Adrenaline Surge

[lieze]

Okay I went to work again just for 4 hours and all was well except at 6pm I was sitting at the desk all of a sudden I felt weird but didn't think much of it. Noticed my heart rate was 106 and went to get up to go fax something and my heart rate went clear up to 124 and stayed there which it had not done all evening. I had walked all the way down the hall earlier looked at the monitor and I was hanging out around 100. Came back and sat down after faxing that paper and it just felt as if my heart was going to take off. It did just a little but would come back down. I felt as if I was losing control, felt nauseous-just really bad all over and got a bad headache.

The headache is still lingering now 2 hours later.

It probably took me about 20-30 minutes to feel okay again I kind of got up and started moving around to see if I could kind of walk it off but I think I sat there for at least 10-15 minutes before I tried to do anything and I felt really cold like I could start shivering. I had to turn off the window AC unit. I wondered if this was an adrenaline surge? What do you think?

[nmorgen]

Hi Lieze,

My surges feel pretty similar. I feel really tingly. I get hypertension with mine and I get the nausea, headache and shakes. Did you check your blood pressure during the episode?Since your not on any medicine I would try to lie down and relax or at least try to recline and relax. I hope you find a dr to help you.

[lieze]

I did a little looking on the internet last night and found some posts from 2007 from various people that were experiencing this and associating it with anxiety.

One description don't know if it's actually a scientific term was free floating anxiety.

I could relate to what these people were feeling and it really sounded like the one young woman was experiencing was definitely POTSY. She was describing if she had to stand too long while her husband got his keys out to get the door unlocked she could feel her heart speeding up etc etc and the surges were hitting out of the blue like 3 times per day.

I think it's helping me to put a name to that horrible feeling I get at times where I just feel like I'll come out of my skin, like something bad is going to happen and the horrible awful other sensations nausea and headache that go withit.

I almost feel better when I don't get as much sleep-it makes me feel a bit dull and not as reactive to things. A bit slow where as when I am feeling normal I feel too alert-wired-ready to trip out at any moment. It's like being on a bad drug.

Yeah I hope I figure something out soon too.

I'm having a lot of "good" moments so I don't want to overlook those and I feel much better than I did say a year ago.

Hanging on

[potsgirl]

Lieze - Just noticed that you've started taking Lexapro. I really hope it works for you...let us know. I think you had Paxil in your drawer for a long time but were too scared to try it, yes? Good job!

Cheers,

Jana

[lieze]

Yeah now they are both in my drawer

I am such a fraidy cat.

[jenwic]

I think I just posted about a very similar feeling : )

[lieze]

I'll check it out jenwic.

So happy to report I just worked 4 hours and felt completely normal.

I told myself after last time I worked that I am just going to have to accept that I am going to feel bad there.

I did NOT take a xanax before I went just made sure they were in my purse.

I forgot to drink tons while I was there and didn't even go to the bathroom totally forgot about it usually I'm in and out of there every time I turn around!

But felt good!

I was trying to prepare myself for an adrenaline surge IF it happened and knew it would feel bad for a while-then pass.

I even tried to stay ahead of my work so if I needed to just go sit down to recover for a while I could without issue and I did fine.

No lightheadedness or woozy that I sometimes get.

It may have made a huge difference because I was talking to another coworker most of the night. This keeps your brain alert and engaged it's when we slip into that midbrain where we're kind of daydreaming is where the fear center is located so I've read.

So it could be that the constant dialogue kept my mind actively engaged and out of panic.

[Kujiforo]

Not sure if this is what I am having. I have it whenever I lay down. Especially right before I try to sleep, or sometimes waking me up from a sleep. My heart is fast, I feel as if my body is made of wires and those wires are short circuiting, my thoughts spin, my body tingles....it feels like I am rushing about without really doing anything. I always attributed it to abnormal rushes of adrenaline, but I'm never sure what it is. It happens to me ever so often.

[Guest tearose]

Well, the goal is to avoid the surges but here is a "scenario" at worst...

Probably I am standing and speaking to someone, I am engrossed in conversation and my blood begins to pool. My speech begins to speed up because my heart is working very hard to keep circulating blood to vital organs. If I don't notice my fast heart rate or faster speech and make adjustments next I will start to see little white spots OR my heart rate will trip into an SVT and my attention is drawn to the thumping in my chest. There will have been a simultaneous "flooding " sensation in my head that "feels" like a wave. I think this was the release of the adrenaline or as you call it, an adrenalin surge. The good thing is that my body is trying to compensate and is having a normal response to an abnormal condition. To get back to a good baseline I have either sat down or lay down on the floor.

I think I have a very "open" personality and my vasoconstriction is also more "open".

I have also noticed over the years that I am extremely sensitive to my environment; what I feel, what I see, what I hear...I am more aware of. This helps me manage better.