hi Chris

i'm in my 40's now , and I'm very interested what the advice is going to be. i'm struggling with exercise also. The last years I didnt exercise or do sports anymore.  even some walking was and is difficult due to the severe pain chest and palps. Like you I dont trust my heart or body.
When walking for a mile is too much , or carrying a grocerie bag. or climbing a stair, how the hell will my heart hold intensive sport exercise?
(I used to play soccer and run miles a day). So basicaly I lived as a bedlayed person for years now. I also get all kinds of advise. start swimming. start jogging again. But It doesnt feel right. so I gained something that is the only anxiety I really recognize myself in. Exercise intolerance . exercise anxiety. I often read I'm health anxious. I became that due to someone else his statement to me. ( a doctor who told me I was going to die.. now 4 years ago. A real doc. That still messes with my head. I often react a bit annoyed to the anxiety story and that i'm a hypochondriac. because I think. yeah wait till someone , a real doc says to you , you dont have many years to live anymore , and I hope I never get what i think you have...yep you all would smile offcourse ..and move on like nothing happened. It is DONE to me.. by someone. ]
) But what I put myself into is the fear of exercising. I really think my heart would go into arrest or problems if I would exercise fitness, play soccer or run my miles)

So i'm interested in this thread and the answers.
Cause man, I wish I would dare to sport again.
I also have programmed the belief that being in my 40's I now are more in risk of angina pectoris and heart problems and so on. And that its NOT healthy to sport anymore? (if this is also due this docs statements I dont know)

maybe there is a possibility to get yourself checked before you start exercising again. maybe that gives you more confidence !!]

good luck Chris

Hi all,

Just a little update - I cycled eight miles yesterday. It's the first exercise I've done in about four years, since these horrible palpitations started. I used to be really fit but the worry has prevented me from doing anything.

But I started to wonder what the point of sitting in my bubble was, and I realised that if I didn't seize this opportunity to prove to myself I could do it, I'd continue to live in fear.

So I went cycling. I maintained a fairly brisk pace too for four miles. I didn't have too many problems. I felt quite calm, relaxed and remarkably free actually. That's probably the only way I can describe it.

I got a bit panicked on the way back but reminded myself that it's normal to have an increased heart rate under exercise, and that I just needed to get used to it again.

I had a few palpitations when I got off the bike, mainly due to the fact I was absolutely starving!

I felt absolutely fine for the rest of the day afterwards - calm, relaxed (if slightly achy and tired!). Today my arms, legs and shoulders are hurting but that's normal after so long without physical exercise.

My next hurdle is an operation under general anaesthetic to repair a double inguinal hernia on Thursday and to be honest I'm more anxious about that than I was about the bike ride. It's only a day surgery but I hate the thought of being put under and the danger that can bring  :'(

I have a feeling it's a bit of a watershed week for me though. If I can overcome the eight mile bike ride and the operation, I can head into 2013 with a new lease of life and a bit of renewed confidence.