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Heart Racing...But Pulse is Normal....What's Happening?

Posted , 38 users are following.

wearykitty
wearykitty

Best I can describe it is that it feels as though I've had a bunch of caffeine (and I haven't)....heart feels as though it's beating very quickly, but when I check my pulse, it's between 62 and 70BPM (very normal)....neck muscles feels tight and face feels tingly and I feel shaky (although not visibly)....nerves?? Heart attack? I'm trying to calm down, but hate this feeling. By the way, I've had four ECGs done in the last year, and comprehesive blood work two weeks ago and everything looks just fine (in fact, my doctor said I was the picture of health)...so what's going on with this weird feeling????? I really don't want to go to the emergency room again (been five times in the last eighteen months) only to have them tell me it's anxiety.....I'm so frustrated!!!!

3 likes, 70 replies

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  • amy89817
    amy89817 wearykitty

    Posted

    It sounds like heart palpitations, which is a normal symptom of anxiety. Try and reassure yourself that all of your tests have been clear, and you've been told my specialists that you're healthy. I hope this passes soon smile 
  • keepgoing
    keepgoing wearykitty

    Posted

    Yup, that's a classic anxiety symptom as it's part of your fight or flight response. Anxiety causes an increase in adrenaline which in turn makes your heart race.
  • malcolm47
    malcolm47 wearykitty

    Posted

    Hi kitty,

    Clever thing this anxiety,it can make you feel anything it wants you to feel,panic,fear,worry,suspected heart attacks,strokes etc etc.

    But it feels so real,and yes I've had this with my heart too,i think it's a nerve to be honest,I get it in my chest,leg.arm,and it's a weird sensation,which can linger or disappear in minutes,mine usually linger.

    Have you checked your breathing? when i am anxious I actually hold my breath unknowingly,somebody pointed it out to me and since then i've tried to breathe normally in tense situations but fail miserably sometimes.

    But when i do it right,I never get this racy,nervy feeling around the heart,it's tension that does it,holding all those muscles tight.

    Relax Kitty,it will go at some point,till then try and take your mind off it,hard,but it will help,you WILL BE FINE.

    Good luck and best wishes.

    Regards Malc

    • wearykitty
      wearykitty malcolm47

      Posted

      I, too, have recently noticed that I tend to hold my breath when I feel anxious, and I also tense the muscles in my neck and shoulders...little wonder that I might feel lightheaded, right!? I now have to remind myself to breathe normally and not tense up....like you, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't (depends upon how early in the anxiety cycle I'm able to catch it, I think). I'm doing my best to simply accept that it's all due to anxiety and not start down the road of "but what if this time it IS something real"? Or "will I ever feel better again"?....those roads only lead to more tension and anxiety....if only my panicky animal brain would catch up to my smart human brain I'd feel better!!!! Take care...and thanks for the words of wisdom.
    • keith35501
      keith35501 wearykitty

      Posted

      Hi wearykitty, I see your post is 4 years old but it's really helping me now. In fact everyone's response is helping me. I was so relieved to hear that I'm not alone. Everyone's post sounded like I wrote them personally. I too have been having feelings of heart palpitations, dizziness, tingling,etc... I too have been to my primary Dr "You're great" been to urgent care because my heart is pounding "Everything is fine" Neurologist "no problems found" ENT Dr "No issues" I"ve had MRI's and just finished wearing a heart monitor and I'm sure that'll come out fine too. It's so frustrating because when I logically hear what they are telling me I believe that it's probably anxiety but in the moment of the anxiety, all logical thinking goes out the window and I think "oh no but this is different" Your words from the above post helps me when you say "if only my panicky animal brain would catch up to my smart human brain I'd feel better!!!! "

      I feel better right now just writing this. By the way, if you happens to read this, how are you feeling 4 years later?

