Vagus Nerve Operating At 50%

[****onearth]

I was treated at Stanford by Doctor Jaradeh.

He said my vagus nerve is operating at 50%. This is causing my stomach to not relax (proximal stomach) which is causing dumping syndrome. The dumping syndrome is releasing food too fast into my duodenum, which increases GLP-1, and causes an insulin surge. This insulin surge causes reactive hypoglycemia. I am not diabetic, but my sugars have reached as low as 38.

Many tests were ran, even tested for MCAS, but nothing was found. However, white cell count was low and liver enzymes were slightly elevated, which is usual on my blood tests. Also, Chromogranin A was slightly elevated, but as I understand gastritis can cause elevations of this test (and I've had ongoing gastritis for years).

I am currently on 0.1mg Florinef, 15mg Buspar 3x daily (for dumping), and 25mg Acarbose every time I eat a carb for Reactive Hypoglycemia.

DRUGS ARE NOT HELPING.

My question is this: what can I do to make the vagus nerve operate normally again? What could potentially be causing this decline in vagal activity? He said my vagus nerve was "sluggish". My blood pressure drops 30 points on standing, but quickly corrects itself via increase in heart rate (30-40 beat increase) within minutes. Is it possible an amphetamine overdose fried my vagus nerve? Is it possible I was using amphetamines for chronic fatigue in the first place because dysautonomia was already there, and now I've just become hypersensitive to stimulants?

I need a doctor to look deep into my cause but cannot find one who will really look. Dr. Jaradeh was awesome but I can only see him once or twice a year. I'm currently looking into autoimmune problems, but perhaps these tests were already done. I'm in such bad brain fog I can't think straight enough to put together a plan of attack, and my family has abandoned me.

Last note: food screws with my system. If I fast, I am generally ok. I feel poisoned after eating. Is leaky gut/intestinal permeability real? Or is it another scam? I do not have food allergies.

Also, I cannot have sex or masturbate. It sets off all of my symptoms. Hormones check out fine, doctors cannot figure out what to do or what causes it, and most don't take me seriously. Why would ejaculating cause all of my symptoms? Am I depleted of something?

Thanks!

Tyler

[Katybug]

Tyler,

I'm glad you were able to see the doctor and get a diagnosis.

While I don't know any specifics about it, we did have a member several years ago that shared that her dysautonomia was a direct result of a drug overdose. I do not know what drug caused her OD.

Also, sex is a topic that has come up before on the forum. You may want to do a search to see more information and others opinions. But, it changes both blood flow and hormone levels in your body, which in turn affect bp and hr. This is not an unusual concern for dysautonomia patients. If you do the search, you will find how different members have learned to cope with this issue.

I think contacting the doctor who diagnosed you with the question about what you might do to improve your Vagal nerve function is a valid reason for a phone call or email. I wouldn't wait until the next appointment for that question.

Take care,

Katie

[Nymph]

There is something called a vagal nerve pacemaker that stimulates the nerve. I believe they are studying it at Vanderbilt right now. Maybe you could into the study. Otherwise, maybe your neuro would consider this as a possible treatment option?

[lewis]

I had gastritis for 8 years before finding I had mals (median arcuate ligament syndrome). Had surgery and no more gastritis. You had any scans that might show an aneurysm of the celiac artery? Also I read sex sets off a dopamine response and I kinda remember there being some disease where having a dopamine response triggers something. Not real sure but trying to get you some stuff to search for..

[****onearth]

Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to put the paperwork together now to get into Vanderbilt clinic, as well as calling their research department for in-patient testing. Maybe I can be a test candidate for the vagal nerve pacemaker.

I'll do the search on the form for sex symptoms, thank you.

lewis:

I've had CT scans and MRIs of both my abdomen, pelvis, and head + neck. Would this show up on these scans? Everyone tells me how healthy I am, but looks can be deceiving. I looked at pictures of the celiac artery and I definitely feel symptoms in that location.

I've had a hard time eating for years and none of the treatments help. I eventually get frustrated, quit, and stop following up with doctors. My mind is in the gutter. One of the things I still have not yet had addressed is this physical problem in my insides. I feel something is physically off, yet scans show no tumors or anything foreign. I feel like I have trouble breathing all the time, which doctors say can be due to the disorder, but I wonder if the autonomic test was faulty because I was having trouble breathing during the test, and during standing. I know my body, I was in the Army, I know how to exercise hard and what "being out of breath" feels like. This isn't it. This feels like something is physically pushing on my insides, and I have developed back and neck problems because of it (feels like my entire midsection equilibrium is off).

Could this autonomic dysfunction be caused by physical pressure on the vagas nerve, from perhaps a muscle, ligament, broken rib, or something such as this? Can the vagus nerve be activated or inhibited by physical contact with other parts of the body? Buspar to relax my upper stomach isn't working, and I think the reason my stomach isn't contracting properly is because of this physical problem (trouble swallowing, breathing, at my solar plexus)? I've had pressure, tightness, and inability to swallow properly for years, at my solar plexus area. Doctors ignore this. I don't know what to do.

I feel if I can reset my body physically I can reset my autonomic system since I can relax. I feel as if I can't calm down because I can't breathe right all the time, so perhaps I'm stuck in sympathetic overdrive much like someone who is trying to come up for air in the swimming pool after holding their breath? Would they test abnormal on an autonomic test if they took it right after coming up for air?

Thanks.

[****onearth]

Also, I have been looking into treatment with ibogaine. It's supposed to be this psychedelic alkaloid derived from iboga root bark that helps people with mental illness, addiction, physicla trauma recover completely from their problems. People say it 'resets the brain'. I am not really afraid to do anything at this point, just wondering if this will **** me up more and make problems worse, or if something like this as a last resort could potentially cure me.

Has anyone heard of iboga, or any other psychedelics helping cure problems such as ours? Would ayahuasca potentially help? These are shamanistic rituals used the world over, so regardless if it's illegal in the US I could really care less. I need answers, and I need them now.

[lewis]

I know all to well what your experiencing as far as wanting answers and wanting them now. I have had stage 4 Hodgkins disease with 3 months chemo and a month of radiation and fighting cancer seems like a cake walk compared to the way I have felt with autonomic problems. At least I had answers and a cure with cancer.lol. anyways have you been tested for pulmonary hypertension? I felt that same chest pressure right after I started on propranolol. Ya I didn't like it either and wasn't sure if it was the meds or dysautonomia that was causing it but luckily its better for the time being. I to feel like a time bomb. So if you had a chest ct or chest mri it would have showed the mals. My celiac artery was starting to aneurysm but they said it couldn't being causing me problems since the stomach is fed by 3 other arteries. However I think with my low blood pressure it did.