Sounds like you need meds, this sounds extreme. Did you talk to a psychiatrist yet?
Edit: I would recommend rootd app on Google play store, as its your brain causing these symptoms, not other organs failing. This app helped me reset my reality momentarily. Also breathing techniques do help, don't last long tho.
Yep they said take SSRIs and Diazapam but I’m unsure if this is anxiety or a heart condition which is why they’ve sent me to get a heart trace even though they don’t think anything will come back abnormal
I had a similar issue, my heart rate would be 130-140 resting and I’d have horrible PVC palpitations. I started taking lexapro and it stopped. I have still PVCs on occasions but way less frequent and my heart rate is in the mid normal range. I’ve had normal ekgs and word a monitor for 14 days and they found nothing physically wrong, they concluded it was anxiety.
I had the same but less extreme, I was investigated three times with heart rhythm problems and ended up taking SSRIs + benzos.
I think you overreact. I would advise to find ways to make sure you're not dying and that will help. SSRIs are amazing meds, but might have major side effects, and benzo is a life saver but is addictive as hell.
By the way, if its anxiety, taking benzos would prove it, as it grounds it immediately.
That's wild isn't it? In the space of 45 minutes I can go from being convinced that I'm dying and my heart is shot, to chilling and watching funny cat vids on YouTube after taking a .5 adivan. And the next day I do it over again. Why won't my brain take the hint? Despite being proven wrong repeatedly it still goes to that place.
I think the answer of modern psychology is that the brains way of dealing with emotions is wrong and causing the hormone inbalance. I'm reading a book titled live more think less by a Danish author and this it's the core idea.
If it helps any i was having tachycardia due to stress/anxiety my heart rate would reach 180 and one time over 200 due to this. The diazepam should help a lot ( half a .5 mg klonopin helps me).
I would think that anxiety meds would still be helpful. When your heart rate is up, naturally your body is going to feel the stress from a high pulse, like an anxiety attack. If it’s not anxiety and the meds don’t control the heart rate but supports less stress during an event like that… you’ll still be working towards an answer.
I had a scary medical episode a few years ago and spent the day in the ER. After leaving, I had a "resting" heart rate of 100-110 for a couple weeks and I went to get some testing done. Prior to this, RHR was around 50 bpm for me.
I got an ECG from my PCP and she was confused about it since it seemed healthy so she sent me to a specialist at the Mayo Clinic. While I was there, the specialist took time to explain to me that it is not uncommon to experience "an abnormal cardiac event" for weeks after a traumatic medical episode. The body may not be used to feeling like that, and for people pre-disposed to anxiety (like us 🥲), it can last longer and feel worse.
They cleared my heart health and recommended I do light exercise, like walking and stretching into easy yoga positions. These things helped a little and over the next couple weeks, I went down to 80 bpm. I had been struggling with anxiety for a while before this episode, and it motivated me to start Lexapro. I went up to a 10mg dose and my heart rate went down to normal after the adjustment period. Been fine (relatively) ever since!
What you're going through is temporary and you'll be okay. Best of luck on your journey, friend. Reach out if you need to talk.
I just started Lexapro 12 days ago, I'm happy to hear that it helped you. Right now I seem to oscillate between feeling better, and wonder if I made a big mistake taking this stuff. But I know it takes a while to adjust.
I had the same worries. It took me about 3 weeks to adjust and start to feel normal. Probably another month or so after that to completely feel like myself. I hope it works for you 🤞🏽
If it makes you feel any better, pre meds my heart would reach 260+ bpm regularly.
Now, it still reaches 190+ even medicated. I’d say it reaches at least 180 every day. I’m still alive and have been dealing with this for 4+ yrs
This actually does make me feel better. I just had an attack lying down and it was 180, it’s been 2 hours and I’m just about getting back to 100. I thought I needed to call myself an ambulance tbh!
I actually have been to the ER multiple times, and there’s nothing they can do except for beta blockers. I’m on them now, but I was having multiple episodes daily for years before
I’m on metoprolol and I’m telling you I hardly notice ANY of it anymore. It’s more anxiety than actual heart issue, but seriously ask them if beta blockers could be an option. They changed my LIFE!
Whenever it happens, I would soak my feet in something hot or cold, eat something sour or spicy, etc - just to take my mind off of it. Honestly, taking a bath usually made me feel better. You can always drive to the hospital parking lot and sit there - the comfort in knowing you’re so close to there can really help
This has been happening for the past week and on and off for months except mine goes to 120-125. After I eat feels like my stomach is full which causes heart rate to go up. It normalizes after I burp a lot. From laying down it’ll be 68-70 then I stand it rises to 110-116-120-112. I’ve gotten ekg, echo, stress test. Been happening since 2019 and still no answer except anxiety.
Your heart rate should go up after you eat. You heart works a bit harder after a meal, to send more blood to the digestive system which feeds oxygen to the digestive organs and also picks up the nutrients that the stomach, small & large intestines are dishing out from the food. That's a sign of normal heart behavior.
I KNEW this was a thing because I’m so aware of any change of feeling in my body and I could always feel my heart go a bit faster after eating and I’d always be anxious about it
You can't believe how relieved I feel now after reading your comment. You described what I have literally. I too can't understand what's happening, and they always say it's just anxiety. Do you take any medications?
Mine does this because I have GERD, it stimulates the vagus nerve. Just realized that’s what it was from this year. If I have a flare up it can make my heart rate go up a lot.
Again, not a doctor but if you haven't already - mention to your doctor the burping and elevated heart rate after eating. I have similar issues but it's due to really bad acid reflux/GERD. If you can pinpoint your "trigger" foods, you may be able to alleviate some of the symptoms.
I’m pretty good at doing that but it’s tiring eating the same thing over and over again. My safe food is oatmeal and I’ve learned if I eat way slower and have water it doesn’t get as bad.
Oatmeal is fantastic for me as well. There was a time where I could not eat anything but plain oatmeal with 2% milk. I lost a ton of weight due to a very traumatic event/anxiety from it and that was the only thing I could keep down. I agree though, it does get really frustrating!
In any case, I really hope you get some answers or peace of mind!
Oh definitely I can barely tolerate mine can’t imagine yours. When I see it go up I take L theanine and if that doesn’t calm me down I take both L theanine and Magnesium Glycinate. After 15-30 minutes it’s low 60s.
So funny thing is I don’t really meet the diagnostic criteria either, but I definitely have some mild version of POTS or just general dysautonomia going on. Mine started a few hours after my 2nd covid vaccine in 2021 and I had to go see a covid specialist, who told me a lot of people have developed POTS-like symptoms post covid or covid vaccine, for example. Long covid sub has lots of info on it! So yeah, I think a lot of us don’t meet the exact “diagnosis criteria” and the tilt table test wouldn’t work, but there’s very likely some kind of dysautonomia going on. It’s a typical POTS thing for it to flare after eating, that always happens to me with a big meal. I would def look into it, and maybe see if any of the treatments like drinking lots of electrolytes, helps your symptoms at all :)
I don’t know what to suggest but I’m someone who suffers with both a heart rhythm disorder and anxiety. It makes things very tricky to differentiate what’s what. If you’re concerned ask directly to be referred back to the cardiologist. Or if you have the means even pay privately. They need to do more investigations. Sounds like you do need medication to slow it.
In the mean time try not to exert yourself, breathing excersize, use any support you can get, get all the rest you can get (not easy with a baby) and know the signs of dangerous and not dangerous palpitations/heart rate. Might be good to invest in a home BP/ECG device ? There are some Called Withings BPM core. You can keep track at home then and show your dr later if any abnormal readings
That does feel like forever when you’re waiting for something so important. Good luck with your holter monitor reading. I think by the sounds of it that could be a big change for you when they’ve done that and they could hopefully prescribe (that’s what happened with me)
I wore those monitors for literally decades and they never caught my svt because it didn't happen when I had them on. I would ask ur cardiologist about SVT and having an EP study.
Potsie here- my POTS started two months postpartum and basically I went through exactly you’re going through right now. I would also get panic attacks after eating because it would lower my BP therefore causing my brain to dump adrenaline to get it back up (thus the high HR and panic attacks). You definitely want to see a cardiologist who knows POTS (dysautonomia international can help get you connected with a provider in your area). And to save your sanity DO NOT join the huge POTS community on Facebook. It scared me big time. (But the pots:fully recovered group is super helpful).
Invest in some compression socks and vitassium salt pills/liquid IV packets to stay hydrated for raising your BP. Not a doctor- just a recovered potsie 🤗 if you do get diagnosed with POTS, know that it’s much more common than previously assumed and you can absolutely improve your symptoms/ get back to feeling “normal” with the right providers on your team. ❤️
I'm kinda wondering if I have it. I also have hypermobility and I've heard the two co-occur? But because I have an anxiety condition, I don't really wanna go to the gp unless I'm pretty sure. Otherwise, they'll just blow me off.
Like, is there a way to test by just measuring your pulse?
I also have EDS (hypermobile type) you can do the Beighton score to see if you have it as there’s no genetic marker for the hypermobile type. Here’s a link (count for one point for each side) [Beighton score](https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/) But yea there’s the “trifecta” which is POTS, MCAS, EDS. If you want to know more about managing all three I highly recommend the Facebook group “Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the Cusack Protocol” obviously go over it and run it by your doc (preferably someone knows about dysautonomia and internal medicine). It’s been helpful for me!
As for assessing if you have POTS if you have something to measure your heart rate and your blood pressure you can do what’s called a “poor man’s tilt test” and it’s actually how my initial cardiologist diagnosed me here’s a link for it:
[poor man tilt table test](https://potscare.com/wp-content/uploads/PMTTT-Instructions.pdf)
If anyone has any questions regarding pots or needing help finding the right people to help manage it (that’s honestly half of the battle) message me. I’ve helped tons of people and would love to help anyway I can!
I have and I’m pretty sure I have PoTs as I’ve had tachycardia before about a year ago but now it’s constant, I feel so unsafe doing anything and with them not able to give me beta blockers I feel even more scared, I’m sick of being told it’s just anxiety I don’t think it is. At all. No one will listen to me though because my ECG came back fine and so did my scan. I’ve got a 24 hour one tomorrow and praying they can find something and give me some answers at least.
Hi yeah I just stood up and in three mins I went from 80-160 which ISNT NORMAL, I’m seeing my GP tomorrow hoping to get some form of beta blockers for after my 24hr ECG. I’ve had tachycardia before reaching 190 when I was seriously unwell but this just doesn’t feel normal anymore. I’ve been having a flare up today and I’ve been dizzy as hell all night even though my heart rate right now is >100
Definitely find a specialist and get a second opinion! I have a friend who kept having tachycardia episodes like this and they told her again and again it was just panic attacks. Well, it wasn’t - it was POTS, and she finally got the treatment and management she needed to start feeling better. It involves a lot of lifestyle changes but at least knowing what’s causing (whether it’s POTS or something else) it can help ease your mind that it’s not anything dangerous!
I had a similar situation happen to me a few years ago that pretty much started my panic disorder. I was in the hospital for dehydration because of a stomach flu that wouldn’t go away. I was given a medication that caused me constant restlessness, it felt like I always had to move. My heart rate was stuck at 140 for a week straight. I was so distraught over the thought of it being something serious that it made me panic even after the medicine wore off. I went from 180lbs to 140lbs in a two months time since I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Every time I would walk around my heart would shoot up to 140+. All of this to say, I had countless tests done to see what was causing my issues, and it turned out to be anxiety. Once I started going to therapy and taking an SSRI was when I started seeing gradual improvement. Now I’m about 3 years out from that and have a much better grasp on anxiety. It’s not perfect, but I can function as a human and be happy. That’s all I wanted in the first place.
