Hi,

I've had the same exact you've been experiencing.

There is a number of things you can calm your heart when it's racing.

1. Wash your face with freezing cold water. Somehow this slows the heart, marine mammals dive in cold water to reduce their heart rates.

2. Breath slowly into a closed bag. Somehow the increased CO2 reduces oxygen due to hyperventilation from breathing too fast (during anxiety).

3. Eat some fresh legumes and vegetables. Bananas and carrots are especially calming to the cardiovascular system. Eat anything that contains a lot of magnesium, its supposed to be good for the heart.

4. Avoid caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, or any form of sedative or tranquilizer. Avoid medications (except the Xanax you're taking).

5. Relax as much as possible. Given that your doctors have said nothing
is wrong with you, this apparently cannot be bad. Just calm down
when it occurs. Imagine that your heart is slowing down and convince yourself that's happening as well.

I've taken Xanax before, not sure about its long term effects, but its more
appropriate to take it ONLY once when you REALLY need it.

Hello

I first got my palpitations on new years eve 1999 (yeah great time to feel unwell ). I had a lie down before heading out on the big night. However I awoke suddenly by my heart racing. All hell seemed to break loose at this point. Not knowing what it was I automatically feared the worst. Over the next few years it came and went which caused me to be become more anxious, especially when the heart would skip beats, although doctors couldn't find a thing wrong with me. I was given some sort of anxiety meds by one doctor but I didn't take more than one tablet due to the side affects. It wasn't until around 2004 that a doctor said that yes, I do have anxiety, but it is brought on by the heart beating hard and skipping beats. But the reason its beating hard is due to an upset stomach, which is linked very closely to the nerves of the heart. I later found that when I had episodes of pounding heart or skipping, I could usually get rid of them completely either taking an ant-acid or better yet, by forcing myself to burp. The doctor said air gets trapped in the gut which pushes into the heart area causing a sensation that it is beating hard. You then get anxious which naturally increases the heart rate. This also plays with (or tickles) the nerves (not helped by an acidic stomach) which sometimes cause a skip in the heart (beat, beat, beat, then nothing, then a big beat).

Now I won't say this is the answer to everyone's heart problem. And only ONE doctor has ever accepted that this is the case. But it definitely works for me and took a massive weight of my shoulders (or should I say heart). Now when it happens I don't even think about it but just give my stomach a rub until I get a burp out (sorry, thats a bit disgusting isn't it). Or if you can't burp, drink a pint of water and try again. The pocket of gas gets really wedged in there. Also, keep of the caffeine and fizzy drinks (beer especially).

Hope it may help somewhat or at least show that some problems are not always what they seem .

I am suffering through the same condition as well...I am new to this forum.....I'll soon post a questions and I'll need you guys to help me sort what the hell is wrong wid me!

Hey dud4 i think i can help you as i have discovered this is related to a mineral in balance but it takes a while to correct it, at worst it is good education at best it's a cure. let me know if your interested for me to help you(no fees or anything, i just want to help).