    • researcherx
      researcherx keith35501

      Posted

      Hi Keith

      interesting how it feels so dangerous---and maybe it is-maybe it's not.just because it is not life threatening today doesnt mean it cant change.My story is high blood pressure  has got drs attention for a while,but didnt care about my other symptoms,except for 1 cardiologist--he didnt say much but I could see it was important to him and I got xanax to help sleep. Ekgs-holter  were always fine.Then I had a frightful feeling come over me  1day when i was in the hospital visiting-and felt trapped like my opinion didnt count.I was so thirsty and felt like my neck was going to explode and was worried my BP was over the top.I was told to go to ER--because my BP wouldnt register on the machine.ER asked me what I took(drug) and I said what?nothing--didnt even have coffee!they would not let me drink water--because that could ruin the test (ekg).my pulse was very high(over 220) and i didnt even know it. It was SVT which they said can be very hard to catch.but they did --so if you want to catch it--get dehydrated maybe!SO-it may be part of this whole thing--or maybe not-but i felt just relief after the adenosine(3 doses)like all my panic was gone!It did feel like it could have kept escalating and been fatal if i hadnt gone in--but then again--if I drank water it might have gone away after a while .I still suffer from what you are talking about--daily.Even tho svt usually known as a not fatal condition--it can put wear and tear your heart.just a heads up-even as a kid i felt it--where every dr said I had a healthy strong heart-and actually I was born with an arrhythmia

    • kkssmom
      kkssmom keith35501

      Posted

      You are describing me perfectly.   I have gone to the ER with racing heart and shakey hands.   Im dizzy and disoriented.   I have had every test and every doctor cannot find anything.    Its frustrating.   My latest blood test this week showed a level of 13 for Vitamin D. Wonder if that is too low and can cause this.  
    • Juster
      Juster kkssmom

      Posted

      It is likely your "fight or flight" response. That is, basically an anxiety attack. Try to reduce stress in your life. Watch your breathing...work on breathing properly, always. Be mindful, take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, go to bed on time. Avoid caffeine.

    • researcherx
      researcherx Juster

      Posted

      ya-caffeine is the devil--im so addicted to the feeling and then I pay.but the day of my bad svt I had no caffeine.why it is so hard to be in control and just feel normal i dont know.
  • andrea92630
    andrea92630 wearykitty

    Posted

    Oh my its awful isn't it.  It comes on even when you are not doing anything strenuous.  I too have had 4 ECGs in the last year and they said the readings were perfect.  But I still can't stop those worrying feeling when it happens, which is is right now actually, whilst sitting at my desk at work.  It then leaves me feeling shakey and fuzzy headed for ages afterwards and it feels like my heart is plopping, and now I am getting pain in my back too.  I've been told I am in the peri menopause and anxiety amongst many many other symptoms are all part of it.  The Peri was bought on by the death of my brother in September, the last few weeks have been hell.  I'm on medication now to try and calm things down, they can't work quickly enough for me, its making me not want to go anywhere or do anything.  Please tell me it does get better someone.  xx
    • sohaibkhan
      sohaibkhan andrea92630

      Posted

      Where you are having pain left or right side? Is it where you have kidney?

      If yes then go for Adrenal gland check up. Do cortisol test.

  • chad73
    chad73 wearykitty

    Posted

    I go through this stuff all of the time. So glad it's not just me. The emergency room is my friend lol. To top it off I have eplipsi too. So I really freak out sometimes. 
  • cuki20
    cuki20 wearykitty

    Posted

    i've been having this symptoms for quite sometime now...and it's really scary...just got home from the ER a while ago, ECG reveals normal values but i still feel the strong pulse in my whole body and it is making it more difficult to sleep..can anyone help me with this? my BP and HR are both normal too...if it's anxiety how can i lessen the feeling...
  • razzledazzle810
    razzledazzle810 wearykitty

    Posted

    I am going through the same thing...i am 53 and have 4 children and I am not even sure what is triggering these feelings but I feel it all the way to my stomach and feel very sick. I feel like my heart rate should be like 150 but it is normal. I do not like to take medications so I will try deep breathing and see if that helps. Thank you for all of your post and sorry you haveing issues. My ears even ring and i feel like i might pass out.
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