Heart health

[Ruke343]

I'm 6', 200. I workout constantly, or at least I did until I started getting some returning symptoms of what I thought was my impending doom as I had my first panic attack at work 3 weeks ago. I'm very active and have been getting in great shape to be a police officer. I take good care of my body, I don't smoke and drink rarely.
For the past 3 weeks I've had feelings of a week heartbeat and I feel like my heart will just give out at any moment. I've had a few panic attacks and the first two gave me chest pain that I couldn't replicate by trying to get my heart rate up. I went to see my gp who told me I'm too young to have a heart attack and prescribed me some anti anxiety meds but paroxetine and Ativan. The Ativan works pretty well when I feel my heart is starting to do weird things and then it goes back to normal. ---these symptoms aren't new. A year and a half ago I suffered from different symptoms but still cardiac related which prompted me to get an echo which came back totally normal. However, I can't convince myself it's just in my head.
I need to get back into the gym and running but I'm afraid I'm going to have something happen to me if I do at the gym. I've recently had an ekg which came back normal as well but I can't help but keep noticing my heartbeat. I'm obsessing over it. Please give me some insight!

 

[triceps]

Hi Ruke. So sorry you're going through such scary thinking. Even though it's your anxiety (as your doctor reassured you) causing the obsessive fear of heart problems, that thinking is so hard to get rid of. Keep telling yourself about what great shape you're in when that thinking takes over and push yourself to get back to the gym. I let so many unknowns and improbabilities run my life. Don't let the same happen to you. Push past that fear, continue your life as planned and eventually, one day, you can see how unrealistic that obsessive fear is.

 

[maryam]

I would suggest going to a cardiologist and getting your heart checked out with tests JUST SO YOU KNOW your Okay because if not this thought will always linger in your head. I had horrible anxiety over heart attacks growing up and until few years ago. Once I had all the tests done at a specialist and they basically all showed I only have Tachycardia(high heart rate) I eased my mind and can go on with my life n regards to heart concerns.

 

[Ruke343]

Ok, I'll look into getting that done. I appreciate you guys getting back to me. Is this common? Also, the ssri didn't seem to help, I have more pvcs than I have ever had before -__- that's super fun. I've tried making my way back to the gym but I get tired so easily. I'll have to see a cardiologist.. I just don't want to spend the money. I'm not sure how much seeing a specialist costs even with insurance