As soon as I listened to week 5`s tape I started panicing. My biggest symptom is the racing pulse to the point I think I will explode. Over the years i have avoided anything that naturally accelerates the heart rate like the plague.
As all other advice I`d heard from the programme was working for me I decided to make some drastic changes to my lifestyle, stopped smoking a week ago Enrolled at local fitness center & gathering up all the courage I could summon went to my first session today. Heart rate is momitored on machines mine was 130-150 for 45mins during workout, stayed calm & got through it was surprised at how quickly my pulse returned to normal, these body functions would of seen me in a state of severe anxiety a month ago, now i cant wait for next session, i know i will have difficult times to face but i`ve proven i can do it, feel healthier, happier & more confident than ever. Listen to the advice on the tapes, thats why they were created but most importantly dont put things off, feel the fear & do it anyway.

Gandalf,
I am so envious of you right now. I am where you used to be, afraid to get my heart rate up because "what if I have a heart attack" I also smoke (foolish I know) I am just wondering if you have any advice for me. I am very happy for you. congratulations.

Hi -D-
I am exactly the same as you, same symptoms, same biggest fear & have avoided anything strenuous during the 15 years i`ve been stuck in my own little "prison", So many times i have travelled to a gym or set off on a bike ride only to turn round a few minutes into it, or many times, to back out before i got started. I live in the UK & our medical system is light years behind the states in terms of "mental health", psychological problems. i only came across the programme by accident while browsing the internet desperately searching for help, I am 5 weeks into the programme & wished i had come across it years ago, however, now i have realised i am not the only person in the world with this condition, listened to the tapes & joined the forum a week ago, a have grown in confidence.
Dont get me wrong I haven`t overcome my anxiety, sometimes i go to the gym & only do 10 mins, other times i make an excuse not to go, it`s a matter of taking small steps over a period of time, none of us will be 100% perfect when exposing ourselves to very scary situations, so why class ourselves a failure when it happens, as the tapes mention it is vital to "fail successfully", take positives from the fact you are doing something to face your fear, it will take a long time to feel comfortable doing regular exercise.
My biggest mistake is the same as most other peoples, i hide my condition from EVERYBODY, my closest friends never knew, now i am a bit more open about "coming out"
The first thing i did was to go down to the gym & take a look round a couple of times, once the surroundings were familiar i wasn`t so intimidated. When i enrolled & had a 45min induction, when the lady showing me how to use the equipment asked if i had any health issues i told her about my anxiety, she said she`d had a couple of panic attacks & they were terrifying at the time, i said ive had thousands of them, i dont feel the same pressure now as i have told the instructor about my problems, i dont use her as my safe person, but she always comes to ask how im doing & empathises with how i feel, it`s comforting to know she doesn`t see me as a freak or inadequate.I`d never told anyone before but the programme is helping me to open up a little.
I always take my personal stereo so i can listen to my favourite music or one of the tapes while working out. It`s very difficult but i know i have to do it or i will never get my life back.
Feel the fear & do it anyway? But give yourself the best chance you can of making progress.
Hope i have helped in some small way.Why not try to locate someone in the programme who lives near you & go together!
Good luck PAUL

Hi, I too just started an exercise program after being completely sedintary for 3 years now. My heart rate is high as well and I was very afraid to do any excercise. It is still high in the 130-140 range during a 30 minute work out, but it does come back down rather quickly. I have been assured that this exercise will eventually bring my heart rate to a normal range. I do feel great after the work out and have so much more energy for the rest of the day. My cardiologist advised me several years ago to begin a program and I finally found the courage to do that last week and I am going alone, which is a huge accomplishment for me.

Good luck to all of you! I wish you great success!

Hi Believe,

>Great to hear people like you are getting out there & taking chances, it`s the only way to deal with our condition.
I`m just about to go & work out & sure i am a bit nervous, but thats natural. It`s a bit wierd deliberately doing something to get my heart racing, when i spent so much time avoiding the very same, it took some time & no small amount of courage to take that first step, after all my work out mimics the symptoms of my panic attacks.
I think it is important to realise the difference between the causes of a rapid heart rate, one is a negative response to our anxiousness & is created by us from within, the other is a positive, natural response to exercise which we can enjoy & know is helping to get us thru our condition.
Since starting regular exercise i sleep better, have more energy & a much more positive attitude .
It`s a great feeling, we can start to regain control of our lives & that is the key to happiness.

Great stuff & well done, been KO`d by our anxiety a million times, it`s great to start hitting back.

I have found exercise a great medicine for my anxiety. I love the feeling of a hard workout. Probably the endorphins, the sense of accomplishment & the feeling of being good at something that made me feel better.

These days my anxiety has come back because I am unable to exercise to the level I used to..doing my best though.

