Tachycardia all the time, please help

Hello again everyone, for the past 4 days I have been having a lot of weird things happening. Sometimes when I am sitting. On my chair or in my bed i feel like my heart is racing. If I move at all, or especially if I stand up or start walking around my heart will start racing A Lot. I mean surely more than 100 and at least around 150 when I am doing something. I have been to the ER 3 times the last six days and yesterday the finally caught something on the EKG. It was reading sinus tachycardia with pacs and under that it was writing abiatrial enlargement. I asked what it meant because I got scared but they told me that from the moment that I had an echo I shouldn't worry about it. I am just sick of feeling like that and my heart racing all the time... I started lexapro yesterday 5 mg that will go up after 10 days to 10 mg but I really worry even after all those tests that something is wrong with my heart. I am not sure how much my heart can handle of that and I am too scared to use the beta blocker that the doctor prescribed. I am hopefully going back to Cbt tomorrow. My question to you guys is, can anyone else feel their heart racing all day long and be anxious all day long? Even when my heart is not really racing I can feel it pounding all day and all the times that I get up I can feel it racing again. Is it possible for my mind to have associated simple things like those(getting up, walking, doing things around) with anxiety and for it to happen all the time? Any answer would be really helpful, I am really suffering the last days and even thinking of going to a mental hospital. Thanks, john

Hi Idk229,

Not sure why you are concerned about using the Beta Blocker, it should slow your heart rate. What Beta Blocker did they prescribe and how much?

They use some Beta Blockers to treat anxiety, so they can have a calming effect as well. Adrenaline is the substance responsible for a bunch of anxiety symptoms, Beta Blockers (technically Beta Adrenergic Blockers) decrease the body's sensitivity to adrenaline. You mention your heart pounding, Beta Blockers also reduce the contractile effort of the heart, this should lessen that pounding feeling.

Anxiety can produce a variety of heart rhythm disturbances, most often, though disturbing, they are harmless. The important thing is to see a doctor and get tested. How long has the heart rhythm issue been occurring, and how long have you been using antidepressants?

Oh sorry to answer the other question, I started the lexapro yesterday.

Hi melzmoda and thank you for your answer. My biggest worry about the beta blogger is that when I am not anxious, my heart rate and blood pressure are on the low side. Heart rate ranges between 70-80, awake, with blood pressure normally around 100-110/50-60. I asked my doctor if I could get something like ativan that I have used shortly before but he does not want to because he says it is too addictive.

Thank you again,
John

That's true propranolol at such a small dose won't drop your pulse or blood pressure lower than it normally is. It just blocks the epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline) that's circulating through your body to make you balance out to what you would normally be. Propranolol has a short half life so by the time it's done it's job it's out of your system.

Lexapro can cause increased anxiety as well and increased heart rate ....trust me I know your pain I been suffering for a year and half and let me tell you , I had 2 stress test , 2 echo , 2 hoilter monitors , X-ray of chest where they but dye in you , and I had a cardiac catherazation that'd where they go through your groin area on your leg up to your heart to check for blockage , plaque , anything what so ever that could be wrong with your heart , ... Nothing all test clean , And to add my million trips to the Er , tons of EKG and blood work , my cardiac doc says it's not my heart or coming from my heart , I have PVC here and there but it's not coiming from my heart , so basically from from the heart doc , he days it'd nothing else he can do because it's not my heart , and trust me I know your pain all to well , I wonder what the hell is this doing to me will my heart survive this , somedays I'm in so much pain , fast heart rated , etc , it's no fun ... Well it's over a year and a half and I'm still standing , I tired a few meds they don't work for me , it's a struggle everyday .... It's your anxiety , I know its hard to take in but u talking to a girl that has been to every er , every specialist and had tons and tons of procedure and test , according to the doc I'm a healthy 35 yr old and should be enjoying life ... Hahaha a joke right , I feel like crap ..... I will pray for you

Hello FAN and welcome!

I hope that all goes well with your Holter test...and that you get the definitive answers you need.

Likely, as you said, by ruling out any other root cause...after this step you can start to focus on anxiety management and start to feel your best again.

Please see our Resources at the top of the main forum page here for great self help material that you may find helpful to add to your toolbox...

...and post here with us anytime for sharing and support!

Peace and progress,

Scaredy Cat