beta blockers to slow heart rate??
I went to a cardiologist to get my results of my echo and holter monitor, The cardiologist said everything was fine execpt my heart rate was fast. He decide to do a stress test today. When i got on the treadmill my heart was in 118, i was really nervous. anyways so i was on it for about 5 to 10 min my heart rate went to 190. I got about 4 skiped beats so they decide to put me on atenolol 25 mg to slow my heart when i excerise and eliminate the skiped beats.He said i don't have to take it because my heart is fine it's just when i excersie my heart goes way to fast in a short amount of time. I really don't know what to do , i don't wanna take medication i figured i could start doing excerise and my heart rate will eventually start going down and my skiped beats will go away. anyone with this problem??? please help!!!!
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Guest
Hi,
It's very common for people with anxiety to have tachacardia(fast heart rate) and palpitations(skipped heart beats). As long as you have the necessary tests to rule out any underlying conditions and find out that nothing physical is wrong with your heart, you can then understand that those symptoms are just caused by anxiety and no cause for alarm.
A lot of doctors just feel obligated to write prescriptions. They look at anxiety from a medical perspective as something that won't kill you but as something that causes uncomfortable symptoms. Your doctor was just following the routine and giving you a prescription that could relieve your uncomfortable symptoms even though they aren't going to kill you.
So, I know you don't know what to do, but it's entirely up to you. You can exercise and over time, your body will get rid of excess adrenaline and learn to use its adrenaline more efficiently which will mean less skipped heart beats and a slower heart rate. You can take the beta blockers if you want. I tend to be sensitive to medications, and I'll share with you a time when I decided to forgo a beta blocker. A certain anxiety medication was making me have a hypertensive reaction which caused me an extremely fast heart rate and horrible break through panic attacks. My heart rate had never been so high, and instead of the doctor taking me off the anti anxiety med that was making my heart rate high he wanted to write me a prescription for a beta blocker. I decided for myself that it was better to go off the anti anxiety med then to take another med to counter the side effects. So, for me, I chose not to take it, but that's not what everyone decides. It isn't a medical necessity for you to take it because your heart is healthy but just a way to help you alleviate an uncomfortable symptom that can go away with non medicinal techniques such as exercise and this program.
I am a testament that it can go away. In addition, on the rare occasions that I do have the symptom, I know that it is just my anxiety and a symptom of adrenaline in my body and that it won't kill me. Exercise helps it not to happen as often, and I'm also able to go, "Well, I get my heart rate up this high when I exercise anyway so I know my heart can handle it."
So, your symptoms can go away from learning anti anxiety techniques from this program and exercising. In "The Feeling Good Book" which is a cognitive behavioral therapy book for depression, the author states that he doesn't think that beta blockers are a good idea. At the same time, I know people that use them with success and like them. So, it is just your decision after weighing the pro's and con's to them.
Take care,
luvpiggy
It's very common for people with anxiety to have tachacardia(fast heart rate) and palpitations(skipped heart beats). As long as you have the necessary tests to rule out any underlying conditions and find out that nothing physical is wrong with your heart, you can then understand that those symptoms are just caused by anxiety and no cause for alarm.
A lot of doctors just feel obligated to write prescriptions. They look at anxiety from a medical perspective as something that won't kill you but as something that causes uncomfortable symptoms. Your doctor was just following the routine and giving you a prescription that could relieve your uncomfortable symptoms even though they aren't going to kill you.
So, I know you don't know what to do, but it's entirely up to you. You can exercise and over time, your body will get rid of excess adrenaline and learn to use its adrenaline more efficiently which will mean less skipped heart beats and a slower heart rate. You can take the beta blockers if you want. I tend to be sensitive to medications, and I'll share with you a time when I decided to forgo a beta blocker. A certain anxiety medication was making me have a hypertensive reaction which caused me an extremely fast heart rate and horrible break through panic attacks. My heart rate had never been so high, and instead of the doctor taking me off the anti anxiety med that was making my heart rate high he wanted to write me a prescription for a beta blocker. I decided for myself that it was better to go off the anti anxiety med then to take another med to counter the side effects. So, for me, I chose not to take it, but that's not what everyone decides. It isn't a medical necessity for you to take it because your heart is healthy but just a way to help you alleviate an uncomfortable symptom that can go away with non medicinal techniques such as exercise and this program.
I am a testament that it can go away. In addition, on the rare occasions that I do have the symptom, I know that it is just my anxiety and a symptom of adrenaline in my body and that it won't kill me. Exercise helps it not to happen as often, and I'm also able to go, "Well, I get my heart rate up this high when I exercise anyway so I know my heart can handle it."
So, your symptoms can go away from learning anti anxiety techniques from this program and exercising. In "The Feeling Good Book" which is a cognitive behavioral therapy book for depression, the author states that he doesn't think that beta blockers are a good idea. At the same time, I know people that use them with success and like them. So, it is just your decision after weighing the pro's and con's to them.
Take care,
luvpiggy
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Guest
I am glad that this was posted because I am dealing with this situation right now! I have a high pulse rate when anxiety is high, and recently I have had anxiety symptoms to return with some depression. I have been to the doctor twice this month and both times my heart rate was very high, but my blood pressure is always normal. I really wished I didn't have to deal with the high pulse rate because it makes you feel very uncomfortable. I find that it makes me tired once it does slow down. I went to a cardiologist last year that prescribed a beta blocker to me as well to slow my heart rate down. My heart rate goes up when I exercise also, which everyone's does, but I tend to focus on mine more because of this happening during anxiety attacks. I find myself not wanting to exercise just so that I don't have to feel it going up, and so that I don't freak out because I have at the gym before and it was so embarrassing!! The cardiologist assured me that I was fine. I had to wear a holter monitor for 30 days and he monitored my heart rate going up-which was doing a time that I was having severe anxiety. I noticed that my heart rate does not go up like that unless I am really stressed, or anxious. I wished there was a way that I could keep it from happening!!
I have had to use the beta blocker twice now since Sunday, but I only take 1/4 of that pill since I am very sensitive to meds. I am trying to get my anxiety down, by using my valium to help keep me calm, and if I do that it will keep my heart rate down, so that I don't have to take the beta blocker. The doc told me that I really didn't need to use the beta blocker often because there is nothing wrong with my heart. I have had thyroid tests done numerous times and everything is normal.
Hopefully, I will get the anxiety under control very soon.
Good Luck 2U!
I have had to use the beta blocker twice now since Sunday, but I only take 1/4 of that pill since I am very sensitive to meds. I am trying to get my anxiety down, by using my valium to help keep me calm, and if I do that it will keep my heart rate down, so that I don't have to take the beta blocker. The doc told me that I really didn't need to use the beta blocker often because there is nothing wrong with my heart. I have had thyroid tests done numerous times and everything is normal.
Hopefully, I will get the anxiety under control very soon.
Good Luck 2U!
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Guest