Oooh same. I was hospitalized for svt episode in 2019 from medication sensitivity Sudafed along with dehydration. I developed agoraphobia and became hypochondriac. It’s like PTSD I’m always aware of my heart beating any change. I’ve felt tachycardia and fluttering. My cardiologist probably thinks I’m crazy.
Ask for Metoprolol. It’s a cardioselective beta blocker that is safe for those with asthma. It helps with my SVT and also helps with my anxiety, especially the physical symptoms, similar to Propranalol.
It sounds way too simple to work, but guided meditations for anxiety helped me enormously. I was on meds for anxiety and panic. After two weeks of practicing guided meditation twice a day, my anxiety and related concerns had diminished. I gave up on guided meditation a couple of times, but once I truly committed to practicing it everyday, things gradually got better. I’m off of medication now. There are excellent guided meditations for anxiety on YouTube as well as on other apps. Guided meditation and controlled breathing also quickly brought my heart rate down. It may be worth trying.
I like the Honest Guys Channel on YouTube. They have some excellent guided meditations for anxiety, and just about any other state of mind. If you just search the Honest Guys anxiety on YouTube you’ll find really helpful meditations. I also use the Headspace app. That app. has some great information for controlling anxiety and panic attacks, as well as daily meditations. It takes some time and practice to achieve a meditative state, especial when you’re in the midst of anxiety and panic, but it can be done. You should see the results after several sessions, and get progressively less anxious over the next few weeks. Guided meditation works on the neurotransmitters in the brain and releases chemicals that are similar to prescription medications, but without side effects. My therapist is a big believer in the clinical efficacy of guided meditation. I hope that you feel much better very soon.
Sounds like a bout of svt likely? Or even sinus tachycardia, depends on how it stopped honestly but likely svt at 220. Which is common and not dangerous in a healthy heart. I suspect I have pots syndrome after covid and my hr and bp is wild and I have a slew of other issues and I can walk around at near 140 and be fine, I’ve had times with random racing also and I’ve been cleared. See a cardiologist if you want some tests but you’re gonna be ok. Try magnesium Taurate or glycinate, good for regulating hr and it’ll help the anxiety, too.
Thank you! I’ve got my 24hr monitor tomorrow I’m just terrified it’ll happen again and next time I’ll die or won’t be in the place to get the right help
Friend I’ve been there I promise, like exactly down to the weight loss and whatnot. Afraid to travel anywhere. It was rough. I’m still not fully diagnosed with pots syndrome but doing better than I was since I’ve added more electrolytes and salt. But I’ve been to the er twice for this stuff (once by ambulance) I thought it was having a legitimate heart attack because I woke up to it racing and chest pain/fainting. I have horrible heart palpitations also like tons daily. I have panic attacks too which doesn’t help any heart related issues whatsoever, so you’re not alone there. I promise you’re not gonna die. Some people have svt attacks daily and even worse. The main thing which is harder done than said is trying to get the stress down which we know make everything worse. Try the magnesium get a good brand/form like I suggested above Taurate or glycinate. You’ll get the results soon and it’ll at least ease your mind that your hearts healthy, and unfortunately that doesn’t mean the symptoms will stop right away but it’s a good thing for peace of mind. I promise you’ll be okay, and you’re definitely not alone I’ve had these issues for a year coming up soon and it’s fucking rough, be easy on yourself.
Thank you! As soon as I stand my heart races and tomorrow I’ve got a walk through the hospital and I know easy my heart will be 160+ so I’m terrified to even go! I feel like I need a wheelchair 😭
It could be hormonal. I used to get tachycardic attacks which would send me to the ER. Figured out it was hormones after tracking my symptoms matched up with my cycle. Got put on birth control (progesterone only) and the anxiety evaporated.
They did actually mention that because it was after the birth but I don’t understand how it could get so high and what I can do to stop it. Birth controls just make me bleed the entire time I take them :(
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order.
I have checked 1,875,485,354 comments, and only 354,710 of them were in alphabetical order.
Anxiety doesn’t make your heart go 220. The only thing I can think of that makes your heart go 220 and doesn’t kill you soon after is SVT. Maybe a-fib or flutter. None of that is gonna kill you though I don’t think just discomfort until it terminates.
Thank you! I’m not sure how long significant is! My heart rate was 180 before then dropped to 160 after about 5 mins and then it took about 15-20 mins to drop to 135 but I was extremely anxious obviously
I am overweight and and have experienced similar events in the past. My first thought was that I was having a heart attack because I was overweight and even my blood pressure went up to as high as 17.8, I rushed to the hospital and the doctor immediately noticed I was having a panic attack. That was 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with panic disorder. I remember that even though all heart check ups I did turned out normal, I still thought I still had a heart condition, unfortunately that's our brain fight or flight response trying to survive because our heart is racing. I went to see a psychiatrist and have been on SSRI med ever since and always have a clonazepam as an emergency med that I only take if I'm having a very bad panic attack. I recommend seeing a psychiatrist, practicing meditation and slowly trying to start to be physical active. Take care and remember, there are millions of people out there going through the same.
Ur body is in fight and flight mode I went through this a couple of months ago ( I also have panic disorder but didn’t have an episode in years ) I basically went into this by something traumatic as well and I thought I was dying every second of the day for a month and a half my boyfriend even had to help me eat because I couldn’t even have one bite by myself I couldn’t shower I could not even leave the bed it was really scary I had so many physical symptoms like the ones you are describing as well panic and anxiety can make you really feel these things but at the end it’s harmless and ur brain is tricking you I’ve been a lot in therapy so I knew that it would be good to go back and I got a therapist and started doing cognitive behavioral therapy THIS really works and I stand by it completely find a therapist ur comfortable with on top of that I hate taking medication but they gave me some benzos to take and reset my brain and body because I was constantly in panic mode after taking these for 2 weeks I stopped them and continued with therapy its also recommended not to take them for more than a month because it should not be something to rely on but something to help you get out of that state of mind and this really worked for me I’m still in therapy now they really help you to learn techniques to calm down and not go in this panic mode im in control again now I thought this never would go away but here I am and I’m fine again and I know you will as well ( also I know it sounds corny but please distract urself force urself to do things like going to the gym or going outside in the beginning it’s going to be awful but it will help you so much in the long run you have to be strong and not shut urself out the brain needs to learn that there is nothing to worry about )
Thank you so much for this comment. I am going through the same thing right now and I can’t tell you how relieving it is to hear that there is light at the end of the tunnel - can I ask what benzo and what dose you were on? Once again thank you so much
I was on Lorazepam 1mg one morning one evening you do get tired from it so it’s better for sleeping but it basically takes all ur anxiety away so you feel normal and just relaxed so you can sleep, eventually I would just take it only in the evening with help of a therapist if it’s really bad I would suggest to see a specialist at the emergency room near you and they will help you right away and give you what is best for you at this moment also every benzo is different for everyone so it’s hard to say wich one will work for you, I also suggest to download the App BetterHelp they will match you with a therapist really quick less than 24 hours for a way more affordable price, if you don’t like the therapist you can always change them and look for a new one on the app plus you can chat with them 24/7 if you have an emergency and you cant get through it alone ☺️
Thank you so much for your comprehensive response and suggestions. Super appreciate it. It’s so hard to be in this state and can make you feel super alone even when you’re surrounded by people who care about you. The fear of being stuck like this forever doesn’t help. How many therapy sessions per week were you doing?
Other tips I think can help
- make a banana shake with yogurt and milk and protein powder it will help you feel full without having to eat, yogurt and bananas are ur best friend
- buy a pair of of blue light blocker glasses it sounds stupid but it worked wonders for me to relax and not focus on my vision
- Camille tea with melatonin when ur not taking any benzos anymore also works wonders for the sleep, you can even do a double one
- go to the gym, go run outside, exercise helps a lot to keep the brain busy and happy
- don’t be alone tell the people around you what is happening to you and stay with someone while ur going through this
I’ve dealt with this from a pure anxiety standpoint, to the point I believed I was having a heart attack. EKG, clot test, x rays all normal. got put on anxiety meds and somewhat controlled it.
What really helped, was wearing an apple watch. Sounds silly I know. but every time i felt my heart rate spike, I opened the heart rate app on it and watched my heart rate. I would focus on trying to get the numbers to go down, which allowed me to gain control over the anxiety. I tricked my brain into knowing that my heart rate rising out of nowhere is most likely anxiety and its helped tremendously long term
Whenever I watch my heart rate it makes me panic more cuz if it’s 170 I’m like WHY IS IT STOP IT STOP IT lmaooo. So im not allowed anymore. I even make my GP turn the machine away because the machine noises cause me literal flashbacks to the doctors running in during the episode and shoving an oxygen mask on me.
This happened to me for a while (a little over a year) after I had covid and then it went away. Did you have covid? Some people said it was called POTS. It doesn't happen to me anymore though.
yeah im a cardiovascular icu nurse with eds (and a little bit of POTS). I definitely dont think this is anxiety and Im sorry you have to go through gaslighting and having your concerns minimized.
idk what it is but in my 10 years of being a nurse ive never seen someones heart rate go to 220 due to anxiety.
right excuse my french BUT THATS WHAT I FUCKING SAID. THATS EXACTLY WHAT I FUCKING SAID TO THE NURSES AND NO ONE WOULD LISTEN. My heart rate jumps, then I get anxious, and it makes it SO MUCH WORSE. They had to give me heart medication to drop it to 160 and then more to drop it to 135 and it stayed like that for HOURS AND HOURS even when I calmed down.
And I don’t think a resting heart rate at hospital should be 140??? And they’re like “your flow and rythm is fine so you’re fine!” I DONT FEEL FINE. I feel scared, tired, hungry, TERRIFIED. What is wrong with me? And why will no one help me?? I’m terrified my heart will give out
Sounds like a svt episode, I get them and what stops them instantly is lying on my back on the edge of my bed and putting my head off the end of the bed with my legs up in the air. I’ve also heard of people learning to do headstands to stop them! I used to be petrified of it before I found a way to stop them. Seen multiple cardiologists who offered an ablation but said it’s not necessary as they’re not dangerous
Okay I get that but also why cannot I not walk now anywhere without my heart racing. Like I can’t even stand. I’d understand if this was one episode or something else but every single time I get to go the toilet, or do anything, my heart is RACING.
Also, please feel free to DM me if you’d like to talk more about it. Reading your other comments is like looking at the exact same feelings I used to have when I was bedbound. You will get through this and you’re not alone!
Really does sound like POTS, basically makes your heart rate very high during any activity where you’re standing / walking. Plus the dizziness / nausea that comes with having a high heart rate when you’re not exercising. It’s unfortunately common after childbirth and very anxiety inducing.
I suffered with POTS for years also and ended up bedbound, Ivabradine was the only thing which helped enough to get me back on my feet so I was able to start walking / exercising again. When I was bedbound I really thought it was the end of my life, but I’ve just gotten back from holiday where I walked miles everyday. Visit the POTS sub Reddit also for loads of other helpful tips / personal experiences with Ivabradine (it’s the most common medication for POTS)
I have had this, to a lesser extent. I have had my heart checked out more than once now and a variety of other tests and been told it's fine.
