O.k., Now I'm Having This In The Daytime Too

[jenwic]

I have seen many of you post about waking up in the middle of the night with your heart racing and pounding. I do that too but now I will occasionally (once a month?) have a similar episode during the daytime.

It starts off with this uneasy feeling, like I can't concentrate and feel nervous (the preadrenaline rush feeling). Then my heart starts racing and I feel horrible. I first thought these were some sort of allergic reaction, but they have occured with no rhyme or reason. It lasts about 10-15 minutes then subsides.

Last night I took a Benadryl to see if that helped, but only 6 minutes after I took it I started to feel better, so the med couldn't have kicked in yet. This has happened before. Wish I knew what was up.

[lieze]

Yep I think you are having adrenaline surges.

They are really scary or can be and I am just now starting to understand this.

Mine have gotten better for the most part.

I rarely have them during the night anymore.

Driving is still tough for me and I must be getting them when I drive from just the stress of the road and visual input. I know it's not that much but I am just hypersensitive.

[juliegee]

That's how my MCAD manifested itself (with other symptoms too .) But, it was those crazy tachy runs for no reason that were the worst. The benadryl may be helping because it's calming your mast cells down OR (as our Rama surmises) because it's calming your sympathetic nervous system down. Six minutes is long enough to begin to get benefit- might want to have liquid on hand for an even quicker result. I find zyrtec is even more effective. Prescription atarax is even better (equal to 2.5 zyrtec.) I take that nightly to control symptoms.

As a preventative, try a daily H-1 (like zyrtec, claritin, allegra) AND H-2 (like zantac or ranitidine.) Both are OTC and fairly benign although some experience fatigue even with the non-drowsy H-1's. That may do the trick and halt these episodes.

All the best-

Julie

[jenwic]

Actually, it was liquid Benadryl that I took (2 teas.). I didn't know it would kick in in 6 minutes.

[juliegee]

Actually, it was liquid Benadryl that I took (2 teas.). I didn't know it would kick in in 6 minutes.

Technically, I think it's around 10 mins, BUT with that fast of a HR- bet you speeded up the process

[sue1234]

Did the liquid Benadryl have any sugar in it? If so, maybe you were having a low blood sugar episode that was relieved with the sugar in the Benadryl.

[jenwic]

The Equate benadryl lists high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. I don't know if I have any blood sugar issues. Sometimes I do get to feeling weak and nauseous and a snack helps.

Mack's Mom,

I noticed in one of your old posts you mentioned one of your MCAD symptoms is trouble swallowing. Is that something that comes and goes? I have had a swollen feeling and sometimes even achy feel in my throat. It seems to be low around my esophagus. It has lasted for a couple months. I wondered if it was thrush from my steroid inhaler (Pulmicort). I've had what I thought was thrush in my throat before and took Nystatin or Diflucan for it. It would go away then come back months later. Now I can't tolerate the meds to cure it and I'm wondering if it is thrush at all or something different. It has not gone away in months, but I do have days where it is milder. The other night after I took the Benadryl I could imagine the swollen feeling was a little better, but not gone.

[juliegee]

Yes, that was one of my chronic symptoms. Now that I'm treating the MCAD more aggressively, it's pretty much gone- unless I forget meds. I call it "low grade anaphylaxis" That's a term I coined, not a medical term . When I have trouble swallowing, my HR & BP issues are usually worse too.

Hope the antihistamines continue to help.

Julie

[nmorgen]

I have the same adrenalin surges during the day occasionally. I also have the throat swelling feeling most of the time. I don't seem to tolerate benadryl very well. It's like I lose function of my legs and find it hard to walk around after taking it. I'm glad that you found some relief.