Can adrenaline cause fainting alone? Something happened today

[Derek1987]

I have a soundbar with a sub in my bedroom. I listened to some rock music. It was loud. I was enjoying it. After the 2nd song, my hands were extremely hot and sweaty like never before. Like my hands were wet. After the 3rd song, i felt like i was possibly going to faint. And i am in bed. Not sure but my body had a panic reaction if anything. A few mins later my hands turned from really hot to very cold. Hours later i am still feeling the adrenaline. Shaking and anxiety. Not like it was but im suffering.

 

My last day of work towards the end of 2018, i fell out. I didnt black out but i could tell my body was trying to faint. This was my 3rd incident and 2nd in a week. This was before i knew what was wrong with me(hyper pots). So on the way to the hospital i am feeling normal and i think its because i felt calmer help was here. When i arrived at the hospital, i was just laying there forever waiting on a room. I started to panic and my body started trying to faint again. This lasted probably over an hour until they put ativan straight into my bloodstream. I calmed down and the fainting feelings went away. 

Why why why? 

 

[Pistol]

@Derek1987 - I have HPOTS and am very aware of this scenario. Loud rock music is extremely stimulating, it in itself can cause an adrenaline surge. The sweaty hands indicate onset of fight-or-flight and the cold hands are caused by excessive adrenaline in your body causing the blood vessels to constrict. this can cause decreased blood flow to your brain with pre-syncope, which in my own case frequently leads to syncope or seizures. --- I used to get these symptoms at work, after standing a long time and getting stressed, I would pass out or seize at work a lot. That of course led to me no longer being able to work. Today I avoid all stimulating activities including loud music in order to cope with my illness. Extended periods of standing or walking, loud noise environments ( sometimes even bird song puts me over the edge and sometimes I have to wear ear plugs in the summer ) and long phone conversations or even movies are too much for me. I know that is a very frustrating reality b/c it does not allow for you to do things that you normally enjoy. But that is the trick with dysautonomia - we have to alter our entire life to accommodate our limitations.  I personally would avoid listening to the music that loud since it will trigger you again. Try just one song at a much lower volume next time and rest after, even without symptoms. I am sorry!!!!!

Why why why?  - Because you have POTS and as harsh as this sounds, we have to create a new life around this reality. I used to be very depressed knowing that most of what I enjoy I can no longer do. But today I have learned what my triggers are and am at peace in avoiding them - they would just make me sick and the thought of having to recondition each time is enough of a push to avoid them at all costs. There are many other things you can do that are enjoyable without making you ill. You just have to find them and let go of the old ones. 

[Guest KiminOrlando]

I have a theory on this, but it is just a theory, not actual medical information. I believe HyperPOTS typically causes an overly responsive sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system triggers vasoconstriction. Does it cause hypoxia from decreasing blood flow? You felt better when they gave you meds that calmed your sympathetic nervous system.

My hands go numb, cold and purple from vasoconstriction. I've been planning on an experiment when I get a chance. I am going to try to use caffeine (vaso dilator) to see if I can make my hands better. I bought some caffeine pills. 

Anyone tried to use caffeine to calm symptoms?

[Derek1987]

54 minutes ago, KiminOrlando said:

I have a theory on this, but it is just a theory, not actual medical information. I believe HyperPOTS typically causes an overly responsive sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system triggers vasoconstriction. Does it cause hypoxia from decreasing blood flow? You felt better when they gave you meds that calmed your sympathetic nervous system.

My hands go numb, cold and purple from vasoconstriction. I've been planning on an experiment when I get a chance. I am going to try to use caffeine (vaso dilator) to see if I can make my hands better. I bought some caffeine pills. 

Anyone tried to use caffeine to calm symptoms?

Caffeine boosts my adrenaline and hurts me. I used to down 200mg with a 5 hour energy shot back in the day and nothing could stop me(in a good and i guess unhealthy way). I cant even tolerate a 12 oz coke with 34mgs anymore.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

I have the opposite happen for me. I can drink a large coffee and immediately take a nap. It stops that buzzing feeling in my body. It is totally nonsensical. I am wanting to try it for headaches and my hands.

I still think it is probably your sympathetic nervous system, I just don't know what to do about it. I have heard some people take valium or an antianxiety med and it helps. I would love to be able to try something like that, but no doctor has been willing to prescribe that. Have you talked to your doctor about that? Are they open to try meds or do they just leave it as something you have to deal with?

[Derek1987]

12 minutes ago, KiminOrlando said:

I have the opposite happen for me. I can drink a large coffee and immediately take a nap. It stops that buzzing feeling in my body. It is totally nonsensical. I am wanting to try it for headaches and my hands.