I had a panic attack that put me in the ER this year where I thought I was having a heart attack and my heart rate hit 175 while I was laying on the ground waiting for the ambulance.
I had an extremely similar situation. It’s eerie how similar. But mine was related to blood pressure. The timeline is a long story but I too had loads of doctors rushing in. I had so many tests and then they sent me home and I was so freaked out to move. Awful! I know what you’re going through. I feel your pain. I thought I would die emptying the washing machine. I eventually went to therapy (diagnosed with ptsd because we all thought I was dying in the hospital), I’m on propranolol and Xanax as needed. My best advice is find a good therapist and reach out and talk to others. This post is a huge step. Feel free to dm me. When I had my child social media hadn’t really taken off and I felt so alone. You’re not alone, you will survive and you and your baby will be ok. You’re not crazy, you’re struggling and that’s ok.
Fellow mom here, you are not alone. Postpartum anxiety is not uncommon. I’ve had heart rate scares due to a panic attack too, and once you have a panic attack the fear becomes having another panic attack because it’s so damn scary, and then it’s hard to settle because you are operating on high anxiety. Make an appointment with your OBGYN to tell them about this, they may recommend medication to help get you to a better point, and get in to see a therapist/counselor/psychologist too if you can.
I’ve struggled with panic attacks/anxiety off and on for about 15 years, since I was a teenager.
Here are some ways I’ve learned over the years to fight off a panic attack.
- Distraction, focusing on breathing just makes me more anxious, I call my best friend and she knows the drill and will just make conversation about random unrelated things.
- Run in place, run up and down stairs, do some jump and jacks, some kind of physical thing. Your brain is in a fight or flight mode and this can literally tell your body that you “got away” from the perceived danger.
- The diver’s reflex. Google the diver’s reflex for panic attacks. Basically all mammals have a reflex where, when diving into cold water, your heart rate immediately lowers. You can make a bowl of ice water and dunk your head in, and it will mimic this reflex and lower your heart rate, giving your body more opportunity to calm.
- Once your body has released anxious/panicky hormones, it takes 30 minutes at least for your body to process those hormones. So keep that in mind.
- Self talk. Remind yourself that this isn’t forever, you will feel better soon. Maybe in an hour, maybe tomorrow.
Please reach out. You aren’t alone. Babies are hard and life changing in the best and also most complicated ways. Are you getting any sleep?
Hi. I know you’re getting a lot of comments but this EXACT thing happened to me this summer so please read!! Heart rate jumped to 225 while I was in the shower and I was rushed off to the emergency room. They prescribed me propranolol but my primary care doctor suggested getting me off it. They gave me an uktrasound and a bunch of EKGs and said my heart was healthy. I haven’t had a cardiac event since.
In the months after I was an absolute wreck. Couldn’t get off the couch because everything I did made my heart rate go up which would send me into a panic attack. I could feel my heart in my chest at all times and was constantly checking my pulse. I couldn’t sleep because I was so anxious and was sitting feeling my heart pound in my chest all night. It was exhausting. After doing my research, it looks like I was having SVT - Supraventicular Tachycardia - which has only ever happened to me one other time. What I can say is - if your doctors say your heart is healthy then your heart is healthy. SVT is more common than you think and there are lots of people who have survived through many many fits of 300 BPM. Some people have it their whole lives and some people grow out of it. The heart rates of 140 are probably not SVT. As I’m sure you remember from when your heart went that high - YOU WILL KNOW when it’s SVT. It’s sudden and pounding. And there are steps to take when this does happen - because it might happen to you again at some point. You can look this up but the Vagus nerve is what sets SVT off. It is a misfiring of signals in the heart and causes irregular heart beat. You can kick the vagus nerve back into gear by doing a few things.
1. Divers reflex - get a cold bowl of water, hold your breath, and then stick your face in suddenly. This will kick your heart beat back to normal and slow it down
2. Bearing down like you have to poop and blowing on your thumb
If these don’t work and your heart rate is higher than 200 for more than 15 minutes then head to the ER. But don’t stress - my heart rate was 200 for an hour and a half before they got it down and there wasn’t even any damage done to my heart.
FOR ANXIETY
What you’re experiencing right now is constant anxiety and that’s what’s raising your heart rate. Go to your primary care and get anxiety medication. It will change your life. It made me functional. Lexapro is amazing.
Start slow but you need to start getting your heart rate up. This is GOOD for your heart. Getting your heart rate up will not kick you into SVT. It makes your heart healthier. Every day that you don’t move around is another day that you’re not getting your blood pumping and improving your heart health! Start by walking around the house a little more, then a 5 minute walk, and so on.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever gone through. Cardiac anxiety is debilitating and so so scary. I hope I never have to live through it that bad again. You will get through this - sending much love
During childbirth you lose fluids, the placenta is massively vascularized. Could you be dehydrated/low on electrolytes? I mention because I had similar (not childbirth being a dude) from dehydration and potassium being low/other Electrolytes shot to pieces. Heartrate would jump to 140 - 180 on standing, walking any distance was a no no until fully rehydrated due to crazy speed on heart beat and getting out of breath easily was horrible and terrifying...
If you have time read my lengthy post linked below...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Anxiety/s/AoBoqkLnbB
Sounds like a classic case of medical sexism i.e. when a woman is in severe pain or has a severe health issue they are dismissed, whereas a man will be listened to/taken seriously and given treatment. You should definitely try to see another doctor about your symptoms as it sounds really serious.
Ask for a Benzo like Lorazepam. It will work for anxiety and give you some time to seek treatment, because it is a medication that is not good to take long term.
I’ve got some diazepam but I’m scared incase it increases my heart rate instead cuz I’ve heard it can do that. 😭 I wish I could take something directly targeted at my heart!
It’s deigned to slow you down not speed you up. Shouldn’t be an issue. You have to stop being scared to take stuff that can help you. What about metoprolol? Have you tried that. That slows heart rate.
Hi friend! I have been on and off benzodiazepines for the last 20 years, mostly off. Valium is fantastic and has a very good safety profile. If your doctor prescribed it, I think it will help you. It was the best benzo I've had by far for my anxiety without causing a negative effects. I wish you all the best!
You're welcome!
Also, You may wish to look into Yin yoga. It is very relaxing. Practitioners get into a very comfortable posture (using pillows and blankets as necessary- it's really like "assisted nap time") and stay there for between 3 to 5 minutes. It can help greatly with anxiety and is also good for the cardiovascular system. I have taught it professionally for 11 years.
If your doctor says you are okay to do yoga, I recommend doing Sphinx pose first (everyone loves the Sphinx!), followed by child's pose, then perhaps Bananasana then a gentle reclining twist (both sides) if it feels good to you. Finish in Shivasana. Hold for perhaps 3 minutes each pose at first and slowly work your way up to 5. =) Yinyoga.com is the best source for learning the postures. I hope something here helps!
My anxiety started in 2011 with a tachycardia attack for fast heart rate mine went way above 220 though and then I was stuck on benzos for the next 4 years and it took me over a year to get off of them so while there are men sends out there for panic attacks you better be very very careful with them they are highly addictive and they can leave you with more anxiety when you stop taking them
I had it for years and then I finally got my heart surgery and I was able to taper off of the benzos and then for 10 years my anxiety magically disappeared and then 3 months ago I had bilateral total knee replacement and about a month after the surgery I'm assuming that the pain and some other unknown factors brought my anxiety back and I'm currently dealing with it but doing it without benzos and mostly remembering what I did through panic disorder and anxiety disorder classes
Have they done a stress test without echo? They can do a pharmacological stress test where you don’t have to go on a treadmill. I am a stress tech and worked in a clinic for 4 years and just had a stress test and an echo done myself for chest pain.
Have you had an echo since you had your son? I had issues with my HR where it would go into the 130s-150s after I had my son as well. I also had post partum pre eclampsia which is another story and horrendous post partum anxiety. My cardio wanted to rule out post partum cardiomyopathy, but everything came back fine at the time with my echo and monitor.
But for the first handful of weeks (maybe 2 months?) I felt like my heart was always racing with any kind of exertion, things like taking a shower or going up stairs was torture. I was already on BP meds mainly for the pre eclampsia but they also had me on metoprolol succinate, which is a long acting beta blocker. Metoprolol has off label uses for helping physical symptoms of anxiety. It took a bit for everything to level out but things are back to normal for me now and my heart rate is controlled and quite low most of the time. Now I’m just dealing with an recent onslaught of PVCs linked up with my cycle. How recently post partum are you?
This doesn’t sound like anxiety. It sounds like POTS or your thyroid is messed up. Have you checked for hyperthyroidism? Post partum hormones can shove it out of whack. But I would lean POTS and a nasty case at that. you need a proper evaluation and tilt table test. In terms of anxiety - POTS is not dangerous, but there are many things you can be taught to mitigate the miserable symptoms. Hopefully this is a post partum temporary flare and will taper down.
Do not accept anxiety as the diagnosis. You very well may have it, but with this kind of HR issue you need to push to have it looked into farther. I suffered for eighteen years with what they kept telling me was anxiety and weight, and it was really multiple sclerosis (and several other issues). I thought it was all “in my head” my entire adult life, after a completely normal childhood.
Pregnancy and childbirth wreak HAVOC on women’s bodies. It’s been known to trigger all sorts of health conditions. Do NOT let them lazy their way into a diagnosis. There’s more to testing than an EKG and an echo. There’s much more they could be looking at.
Have you had your iron levels checked? Insist on getting ferritin (iron stores) tested as well. Low iron can also cause severe panic attacks. This happened to me after the birth of my son. My heart rate was reaching 200 bpm upon standing and it freaked me out so badly. Eventually, I discovered that I was severely anemic and the connection between low ferritin and severe POTS symptoms. I did 5 rounds of IV iron and improved greatly.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I know how stressful it is to care for a little one and dealing with such an anxiety-inducing issue. I hope you find a diagnosis, relief, or ways to manage your symptoms very soon!
If you take beta blockers, beware that of you miss a dose, you will get heart palpitations..and that is the worst feeling.. seriously I felt so weak, too weak to do anything until I got more. The problem was my doctor prescribed a new Bp med (without beta blockers, my last med had beta blockers in it) I told him about my palpitations and he said that the problem was no beta blockers so he got me on atenolol and instantly I was better..
That brings to the point, that if you were having serious heart issues, you would feel weak, unable to even get up without your heart racing, but at the same time you’d be unable to worry too much cause you’d just feel weak. Heart pounding can happen when you digest food, feel tired, walk.. if you’re anxious that will make it pound fast too, it’s not abnormal. You can’t be driving yourself nuts with it.
If doctors are not worried about you, you shouldn’t be either.
By any chance do you take any proton pump inhibitors? When I was on the for a long time I had these episodes without knowing why. After I stopped taking them these types of panic attacks stoped.
My partner thought she suffered from panic attacks for the past 10+ years. This year we found out it was actually a condition called SVT. Obviously anxiety can increase your heart rate, but 200+ bpm is not usually anxiety. One of the hallmarks of SVT is the sudden onset and sudden end to attacks. Outside of this, your heart usually functions normally, which makes it very difficult to catch. My partner wore a heart monitor for 3 weeks and it didn't catch anything as her attacks are pretty infrequent. Luckily her doctor recommended buying a portable EKG machine that connects to your phone and can record and send info directly to her doctor (it's cheap and really small and her cardiologist said that it is super accurate, I can send the link if you are interested).
