I know how you feel. I am awake all night and I will fall asleep for a short period of time and dream my heart pounds so fast it explodes!!! What I do is count my beats and time it....I find that its not beating as fast as it feels!!

ignore your heart and let it beat as it wants to

deep slow breathing will calm it, also beta blocker tablets as needed help

When I take deep breaths it does slow down. Im just hoping it wont give out. I want to ask the doc for a sedative. Last time I was on xanax, they gave me a month worth. Is that right?

Harry3333 is totally right. Ignoring your heart rate will calm you down. Focus on your breathing because when you are in a panic attack often times people forget about breathing and they begin to hyperventilate which makes the panic worse.

my heart rate and blood pressure go up when i freak out....it suks i just had to call 911 on the side of the road the other day cuz of this

I walked to the busstop with the kidies this morning and stood their for an hour cause the bus was late! I started getting nervous and my first reflex was to check my pulse. I STOPPED myself , got a little dizzy off and on but I think it was from those little short breaths I was taking. Like through a straw. When I walked back to pick them up I was better than this morning. I do feel good for not running away. Like I was facing something.

Good for you Zen!

Hon, you are hyper-focusing on that heart rate! All of us with anxiety hyper-focus on something and I know it stinks. Plan ahead. Find things you enjoy, then get up and do them when you catch yourself doing the pulse checking. I made a list of favorite things and when I feel anxious, I do them. Withing minutes, I realize the anxiety has calmed down.

You had a great victory by not running away! Make small goals and take baby steps!

That sounds like a good idea! Im going to sit down tonight and make my list. Walking now is one of the best things since the heat is going down.

We always focus on the symptoms of the panic attack and take it that we are dying.

Remember this,NO ONE Has died from a panic attack. I have lived with them for 12 + years and I am still here. When your breathing becomes shallow, it makes your heart rate increase, you can go numb or tingle because you are hyperventilating. Very very common in panic attacks. The xanax will help but so will an anti depressant if you want to try it. I have been on Zoloft for 12 years and it has been great. Everyone is different though with what meds work best for them.

Remember this, You are NOT alone and a Panic Attack WILL NOT hurt you. It's your bodies natural reaction to the fight or flight instinct. Our minds have evolved but our bodies have not, they are still very primitive in the need to "protect us"

YOU ARE FINE. You really are. We have all been where you are my friend :)

Hugz ~Dani

I've been on Xanax (.5mg) for about 2 years now. The palpitations have recently been occuring despite the Xanax. My doctor has put me on Atenolol and Verapamil as well. I have my good days and I have my days where a panic attack will still happen anyway. I just pray and remind myself that I have been through this before, and that I am not going to die and that I will make it through - just like I did last time. Stay strong - and take courage - for we who live with this disorder and continue to face the day are some of the strongest people to walk the face of this Earth.

We got to be! For the people that think this is nothing, that you can just brush it off. I want to be around when one of them have one. Omg it makes me sick when someone tell me to snap out of it. Almost feel like your about to turn into the hulk.

I know how this feels, when I first started having panic attacks I was scared to death that my heart would wear out from beating so much. My doctor told me that a heart can beat something like 200 beats per minute for weeks before giving out. And when you're having a panic attack your heart is beating far less than that. And I've read that in a book once as well so I feel it's true. Your body would never do anything to kill itself so you're just fine. Uncomfortable, but fine.

Thanks. That makes me feel so much better. I heard the heart is one of the strongest muscles in your body. I just have to learn not to be afraid of it. Like whats a good heart rate for walking. Walking make me feel good and I would like to keep up with that because I would like to start exercising.

lol think of it this way, I have an arrhythmia, which means I get extra beats... plus I have a high heart rate... and my cardiologist said I am totally fine. He said patients with anxiety and panic become hyper aware of their bodies, especially their hearts... But our hearts are fine, we can handle the panic attack and it's ok. When I exercise, my HR gets to 180 - 200 beats per minute.

It's your burst of adrenaline that is doing it, you are fine xox

I can't stand it with my heart pounding all the time. Taking a klonopin and a beta blocker seems to help me. I hope you can find something that will help you!