I still think it is probably your sympathetic nervous system, I just don't know what to do about it. I have heard some people take valium or an antianxiety med and it helps. I would love to be able to try something like that, but no doctor has been willing to prescribe that. Have you talked to your doctor about that? Are they open to try meds or do they just leave it as something you have to deal with?

I take xanax. 1mg 4x a day. Or if im having a horrible spell i can take 2mg at once. After my 2 fainting spells in sept 2018, i was never the same including huge amounts of anxiety. It was so bad, i sought out a "crazy clinic". This was before i knew i had hyper pots. They referred me to a psychiatrist. When i saw him, he easily prescribed the meds to me.  Hes the most caring doctor i have. He even showed my adrenaline test results to a neuro doc in his free time and learned about my condition. 

I say if you can live without it, do it. But i couldnt function without it. Not yet at least.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

That is good to know. I hadn't pursued it because I was afraid once a doctor saw one of those meds on my chart, they wouldn't take me seriously. I had a hard enough time as it was.

[Derek1987]

1 hour ago, KiminOrlando said:

That is good to know. I hadn't pursued it because I was afraid once a doctor saw one of those meds on my chart, they wouldn't take me seriously. I had a hard enough time as it was.

Ive had anxiety my whole life but never got treatment.  After my first fainting incident in 2017, my anxiety increased big time. I still was able to work and i didnt have many symptoms other than bad anxiety. My HR was probably sky high and didnt even know it.

Anyway i went to a psychiatrist. She treated me like crap. I had to change to a different one in the same clinic because of schedule conflicts. She too treated me bad as well. Later on it dawned on me they probably think i just wanted benzos. They judged me. Ive never even been drunk or smoked weed ever. After several ssris and the way they treated me and my increasing fatigue, i just gave up. Then a year later is when i completely broke down in health. 

If you really think you need it, you could talk about it. I wouldnt worry about what people think. As long as your honest, who cares. By like i said, if you can live without it, live without it. When i come off of it, ill have to taper off for a long time because of the potential of deadly withdrawals. 

By having this condition, it gives you credit as to why you need it. I bet those other doctors would feel guilty for judging me if they knew i had an underlying condition. Im sure they get people who fake it but they cant assume everyone is a junkie.

 

[Pistol]

@Derek1987 - here is an excellent article that explains adrenaline rushes, what causes them and what they do to our bodies. It explains the shaking you experience as well. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322490#takeaway

I feel awful that you saw psychiatrists that were assuming and judgmental. Of all people - the mental health community should be aware not to be like that!!!!! But at least now you are in good hands with your current psychiatrist!!! 

10 hours ago, KiminOrlando said:

I still think it is probably your sympathetic nervous system, I just don't know what to do about it.

Kim - I too suffer from HPOTS and frequent sympathetic overcompensation ( adrenaline rush ). I have learned the hard way that once it starts there is no turning it around, at least it is very difficult for me. What DOES help for me is avoiding the triggers. I do not expose myself to stimulating environments ( I am house bound, so that is easy to say ), take frequent rest periods ( for example for every 5 minutes of activity I take 5 minutes of rest ) and even treat movies or phone calls as activities requiring rest. In my case if I let things go too long I experience such severe adrenaline rushes that I take seizures from them, although I hardly get them anymore, thanks to medication, IV fluids and avoidance of triggers. 

Deep breathing and rest in a dark, silent room can at times help to calm down the oncoming rush but rarely for me. 

BTW - caffeine helps me as well, due to its vaso-dilatory effects. And it too puts me to sleep!!!!!!

[Derek1987]

4 hours ago, Pistol said:

@Derek1987 - here is an excellent article that explains adrenaline rushes, what causes them and what they do to our bodies. It explains the shaking you experience as well. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322490#takeaway

I feel awful that you saw psychiatrists that were assuming and judgmental. Of all people - the mental health community should be aware not to be like that!!!!! But at least now you are in good hands with your current psychiatrist!!! 

@KiminOrlando - I too suffer from HPOTS and frequent sympathetic overcompensation ( adrenaline rush ). I have learned the hard way that once it starts there is no turning it around, at least it is very difficult for me. What DOES help for me is avoiding the triggers. I do not expose myself to stimulating environments ( I am house bound, so that is easy to say ), take frequent rest periods ( for example for every 5 minutes of activity I take 5 minutes of rest ) and even treat movies or phone calls as activities requiring rest. In my case if I let things go too long I experience such severe adrenaline rushes that I take seizures from them, although I hardly get them anymore, thanks to medication, IV fluids and avoidance of triggers. 

Deep breathing and rest in a dark, silent room can at times help to calm down the oncoming rush but rarely for me. 

BTW - caffeine helps me as well, due to its vaso-dilatory effects. And it too puts me to sleep!!!!!!

I wonder why caffeine helps yall but is like poison to me. Definitely doesnt help me sleep.