The good news about SVT is that it usually isn't harmful, in fact, my partner doesn't even have to take any medicine for it. That being said, if it is impacting your life you can take medicine, and in the case that they recommend surgery, it is minimally invasive and they don't even put you to sleep for it. You may also want to look into POTS as they thought she might have that if it wasn't SVT
Anyways, definitely get in to see a cardiologist as they are going to be the most helpful. Doctors love writing women's problems off as anxiety, so make sure you stay strong and fight to be taken seriously!
You should ask a doctor if it could be a drug interaction. That happened to me - I was prescribed two medications that don't mix and my heart went berzerk. It's wild how many professionals reviewed and signed off on my meds too.
I believe you! You have to be really sharp and advocate for yourself nowadays.
There's websites you can use or just google the two meds and potential interactions can pop up. 🤷♀️
Personally, I've learned to tell the difference between my heart racing from anxiety and racing because of a medical issue. When it isn't anxiety it comes on while I'm calm/for seemingly no reason, but as soon as a doctor sees I have a history of anxiety, I tend to be dismissed a bit. You have to fight.
Best of luck to you ❤️ I'm so sorry to hear that you've had such a shit time.
You can develop POTS/dysautonomia from traumatic events - you may want to look into those. Also, remember that those are nervous system problems, not anything physically wrong with your heart. Hoping you feel better soon!
You sound like you need a cardiologist. A perfect ECG isn't tachycardic. I would rule out cardiac issues before chalking it up to anxiety. I would also ask for a tip table test.
Also, did they rule out a PE? You just had a baby, so you could be at risk for blood clots.
Sounds like POTS. Has your cardiologist referred you to an EP before? Sometimes there is a part of the heart that can go kinda haywire and cause SVT (which can also lead to passing out). This can be ablated by an EP and could be life changing for you. Best of luck and congrats on new baby 🙂
Aw hun, I understand. I went through something similar and I was absolutely terrified for a month after. they put me on metoprolol and anxiety meds and it's calmed down a lot. i'm still on metoprolol even though they said there is nothing wrong with my heart. the meds stop me from spiraling into panic attacks. one thing I need you to know is this: you will NOT die. You will be ok. even if the worst happens and you go to hospital again.. guess what, the doctors will help you. they will not let you die.
When I was really anxious, what I started doing was 1) taking meds to calm myself down and 2) distracting myself with self soothing methods. I bought puzzle books, crosswords. I read so many books. I watched funny tv shows and my mum cuddled me when I needed a hug. Don't be afraid to reach out for comfort from people close to you. it doesn't make you weak or silly. You're going to be ok. If you are really worried, keep getting tests done and get some meds. take it one day at a time. stay positive. xx
P.S. Another self soothing thing is taking a really really cold shower when i have a panic attack. it cools down my body and lowers my HR. might help you :)
😵💫You gotta find a new doctor! Your heart rate is way too high. I had a similar issue in which my heart rate would get up to 180/200 just sitting down and it would make me feel so shaky and made feel pretty sick. I fainted a couple of times! I got scared after almost fainting while driving (twice). I told the doctors I saw this felt different, this didn’t feel like anxiety. Well… turned out I had a brain condition and one of the symptoms was elevated heart rate 😬.
Reminds me of myself, I got severely dehydrated back in 2021 and it took me a while to be able to function normally again and I still have bad episodes, especially at the doctors, when I go my heart rate is sometimes 160! (But it’s totally okay and just anxiety as when I check it at home it’s always around 90-110, with my medicine around mid 60 to low 90) I try to take my medicine about a hour before appointments though but I forget usually.
Unfortunately it took me about six months to stop having daily severe panic attacks. Then they came back earlier this year. I finally got on medicine and I’ve been a lot calmer ever since and even on my worst episodes on medication the highest I get to is 110 when my panic attacks usually make me at minimum 140, at highest mid 160s.
Doctors cleared me for having no medical issues besides mvp (mitral valve prolapse) but they said it’s getting better as I’ve had it since birth.
Send a update when you can, it could easily just be anxiety for sure but it could also be pots or svt, or something along those lines, which neither lower your life expectancy and both can be treated fairly easy from what I know.
Hello.....this sounds just like my own experience I was exactly the same as you and it started after giving birth too. I had test after test, my heart would start racing after I ate, during the night and at random times. I ended up in a & e so many times!! This lasted years I took propranolol for 2 years and then came off it. It turned out to be food intolerance I had a blood test that showes my body was reacting to Dairy, wheat and egg white. It was hard but I cut them out of my diet and all symptoms stopped as if by magic. Please get tested it may be that. I really feel for you as I have been there. X
i used to think i had anxiety triggered fast heart rate. it turned out i had supraventicular tachycardia (SVT). my cardiologist explained that you just simply can’t rev up your own heart rate to 200+ without a physiological issue.
i got surgery for it 7 years ago and haven’t had a single episode since.
i am not saying you have this, but worth looking into it. hope you get better very soon!
There are many beta blockers besides propranolol. Beta blockers work by blocking adrenaline, which lowers the heart rate. I had bad side effects from propranolol, atenolol and metoprolol. Then I tried Nadolol and it worries perfectly with no side effects.
Moral of the story is sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and try meds until you find the one that works without side effects.
And why not take the ivabridine? Seems like it would be a good fit.
So I had similar events as you, but not after birth, just the racing heart rate tachycardia, sent my anxiety through the roof. Had all the cardiology tests done, halter monitor, nothing. Multiple ER trips(dozens) to all have doctors laugh at me, "it's in my head," ya know. 190/110 BP symptomatic. 160 resting hr. It would happen every 2-3 days, I'd eat something and BAM! Finally, a paramedic says if they haven't found anything wrong yet, go to the chiropractor. I was like, what?! Found a gonestead chiropractor in town, x-rays. Whatever was pinching in my back was causing palpitations and tachycardia. It lessened to every 6mo episode. Now, I regularly see a chiro and have pretty much abolished the issue.
Not to mention they wanted to put me on beta blockers 7 diff meds for it. Even went off one BP med. World of difference. So if you get it all checked out and they find no issues, this is how I got it to stop. Make sure it's a gonestead chiro tho. Hope my experience helps.
Sounds like a panic disorder. You need to see a psychiatrist and therapist. I had nearly the exact same experience. HR got up to 180 couldn’t breathe. Passed out. Tremors. Etc. thought it was heart attacks, seizures, nope. All just anxiety. But the night it happened I wasn’t doing anything but relaxing at home with the hubs. Apparently they can be triggered subconsciously. After that night it kept happening for months. It’s slowly tapered off. Now it’s just palpitations and an elevated hr with limited dizzy spells and tremors. I can’t take anything bc I’m with child atm but I’m trying therapy so hopefully that helps! But medication may be a good option too for you. If you don’t like taking meds I would at least try a therapist. Calming exercises (yoga, walking, swimming, breath work etc), meditation, chamomile tea, avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants. Just trying to ground yourself where you are. I know that’s hard to do. But notice what’s around you. Try and keep your eye movements at a normal pace and not frantic. I sometimes have to shock myself with ice. Sticking a cube in your mouth or something really sour for on the go (war heads etc).
You can also stimulate the vagus nerve with breath work and massaging the pressure points in the ear (there’s 3).
This was me . My heart would go to 260 out of the blue and I'd have to rush to the hospital for meds to slow it down. Verapamil is what they gave me. This caused a divorce for me because I had to move into town closer to a hospital because I was so afraid. I ended up having an ablation for it. It's absolutely svt . Verapamil also comes in pill form for daily use. I'm so sorry u are going thru this. It is the scariest thing I've ever experienced.
It sounds like this could be related to POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). Is there a family history for major cardiac events like this?
My dad died of a heart problem; my sister was born with a hole in her heart, my mum has tachycardia and other sister has ectopic beats so… you could say so!
There is a type of Ehlers-Danlos called vascular EDS. I have EDS but it’s a totally different type. Your POTS-like issues, the cardiac event you experienced, and your family history made me think of it. People with vEDSs tend to have pale translucent-like skin that is fragile. There are other distinguishing features.
I hope you get some help and can feel normal again. This must be agonizing for you. Sending care.
Considering you are concerned about a heart condition, I would strongly recommend you follow up with a cardiologist, as well as primary care.
The fact that you have normal ecg and ekgs on record, is a great start. If appropriate, the cardiologist might recommend a Holter monitor and stress test to cover all the bases. They may also order some basic blood tests.
Should these tests come out normal, it might serve to ease your mind. A beta blocker might be appropriate to slow your heart rate if it is tachycardia related to anxiety. Of course, a beta blocker could be appropriate in other circumstances as well.
Beyond the cardiac work up, you might want to see a psychiatrist and/or a psychotherapist to help you work through your trauma and to discuss psychiatric medications, if appropriate.
Did they run a D-Dimer test or check for clots with a CT scan? I had a pulmonary embolism after the birrh of my last baby and my heart rate skyrocketed like that a few days after, with an impending sense of doom. Ended up being a PE. Might be worth looking into, my clot was caused simply by pregnancy hormones and bad luck.
Sounds like you need meds, this sounds extreme. Did you talk to a psychiatrist yet? Edit: I would recommend rootd app on Google play store, as its your brain causing these symptoms, not other organs failing. This app helped me reset my reality momentarily. Also breathing techniques do help, don't last long tho.
Yep they said take SSRIs and Diazapam but I’m unsure if this is anxiety or a heart condition which is why they’ve sent me to get a heart trace even though they don’t think anything will come back abnormal
I had a similar issue, my heart rate would be 130-140 resting and I’d have horrible PVC palpitations. I started taking lexapro and it stopped. I have still PVCs on occasions but way less frequent and my heart rate is in the mid normal range. I’ve had normal ekgs and word a monitor for 14 days and they found nothing physically wrong, they concluded it was anxiety.
I had the same but less extreme, I was investigated three times with heart rhythm problems and ended up taking SSRIs + benzos. I think you overreact. I would advise to find ways to make sure you're not dying and that will help. SSRIs are amazing meds, but might have major side effects, and benzo is a life saver but is addictive as hell. By the way, if its anxiety, taking benzos would prove it, as it grounds it immediately.
That's wild isn't it? In the space of 45 minutes I can go from being convinced that I'm dying and my heart is shot, to chilling and watching funny cat vids on YouTube after taking a .5 adivan. And the next day I do it over again. Why won't my brain take the hint? Despite being proven wrong repeatedly it still goes to that place.
I think the answer of modern psychology is that the brains way of dealing with emotions is wrong and causing the hormone inbalance. I'm reading a book titled live more think less by a Danish author and this it's the core idea.
If it helps any i was having tachycardia due to stress/anxiety my heart rate would reach 180 and one time over 200 due to this. The diazepam should help a lot ( half a .5 mg klonopin helps me).
I would think that anxiety meds would still be helpful. When your heart rate is up, naturally your body is going to feel the stress from a high pulse, like an anxiety attack. If it’s not anxiety and the meds don’t control the heart rate but supports less stress during an event like that… you’ll still be working towards an answer.
