Lindsay Speaks.....

A few weeks ago, I started to develop heart palpitations accompanied with chest pains. My heart started to beat rapidly and with a force I could feel all over my entire body. It only happened while I was trying to sleep and would calm down while I was sitting or standing. It even began to wake me up at all hours of the night, causing me fitful tossing and turning. The waking up at all hours/not sleeping well is something that has been around since mid-August, but the heart issues were new.

Having been born with two heart murmurs, I decided it would probably be a good idea to see my doctor. Beforehand, I described my symptoms to one of my dearest friends (Dr. Burks, I've dubbed her) and she pinpointed the problem right away. She, and as my doctor would later tell me, said I needed to drink more water. My doctor attributed it to dehydration, particularly since the beating changes with positions, and that it's common with females. She suggested I wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and see if there was anything else going on. She also recommended, as she has many times before, to avoid any stress or upset because I, by default, am anxious and suffer from anxiety attacks.



I upped my water intake that very day, to the point of feeling like I was going to float, and have done so every day since. The palpitations and pains started to calm, although not entirely. None of my medications should cause such a reaction, so I realized with the fact that they did decline but not totally that it was apparently a combination: I need more water but I also need less stress.

I received a call on Tuesday that my heart monitor results were normal. So you all are stuck with me for a while.

Since, I've tried to remove myself from as much stress, negativity, and upset as possible. The pains and palpitations have lessened quite significantly and I managed to sleep straight through last night. I haven't done that in months. And while I still notice the occasional rapid beat or twinge of pain, there's a gigantic difference in how I felt just a week ago.

The point in sharing this with all of you is to impart some advice: drink lots of water and destress. Your body will thank you for it. Take care of YOU and to hell with everyone else. That may sound selfish and I don't mean it to sound that way at all, especially since I'm the queen of putting everyone else first. Yet, what good are you to your friends and loved ones if you don't take care of yourself? What good are you to yourself if you're always ill and bringing on poor health.

If it means removing negativity and certain people from your life, do it. If it means switching jobs, start looking elsewhere now. If it means needing to have a heart-to-heart with someone, speak up. If it means exercising, get moving. Just make sure, whatever it is, to take care of yourself and do whatever it takes to quiet your mind. Oh, and drink lots of water.