Heart Problem or anxiety??????

I have never entered a forum before, but I despreatly need some advice.
I have had panic attacks and anxiety for what seems like forever. In junior high they had me breathing into a brown paper bag during attacks, now here I am 28 and trying to deal without meds. My big concern right now, my heart has starting beating at a fast pace.... all the time. It is up to 114 when I am just standing. I worked out today (which is not common practice for me) and at level 1, moving very slow, my heart rate was 147. I am 5'6 and 156 pounds. Is my heart rate fast from my anxiety, or is this a heart problem. Please help. Thank You.

Hi Laura,
Have you been checked out by a doctor? If not, then please do so. It is important for the doctor to tell you whether your heart racing is anxiety, which It probably is.
A racing heart is so common to anxiety, why mine when I am feeling anxious beats at 120 beats per minute. I am able to slow it down with deep breathing although at times it has lasted for long periods. Hearts beat a whole lot faster when people are running or working out or just from excitment. It means their hearts are working like they are supposed too. Get it checked out for your own peace of mind.
LISA

I suggest you get a doctor appt right away. Maybe wear a monitor for 24 hours, as an ekg alone is not enough. Ive had panic disorder for nearly 14 years and my heart only races occassionally with a panic attack. Your heart rate is way too high.

I agree. If anything, it will relieve your worries to have your heart professionaly tested. I went through the same thing, and had an EKG as well as the halter monitor.

When my heart is racing and I can't seem to get it under control, the doctor suggested putting ice on the back of my neck. It works! Although I feel like an idiot, pacing around the house with a baggie of ice on my neck, after about 10 minutes I can start breathing easier.

I have never entered a forum before, but I despreatly need some advice.
I have had panic attacks and anxiety for what seems like forever. In junior high they had me breathing into a brown paper bag during attacks, now here I am 28 and trying to deal without meds. My big concern right now, my heart has starting beating at a fast pace.... all the time. It is up to 114 when I am just standing. I worked out today (which is not common practice for me) and at level 1, moving very slow, my heart rate was 147. I am 5'6 and 156 pounds. Is my heart rate fast from my anxiety, or is this a heart problem. Please help. Thank You.

Thank you to everyone that replied and told me to see a doctor. It turns out that I have hyprothroidism, and have to take a pill every day for the rest of my life. I don't think this is a cause to my anxiety, but when the pills start to work I am hoping to relieve some of it. :wink:

Go to your doctor and have him prescribe a stress test.

I just had my fourth bout of chest pains in the last ten years. This lasted a full week. I spent yesterday afternoon at an emergency room, having the full range of cardiac tests - heart rate, blood pressure, EKG, urine sample, blood tests, X rays - only to find out that, once again, I was having an anxiety attack.

I am manic depressive. While I've apparently had the illness for over thirty years, I wasn't diagnosed until six years ago. Such a delay in diagnosis is unfortunately typical. Anxiety goes with the territory.

I'm not suggesting by any means that this dreadful disorder figures in your case. But, I am emphasizing how important it is to understand that there is a direct relationship between the brain and the body. You can not cut one off from the other. Please go to your doctor immediately. You will be so glad that you did.

Laura, I definitely know what you're going through. Every single time I have an anxiety or panic attack I think in the back of my mind that this time it's got to be a heart attack or even a stroke. I am 130 lbs overweight so this sounds realistic to me and the symptoms are so so similar. I have been checked out and have no heart problems but when I have an attack, first off my fingers go immediately to my carotid artery to check my pulse and of course I'm scared even worse with what I usually find which is a rapid 120 or above rate and it's just pounding. Also I can feel my heart beating in every pulse point imaginable. I'm not saying that yours is not a heart problem but I am telling you what I feel and that you most definitely need to have it checked out........Tammi ps. my sitting pulse rate is also about 110

I guess I shoulda read all the posts to this one, I missed where you have already gone to the doc. Good luck