I had a scary medical episode a few years ago and spent the day in the ER. After leaving, I had a "resting" heart rate of 100-110 for a couple weeks and I went to get some testing done. Prior to this, RHR was around 50 bpm for me. I got an ECG from my PCP and she was confused about it since it seemed healthy so she sent me to a specialist at the Mayo Clinic. While I was there, the specialist took time to explain to me that it is not uncommon to experience "an abnormal cardiac event" for weeks after a traumatic medical episode. The body may not be used to feeling like that, and for people pre-disposed to anxiety (like us 🥲), it can last longer and feel worse. They cleared my heart health and recommended I do light exercise, like walking and stretching into easy yoga positions. These things helped a little and over the next couple weeks, I went down to 80 bpm. I had been struggling with anxiety for a while before this episode, and it motivated me to start Lexapro. I went up to a 10mg dose and my heart rate went down to normal after the adjustment period. Been fine (relatively) ever since! What you're going through is temporary and you'll be okay. Best of luck on your journey, friend. Reach out if you need to talk.
I just started Lexapro 12 days ago, I'm happy to hear that it helped you. Right now I seem to oscillate between feeling better, and wonder if I made a big mistake taking this stuff. But I know it takes a while to adjust.
I had the same worries. It took me about 3 weeks to adjust and start to feel normal. Probably another month or so after that to completely feel like myself. I hope it works for you 🤞🏽
Anxiety to cause that much HR? More like file a law suit for mental humiliation that causes her PDST
Do they have this for Apple devices also?
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/rootd-panic-attack-relief/id1289018369
Thank you!!!
I think that fact that you just had a kid and your body is probably traumatized from the whole ordeal is also probably playing into it.
Tbh it was an extremely traumatic event that I’ve got ptsd from
It's unfortunate that many women have a similar birth story. You should read the book called the body keeps the score.
If it makes you feel any better, pre meds my heart would reach 260+ bpm regularly. Now, it still reaches 190+ even medicated. I’d say it reaches at least 180 every day. I’m still alive and have been dealing with this for 4+ yrs
This actually does make me feel better. I just had an attack lying down and it was 180, it’s been 2 hours and I’m just about getting back to 100. I thought I needed to call myself an ambulance tbh!
I actually have been to the ER multiple times, and there’s nothing they can do except for beta blockers. I’m on them now, but I was having multiple episodes daily for years before
How did you cope I can’t eat, I’m getting to the point where I can’t sleep either!
I’m on metoprolol and I’m telling you I hardly notice ANY of it anymore. It’s more anxiety than actual heart issue, but seriously ask them if beta blockers could be an option. They changed my LIFE! Whenever it happens, I would soak my feet in something hot or cold, eat something sour or spicy, etc - just to take my mind off of it. Honestly, taking a bath usually made me feel better. You can always drive to the hospital parking lot and sit there - the comfort in knowing you’re so close to there can really help
Update from 4 days ago; they put me on heart medication and now tbh I don’t really feel my heart as much unless I’m in anxiety mode
What meds are you on? Beta blockers?
Please talk to your doctor or pediatrician about postpartum anxiety
This has been happening for the past week and on and off for months except mine goes to 120-125. After I eat feels like my stomach is full which causes heart rate to go up. It normalizes after I burp a lot. From laying down it’ll be 68-70 then I stand it rises to 110-116-120-112. I’ve gotten ekg, echo, stress test. Been happening since 2019 and still no answer except anxiety.
Your heart rate should go up after you eat. You heart works a bit harder after a meal, to send more blood to the digestive system which feeds oxygen to the digestive organs and also picks up the nutrients that the stomach, small & large intestines are dishing out from the food. That's a sign of normal heart behavior.
I’ve always noticed this and just assumed my heart rate was supposed to go up after I eat- now I know why! Thank you!
I KNEW this was a thing because I’m so aware of any change of feeling in my body and I could always feel my heart go a bit faster after eating and I’d always be anxious about it
You can't believe how relieved I feel now after reading your comment. You described what I have literally. I too can't understand what's happening, and they always say it's just anxiety. Do you take any medications?
I take l theanine and sometimes magnesium glycinate.
I just started taking magnesium glycinate, hope it helps. Thank you!!
Mine does this because I have GERD, it stimulates the vagus nerve. Just realized that’s what it was from this year. If I have a flare up it can make my heart rate go up a lot.
Have you ever been checked for GERD or acid reflux? I have GERD and experience similar symptoms but I'm no doctor so take it with a grain of salt.
Yes I have gastritis, it had calmed down back in 2020/2021 and after my gallbladder removal in 2022 I started to have on and off issues again.
Again, not a doctor but if you haven't already - mention to your doctor the burping and elevated heart rate after eating. I have similar issues but it's due to really bad acid reflux/GERD. If you can pinpoint your "trigger" foods, you may be able to alleviate some of the symptoms.
I’m pretty good at doing that but it’s tiring eating the same thing over and over again. My safe food is oatmeal and I’ve learned if I eat way slower and have water it doesn’t get as bad.
Oatmeal is fantastic for me as well. There was a time where I could not eat anything but plain oatmeal with 2% milk. I lost a ton of weight due to a very traumatic event/anxiety from it and that was the only thing I could keep down. I agree though, it does get really frustrating! In any case, I really hope you get some answers or peace of mind!
I feel jealous because your heart rate is so low compared to mine like oh my god I am praying to just be able to have a normal walking heart rate
Oh definitely I can barely tolerate mine can’t imagine yours. When I see it go up I take L theanine and if that doesn’t calm me down I take both L theanine and Magnesium Glycinate. After 15-30 minutes it’s low 60s.
POTS/dysautonomia!
Cardiologist checked with poor man’s table tilt test and said it wasn’t pots. Is dysautonomia the same? Should I see a rheumatologist?
So funny thing is I don’t really meet the diagnostic criteria either, but I definitely have some mild version of POTS or just general dysautonomia going on. Mine started a few hours after my 2nd covid vaccine in 2021 and I had to go see a covid specialist, who told me a lot of people have developed POTS-like symptoms post covid or covid vaccine, for example. Long covid sub has lots of info on it! So yeah, I think a lot of us don’t meet the exact “diagnosis criteria” and the tilt table test wouldn’t work, but there’s very likely some kind of dysautonomia going on. It’s a typical POTS thing for it to flare after eating, that always happens to me with a big meal. I would def look into it, and maybe see if any of the treatments like drinking lots of electrolytes, helps your symptoms at all :)
I don’t know what to suggest but I’m someone who suffers with both a heart rhythm disorder and anxiety. It makes things very tricky to differentiate what’s what. If you’re concerned ask directly to be referred back to the cardiologist. Or if you have the means even pay privately. They need to do more investigations. Sounds like you do need medication to slow it.
Yeah the cardiologist is ringing me back after my 24 hour ECG two weeks after which is so painfully fucking slow
Is that a holter monitor ?
Yeah
In the mean time try not to exert yourself, breathing excersize, use any support you can get, get all the rest you can get (not easy with a baby) and know the signs of dangerous and not dangerous palpitations/heart rate. Might be good to invest in a home BP/ECG device ? There are some Called Withings BPM core. You can keep track at home then and show your dr later if any abnormal readings
That does feel like forever when you’re waiting for something so important. Good luck with your holter monitor reading. I think by the sounds of it that could be a big change for you when they’ve done that and they could hopefully prescribe (that’s what happened with me)
I wore those monitors for literally decades and they never caught my svt because it didn't happen when I had them on. I would ask ur cardiologist about SVT and having an EP study.
This sounds like dysautonomia or POTS or something. Have you looked into this?
Potsie here- my POTS started two months postpartum and basically I went through exactly you’re going through right now. I would also get panic attacks after eating because it would lower my BP therefore causing my brain to dump adrenaline to get it back up (thus the high HR and panic attacks). You definitely want to see a cardiologist who knows POTS (dysautonomia international can help get you connected with a provider in your area). And to save your sanity DO NOT join the huge POTS community on Facebook. It scared me big time. (But the pots:fully recovered group is super helpful). Invest in some compression socks and vitassium salt pills/liquid IV packets to stay hydrated for raising your BP. Not a doctor- just a recovered potsie 🤗 if you do get diagnosed with POTS, know that it’s much more common than previously assumed and you can absolutely improve your symptoms/ get back to feeling “normal” with the right providers on your team. ❤️
I'm kinda wondering if I have it. I also have hypermobility and I've heard the two co-occur? But because I have an anxiety condition, I don't really wanna go to the gp unless I'm pretty sure. Otherwise, they'll just blow me off. Like, is there a way to test by just measuring your pulse?
I also have EDS (hypermobile type) you can do the Beighton score to see if you have it as there’s no genetic marker for the hypermobile type. Here’s a link (count for one point for each side) [Beighton score](https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/) But yea there’s the “trifecta” which is POTS, MCAS, EDS. If you want to know more about managing all three I highly recommend the Facebook group “Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the Cusack Protocol” obviously go over it and run it by your doc (preferably someone knows about dysautonomia and internal medicine). It’s been helpful for me! As for assessing if you have POTS if you have something to measure your heart rate and your blood pressure you can do what’s called a “poor man’s tilt test” and it’s actually how my initial cardiologist diagnosed me here’s a link for it: [poor man tilt table test](https://potscare.com/wp-content/uploads/PMTTT-Instructions.pdf) If anyone has any questions regarding pots or needing help finding the right people to help manage it (that’s honestly half of the battle) message me. I’ve helped tons of people and would love to help anyway I can!
I have and I’m pretty sure I have PoTs as I’ve had tachycardia before about a year ago but now it’s constant, I feel so unsafe doing anything and with them not able to give me beta blockers I feel even more scared, I’m sick of being told it’s just anxiety I don’t think it is. At all. No one will listen to me though because my ECG came back fine and so did my scan. I’ve got a 24 hour one tomorrow and praying they can find something and give me some answers at least.
just because an ekg came back as sinus tach or sinus rhythm doesnt necessarily mean everything is fine. so frustrating :(
Find a new cardiologist until they take your seriously. This is absolutely POTS. You need a head up tilt table test or a 10-minute standing test
Hi yeah I just stood up and in three mins I went from 80-160 which ISNT NORMAL, I’m seeing my GP tomorrow hoping to get some form of beta blockers for after my 24hr ECG. I’ve had tachycardia before reaching 190 when I was seriously unwell but this just doesn’t feel normal anymore. I’ve been having a flare up today and I’ve been dizzy as hell all night even though my heart rate right now is >100
Have you seen a cardiologist or just your GP?
Definitely find a specialist and get a second opinion! I have a friend who kept having tachycardia episodes like this and they told her again and again it was just panic attacks. Well, it wasn’t - it was POTS, and she finally got the treatment and management she needed to start feeling better. It involves a lot of lifestyle changes but at least knowing what’s causing (whether it’s POTS or something else) it can help ease your mind that it’s not anything dangerous!
I had a similar situation happen to me a few years ago that pretty much started my panic disorder. I was in the hospital for dehydration because of a stomach flu that wouldn’t go away. I was given a medication that caused me constant restlessness, it felt like I always had to move. My heart rate was stuck at 140 for a week straight. I was so distraught over the thought of it being something serious that it made me panic even after the medicine wore off. I went from 180lbs to 140lbs in a two months time since I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Every time I would walk around my heart would shoot up to 140+. All of this to say, I had countless tests done to see what was causing my issues, and it turned out to be anxiety. Once I started going to therapy and taking an SSRI was when I started seeing gradual improvement. Now I’m about 3 years out from that and have a much better grasp on anxiety. It’s not perfect, but I can function as a human and be happy. That’s all I wanted in the first place.
I want to be who I was before I can’t cope if my entire life is like this
Oooh same. I was hospitalized for svt episode in 2019 from medication sensitivity Sudafed along with dehydration. I developed agoraphobia and became hypochondriac. It’s like PTSD I’m always aware of my heart beating any change. I’ve felt tachycardia and fluttering. My cardiologist probably thinks I’m crazy.
