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icthus

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    worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ, helping dyslexic children succeed in school, knitting, quilting, cross stitch, reading.

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  1. Too much adrenaline is a bummer, and it is really sad to read some of your testimonies. Sleeplessness is horrible. I experience it, as well. I can wake up drumming my fingers, and my physician's response is "yep." I stay in bed until I get 7 hours of sleep or 9 hours of reclining, in which case there was less than 7 hours of sleep that night. Melatonin often helps me fall asleep but there is a process becuase of the half life of melatonin. I must go to bed, get it warm (because my body is typically cold), have the covers and pillows in place. If I am not asleep within 30 mintues, then I take 3 mg melatonin (Insomnitol). Melatonin is said to have a 30-minute half life, with maximum benefit at 60 minutes, but some stays in the system for several hours. Of note, if I'm not asleep within 20 of administering melatonin, I'm probably going to be up for awhile. Too much adrenaline for the melatonin or....? If I wake up 2-4 hours later, and I cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes, I take another Insomnitol, and usually fall asleep, making my total night dose 6 mg. From the little I've read, melatonin helps you fall asleep (within the first 20 minutes of administration) but it does not keep you asleep, hence waking up later in the night. Waking up is not a melatonin issue. This link gave me some insight about melatonin and the circadian cycle. It might be helpful. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6057895/ For what it's worth, I also listen to a monotone sermon that posits no shockingly new information that would spark interest. It's sorta like watching Perot, whom I thoroughly enjoy even though his movies tend to be a bit slow moving, but I don't want a monitor on while trying to sleep. Cognitive dissonance! I use my cell phone apps for monotone sermons.
  2. " I think there is a decent percentage of people where exercise will be their most effective treatment, and it looks that mayo is using it effectively for kids, but then I think the majority of people it's only important for them not to become deconditioned and it will only help on that level. Then those who push it a little to far it will activate their sympothetic release maybe my endorphins and it will trigger a flare." (RichGotsPots post above). This is one of my greatest heartbreaks. I, too, cannot exercise, try as I will. My first serious cardiac episode happened 15+ hours after I did my then daily rigorous exercise. For the next several years, many of my serious reactions occurred 12-18 hours after "exercising." Why the time delay? I LOVE to exercise, and have been fit and active all my life. Now, exercise is out of the question if I want to avoid serious cardiac events. It's so frustrating. The cardiologist couldn't believe my testimony because I looked so "good" so he ordered and attended my stress test. I lasted less than 40 seconds before he stopped the test. To add insult to injury, you don't get a discount for getting off early Sure wish someone could shed some light on why some of us are so exercise intolerant AND why the cardio-neuro response is delayed several hours - usually occurring during the middle of the night when you least expect it. CT
  3. Thanks for the reference. I googled Dr. Chelimsky and called the phone number listed at http://mediswww.cwru.edu/dept/neurology/chelimsky.html and got a voice mail for Thomas Chelimsky, so it appears that he is now the Chairman of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (Froedtert). Shall call back on Monday. Thanks so much for the reference. I hope he is accepting new patients. If anyone else has any other MD in the area that they like, please let me know. Thanks again for posting. C
  4. My great neurologist at Froedtert (in Milwaukee) moved to California. Then his replacement, who was also outstanding, moved out of state. Anyone have a great neuro who treats patients with dysautonomia with lots of serious complications - Any recommendations would be most helpful. I live near Great America (Gurnee, IL) and can easily get transportation in a range that includes Milwaukee down to Chicago - although I'd prefer to avoid Chicago because it is so difficult to get drivers willing to drive into Chicago. Thanks - C
  5. I have the same problem. I've tried SSRIs to no avail. My neuro says it's an autonomic issue, and I take clonazapam (1/2 of a 25mg tab). It remediates the problem in about 20 minutes. Until then, I have to remember to continue breathing in, breathing out. I find that sitting in a recliner with my feet up and head at about 45 degrees helps a whole lot. I'm so sorry that you have to experience this very frightening and restricting symptom. Mine usually comes on in the middle of the night, and I have found no rhyme or reason for it. I simply wake up, and not being very cogent due to lack of oxygen and slow pulse, after a few minutes, I finally figure out I'm not breathing and I'm very cold! Then I drink about 12 oz water and take the 1/2 pill, change the position of my motion bed (used to be recliner), cover up with more comforters, and wait it out. Within 20 minutes, I'm usually stable...and sleeping once again. It's sort of like a middle-of-the-night commercial break, sponsored by Autonomic Interrupters, Inc. They sponsor other commercials, too. Just read the posts.
