anxiety is taking over my life?

Question

i have had problems with anxiety/panic disorder for 14 years, does anyone out here suffering too and can you tell me some of your symtoms and how you deal with it. my heart flutters alot but everytime i go to the hospital or family doctor they tell me theirs nuttin wrong, ekg comes out good, and other tests, they say its anxiety!! but i think their wrong, but my dr. also said i could have a heart cath. done to rule any problems out, but am scared to death to do that. do you think its anxiety or could i have an actual heart related prob? serious replies only please, thanks so much ! i am a 34 yr. old female with no history of heart problems in the family.

been on xanax for 14 years now. i have had the heart monitor where you record it when these symtoms happen, stress test yes have done it, echo done that one too,bloodtests normal. all normal. but still i feel this way like they might be missing something ? still. i don`t know but it scares me sometimes especially w/the heart racing/skipping/fluttering, i was in bed for a whole freakin weekend cus i felt so bad and felt sooo drained. can anyone tell me all their symptoms please. i feel alone here. thanks !

also whenever i do heavy exercise or even simply mowing the grass my heart skips, i actually feel it.

Answer 1

Personally, unless there is some reason to think you have a heart problem, I don't think I would go for the heart catheterization. Usually people go for that when a heart problem is suspected and it's not usually the first test a doctor would do. There are other heart tests to start with that are less invasive, for example, a stress test or an echo-cardiogram. You said you suffered with anxiety for 14 years so I think you should definitely get some kind of treatment for that because anxiety can eventually cause your health to fail.

Good Luck. I know what you are going through. I suffer from anxiety also. I also get the fluttering feeling and no doctor has found anything wrong except for the anxiety. No heart problems. I even wore a holter monitor for 24 hours. It's like a little EKG machine that monitors your heart for 24 hours. They tell you to write down in a log every time you feel your heart flutter or when anything stressful happens. I did exactly that and when they checked the tape from the monitor and compared it to my log, there was no indication that my heart did anything weird at the times that I wrote down that I had the fluttering. It was all anxiety.

Like I said above, perhaps you can start with the non-invasive tests. There are plenty of them.

Answer 2

Do you take any medication for the anxiety? It sounds like you don't. I used to have anxiety and the doc put me on paxcil and it really helped. But if you are on medicine, and you still have these problems it very well could be something else. Get this heart test done and if it comes back negative I would seek a second opinion on what could be wrong. Also, take a look at your life. What is stressing you out so much? With me, my anxiety came from my job of 7 years. When I did finally quit the anxiety eased up and eventually I stopped having this problem altogether. Good luck in finding out what is wrong!

Answer 3

I've had anxiety problems for years now. I get heart palpitations with my anxiety sometimes (heart flutters). I've also had the heart monitors on, and they come out normal. Have you tried taking something for your anxiety? Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Haldol...they might help. I currently have Xanax and it helps me. Since I've been taking it, my heart symptoms have decreased. Has your doctor done an echocardiogram (a sonogram of your heart) or a stress test (walking on a treadmill while hooked to a monitor and having special medications given to watch your heart better)? That might be something else to consider before you go through with a heart cath. Sometimes I don't even feel anxious when my heart starts to flutter, but when I take my xanax, it settles down and I don't have the problems anymore. I have started exercising too, which has helped. It not only strengthens your heart, but helps you to release tension. Yoga is supposed to help with that. I don't do yoga, I prefer to walk and jump-rope, along with a few other excercises. I also started reading. I choose to read romance or nonfiction books, I stay away from the mystery or action/horror books since they can elevate anxiety. Also if you are on any street drugs (marijuana, cocaine, caffiene pills (nodoze), they can all cause the symptoms. My husband took Ginsing pills to help with his energy levels and ended up with heart palpitations and chest pains.
Good luck on your problem. Just keep following up with your doctor.

Answer 4

It sounds like you're completely normal. Just breathe. Let everything that worries you go. I know you're probably asking, how can i do that? Don't think I'm weird or anything, but the only way I've found relief from any anxiety is through God. If you haven't already done so, Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Tell Him you wanna change and be a different person. Believe that He died on the cross to forgive you for your sins, and every man's and woman's sins, and that after He was in the tomb, He rose to heaven. And He lives. Surrender All.

Answer 5

I'm almost in the same sit. My heart 'scans' (they are less invasive) came out fine, some minor changes, but relatively fine. If you are concerned, get scans, it sounds like a cath implies tubing - eeak.

It sounds like you need an agent to calm you down. Don't let someone put you on benzodiazapenes, they are addictive.

All these are safe to try. If they work for you continue them. They will cause you no harm. If you don't like the way they make you feel, discontinue them, and contact a nautropath. Doctors happen to be more expensive.

Try:
GABA - 100 mg at night - build to 200 safely if no results with 100.

or
Suntheanine (extract chemical of green tea) - 100 mg (AM and/or mid afternoon)

or
5-HTP - 100 mg (AM and mid afternoon)

or a combination

Answer 6

i have problems with anxiety too, and sometimes my heart rate speeds up a little. i get really freaked out over nothing and sometimes when i dont hear from someone for like a day or so i think theyre dead or something stupid like that. i get irrational thoughts and while i know theyre irrational, i cant help thinking them. however i have started medication and it helps tremendously. i am taking a generic form of celexa. if you havent tried an anxiety medication i would highly recommend that. it is possible that you may have a heart problem, but it could just be anxiety too. its really hard to say without having medical tests done, but i would really say try anxiety meds. hope everything works out for the best!

Answer 7

Wellbutrin XL is a great anxiety med and it has little to no side effects. The heart flutters I sometimes get at night when I am stress beyond belief. Try doing some walking everyday to kinda calm your nerves down a little. Trust me when I say the walking helps to relax you some.Hope this helps good luck on your situation.

Answer 8

tell people that you trust about your problem it will help you feel a little lighter don't over think of negative things it just makes you feel more depressed think of the positive things in your life. you can stop anxiety from taking over your life by fighting back, by not letting it take over your life

Answer 9

Is normal is sometime our electrolite in our system is low and tense to get nervous or panic.
Always take B-complex poly-mega nerve to control it is vietamins1-6-12.
The best is every after meal a glass of wine or brand will calm it down if you dnt like medication........

Answer 10

I recommend a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I'd be happy to share with you how I got one. It's changed my life.

God bless and good luck.