Pete, you're an inspiratiion. I hope I can be like you soon ! Thanks, theem9

I am glad I was able to contribute something even if it was something small. I know how helpful the user of this forum have been to me and how conforting to know that there are people who are dealing with the same issues I face and understand them. The thing about exercise for me is I began to start to be affraid to exercise, for a couple reasons, one being that I thought I would have a heart attack, the other being that if I did have a heart attack nobody would be around to help. Well I did the echo stress test and it came back negative although just before going in for the test I had major general anxiety about my heart so when I they took my heart rate and BP before the test my heart rate was 90 which isnt too bad considering I was anxious but my BP was 150/70. HELLO look that up on the internet and any chart will point out that I am severly hypertensive and am at increased risk for having a heart attack. However that is not the truth, anxiety has a direct effect on BP and heart rate this is fact. Anyways the test came back that I have no heart abnormalities, defects, murmurs, angina, congestive heart disease(narrowed arteries) etc and showed that I have a high tolerance for intense exercise, excellent recovery(I recover on average about 30-40bpm in the first minute of rest). Here is what I think about when I am about to exercise(by the way I get an off balance/light headed feeling sometimes which is a symptom of my anxiety). I am only age 28 I do not smoke and never have I have a body mass index of 23.1 which is excellent I am not obesce I do not use recreational drugs or supplements I have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure. I exercise daily I eat healthy I have had a negative echo stress test that shows I have excellent recovery, a high tolerance for intense exercise and no heart issues whatsoever. The chances of me having a heart attack are less then the chance I will win the lottery, BY FAR!!! I am guessing that most of you meet the above criteria, and if you have had a echo stress test and it has been negative it won't lie. My father had an echo test and they could tell he had Angina within the first stage. The above criteria are risk factors for having a heart attack or heart disease. So congratulate yourself y

Oh I am soooo all over this same stuff. If it were not for my heart, I honestly do NOT think I would have panic disorder. I am determined to beat it and I love the the FORBID list. I just refuse to allow myself to go there when I get chest pain now. Not that it always works but 75% of the time it does. I HATE heart pain and flippy beats!!! I swear, my right ear could scream pain all day and I am fine with that!

when I read peoples posts-it's amazing how i can relate. the beginning of November , I was exercising and had a panic attack. Probably induced by caffeine. Next day, I had decaf and still had a panic attack. I ended up getting an echo and stress test. I was so nervous that my heart rate was like 132 before i even got on the stupid treadmill! I only ended up being on it for like five minutes because i told the doc i was lightheaded. Probably from the anxiety. I just wanted off the treadmill! He said everything was fine and that I needed to talk to someone about the anxiety. I hate it because I was always such an exerciser. I'm afraid to wear my heart rate moniter. It bums me out. I'm trying to slowly get back into the groove of exercising. My counselor wants to help me break this anxiety cycle. My cardiologist told me just to exercise and not worry about wearing the monitor. This whole thing really bums me out cuz I used to be certified as a personal trainer and now look at me! Does anyone else out there struggle with the exercise thing? theem9

Thank you people for replying to my thread.To pete that was a awesome post bro,almost made this 25 year ol windy city guy cry..Man that was coo homie,thanks for the kind words,we in the same boat..You help make my day,now i think i might g wrestle my daughter ya know,if you going go enjoy it...thanx Pete..

To outlaw - yes I can relate - I am going through the program on this site and finding it helpful but just spent a stressful 40 minutes this evening feeling something was/is wrong with my heart but also knowing it isn't. Then changing the worries to perhaps its food allergies and basically I kept looking for a reason rather than the logic of it being normal. Its a lot of work controlling these feelings. To Pete - wow thanks for your post it was a post I NEEDED to read this evening and hopefully the next time I feel like I did tonight I'll either remember your words or get back on here and reread your post.

p.s. i also was always checking my heart beat etc.... just like you all and the book teaches you how to float out the feelings

Hi all i have felt the best in months recently i recommend the book hope and health for yoyur nerves by claire weeks i have read it and it has truely helped me alott i also am taking paxil cr this is my 3rd month and i feel like my old self again i have finally been able to shop and do other things i have been avoiding try the book i found it on amazon.com it was like $7.oo and well worth it

Hi Outlaw, I can complete relate to your story and Sarah as well. I had the EKG the stress test, now an mri on my head and they are all negative. I had 4 days of being "myself" last week then on the day of my mri I began a long period of anxiety, actually this is the 3rd day where I still haven't relaxed, its hard to do I have pain in my left arm for some reason, no clue why it is there it was in my forearm now just under my bicep, and I just think to myself it's toying with me, its making me think I have something I don't have. I will tell you what I have done in the past few weeks that have helped me huge: 1. I have banned myself from looking up any symptoms on the internet. 2. I was taking my bloodpressue every 5 minutes and I have banned myself from that. 3. I have sought out and found a counsellor through my GP and have begun counselling. 4. I flex my chest or stretch it out by pushing my chest out or bringing my shoulders in if I feel any pain. Banned myself from doing that. 5. I am about to ban myself from worrying about the pain in my arm. 6. I absolutely refuse to not do any of the everyday things I would normally do(absolutely refuse to take a day off work). These things have begun working for me, I'm not sure if it is for everyone but when I quit something I can do it cold turkey. I used to bite my nails for over 15 years, one day I banned myself. Trust me I tried to "quit" my anxiety problem and its been the toughest thing I have ever tried to do but it can be done. I actually made another post about quitting "anxiety" not sure if you read it. I would visit this forum 10 times a day, now maybe once a week. Not that this forum hasn't been an huge part of what I feel is the healing I am going through but I felt if I keep telling myself I have anxiety, how will I ever get rid of it? Another thing that helped me because I was always constantly worried about dying was I one day just said screw it. If I am going to die day which one day I will I am not going to hide and wait for it to come and get me and waste what time I have, I am going to go out and find it. Not that I am suicidal at all, I have an unreal will to live, but if wrestling around with my 2 year old nephew is going to end my time, then so be it.

sarah what medication do you take if any?also how accurate are the stress echo i just got my results like a week ago,and im still freaked out..im checking my pulse allthe time,im scared to work out to,i get the pain the arm also..thank you sarah..hang in there..