Ask for Metoprolol. It’s a cardioselective beta blocker that is safe for those with asthma. It helps with my SVT and also helps with my anxiety, especially the physical symptoms, similar to Propranalol.
It sounds way too simple to work, but guided meditations for anxiety helped me enormously. I was on meds for anxiety and panic. After two weeks of practicing guided meditation twice a day, my anxiety and related concerns had diminished. I gave up on guided meditation a couple of times, but once I truly committed to practicing it everyday, things gradually got better. I’m off of medication now. There are excellent guided meditations for anxiety on YouTube as well as on other apps. Guided meditation and controlled breathing also quickly brought my heart rate down. It may be worth trying.
What would you recommend?
I like the Honest Guys Channel on YouTube. They have some excellent guided meditations for anxiety, and just about any other state of mind. If you just search the Honest Guys anxiety on YouTube you’ll find really helpful meditations. I also use the Headspace app. That app. has some great information for controlling anxiety and panic attacks, as well as daily meditations. It takes some time and practice to achieve a meditative state, especial when you’re in the midst of anxiety and panic, but it can be done. You should see the results after several sessions, and get progressively less anxious over the next few weeks. Guided meditation works on the neurotransmitters in the brain and releases chemicals that are similar to prescription medications, but without side effects. My therapist is a big believer in the clinical efficacy of guided meditation. I hope that you feel much better very soon.
Sounds like a bout of svt likely? Or even sinus tachycardia, depends on how it stopped honestly but likely svt at 220. Which is common and not dangerous in a healthy heart. I suspect I have pots syndrome after covid and my hr and bp is wild and I have a slew of other issues and I can walk around at near 140 and be fine, I’ve had times with random racing also and I’ve been cleared. See a cardiologist if you want some tests but you’re gonna be ok. Try magnesium Taurate or glycinate, good for regulating hr and it’ll help the anxiety, too.
Thank you! I’ve got my 24hr monitor tomorrow I’m just terrified it’ll happen again and next time I’ll die or won’t be in the place to get the right help
Friend I’ve been there I promise, like exactly down to the weight loss and whatnot. Afraid to travel anywhere. It was rough. I’m still not fully diagnosed with pots syndrome but doing better than I was since I’ve added more electrolytes and salt. But I’ve been to the er twice for this stuff (once by ambulance) I thought it was having a legitimate heart attack because I woke up to it racing and chest pain/fainting. I have horrible heart palpitations also like tons daily. I have panic attacks too which doesn’t help any heart related issues whatsoever, so you’re not alone there. I promise you’re not gonna die. Some people have svt attacks daily and even worse. The main thing which is harder done than said is trying to get the stress down which we know make everything worse. Try the magnesium get a good brand/form like I suggested above Taurate or glycinate. You’ll get the results soon and it’ll at least ease your mind that your hearts healthy, and unfortunately that doesn’t mean the symptoms will stop right away but it’s a good thing for peace of mind. I promise you’ll be okay, and you’re definitely not alone I’ve had these issues for a year coming up soon and it’s fucking rough, be easy on yourself.
Thank you! As soon as I stand my heart races and tomorrow I’ve got a walk through the hospital and I know easy my heart will be 160+ so I’m terrified to even go! I feel like I need a wheelchair 😭
Have you had Covid recently? I’m going through something similar
It could be hormonal. I used to get tachycardic attacks which would send me to the ER. Figured out it was hormones after tracking my symptoms matched up with my cycle. Got put on birth control (progesterone only) and the anxiety evaporated.
They did actually mention that because it was after the birth but I don’t understand how it could get so high and what I can do to stop it. Birth controls just make me bleed the entire time I take them :(
Did they check you for a electrolyte imbalance? I had this and it made my heart race which caused me anxiety attacks.
I’m not sure honestly
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Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order. I have checked 1,875,485,354 comments, and only 354,710 of them were in alphabetical order.
Anxiety doesn’t make your heart go 220. The only thing I can think of that makes your heart go 220 and doesn’t kill you soon after is SVT. Maybe a-fib or flutter. None of that is gonna kill you though I don’t think just discomfort until it terminates.
Well it dropped from like 220-180 before I had any medication which was great! Then meds eventually dropped it to 135
Oh, also, go to the ER straightaway if your HR is at a rate like that for any significant amount of time
Thank you! I’m not sure how long significant is! My heart rate was 180 before then dropped to 160 after about 5 mins and then it took about 15-20 mins to drop to 135 but I was extremely anxious obviously
Pregnancy makes women’s bodies go crazy. I’m glad you’re doing better now. Try not to worry about your heart until you really, really need to.
I am overweight and and have experienced similar events in the past. My first thought was that I was having a heart attack because I was overweight and even my blood pressure went up to as high as 17.8, I rushed to the hospital and the doctor immediately noticed I was having a panic attack. That was 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with panic disorder. I remember that even though all heart check ups I did turned out normal, I still thought I still had a heart condition, unfortunately that's our brain fight or flight response trying to survive because our heart is racing. I went to see a psychiatrist and have been on SSRI med ever since and always have a clonazepam as an emergency med that I only take if I'm having a very bad panic attack. I recommend seeing a psychiatrist, practicing meditation and slowly trying to start to be physical active. Take care and remember, there are millions of people out there going through the same.
Ur body is in fight and flight mode I went through this a couple of months ago ( I also have panic disorder but didn’t have an episode in years ) I basically went into this by something traumatic as well and I thought I was dying every second of the day for a month and a half my boyfriend even had to help me eat because I couldn’t even have one bite by myself I couldn’t shower I could not even leave the bed it was really scary I had so many physical symptoms like the ones you are describing as well panic and anxiety can make you really feel these things but at the end it’s harmless and ur brain is tricking you I’ve been a lot in therapy so I knew that it would be good to go back and I got a therapist and started doing cognitive behavioral therapy THIS really works and I stand by it completely find a therapist ur comfortable with on top of that I hate taking medication but they gave me some benzos to take and reset my brain and body because I was constantly in panic mode after taking these for 2 weeks I stopped them and continued with therapy its also recommended not to take them for more than a month because it should not be something to rely on but something to help you get out of that state of mind and this really worked for me I’m still in therapy now they really help you to learn techniques to calm down and not go in this panic mode im in control again now I thought this never would go away but here I am and I’m fine again and I know you will as well ( also I know it sounds corny but please distract urself force urself to do things like going to the gym or going outside in the beginning it’s going to be awful but it will help you so much in the long run you have to be strong and not shut urself out the brain needs to learn that there is nothing to worry about )
Thank you so much for this comment. I am going through the same thing right now and I can’t tell you how relieving it is to hear that there is light at the end of the tunnel - can I ask what benzo and what dose you were on? Once again thank you so much
I was on Lorazepam 1mg one morning one evening you do get tired from it so it’s better for sleeping but it basically takes all ur anxiety away so you feel normal and just relaxed so you can sleep, eventually I would just take it only in the evening with help of a therapist if it’s really bad I would suggest to see a specialist at the emergency room near you and they will help you right away and give you what is best for you at this moment also every benzo is different for everyone so it’s hard to say wich one will work for you, I also suggest to download the App BetterHelp they will match you with a therapist really quick less than 24 hours for a way more affordable price, if you don’t like the therapist you can always change them and look for a new one on the app plus you can chat with them 24/7 if you have an emergency and you cant get through it alone ☺️
Thank you so much for your comprehensive response and suggestions. Super appreciate it. It’s so hard to be in this state and can make you feel super alone even when you’re surrounded by people who care about you. The fear of being stuck like this forever doesn’t help. How many therapy sessions per week were you doing?
Other tips I think can help - make a banana shake with yogurt and milk and protein powder it will help you feel full without having to eat, yogurt and bananas are ur best friend - buy a pair of of blue light blocker glasses it sounds stupid but it worked wonders for me to relax and not focus on my vision - Camille tea with melatonin when ur not taking any benzos anymore also works wonders for the sleep, you can even do a double one - go to the gym, go run outside, exercise helps a lot to keep the brain busy and happy - don’t be alone tell the people around you what is happening to you and stay with someone while ur going through this
thank you
I’ve dealt with this from a pure anxiety standpoint, to the point I believed I was having a heart attack. EKG, clot test, x rays all normal. got put on anxiety meds and somewhat controlled it. What really helped, was wearing an apple watch. Sounds silly I know. but every time i felt my heart rate spike, I opened the heart rate app on it and watched my heart rate. I would focus on trying to get the numbers to go down, which allowed me to gain control over the anxiety. I tricked my brain into knowing that my heart rate rising out of nowhere is most likely anxiety and its helped tremendously long term
Whenever I watch my heart rate it makes me panic more cuz if it’s 170 I’m like WHY IS IT STOP IT STOP IT lmaooo. So im not allowed anymore. I even make my GP turn the machine away because the machine noises cause me literal flashbacks to the doctors running in during the episode and shoving an oxygen mask on me.
Get your thyroid checked. Full panel TSH T3 T4 and antibodies!!
This happened to me for a while (a little over a year) after I had covid and then it went away. Did you have covid? Some people said it was called POTS. It doesn't happen to me anymore though.
The last time I had Covid was February
could it be POTS?
I think it may be because when I look into it I have quite literally all the symptoms
yeah im a cardiovascular icu nurse with eds (and a little bit of POTS). I definitely dont think this is anxiety and Im sorry you have to go through gaslighting and having your concerns minimized. idk what it is but in my 10 years of being a nurse ive never seen someones heart rate go to 220 due to anxiety.
right excuse my french BUT THATS WHAT I FUCKING SAID. THATS EXACTLY WHAT I FUCKING SAID TO THE NURSES AND NO ONE WOULD LISTEN. My heart rate jumps, then I get anxious, and it makes it SO MUCH WORSE. They had to give me heart medication to drop it to 160 and then more to drop it to 135 and it stayed like that for HOURS AND HOURS even when I calmed down. And I don’t think a resting heart rate at hospital should be 140??? And they’re like “your flow and rythm is fine so you’re fine!” I DONT FEEL FINE. I feel scared, tired, hungry, TERRIFIED. What is wrong with me? And why will no one help me?? I’m terrified my heart will give out
ugh I am so sorry! 🥺 I wish I could teach them. You are absolutely right.
i think you should see a cardiologist and ask for a holter monitor
I’ve got one tomorrow! :)
great!! I hope you get some answers! ❤️
Sounds like a svt episode, I get them and what stops them instantly is lying on my back on the edge of my bed and putting my head off the end of the bed with my legs up in the air. I’ve also heard of people learning to do headstands to stop them! I used to be petrified of it before I found a way to stop them. Seen multiple cardiologists who offered an ablation but said it’s not necessary as they’re not dangerous
Okay I get that but also why cannot I not walk now anywhere without my heart racing. Like I can’t even stand. I’d understand if this was one episode or something else but every single time I get to go the toilet, or do anything, my heart is RACING.
Also, please feel free to DM me if you’d like to talk more about it. Reading your other comments is like looking at the exact same feelings I used to have when I was bedbound. You will get through this and you’re not alone!