  6. At times it gets disheartening - so many symptoms, so many restrictions. Well, I've got a new one that even surprised the physician. Over Christmas, for two weeks I ate 5-6 1" squares of pickled herring every day as a special treat. After a few nights, I started getting palpitations and heart issues of all kinds. And they didn't improve. I wrote it off as more deterioration. Then it occurred to me that maybe the herring was the culprit. As it turns out, it is. It is very very high in amines which can cause the cardiac issues. According to my doctor, dysautonomics can have metabolism issues that are skewed - sometimes the liver works, sometimes it's a little lazy. Amines involve the sulfation cycle (? - it was verbally explained so the spelling might be wrong) and my sulfation cycle is compromised. Therefore, any high-content amine foods will cause cardiac issues. Well, that explained a lot because I devour lots of high-amine foods (cheese, nuts, citric fruit, tomato juice). I've been off them for the past few weeks, and I'm doing so much better. Housebound but better. Anyone else with these issues? This link somewhat validates the amine/cardio relationship, especially paragraph 3. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/European-project-investigates-biogenic-amine-food-component
  7. My dentist just informed me of the shocking news that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), in addition to being very hard on the liver, also contains mercury! I don't know that this relates directly to dysautonomia, but it certainly cannot help us. So, HFCS just might be another food additive we might want to avoid. 1. Washington Post article exposing research that confirms mercury is in most HFCS and the general population is at high risk of toxic levels of mercury ingestion. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html 2. You Tube - Univeristy of Calgary School of Medicine showing effect of micro amounts of mercury on neuron growth in the brain (i.e. ability to maintain intelligence) 3. This is a site that lists foods that have HFCS. It is basically all processed foods and drinks that have sweetness (pop, cereal, cookies, bread, etc) http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/06/09/foods_and_products_containing_high_fruct
  8. I've had the same experience, and I also get no relief until the percussion blasts forth from the mouth. Something triggers it. Would love to know what.
  9. I second the Craig's list suggestion. You can find all kinds of great stuff there. The listings are posted for only 7 days, so there is great turnaround - everyday new stuff. Also, while I have no experience with Harvard specifically, my experience at other university campus towns is that there are lots of ways to find used furniture with students moving and and out constantly. There are also volunteer organizations sponsored by the unversities to help international students matriculate into our culture, so to speak, and often they know where good used furniture is for sale or even donated to students. So ask around. There are a lot of options. And welcome to Harvard. What fun!
  10. Great to hear from you. Thanks for posting!
  11. Have questions about Shy Drager. Please e-mail me if you might be able to help. I've done lots of internet searches but just need some hands-on advice. Thanks.
  12. Dear Ernie - I am so very very glad that you posted this update. I have had you on my mind for several days, and I am so thrilled to hear the good news. I have heartfelt rejoicing for your recovery, and I shall pray that you continue to improve. How exciting. Dancing! I'm so happy for you. Please continue checking in every now and then just to say "hi" - it's so great to hear from long-time friends. - Cathy
  13. Once I became more housebound, I tried yoga from the internet. Found some appropriate sitting and lying positions that didn't require putting head down or standing-to-sitting movements. In only a week of 15 minutes of yoga, I saw tremendous improvement in posture. But I also became breathless, exhausted, and reactive after the 15-minute stint. Any ideas why this limited version of yoga would cause a dysautonomic flare-up? Any suggestions on how to evaluate yoga positions so those of us who are extremely exercise restricted so we could still do some yoga and gain benefit from it?
  14. I do an acupressure hold that brings my body back to warm. It's simple. I just hold the outside edge of the back of the knees, just inside that tendon on the outside edge of the back of the knee. To do this, I either sit and bring my legs up to the sofa level and hold both knees with both hands OR lay down in the fetal position and hold both knees with both hands. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes and I'm warm again! I don't know why it works but it does for my dysautonomic temperature regulation problems where I get bone cold - hands, feet, nose, cheeks, extremities. Totally cold to touch. It doesn't work for the normal cold that is from the outside temperature where just my hands are cold from holding the steering wheel, or from going out to get the newspaper without a coat, or my feet are cold from walking barefoot to the bathroom, etc. For me, doing this hold works when, for no reason at all, I get bone cold - in the middle of the night, when reading a book, as a precusor to a major dysautonomic event, etc. This bone cold is independent of environmental/room temperature. My temp regulation just shuts down. Holding the back of the knees restores warmth. Just a thought. I'm so sorry. And life is so hard. I just went to Menards to return a few things and buy some paint. I returned the few things and couldn't make it to the paint department. I had to come home. If only they had the automatic wheelchairs. Ah. So disheartening. A simple, quick trip that is not doable. If anyone tries the hold, let me know if it brings any relief. It would be interesting to see if it works on others who have temp reg issues.
  15. Maggie - I am so sorry you are going through this. I had the same thing happen a few years ago. I had some pain one night, thought it was the flu, went to the doctor who thought the same. And 10 days later, I found myself in emergency surgery. I had lived with a ruptured appendix for at least 10 days and had both peritonitis and septicemia (spelling?). They also took out 50% of my large bowel. Stayed in ICU quarantine for another 11 days which included a blood transfusion. It was quite an ordeal. The doctors felt that for me, the dysautonomia neural issues masked the normal pain receptors for a ruptured appendix, which is why it wasn't diagnosed at the onset. I should have died but survived due to the wonderful care of physicians and nurses. And I was alone in the hospital (husband died of accident 3 years earlier). At any rate, I just want to encourage you. Afterwards, I had some large bowel flatulence (ahhhhhh!) for a little while until my body got used to the absence. But I did recover and air quality around here improved as well. Take it slowly. You're body knows what to do. I chose to enjoy a more fluid diet and avoid "difficult" colon foods for a while until all was restored - which did happen. The most difficult obstacle was getting over the discomfort of the incision which was on the midline and over 7" - really don't know what they did down there but that recovery was the toughest. I hope your incision was more modest! You've been through a lot. It's so unusual to survive when the appendix is ruptured long before it is removed. But alas, I did and now you have! God is so good. I'm so glad you have come through. You have indeed been blessed. Cherish this wonderful gift you've been given - restored life - and I hope you and your daughter become even closer through this recovery time. With love - Cathy
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