shathaway0811 Posted March 6, 2016 Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 Hey all, Hope your weekend has been great. I've read in several places that high seratonin levels are a factor/side effect in POTS/dysautonomia for some people, and while I've had anxiety issues my whole life combined with mild depression occasionally, I've recently been experiencing completely inexplicable major mood swings (NOT PREGNANT). This has DEFINITELY come in conjunction with an increase in POTS physical symptoms. Has anyone else experienced these/what have you learned about it? It generally consists of me going from totally fine to some kind of emotional trigger (big or extremely small - like last night being late to/not knowing what was appropriate to wear for an event, which normally would not bother me at all) to breaking down completely and feeling overwhelmingly bad; angry, sad, guilty, everything all at once. Again, because I've dealt with mental health issues since I was a child, I can say with surety I have never felt this before and it is very different and seems to be coming from somewhere else. Just thought I'd ask for some insight!Best, Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 Mood swings can be affected by hormone levels, neurotransmitters like serotonin, or cerebral perfusion. Any of these things may be an issue for POTS patients.One of the ways my mother actually is able to recognize that I'm becoming presyncopal is that I get very snippy and have no patience with other people at all. I usually become presyncopal and start having GI issues a short time later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 Oh wow, this makes so much sense, my family has noted they notice the same thing with me...I thought it was pre menopausal, but now maybe something else to consider.... Hmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieP Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 I experience this too. I become irritable and very emotional when my physical symptoms flare up. My husband always says, 'welcome back' when the storm is over. It's like I'm another person and I have no control over it. When I was in hospital during a particularly bad attack in 2014, they tested my serotonin levels because they were worried about carcinoids. The tests showed elevated serotonin but thankfully when they re-tested me 6 months later while I was feeling well the serotonin levels had returned to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db2504 Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 My daughter gets the same way. She is very irritable and angry. She can feel the anger starting but can't stop the feeling. It makes her really upset and sad because she used to be a very sweet person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 I think it's a combination of things. Usually my POTS symptoms happen during PMS - so hormones play a factor. Many of us don't sleep well - and we also have so much on our minds, dealing with health concerns - and related problems like family and finances - on top of everything else. These things contribute a lot to our mood. I also notice that my mood sometimes improves just from lying down. This makes me think there is a strong physical/POTS component to my mood and not just an emotional component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 This symptom seems related to the ineffectual attempts the body makes to adjust for reduced cerebral perfusion. the body attempts to rely on beta receptor activation and ramps up sympatgetic activity to compensate for impaired sympathetic vasoconstriction. it is also possible that there are central abnormalities in norepinephrine and dopamine regulation in some patients. Serotonin could be at play but I suspect fatigue is centrally mediated from reduced norepinephrine or dopamine release the former which is centrally calming and is intimately involved in governing levels if glutamate and perhaps nitric oxide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpflma Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 My mood has been radically effected by my dysautonomia (I have pure autonomic failure). Before I became ill, I had suffered from depression and anxiety. However, once I became ill ---WHOA! I experienced some very deep depressions and panic attacks that were worse than I could ever imagine. I have tried all sorts of approaches: psychotherapy (I am actually a psychotherapist myself), acupuncture, mood stabilizers, exercise, herbs etc. ... what helped me the most was Celexa. I don't like to push anti-depressants but that was what finally helped me. The occurrence of those symptoms do not always occur when my dysautonomia symptoms flared up. However, having dysautonomia just seemed to change my emotional brain chemistry. It is also definitely a factor that the dysautonomia caused some discouraging life changes ---losing my career, losing my marriage, not being able to have children. A lot of loss to deal with. I am amazed by how brave everyone is on this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 On 3/30/2016 at 2:35 AM, ramakentesh said: This symptom seems related to the ineffectual attempts the body makes to adjust for reduced cerebral perfusion. the body attempts to rely on beta receptor activation and ramps up sympatgetic activity to compensate for impaired sympathetic vasoconstriction. it is also possible that there are central abnormalities in norepinephrine and dopamine regulation in some patients. Serotonin could be at play but I suspect fatigue is centrally mediated from reduced norepinephrine or dopamine release the former which is centrally calming and is intimately involved in governing levels if glutamate and perhaps nitric oxide. I've been saying for years that I felt my high NE levels were necessary as a compensation to help with blood flow to vital areas. Trying to lower that response, for me, was not a good move. I have also felt there are issues more with glutamate and dopamine. Actually too high levels of glutamate and imbalance in dopamine causing a more than necessary anxiety feeling. Ramping up the sympathetic nervous system too much. I found this out with my over doing of aspartame in sugar free gum and a miserable night in the hospital. (There is a thread on this.) Aspartame triggered what turned out to be a major mast cell degranulation that hit me at heart level. The treatment was nitroglycerin and massive antihistamines. For me, I'm much better to vasodilate. But only to a certain degree. Issie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Low central ne = high glutamate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJK Posted November 24, 2019 Report Share Posted November 24, 2019 On 4/11/2016 at 4:20 AM, ramakentesh said: Low central ne = high glutamate On 3/30/2016 at 9:01 AM, issie said: I've been saying for years that I felt my high NE levels were necessary as a compensation to help with blood flow to vital areas. Trying to lower that response, for me, was not a good move. I have also felt there are issues more with glutamate and dopamine. Actually too high levels of glutamate and imbalance in dopamine causing a more than necessary anxiety feeling. Ramping up the sympathetic nervous system too much. I found this out with my over doing of aspartame in sugar free gum and a miserable night in the hospital. (There is a thread on this.) Aspartame triggered what turned out to be a major mast cell degranulation that hit me at heart level. The treatment was nitroglycerin and massive antihistamines. For me, I'm much better to vasodilate. But only to a certain degree. Issie I don’t know maybe I’m generalizing, but, is it me or are lots of people with dysautonomia way above average intelligence? Or am I just extrapolating from just a few people I’ve met online with it? Either way, it’s good to know that intelligent people like you all are working on finding solutions to the problems we all have. either way, it’s good to know that intelligent people like you all are working on finding solutions to the problems we all have. I’ve been told once or twice that I’m medium smart, and I love to know the science behind all this. So thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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