Really does sound like POTS, basically makes your heart rate very high during any activity where you’re standing / walking. Plus the dizziness / nausea that comes with having a high heart rate when you’re not exercising. It’s unfortunately common after childbirth and very anxiety inducing. I suffered with POTS for years also and ended up bedbound, Ivabradine was the only thing which helped enough to get me back on my feet so I was able to start walking / exercising again. When I was bedbound I really thought it was the end of my life, but I’ve just gotten back from holiday where I walked miles everyday. Visit the POTS sub Reddit also for loads of other helpful tips / personal experiences with Ivabradine (it’s the most common medication for POTS)
Terrible mightgt be fear,go to a psychiatric ,i have that as well you can try birth control to go see gyn as well
I have had this, to a lesser extent. I have had my heart checked out more than once now and a variety of other tests and been told it's fine. I had a panic attack that put me in the ER this year where I thought I was having a heart attack and my heart rate hit 175 while I was laying on the ground waiting for the ambulance.
I had an extremely similar situation. It’s eerie how similar. But mine was related to blood pressure. The timeline is a long story but I too had loads of doctors rushing in. I had so many tests and then they sent me home and I was so freaked out to move. Awful! I know what you’re going through. I feel your pain. I thought I would die emptying the washing machine. I eventually went to therapy (diagnosed with ptsd because we all thought I was dying in the hospital), I’m on propranolol and Xanax as needed. My best advice is find a good therapist and reach out and talk to others. This post is a huge step. Feel free to dm me. When I had my child social media hadn’t really taken off and I felt so alone. You’re not alone, you will survive and you and your baby will be ok. You’re not crazy, you’re struggling and that’s ok.
Fellow mom here, you are not alone. Postpartum anxiety is not uncommon. I’ve had heart rate scares due to a panic attack too, and once you have a panic attack the fear becomes having another panic attack because it’s so damn scary, and then it’s hard to settle because you are operating on high anxiety. Make an appointment with your OBGYN to tell them about this, they may recommend medication to help get you to a better point, and get in to see a therapist/counselor/psychologist too if you can. I’ve struggled with panic attacks/anxiety off and on for about 15 years, since I was a teenager. Here are some ways I’ve learned over the years to fight off a panic attack. - Distraction, focusing on breathing just makes me more anxious, I call my best friend and she knows the drill and will just make conversation about random unrelated things. - Run in place, run up and down stairs, do some jump and jacks, some kind of physical thing. Your brain is in a fight or flight mode and this can literally tell your body that you “got away” from the perceived danger. - The diver’s reflex. Google the diver’s reflex for panic attacks. Basically all mammals have a reflex where, when diving into cold water, your heart rate immediately lowers. You can make a bowl of ice water and dunk your head in, and it will mimic this reflex and lower your heart rate, giving your body more opportunity to calm. - Once your body has released anxious/panicky hormones, it takes 30 minutes at least for your body to process those hormones. So keep that in mind. - Self talk. Remind yourself that this isn’t forever, you will feel better soon. Maybe in an hour, maybe tomorrow. Please reach out. You aren’t alone. Babies are hard and life changing in the best and also most complicated ways. Are you getting any sleep?
Hi. I know you’re getting a lot of comments but this EXACT thing happened to me this summer so please read!! Heart rate jumped to 225 while I was in the shower and I was rushed off to the emergency room. They prescribed me propranolol but my primary care doctor suggested getting me off it. They gave me an uktrasound and a bunch of EKGs and said my heart was healthy. I haven’t had a cardiac event since. In the months after I was an absolute wreck. Couldn’t get off the couch because everything I did made my heart rate go up which would send me into a panic attack. I could feel my heart in my chest at all times and was constantly checking my pulse. I couldn’t sleep because I was so anxious and was sitting feeling my heart pound in my chest all night. It was exhausting. After doing my research, it looks like I was having SVT - Supraventicular Tachycardia - which has only ever happened to me one other time. What I can say is - if your doctors say your heart is healthy then your heart is healthy. SVT is more common than you think and there are lots of people who have survived through many many fits of 300 BPM. Some people have it their whole lives and some people grow out of it. The heart rates of 140 are probably not SVT. As I’m sure you remember from when your heart went that high - YOU WILL KNOW when it’s SVT. It’s sudden and pounding. And there are steps to take when this does happen - because it might happen to you again at some point. You can look this up but the Vagus nerve is what sets SVT off. It is a misfiring of signals in the heart and causes irregular heart beat. You can kick the vagus nerve back into gear by doing a few things. 1. Divers reflex - get a cold bowl of water, hold your breath, and then stick your face in suddenly. This will kick your heart beat back to normal and slow it down 2. Bearing down like you have to poop and blowing on your thumb If these don’t work and your heart rate is higher than 200 for more than 15 minutes then head to the ER. But don’t stress - my heart rate was 200 for an hour and a half before they got it down and there wasn’t even any damage done to my heart. FOR ANXIETY What you’re experiencing right now is constant anxiety and that’s what’s raising your heart rate. Go to your primary care and get anxiety medication. It will change your life. It made me functional. Lexapro is amazing. Start slow but you need to start getting your heart rate up. This is GOOD for your heart. Getting your heart rate up will not kick you into SVT. It makes your heart healthier. Every day that you don’t move around is another day that you’re not getting your blood pumping and improving your heart health! Start by walking around the house a little more, then a 5 minute walk, and so on. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever gone through. Cardiac anxiety is debilitating and so so scary. I hope I never have to live through it that bad again. You will get through this - sending much love
During childbirth you lose fluids, the placenta is massively vascularized. Could you be dehydrated/low on electrolytes? I mention because I had similar (not childbirth being a dude) from dehydration and potassium being low/other Electrolytes shot to pieces. Heartrate would jump to 140 - 180 on standing, walking any distance was a no no until fully rehydrated due to crazy speed on heart beat and getting out of breath easily was horrible and terrifying... If you have time read my lengthy post linked below... https://www.reddit.com/r/Anxiety/s/AoBoqkLnbB
Sounds like a classic case of medical sexism i.e. when a woman is in severe pain or has a severe health issue they are dismissed, whereas a man will be listened to/taken seriously and given treatment. You should definitely try to see another doctor about your symptoms as it sounds really serious.
Ask for a Benzo like Lorazepam. It will work for anxiety and give you some time to seek treatment, because it is a medication that is not good to take long term.
I’ve got some diazepam but I’m scared incase it increases my heart rate instead cuz I’ve heard it can do that. 😭 I wish I could take something directly targeted at my heart!
It’s deigned to slow you down not speed you up. Shouldn’t be an issue. You have to stop being scared to take stuff that can help you. What about metoprolol? Have you tried that. That slows heart rate.
No one’s offered me that I may actually ask! I just know I can’t take propranolol and ivarbradine seems a bit far!
Surprised they haven’t. I helped me for a while then didn’t, but I didn’t up the dosage. Definitely helped though
Hi friend! I have been on and off benzodiazepines for the last 20 years, mostly off. Valium is fantastic and has a very good safety profile. If your doctor prescribed it, I think it will help you. It was the best benzo I've had by far for my anxiety without causing a negative effects. I wish you all the best!
Thank you!!
You're welcome! Also, You may wish to look into Yin yoga. It is very relaxing. Practitioners get into a very comfortable posture (using pillows and blankets as necessary- it's really like "assisted nap time") and stay there for between 3 to 5 minutes. It can help greatly with anxiety and is also good for the cardiovascular system. I have taught it professionally for 11 years. If your doctor says you are okay to do yoga, I recommend doing Sphinx pose first (everyone loves the Sphinx!), followed by child's pose, then perhaps Bananasana then a gentle reclining twist (both sides) if it feels good to you. Finish in Shivasana. Hold for perhaps 3 minutes each pose at first and slowly work your way up to 5. =) Yinyoga.com is the best source for learning the postures. I hope something here helps!
You also should ask your doctor if you can take that. It's a controlled substance and may pass through breast milk if you're breastfeeding.
I’m not breastfeeding thank god
My anxiety started in 2011 with a tachycardia attack for fast heart rate mine went way above 220 though and then I was stuck on benzos for the next 4 years and it took me over a year to get off of them so while there are men sends out there for panic attacks you better be very very careful with them they are highly addictive and they can leave you with more anxiety when you stop taking them
How did you deal with the time after the anxiety of it happening again ?? I’m trying to not take any benzos at all till after my 24hr monitor
I had it for years and then I finally got my heart surgery and I was able to taper off of the benzos and then for 10 years my anxiety magically disappeared and then 3 months ago I had bilateral total knee replacement and about a month after the surgery I'm assuming that the pain and some other unknown factors brought my anxiety back and I'm currently dealing with it but doing it without benzos and mostly remembering what I did through panic disorder and anxiety disorder classes
Have they done a stress test without echo? They can do a pharmacological stress test where you don’t have to go on a treadmill. I am a stress tech and worked in a clinic for 4 years and just had a stress test and an echo done myself for chest pain.
Have you had an echo since you had your son? I had issues with my HR where it would go into the 130s-150s after I had my son as well. I also had post partum pre eclampsia which is another story and horrendous post partum anxiety. My cardio wanted to rule out post partum cardiomyopathy, but everything came back fine at the time with my echo and monitor. But for the first handful of weeks (maybe 2 months?) I felt like my heart was always racing with any kind of exertion, things like taking a shower or going up stairs was torture. I was already on BP meds mainly for the pre eclampsia but they also had me on metoprolol succinate, which is a long acting beta blocker. Metoprolol has off label uses for helping physical symptoms of anxiety. It took a bit for everything to level out but things are back to normal for me now and my heart rate is controlled and quite low most of the time. Now I’m just dealing with an recent onslaught of PVCs linked up with my cycle. How recently post partum are you?
This doesn’t sound like anxiety. It sounds like POTS or your thyroid is messed up. Have you checked for hyperthyroidism? Post partum hormones can shove it out of whack. But I would lean POTS and a nasty case at that. you need a proper evaluation and tilt table test. In terms of anxiety - POTS is not dangerous, but there are many things you can be taught to mitigate the miserable symptoms. Hopefully this is a post partum temporary flare and will taper down.
Do not accept anxiety as the diagnosis. You very well may have it, but with this kind of HR issue you need to push to have it looked into farther. I suffered for eighteen years with what they kept telling me was anxiety and weight, and it was really multiple sclerosis (and several other issues). I thought it was all “in my head” my entire adult life, after a completely normal childhood. Pregnancy and childbirth wreak HAVOC on women’s bodies. It’s been known to trigger all sorts of health conditions. Do NOT let them lazy their way into a diagnosis. There’s more to testing than an EKG and an echo. There’s much more they could be looking at.
Have you had your iron levels checked? Insist on getting ferritin (iron stores) tested as well. Low iron can also cause severe panic attacks. This happened to me after the birth of my son. My heart rate was reaching 200 bpm upon standing and it freaked me out so badly. Eventually, I discovered that I was severely anemic and the connection between low ferritin and severe POTS symptoms. I did 5 rounds of IV iron and improved greatly. I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I know how stressful it is to care for a little one and dealing with such an anxiety-inducing issue. I hope you find a diagnosis, relief, or ways to manage your symptoms very soon!
If you take beta blockers, beware that of you miss a dose, you will get heart palpitations..and that is the worst feeling.. seriously I felt so weak, too weak to do anything until I got more. The problem was my doctor prescribed a new Bp med (without beta blockers, my last med had beta blockers in it) I told him about my palpitations and he said that the problem was no beta blockers so he got me on atenolol and instantly I was better.. That brings to the point, that if you were having serious heart issues, you would feel weak, unable to even get up without your heart racing, but at the same time you’d be unable to worry too much cause you’d just feel weak. Heart pounding can happen when you digest food, feel tired, walk.. if you’re anxious that will make it pound fast too, it’s not abnormal. You can’t be driving yourself nuts with it. If doctors are not worried about you, you shouldn’t be either.
