obsessed with heart rate causing anxiety to flare up
Posted , 7 users are following.
I was recently diagnosed with severe SVT (superventricular tachycardia) and i currently wear a holter monitor so i know someone is monitoring my heart (and it is a 24/7 service) but it has made me become SUPER obsessed with my heart rate, and its controlling my life. im lways checking it, if its jist a little too low i freak out and when im doing nothing and its way too high i freak out and it goes even higher. how can i stop this? i dont want to be constantly checking my pulse but i cant help it if i dont know it then i feel anxious
1 like, 9 replies
RoseRobsonn kristen50689
Posted
kristen50689 RoseRobsonn
Posted
I'm currently about to start metoprolol. I've had anxiety for years, but its gotten so much worse now that I'm aware of all the stuff my heart rate does and especially since I've been taken off my medication, now if my heart rate seems to fast, or too slow i immediately go into a panic attack, especially around bedtime, sometimes just laying still i have readings of 140+ and then anxiety kicks in and i dont sleep until im too tired to stay awake
heather0912 kristen50689
Posted
How are you doing Kristen? My daughter is going through the same thing.
ivy482017 kristen50689
Posted
kristen50689 ivy482017
Posted
Thank you Ivy, I have discussed with my doctor, I've been in counseling but Imve been taken off the medicine that I used to control my anxiety for years, so I'm not used to having to control it "manually" i would say.
irene05439 kristen50689
Posted
I check my heart rate often too during the day, wondering if I'm getting a heart attack or not. Maybe you could remind yourself that there is someone looking out for you and if they're not freaking out, you don't have to worry about it.
kristen50689 irene05439
Posted
thats exactly what I'm worried about! I'm very young, but I'm almost constantly worried that I'm gonna have a heart attack despite the fact that its highly unlikely, any sudden spike or drastic fall in my heart rate and I get very panicky. Its even worse because I research constantly on it and my resting heart rate is almost always 105-110+, which can be a trigger or "gateway" for heart disease or heart attack.
Andyf88 kristen50689
Posted
Hi Kristen
I got to say I completly know how you feel... This is the first time I have ever written or replied to this subject but I have suffered with compulsively checking my pulse/heart rate must be well over 100x a day and it's getting to point where enough is enough. It really controls everything I do. I havnt got any answers to a solution so sorry about that... But anyone with any tips on how to get over this?? I don't know why I check it... My friends jokingly say to me im still alive it's beating "don't worry". I can walking down the street on a night out and have to stop and check it
Shen it's slow guess what I'm freaked if it's weak likwise.. It used to freak me out when it gets quick, but now I prefer it to Being slow ??
leigh13218 Andyf88
Posted
I totally get this! I'm always checking my fit bit, taking my pulse with app on phone. Documenting everything & driving myself crazy. Been to ER so many times with anxiety chest pains. Nothing wrong. Just got put on Zoloft 2 wks ago. My heartbeats are now in the 60s-70s rather than the 80-100s. I understand what you mean about constantly checking. Has anything helped take your mind off?