Anxiety and heart palpitations

I also have palpitations and anxiety. When the palpitations start, I get anxiety attacks also.

@grannynacky-Welcome to Mayo Connect. I'm sorry that you have to endure anxiety attacks with palpitations. I am no stranger to anxiety. The strangle hold it had on me was enough to change my normal behavior of a normal teenager to a scared and very nervous person. When something triggers and anxiety attack adrenaline floods your system and starts a chemical reaction that can cause a lot of different symptoms. Palpitations, nausea, dizziness, aches and pains and on and on. I really feel for you, it's scary and feels awful.
Here are some links that hopefully will help you understand them more. Are you taking anything for them or doing any exercises? Have you sought counseling?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-palpitations/symptoms-causes/syc-20373196
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20360803
Keep me posted!

@clintshriver I would like to join @merpreb in welcoming you to Mayo Connect. We have many Members who discuss their problems with anxiety and the various physical symptoms that go with it.

@merpreb suggested exercises. I would also like to add something about exercise, especially breathing exercises. Have you tried any breathing exercises before?

If not, here are some videos made by a doctor at Mayo Clinic. The second one is my favorite in that it uses arm movements as well as breathing exercises,
https://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/mindful-breathing/videos
I look forward to hearing from you. Will you keep in touch?

Thank you for the reply. I have went through counseling and have the breathing techniques. Prozac has helped me the most along with counseling. I do exercise regularly but have a high stress job which brings out my palpitations on my anxiety. I really wanted to hear the the palpitations are from anxiety which is what my counselor and cardiologist have said; just need more reassurance that there is nothing wrong with my heart and this is a normal reaction to anxiety. Thank you again! Clint.

Clint- you are more than welcome

@clintshriver I, also, had panic/anxiety attacks which mimicked chest pain. I got a full workup from a cardiologist who assured me that it was not my heart, just my mind playing tricks. Have you seen a cardiologist? It might set your mind at ease. I actually got one about 4:30 this morning, got up and took 2 Tums like the cardiologist recommended and got better. They’re very scary! I’m not a doctor, but it sure sounds like your attacks are related to stress. Sure hope you can get your stress under control!

@clintshriver I also welcome you to our caring group .If your Dr @cardiologist said it's not your heart I'm a retired nurse and can tell you stress can make you feel like your having symptoms of a heart attack or if you have a weak area in your body stress will be more prominent there so take @hopeful33250 advice and when you feel it coming on ,stop and breath deep!y till you feel better Outside of exercise try to find other outlets ,long walks in the woods of beach I don't know where you live I use to go to a close botanical garden this all helps get rid of stress. Hope some of these ideas help

@clintshriver I know you're relieved that this is a stress reaction, but that will affect your health. Is your job worth enduring this stress? I know that isn't always easy to change. You can find a way to gain resilience. I also know it's possible to beat anxiety and unravel the reasons it happens to you. Think about this- as babies we don't have fears. We learn fear. You can chose to unlearn the fear by figuring out how your current situation is triggering an old fear, and you can process those old feelings with the wisdom you now have. This is what I did myself. My anxiety was triggered by medical procedures and I needed major surgery.

I can recommend a pair of books by a Mayo doctor about Resilience and overcoming stress and anxiety. I didn't have these before my surgery, but they explained to me why my methods worked to overcome my fears. https://marketplace.mayoclinic.com/shop/healthy-lifestyle/book/mayo-clinic-stress-management-combo_752700 The Guide to Stress Free Living is very in-depth, and the Handbook for Happiness is like a workbook.

Here is my Mayo Clinic Story about overcoming my fear https://sharing.mayoclinic.org/2019/01/09/using-the-art-of-medicine-to-overcome-fear-of-surgery/

Just believe that you can do it, and you can find a way. You'll need to ask yourself a lot of "why" questions about where your feelings come from and look for different ways to think about past experiences. Going to counseling is good. I did that too to make sure I was on the right track. You've been given a gift in that you don't have heart disease... now take that gift and work on everything you can to keep it that way. I totally understand. I've been there too, and I am the daughter of a man who died of heart disease which I saw from beginning to end and how much stress affected him because of things he could not let go of. So put yourself and your health first, and don't give away your power of good health to stress.

Hopeful33250. Parus. Punxsutawney Phil says Spring in 6 weeks no more snow First time he has predicted this in long time

Thanks, @lioness. I'm ready to believe a good prediction like that!