New here! (Not new to anxiety)

Hello all! So I am a member of another online community and I just found this one and a lot of the posts have helped me here so I thought I would introduce myself and ask some questions. It all started last Oct. I was out with some friends and had a full blown panic attack. I had not had any of those since I was about 18. Let me back up a step I've always had OCD and anxiety but I hid it very well from everyone and could always control my panic attacks. Well Oct. 2012 That's when the hell started! I became obsessed with my heart rate and went to the er several times and had an echo done everything came back fine. I had a doc prescribe me Prozac which about killed me that was the worst thing EVER!!! one of the er docs have me a prescription for propranolol which was amazing! I couldn't believe it would help as much as it did. Well I took it for like a week and decided I could do this on my own. Mind you it was only 5mg tid then he said after I stopped that I could use it PRN. Up until recently I had the same bottle for like a year. Well long story short I was able to stop obsessing about my heart BUT My mind just picked other things to obsess about for instance LSD like I was terrified that someone somewhere was going to put LSD in my food or drink. (I know it's crazy) well everything was going great until this last Oct the heart thing started again. I could eat and my heart would race or walk up stairs and my heart would race well that brought all of the anxiety and panic attacks back full force! I had one today and it lasted almost an hour. Then pulse goes back down to low 80s. I see a therapist and I do cognitive behavioral therapy and it has helped some. The med doc refilled my script for propranolol and gave me a script for Xanax. It's the lowest dose and I split it in half. I have taken it once and I have had the script for 2 months lol. What can I say I have anxiety meds scare me. I do not want to try an antidepressant at all. I eat healthy and try to stay active the best I can but at this point it all feels hopeless!! I have some questions and would love anyone to answer if they have time!
1. When your anxious and you do everyday things does it feel like your out of breath and your heart races? I mean I walk up the stairs at my house and my pulse is like 135 easy. I clean or vacuum same thing happens.
2. When you have a panic attack does anyone keep track of how fast their heart is beating?
3. And anyone that has anxiety is your resting heart rate normally higher?
4. Does anyone else have anxiety and have low blood pressure mine is normally pretty low like 90s/60s.
5. Anyone who takes Xanax does that usually slow your pulse when your having a panic attack?
6. Has anyone else lost weight with their anxiety I'm down to 128 and I'm 5'8"
I think that is all for now! Thank you in advance and sorry this post is so long I promise the rest won't be! Oh and I'm 33!

Hello and welcome :)

1. When your anxious and you do everyday things does it feel like your out of breath and your heart races? I mean I walk up the stairs at my house and my pulse is like 135 easy. I clean or vacuum same thing happens.

I particularly do not get a racing heart when i am in an anxious state. Though i know this isnt uncommon, though in a book written by claire weekes (?) she states that a healthy heart can beat 220bpm for days without harm. What happens to me is I get dizzy, lightheaded or get tension headaches. Also get muscle twiches.

2. When you have a panic attack does anyone keep track of how fast their heart is beating?

No, I dont. What I try to do is to slow things down and remind myself that I am at a heightened state of anxiety and/or panic and I do deep breathing exercises

3. And anyone that has anxiety is your resting heart rate normally higher?

My resting heartrate is below 60bpm

4. Does anyone else have anxiety and have low blood pressure mine is normally pretty low like 90s/60s.

I am on the contrary, I have elevated BP, on maintenance, am 43.

5. Anyone who takes Xanax does that usually slow your pulse when your having a panic attack?

I do take xanax occasionally, smallest dose possible, I wont be surprised if it does lower heart rates but it sure helps me with my dizziness and headaches

6. Has anyone else lost weight with their anxiety I'm down to 128 and I'm 5'8"

Yes when anxiety hit me, I lost 20 lbs in a span of 3 months from 160 lbs to 140 lbs and I am 5' 9" male. I did gain it back as i got better. Though i gained more than i lost :(

I think that is all for now! Thank you in advance and sorry this post is so long I promise the rest won't be! Oh and I'm 33!

Continue posting and reading, it really does help to connect with people who are going thru the same thing as you, where you can be totally honest without fear of being judged.

PEACE :)

I have the same obsession with my heart rate. I take my pulse constantly. I'm sorry you have to go through it. I really hope it gets better for you.

Hi and welcome. I am too new here but anxiety has been an old enemy for twenty years. I experience what you are talking about all the time. I know that I breathe out my mouth too much and that will raise heart rate and make you breathless. I try to regulate my breathing because I am so anxious all the time and need to think about the way I am breathing. I think it is great you do not want to take meds but taking them in small doses is ok too. Behavior therapy is great and relaxation and meditation exercises. I do not know your beliefs, but PRAYER helps me so much--wishing you good health and keep posting.