothing. I have rececently started experiencing these symtems again, however with knowing what it probably is, I am more at ease, but we all know how scary they are to feel that in your chest. Ugggggggg, it is so stressful! I am going to start researching this information more so that I can change my lifestyle to help myself and others with information that I find out.
    It really is consuming at times, but my husband tells me all the time, it is anxiety and I safe. Just have to work through it as it comes and goes.
    Bless all of you with this terrible issue, and i hope that we all find a way to work through it. Please I would love to communicate with people like me. Feel free to email me.
    Thank You, Shannon

  55. To everyone here, I am 52 years old and I have had panic disorder since I was 10. It is a living hell, and a prison that no one could possibly understand unless they have gone through it themselves. I also suffer from Menieres disease, which is a disease of the inner ear that keeps me dizzy a lot of the time. At times in my life the panic attacks have gotten better, and at times a lot worse. Right now, I believe I am in the perimenopausal phase and the attacks are horrible, and practically keeping me housebound. When I feel tachycardia coming on, I go into a complete panic and my heart rate will go over 200. I have had an echocardiogram, and many EKGs, all of which were normal. I have tried twice to get back to the cardiologist, but every time I start out to drive there I have an attack on the way and have to cancel. Then I find myself in tears, feeling like a failure yet again. I am pretty much a loner now, most of my friends know that I have this so they don’t even bother asking to do anything anymore. I am the queen of excuses anyway, even if I did make plans I would just cancel them. I can no longer drive outside a 2 mile radius of my home, and I am missing out on life. I am in the process of reading Dr. Claire Weekes book called hope and help for your nerves. Dr. Weekes was way beyond her time, as the treatment she suggested back then is the same treatment they now use. To not fight it, but welcome it. The only real cure for this, is to not be afraid to die! When we can get to that point, we will conquer this. My doctor gives the analogy of the little boy ringing the bell. He rings a bell all day long, because he is so afraid of the elephants, that they might stampede. He feels that by ringing the bell it keeps the elephants from stampeding. Little does he know, there are no elephants. But he is not willing to stop ringing the bell to find that out. In our case, we are not willing to just let the symptoms be there to prove to ourselves that nothing is going to happen. As uncomfortable as the symptoms are, we will not die. It is easy to sit here and say that when I’m not having an attack, but when I am in the middle of it I cannot think straight in my mind starts racing. I just feel the need to run and get back to safety. It’s all very depressing, and I hope and pray that all of us can find some peace. Anyone who wants to email me, please feel free. Beelisette@aol.com

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