The Anxiety Guru Show: Episode 2

Concerns of the Heart

1. One of the most common symptoms of an anxiety disorder is palpitations, chest wall pain, general and overwhelming concern about heart health.

2. Palpitations: A palpitation is an abnormal awareness of the beating of the heart, whether it is too slow, too fast.

a. The heart seems to stop or skip a beat.

i. This is a regular heart function – you are tuned into a ‘high frequency’ and are sensitive.

ii. Caused by a compensatory pause – an extra beat that happens before the next normal beat which causes a slight pause

iii. This is not dangerous.

3. Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate.

a. The heart maybe from 100-120 beats per minute.

b. This is not dangerous.

c. Thumping or pounding heart

d. You could still be active – No need to fear exercise or other physical activity.

4. Muscular chest wall pain: Chest pain is described as a heaviness, pressure, or

discomfort in the chest.

a. Caused by tension and anxiety – muscular aches and pains.

b. . Watching your heart and Pulse: Time spent taking your pulse and measuring your blood pressure is not needed.

e. Real heart problems are usually felt in other parts of the body – not the heart.

f. Heart attack: Dizziness, trouble breathing, serious chest pain, numbness in the arms (left arm).

g. Anxiety mimics a lot of heart disease related symptoms – always talk to your doctor about any serious changes in symptoms.

5. If you have seen your doctor and been checked – then this is anxiety. It does this to us and produces many symptoms.

a. You have to accept this for now.

b. Don’t be afraid

c. Your body is in a hyper-sensitive state brought on by anxiety.

d. Your body is producing adrenaline that triggers palpitations.

e. Even after you begin to heal – you can still get palpitations.

f. Conclusions.

Contact me with any questions or comments at info@anxietyguru.net.

Music:

1.Bill: Sound Scientist

2.CJacks: Candy land

Listen to the Podcast Below – Click on the Orange button.

Tina says

January 24, 2012 at 1:06 pm

I am 41 and this is my 2nd major episode of heart flutters. I always have them; but not like I have been in the last 3 months (everyday, all throughout the day; and some days are worst then others). It does’nt matter what time of the day, I have them. Sometimes they are worst first thing in the morning, sometimes they are worst at night, and other times they are worst at night. In fact, as I’m typing this I am having them. The last big episode of this was in 2009. I tried everything to get them to stop. Although I don’t consume a lot of caffeine, I cut it out of my diet. I was still having the flutters. I took vitamins (magnesium, potassium, calcium), and they seem to get a little better and just when I thought I was out of the woods…. But Here I go again! It started late Oct. 2011 and hasn’t stop. I got off of caffeine, and tried the vitamins but they seem to get a little better, then worst; better then worst. I went to my PCP (just like I did in 2009) and she put me on a holter monitor which did confirm I was having the flutters. However, she wasn’t concern that I had any heart problems. She sent me for blood work cause she wanted to check my thyroid and potassium. Etc. Blood work came back good. She basically told me to continue to take vitamins. So I have been taking a good multi-vit. Now, I am not sure if this is all in my head because I have been so concerned w/ the flutters; but every so often I can feel a slight pain in my left arm. I decided two wks ago to see a heart doctor. After he listen to me explain my symptoms, he asked the question ‘what’s been going on in your life’. I told him I work full-time, go to school part-time, have 2 middle school kids. He said ‘you have a lot going on, and I believe your heart flutters are related to stress’. He also said ‘but it is my medical duty to run some medical tests’. I had an echo gram and it came back good. The heart look good and there was good blood flow. However, the stress treadmill test results came back inconclusive. Therefore the doctor wants me to have a more reliable test he says, and that is a stress nuclei test (something to do with a solution or dye). Although I am still having the flutters I haven’t schedule this test yet. I have insurance but I don’t want to continue racking up bills from all these tests when it just may be “anxiety”. And by the way, I recently started taking prilosec just in case these flutters have something to do with GERD. It’s been day 6 of the prilosec. Someone asked, is the prilosec working? And I said, I think so. Flutters are less today; then the very next day they were back. So I DON’T KNOW. I don’t know what’s causing this. Let me also share this; a week ago, I received some upsetting news and for about 10 minutes, my heart was fluttering like crazy! It’s like my heart went wild! (I’m not on any meds, and I don’t have high blood pressure). What are your thoughts about all that I’ve shared?

Comments

Tina says

January 24, 2012 at 1:06 pm

I am 41 and this is my 2nd major episode of heart flutters. I always have them; but not like I have been in the last 3 months (everyday, all throughout the day; and some days are worst then others). It does’nt matter what time of the day, I have them. Sometimes they are worst first thing in the morning, sometimes they are worst at night, and other times they are worst at night. In fact, as I’m typing this I am having them. The last big episode of this was in 2009. I tried everything to get them to stop. Although I don’t consume a lot of caffeine, I cut it out of my diet. I was still having the flutters. I took vitamins (magnesium, potassium, calcium), and they seem to get a little better and just when I thought I was out of the woods…. But Here I go again! It started late Oct. 2011 and hasn’t stop. I got off of caffeine, and tried the vitamins but they seem to get a little better, then worst; better then worst. I went to my PCP (just like I did in 2009) and she put me on a holter monitor which did confirm I was having the flutters. However, she wasn’t concern that I had any heart problems. She sent me for blood work cause she wanted to check my thyroid and potassium. Etc. Blood work came back good. She basically told me to continue to take vitamins. So I have been taking a good multi-vit. Now, I am not sure if this is all in my head because I have been so concerned w/ the flutters; but every so often I can feel a slight pain in my left arm. I decided two wks ago to see a heart doctor. After he listen to me explain my symptoms, he asked the question ‘what’s been going on in your life’. I told him I work full-time, go to school part-time, have 2 middle school kids. He said ‘you have a lot going on, and I believe your heart flutters are related to stress’. He also said ‘but it is my medical duty to run some medical tests’. I had an echo gram and it came back good. The heart look good and there was good blood flow. However, the stress treadmill test results came back inconclusive. Therefore the doctor wants me to have a more reliable test he says, and that is a stress nuclei test (something to do with a solution or dye). Although I am still having the flutters I haven’t schedule this test yet. I have insurance but I don’t want to continue racking up bills from all these tests when it just may be “anxiety”. And by the way, I recently started taking prilosec just in case these flutters have something to do with GERD. It’s been day 6 of the prilosec. Someone asked, is the prilosec working? And I said, I think so. Flutters are less today; then the very next day they were back. So I DON’T KNOW. I don’t know what’s causing this. Let me also share this; a week ago, I received some upsetting news and for about 10 minutes, my heart was fluttering like crazy! It’s like my heart went wild! (I’m not on any meds, and I don’t have high blood pressure). What are your thoughts about all that I’ve shared?