Feel like I have been misdiagnosed by my doctors.. heart palpitations/heavy beat with anxiety?
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I'm an extremely anxious person and I've dealt with generalized and social anxiety since I was in pre-school (not that I was aware of it, but my mother had taken me to the doctors etc because I was really shy and reluctant to go to school). This has caused all sorts of complications and stunted me in life (seemed to just get worse throughout school, but in my 20s has calmed a little), so the doctor's office is fully aware of my anxiety and is quick to state that as the root of my problem.
I've been having a very strong heartbeat (pounding, making my abdomen bounce, sometimes I even feel a pulse in my legs/arms when laying down), and palpitations that are sometimes painful when doing exercise. I've told the doctors most of this, except the fact that my abdomen bounces (the pulse ripples down my stomach when im laying down, I'm 6'0 185lbs), and now I'm stressing that if I had told them this it might change the outcome, but I've already been multiple times over the same problem and they are treating me like I'm crazy, lol (I feel a little..).
I've had a week long ecg a while ago but it's gotten a little worse since, and some bloodwork done -- both coming back clear (but the doctor that did my blood pressure said its a little high but obviously they think its nothing to worry about?).
They just say it's anxiety every time, and that I should focus on breathing techniques and take some medications (Propanolol) that will fix the heavy beating, but I know it can help high blood pressure and it's a beta blocker.
I just really don't know what to do and I feel like im sending myself crazy -- If I take the propanolol I feel like I'm masking a more deep routed issue, but it seems like information around the internet is scarce behind having a "heavy" heartbeat or having the abdomen pulsating. The doctor only knows Propanolol works because I was prescribed it last year by mental health doctor, and I mentioned it fixed these heart problems.
Sorry for the wall, I guess my problem is I don't know whether to trust in my doctor, or my gut. I haven't really talked to anyone with anxiety that has this problem.
Thanks
0 likes, 4 replies
MILAO Controller
Posted
I know what its like to fear your heart. I have all sorts of symotoms such as skipped heart beats, fast heart, irregular beats etc. Had a battery of tests done and all is okay it is nothing that will kill me apparently. The pulse in your stomach is very very normal. I have had it forever, you have a large valve running down your abdomen from your heart so it is really normal to see a pulse there. You will see a pulse basically anywhere there is a vein
Controller MILAO
Posted
Yeah, it's terrible. I can't stop thinking about it, it's making every day a drag. But I can physically see my heart or surrounding muscles beating through my ribcage when I lift my left arm and a strong pulse in my abdomen. It's very unnerving, and hard to see that being caused by anxiety. I'm considering calling the doctors again just so I can see if this changes anything. Thanks!
jan34534 Controller
Posted
trust your doctors. They see this all the time and they know what to look for. The pulse you feel in your abdominal area is your aorta. It’s the largest artery in the body so that’s why you feel it. Be glad that you feel it because that means it’s healthy and pumping out oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. like milao said, anywhere that you have an artery you can feel the
pulsations, . And that’s a good thing.
your bloodwork is fine and your ECG is fine. That is important and it should make you feel more at ease.
the Pounding heart can be due to adrenaline that is released with anxiety. It is harmless. Your heart is absolutely fine.
high blood pressure begins around 145/90. Do you know what yours was? Perhaps your doctor didn’t think it was high enough to go on medication. Find out what it was.
i agree that you should focus on mindfulness breathing. it actually lowers the heart rate it helps you manage the anxiety better. Works for me every time. If I were you I would take the propranolol. It’s not masking anything. You need something to help you manage anxiety and its symptoms. Your gut feeling is based on thoughts that you get from anxiety. Most of the time, thoughts from anxiety are negative and based on fear. So you can’t completely trust that. In which case, that is why I agree with your doctor about the medication . if you don’t take the medication you’re going to continue with the symptoms and the overthinking that produces fear-based conclusions. Take care
Controller jan34534
Posted
That's re-assuring, thanks. Although a part of my brain I can't switch off is telling me it isn't normal that I'm getting these overpowering beats, and I can actually see my heart beating through my ribcage when i lift my left arm in the mirror (surely this isn't normal??). I don't know what my blood pressure was, he said it was a little high but I never asked -- maybe I should call, but even then it could be high because of being in the hospital a little panicked. Thanks for the reply!