[moralfe]

I am new to this forum. I like that people can talk through the issues they experience. I had my first panic attack in March of this year. I then had my second in May. Ever since the second attack I am afraid of working out or getting on the treadmill because it will make my heart rate get higher. It's not that I am getting a panic attack it's just the normal heart rate you get you run or work out. I also get a bit anxious when driving alone in my car which is where I had my first panic attack. I have been checked out by the ER and a cardiologist. They said everything is good. Which reduced my anxiety so much. I am doing CBT therapy which has helped very much. There are times some of the fearful and worrying thoughts try to take over but I just deal with them and try to experience the feeling and try to reprocess the thoughts logically. I sometimes think that if I will ever get to the point where I am not afraid of the thoughts and I will not be thinking about the attacks. I am just happy that I am not stuck on the thoughts that I am dying as I was in the begining. I am currently dealing with tension in my trapezius and my acid reflux which has gotten pretty bad. I did go to a GI. I am on medicine for that which helps very much because I was experiencing high anxiety at night when my stomach would act up. Which was pretty much every night. I just felt like I had to get this off my chest. Letting it out is always relaxing and calming for me. I also would like to know if anyone else has been able to kick this and if anyone has any advise on how to get rid of the tension. The pain is pretty bad at time and runs down my back and pectoral muscle. It is so bad on my pectoral that when my shirt rubs on my pectoral it hurts. Thanks for reading.

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[Perna]

Originally Posted by moralfe

Ever since the second attack I am afraid of working out or getting on the treadmill because it will make my heart rate get higher. It's not that I am getting a panic attack it's just the normal heart rate you get you run or work out.

It is very good you are making these associations. I have a similar one where I use my asthma inhaler when I have merely been doing normal activities like climbing the steps in my house but am breathing heavier as a result.

When I put the two together and think about them that way, that frees me up to choose to wait a bit longer before I use my inhaler, see if things get better or worse. Maybe you can do something like that with your treadmill use; start using it and see how you feel about it as your heart rate gets higher and then choose whether you want to stop or not?

Testing out reality and choosing one's actions are always helpful for anxiety. Letting past events and one's fear of being afraid choose for us just makes us feel less in control and feeling less in control makes me feel anxious :-)

[moralfe]

Thank you the suggestion Perna. I never figured of thinking of it like that. Putting a choice actually makes sense and I think would help me with the anxiety I get. Thanks again.

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[gnat]

I have similar responses to anxiety- I can feel my heart racing, acid reflux causes me to vomit at high stress times and i feel I am going to vomit quite frequently. I carry a lot of muscle tension d/t stress/anxiety as well. My traps are tight and can cause headaches, my neck is killing me much of the time, and my shoulders as well. I get knots along my scapula on both sides and frequently get knots up and down my spine, I know some of this is because of physical reasons, I have improved with lots of stretching and some changes to my work station, but stress seems to be harder on it than poor ergonomics. I have found a better treatment than muscle relaxers or chiro care is taking a few days off work (a major stressor for me right now) or massage which allows me to relax physically and mentally.

I hope things get better for you.