Oh I am envious of you all who can exercise. I used to be a devoted gym person -- until January of this year. Then, while running on the treadmill, I had a very bad panic attack. My heart went into the 190s...and I thought I was going to pass out. I was SO scared. Ever since then, I've been afraid to go out, afraid to walk very far, afraid afraid afraid. I've been checked out by 3 doctors...all say there is no need to fear, my heart is fine...but I can't believe it. I get terrible chest pains, terrible dizziness...and can't even think of doing any cardio exercise anymore. This has depressed me SO much...I can't wait for the day I will be strong enough in my own head to go back. Right now it has me pretty depressed. I keep my gym membership...in hopes that I will get better again...I drive by it all the time...and remember the days when I went there just about every night...ALONE...and not afraid. Now that seems like a different person altogether. I'd give anything to have her back again.

Kim

Paul,
Thank you so much for your advice. Your courage has inspired me. I am still afraid, but I have been walking now and that seems to help me. I try to walk between 20 min.-1/2 hour. I am taking baby steps for now but atleast it's a start. THank you again!
Oceangurl, I know how you feel. The fear of it is the worst part because then you start talking down to yourself... I tried walking and it's starting to help me. Good luck with everything.

Hi Kim.
We always beat ourselves up cos we want to wave the magic wand & feel like we used to, no limitations etc:
Unfortunately the "wand" dont exist, if i had one i`d send it to you, hell i`d send it to everyone in the programme.
Dont expect to be straight down the gym belting out high rate cardio work, do a little exercise each day at home, build up gradually, if one day you dont feel up to it SO WHAT! there is always tomorrow, give yourself permission to be less than perfect (not easy as i do it all the time)
The most important thing is you`re doing something to fight back, we should all feel proud of our attempts, many people put things off or avoid them when their health is ok, so how good are we for being brave enough to try & change when feeling as we do.

Keep fighting back, every step we make is worthy of self praise, however small the step may seem .

Hope you can generate a little momentum, the smallest snowdrop can start an avalanche!

Good luck Kim,

Hi -D-

Glad you are feeling more optimistic, just dont rush it, we all have setbacks, i went to the gym yesterday (normally go 3 times a week) did 5 mins & felt very anxious, heart banging away, started to beat myself up " I`ve got thru this before, why cant i do it today"
Had a 5 min break in a quiet area to calm myself, just couldnt get there, so i went home feeling a "failure", had relaxed by that time & did some exercises at home, not my best day but still achieved something, i!ll be back at the gym tomorrow, not sure what to expect, but i know im out there doing it anyway.

Keep practising exposure to tough tasks we will get better at them with time.

Good luck, keep up the good work

thanks paul,
I admire your courage and I hope to be at the same point as you someday.

Hello, I have a question for you. I just started working out today, and got on the eliptical stairclimber, after a few minutes my heart rate was up to 120-130. Does it go up that fast? I'm curious. Thanks.

Hi Rosita,
Yeah your heart rate can easily go up that fast, when i started aerobic exercise at the gym mine was at 150 after 5 mins, i was terrified
after 4 weeks of regular routine the same exercise gets my heart rate up to 120, its easier as your body becomes fitter & gets used to the changes, so dont worry there is absolutely nothing wrong with how your body reacts
I still get anxious & panicky at times as for 15 years my brain has learnt that increase in heart rate means its time to panic, it will take time for me to unlearn, i listen to music or one of the tapes which helps & i look forward to the day i can expose myself to my biggest symptom & fear without it restricting my enjoyment.
I played a lot of sports prior to my anxiety, my body must have responded the same way as it does now but i never really noticed it, i guess thats because i didnt fear it?
Dont worry rosita , it is difficult to face our fears but we must do so to re-educate our minds with the help of the programme & this excellent forum.

Its easy to hide from our fears but takes massive courage to face them, you should be proud that you have taken these vital first steps

Good look & dont forget to recognise & praise yourself for your courage to change.

Hey all! I find myself reading these posts and laughing more and more as I see myself in others' words. Trust me, I'm not laughing AT anyone, just at how darn OBSESSED we all are with our health!

I too hated the gym, felt incredibly self-conscious and just avoided the situations. I did go with a buddy for a little while and that worked, but then she changed jobs on me (how DARE she!) and we had to stop going together. Of course that meant I couldn't go anymore. Oh, to add to the comedy, there were several locations that I could go to, but I would only go to the one that I had been to already. Gosh forbid I put myself into a NEW situation!

So quite some time passed and I knew that I had to start being active again. I just feel better about myself after a good workout. So, I decided to try one of the women only gyms. And I love it. I don't feel like I have to keep up with anyone, don't care what I look like while I'm there, etc. I can go over lunch which fits in nicely with my routine. I still haven't conquered going to a location different than my regular one, but baby steps right?

Hang in there all! Remember, that exercise doesn't HAVE to be structured....a walk around the neighborhood, lugging laundry up and down the stairs all day, spring cleaning the house, all of this is exercise. Breathe in the good oxygen and feel it cleansing out the negative feelings.....