Do palpitations from anxiety only happen during an attack?

Some days I have them all day...

Hi Ryano and welcome!

I am sorry that you are having this uncomfortable and often frightening issue.

Rest assured that these palps, though anxiety induced, can happen at anytime.

Many people who experience them even report more noted activity while at rest...while feeling no anxiety at all.

However, even if we are not 'feeling' anxious, this does not mean that our physical symptoms just cease to exist.

I believe that those of us with anxiety are more sensitive to our body's sensations. One doctor told me that many people have palps (benign) but that most go unoticed by the average person.

Using coping skills such as progressive muscle relaxation and breathing exercises...as well as regular exercise, good nutrition and meditation/distraction can all help in reducing your symptoms. (we have a lot of self-help ideas for reducing anxiety in our Resource Guide, main page, 1st post)

Keep posting here with us. I am sure that you will here more on this subject, as it is regularly discussed here. (you can also do a search here for more reading on this)

Talk to you soon,

Scaerdy Cat

Hi All again

Thank you for all the replies. I must admit that my palpitations occur regularly throughout the day even when as I say I don't feel anxious. It all started in December of 2012 after a panic attack. Although initially the palpitations didn't rear their ugly heads until late January, I'm not sure if they were there just less noticeable. I have seen my gp on many occasions, a cardiologist and visited the A&E numerous times. Each A&E visit would reveal normal EKG test and never capture an ectopic, only elevated pulse and BP. The cardiologist did echocardiogram and a treadmill stress test and found no signs of any heart disease. His words were something along the lines of "your symptoms will take a long time to deconstruct" and pretty much said it was anxiety induced. He reckoned the anxiety may have initially been caused by life and work stresses in December of 2012 but thinks the constant worry of the attacks I was having drive the anxiety even higher to the point where the palpitations cropped up.
I haven't had an actual attack in a long whole fortunately, I mean initially they were quite regular and easily noticeable. They would come on suddenly, warm butterfly sensation in stomach area then flushing all the way up past chest and up to head at which point I would feel dizzy, hands would start to sweat and tingle and then legs would tingle and feel like they no longer wanted to support me. This would last 30 seconds maybe, sometimes just one or two. After that I would feel anxious big time for at least 10 to maybe 20 minutes but eventually calm down. At this point I wasn't sure why this was happening and thought I was getting ready to "clock out" and each gp visit was the same "anxiety, anxiety, anxiety"
I got into such a tailspin questioning this "anxiety" as a cause I would visit A&E by night after attacks and see the gp by day when I could. I think he got tired of seeing me as much as I hated being there. Eventually visited cardiologist in January when the palps arrived and did the tests. With him also saying anxiety, I finally started to think that perhaps there could be some truth to it. I think acceptance for me was difficult because I never considered myself a very anxious person or even someone that had much stress, but guess I was wrong. Sometimes two kids, 2.5 and 4.5 years old can be a bit stressful as well as what i thought were only minor issues at work. It all adds up, accruing bits here and bits there until you just finally topple with a "stress induced anxiety attack"

So that's where I am at the moment, still questioning my diagnosis but with less conviction than in the initial first few months. I guess acceptance is key, but it's difficult when it's such an integral part of your anatomy that's playing up!!

They are still with me daily, when walking they're bad (walk too and from station for work) and that's only a 15min brisk-ish walk. They also happen when I get out the bath/shower or bend over to pick something up or move my upper body too quickly in a direction or even just sitting here typing this!!

My concern now is will the palpitations go when the anxiety goes? Is that a definite? So if I treat the anxiety (don't want to try meds) and it subsides, will the palps follow suit? I had in the last four months tried anti depressants (escitslopram) for three weeks and the side effects were just too much and that was on the lowest dose (10mg) and also had a four day run of beta blockers (propranolol) so as of February 16th I have been medication free as such. After both of those meds I just want to try and do it without. So, hopefully when I eventually get the anxiety under control or the stressors in my life, hopefully the palpitation will become controllable to the extent where I can actually be free of them.

Has anyone had success with beating them, medically or non medically or are they too busy enjoying their new found happiness to return with the good news to these forums??

Would love to know from any if you who have success stories or even stories of getting the palpitations under some sort of control??

Look forward to hearing from anyone out there.

Thanks again for the replies do far, quite interesting

Stay strong

Ruan

Ryano,

If you are looking to treat your anxiety, and therefore lower your symptoms for the long-term, then I strongly recommend therapy.

I used to suffer daily attacks and numerous physical symptoms. After going through CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) I now manage my anxiety well.

I still get the occasional palp, physical sensations that are linked to anxiety...after all this is a chronic condition for most...but I now have the tools to deal with these occurances!

Self-help is another option, and I would gladly make book/resource recommendations at your request.;)

Keep posting if you find it helpful...being part of a support community is also a big part of the healing process.

S.C.

I wonder if all our abnormality's are normal for us, I like to think we are special!

Larry ***