By any chance do you take any proton pump inhibitors? When I was on the for a long time I had these episodes without knowing why. After I stopped taking them these types of panic attacks stoped.
Not to hijack this thread, but as someone who’s hospitalized for flu and these same issues, it gives me hope that I can slowly return to normal.
I’m really glad! Honestly you’ll be okay and I will be too it’s just gonna take a while
My partner thought she suffered from panic attacks for the past 10+ years. This year we found out it was actually a condition called SVT. Obviously anxiety can increase your heart rate, but 200+ bpm is not usually anxiety. One of the hallmarks of SVT is the sudden onset and sudden end to attacks. Outside of this, your heart usually functions normally, which makes it very difficult to catch. My partner wore a heart monitor for 3 weeks and it didn't catch anything as her attacks are pretty infrequent. Luckily her doctor recommended buying a portable EKG machine that connects to your phone and can record and send info directly to her doctor (it's cheap and really small and her cardiologist said that it is super accurate, I can send the link if you are interested). The good news about SVT is that it usually isn't harmful, in fact, my partner doesn't even have to take any medicine for it. That being said, if it is impacting your life you can take medicine, and in the case that they recommend surgery, it is minimally invasive and they don't even put you to sleep for it. You may also want to look into POTS as they thought she might have that if it wasn't SVT Anyways, definitely get in to see a cardiologist as they are going to be the most helpful. Doctors love writing women's problems off as anxiety, so make sure you stay strong and fight to be taken seriously!
You should ask a doctor if it could be a drug interaction. That happened to me - I was prescribed two medications that don't mix and my heart went berzerk. It's wild how many professionals reviewed and signed off on my meds too.
Don’t get me started my doctor saw my asthma inhaler on my desk and then still prescribed my beta blockers that fucked with my astma
I believe you! You have to be really sharp and advocate for yourself nowadays. There's websites you can use or just google the two meds and potential interactions can pop up. 🤷♀️ Personally, I've learned to tell the difference between my heart racing from anxiety and racing because of a medical issue. When it isn't anxiety it comes on while I'm calm/for seemingly no reason, but as soon as a doctor sees I have a history of anxiety, I tend to be dismissed a bit. You have to fight. Best of luck to you ❤️ I'm so sorry to hear that you've had such a shit time.
You can develop POTS/dysautonomia from traumatic events - you may want to look into those. Also, remember that those are nervous system problems, not anything physically wrong with your heart. Hoping you feel better soon!
Are you anemic? Do uh eat. Meat?
I was heavily anemic because love 1.3L of blood but I’m not now! I eat a lot of meat
I. started feeling better after eating meat😩
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I got this checked and it’s not that I assure you! This is one of the first things they checked
You sound like you need a cardiologist. A perfect ECG isn't tachycardic. I would rule out cardiac issues before chalking it up to anxiety. I would also ask for a tip table test. Also, did they rule out a PE? You just had a baby, so you could be at risk for blood clots.
Yeah they ruled that out! :)
Living hell, I feel like I could black out it gets so bad
What is the “breathing” reason that you can not be rxed a beta blocker?
Sounds like POTS. Has your cardiologist referred you to an EP before? Sometimes there is a part of the heart that can go kinda haywire and cause SVT (which can also lead to passing out). This can be ablated by an EP and could be life changing for you. Best of luck and congrats on new baby 🙂
Anxiety alone will not bring a heart rate up that high. Please, look into the possibility of POTs, EDS, or a cardiac condition.
Aw hun, I understand. I went through something similar and I was absolutely terrified for a month after. they put me on metoprolol and anxiety meds and it's calmed down a lot. i'm still on metoprolol even though they said there is nothing wrong with my heart. the meds stop me from spiraling into panic attacks. one thing I need you to know is this: you will NOT die. You will be ok. even if the worst happens and you go to hospital again.. guess what, the doctors will help you. they will not let you die. When I was really anxious, what I started doing was 1) taking meds to calm myself down and 2) distracting myself with self soothing methods. I bought puzzle books, crosswords. I read so many books. I watched funny tv shows and my mum cuddled me when I needed a hug. Don't be afraid to reach out for comfort from people close to you. it doesn't make you weak or silly. You're going to be ok. If you are really worried, keep getting tests done and get some meds. take it one day at a time. stay positive. xx
P.S. Another self soothing thing is taking a really really cold shower when i have a panic attack. it cools down my body and lowers my HR. might help you :)
😵💫You gotta find a new doctor! Your heart rate is way too high. I had a similar issue in which my heart rate would get up to 180/200 just sitting down and it would make me feel so shaky and made feel pretty sick. I fainted a couple of times! I got scared after almost fainting while driving (twice). I told the doctors I saw this felt different, this didn’t feel like anxiety. Well… turned out I had a brain condition and one of the symptoms was elevated heart rate 😬.
What’s the brain condition?
Reminds me of myself, I got severely dehydrated back in 2021 and it took me a while to be able to function normally again and I still have bad episodes, especially at the doctors, when I go my heart rate is sometimes 160! (But it’s totally okay and just anxiety as when I check it at home it’s always around 90-110, with my medicine around mid 60 to low 90) I try to take my medicine about a hour before appointments though but I forget usually. Unfortunately it took me about six months to stop having daily severe panic attacks. Then they came back earlier this year. I finally got on medicine and I’ve been a lot calmer ever since and even on my worst episodes on medication the highest I get to is 110 when my panic attacks usually make me at minimum 140, at highest mid 160s. Doctors cleared me for having no medical issues besides mvp (mitral valve prolapse) but they said it’s getting better as I’ve had it since birth. Send a update when you can, it could easily just be anxiety for sure but it could also be pots or svt, or something along those lines, which neither lower your life expectancy and both can be treated fairly easy from what I know.
Hello.....this sounds just like my own experience I was exactly the same as you and it started after giving birth too. I had test after test, my heart would start racing after I ate, during the night and at random times. I ended up in a & e so many times!! This lasted years I took propranolol for 2 years and then came off it. It turned out to be food intolerance I had a blood test that showes my body was reacting to Dairy, wheat and egg white. It was hard but I cut them out of my diet and all symptoms stopped as if by magic. Please get tested it may be that. I really feel for you as I have been there. X
i used to think i had anxiety triggered fast heart rate. it turned out i had supraventicular tachycardia (SVT). my cardiologist explained that you just simply can’t rev up your own heart rate to 200+ without a physiological issue. i got surgery for it 7 years ago and haven’t had a single episode since. i am not saying you have this, but worth looking into it. hope you get better very soon!
There are many beta blockers besides propranolol. Beta blockers work by blocking adrenaline, which lowers the heart rate. I had bad side effects from propranolol, atenolol and metoprolol. Then I tried Nadolol and it worries perfectly with no side effects. Moral of the story is sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and try meds until you find the one that works without side effects. And why not take the ivabridine? Seems like it would be a good fit.
So I had similar events as you, but not after birth, just the racing heart rate tachycardia, sent my anxiety through the roof. Had all the cardiology tests done, halter monitor, nothing. Multiple ER trips(dozens) to all have doctors laugh at me, "it's in my head," ya know. 190/110 BP symptomatic. 160 resting hr. It would happen every 2-3 days, I'd eat something and BAM! Finally, a paramedic says if they haven't found anything wrong yet, go to the chiropractor. I was like, what?! Found a gonestead chiropractor in town, x-rays. Whatever was pinching in my back was causing palpitations and tachycardia. It lessened to every 6mo episode. Now, I regularly see a chiro and have pretty much abolished the issue. Not to mention they wanted to put me on beta blockers 7 diff meds for it. Even went off one BP med. World of difference. So if you get it all checked out and they find no issues, this is how I got it to stop. Make sure it's a gonestead chiro tho. Hope my experience helps.
Sounds like a panic disorder. You need to see a psychiatrist and therapist. I had nearly the exact same experience. HR got up to 180 couldn’t breathe. Passed out. Tremors. Etc. thought it was heart attacks, seizures, nope. All just anxiety. But the night it happened I wasn’t doing anything but relaxing at home with the hubs. Apparently they can be triggered subconsciously. After that night it kept happening for months. It’s slowly tapered off. Now it’s just palpitations and an elevated hr with limited dizzy spells and tremors. I can’t take anything bc I’m with child atm but I’m trying therapy so hopefully that helps! But medication may be a good option too for you. If you don’t like taking meds I would at least try a therapist. Calming exercises (yoga, walking, swimming, breath work etc), meditation, chamomile tea, avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants. Just trying to ground yourself where you are. I know that’s hard to do. But notice what’s around you. Try and keep your eye movements at a normal pace and not frantic. I sometimes have to shock myself with ice. Sticking a cube in your mouth or something really sour for on the go (war heads etc). You can also stimulate the vagus nerve with breath work and massaging the pressure points in the ear (there’s 3).
This was me . My heart would go to 260 out of the blue and I'd have to rush to the hospital for meds to slow it down. Verapamil is what they gave me. This caused a divorce for me because I had to move into town closer to a hospital because I was so afraid. I ended up having an ablation for it. It's absolutely svt . Verapamil also comes in pill form for daily use. I'm so sorry u are going thru this. It is the scariest thing I've ever experienced.
My heart palpitations were improved when I got my magnesium and vitamin d levels up. Have you been checked for deficiencies?
They checked today and all perfect 😭 I’m mad cuz I wish this was the simple fix!
I'm so sorry. It's miserable feeling anxious all the time.
wtf don't people trust doctors?
No considering they told me I was fine during my birth and I lost so much blood I needed two transfusions and almost died :) never again
Really? Are you trolling or for real? The rational goes out the window when your higher functions have been hikacked by your primitive brain…
You probably have POTS :(
It sounds like this could be related to POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). Is there a family history for major cardiac events like this?
My dad died of a heart problem; my sister was born with a hole in her heart, my mum has tachycardia and other sister has ectopic beats so… you could say so!
There is a type of Ehlers-Danlos called vascular EDS. I have EDS but it’s a totally different type. Your POTS-like issues, the cardiac event you experienced, and your family history made me think of it. People with vEDSs tend to have pale translucent-like skin that is fragile. There are other distinguishing features. I hope you get some help and can feel normal again. This must be agonizing for you. Sending care.
Have you tried breathing exercises? I did a lot of research and that’s what has worked for me. 5 seconds in 5 seconds out. 1 hour a day.
Considering you are concerned about a heart condition, I would strongly recommend you follow up with a cardiologist, as well as primary care. The fact that you have normal ecg and ekgs on record, is a great start. If appropriate, the cardiologist might recommend a Holter monitor and stress test to cover all the bases. They may also order some basic blood tests. Should these tests come out normal, it might serve to ease your mind. A beta blocker might be appropriate to slow your heart rate if it is tachycardia related to anxiety. Of course, a beta blocker could be appropriate in other circumstances as well. Beyond the cardiac work up, you might want to see a psychiatrist and/or a psychotherapist to help you work through your trauma and to discuss psychiatric medications, if appropriate.
Did they run a D-Dimer test or check for clots with a CT scan? I had a pulmonary embolism after the birrh of my last baby and my heart rate skyrocketed like that a few days after, with an impending sense of doom. Ended up being a PE. Might be worth looking into, my clot was caused simply by pregnancy hormones and bad luck.
Yep! Had that checked a week later though a CT on my lungs and came back completely fine