Treating Palpitations
My friend went through all the tests and was prescribed beta blockers, which is a standard treatment for menopause-related palpitations and anxiety. She says she does feel it has helped reduce the severity and frequency of her attacks, and helped her feel calmer.
Beta blockers (beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents) are generally used to treat angina, heart failure and high blood pressure. They decrease the heart's activity by blocking the actions of hormones like adrenaline. They can also be used to treat migraine, anxiety and palpitations.
There are different kinds – your doctor will be able to prescribe the most suitable for you – and mostly you take them once a day. It's important to stay in touch with whoever prescribed them as you may experience side effects like sleep disturbance or depression and stopping the drug suddenly can make things worse.
If you don't want to resort to medication just yet try cutting down (or out) nicotine, energy drinks, diet pills and caffeine, which remember is not just found in tea and coffee but also in many sodas as well as chocolate.
If you feel palpitations or a panic or anxiety attack coming on, especially when you are doing something active, stop, sit or lie down and breathe deeply and slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. This should help end the attack sooner.
It's true that since hormone imbalance is often at the root of symptoms like this it's important to eat healthily and get regular exercise, even if that just means getting off the bus a stop earlier or offering to take your neighbour's dogs for a walk every few days. Yoga or meditation might also help cut down on stress and therefore palpitations and panic attacks too.
Yes, I know it's dull but believe me when I tell you the combination of eating a balanced diet and exercise is proven to help keep hormone levels more stable than drowning your sorrows in wine and cake whilst watching re-runs on the sofa. It's got to be better than feeling your heart is going to beat right out of your body!
