ADRENALINE RUSHES 4 OR 5 AM

[Machair]

Does anyone else wake up in the late part of the night around 4 or 5 am with adrenaline surges that wake them up from sleep? Heart pounding sweating panic etc. I have had this during the entirety of being ill with dysautonomia and it is really horrible. I don't have blood sugar issues or diabetes, and I have fluids and electrolytes before bed so I think I have covered that. I am recently post menopausal in the last 4 years and I know a lot of my friends who don't have dysautonomia say they often wake up like this, so is it hormonal or not?- but I had it since diagnosis almost 3 decades ago when I was not lacking in oestrogen.

Anyone else get this?

[MomtoGiuliana]

Yes this used to happen to me.  As I've gotten older for whatever reason this symptom is not as severe when I have a flare up.  This is a very common symptom I believe. (Initially I was told by multpile drs I I was having panic attacks.  Made no sense to me as I had nothing in particular to have anxiety about.)  I am sorry I know how scary and/or miserable it can be.

[Bergbrow]

This happens every night to me multiple times overnight, sometimes every hour I’m awakened by it, but definitely 3-4 hours after going to bed.  Doctors dont know why and so i also suffer every night like this.  No panic attacks just heart pounding and racing, sweating so i need to turn on a fan no matter how cold the room. Then when the surges stop i get very cold and need extra blankets.  This leads to an awful night of sleep day in and day out.  I dont have a solution for you as everything I've tried does not work.  Things the doctors try through medication also doesn't work.  I too dont have diabetes.  But my autonomic dysfunction is also not well managed, so we’re still trying to settle the rest of my symptoms as well. 

[MikeO]

I have no idea what a adrenaline surge is (palpitations?) Rather than blaming dysautonomia it may be just to normal hormonal surges that will wake up even normal healthy folks. I do see this in the diabetic community it's called the Dawn phenomenon and even affects blood pressure so if you happen to go low you will sweat.

Just one more aspect to look at.

[Pistol]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

I have no idea what a adrenaline surge is (palpitations?) Rather than blaming dysautonomia it may be just to normal hormonal surges that will wake up even normal healthy folks.

Hi @MikeO adrenaline surges are quite noticeable, and different from restlessness or just palpitations. It is an internal excitement, comparable to the jolt of energy you would get when you go for a stroll and around the curve is a mountain lion. But there IS no mountain lion - and yes, it CAN happen in the middle of the night. And all the bodily reactions that would happen in an acute frightening emergency situation will happen - except there is no emergency, and there is no anxiety setting it off. 

@Bergbrow I know that feeling, although I am controlled on meds and treatment, as well as lifestyle changes, and only experience this when I am in a triggered flare. The only thing that ever helped me through this was rest, avoid overstimulation, and develop a daily routine that I could safely follow. 

[Bergbrow]

@Pistol  you hit the nail on the head, unfortunately I have been in a flared stage for months and months.  We’ve been trying unsuccessfully to tamp down my system.  Avoiding overstimulation and rest, when I CAN actually can go to sleep, are definitely a priority.  But like you said when flared, adrenaline surges and other symptoms are more difficult to manage.  

[Sarah Tee]

I don’t get this myself, but I have seen it mentioned many times on support groups, happening at various times of the night. It must be horrible.

[RecipeForDisaster]

I’m not normally hyperadrenergic, but I always have this, usually more like 3am. A dream often sets it off. It’s horrible - I’m up for the day from it, because I get up around 5 normally, and I’d never get comfortable enough to get back to sleep that fast.

[Pistol]

@Bergbrow I have heard people mention Buboprion ( Wellbutrin ) for this before.  It is an SNRI and is supposed to help with balancing norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain. I took it for a few weeks and felt good on it but had to stop because it caused me to develop acne ( a rare side effect ). Maybe this could be something to try?

[MikeO]

@Pistolnow that i have a little better understanding of what a adrenaline surge is i feel bad for the mountain lion that i run into in the woods Haha.

I still wonder about the Dawn phenomenon. Not saying folks would have diabetes but what comes out of the DM folks is the heavy use of CGM's which can be telling to some degree. Theory is somewhere in the morning hours one's body will prepare to basically wake up. The cgm users will note normally happens about the same time each morning and most will see a rise in blood sugar levels as the liver dumps glucose some will see a drop in BG. Once i figured out not eating for 3 days was bad i see the same rise in sugar levels.

Looking back at my holter data my SVC runs were about at the same time that my BG rises and my 24 hr BP monitor also showed a spike in blood pressure also my really hot flashes are in the same time frame.

Sure over the years i just intuitively adjusted the time i get up in the morning unfortunately it is 5AM so guess symptoms are less noticeable for me.  

[Pistol]

@MikeO that is really interesting!

[MikeO]

On 4/15/2023 at 9:37 AM, Pistol said:

@MikeO that is really interesting!

Be surprised what the body does while one sleeps. It does attempt to heal itself as well as go thru checks and no does not just shut down. Some of this may just wake you up. From Nocturnal tumescence happens to both sexes multiple times during the night to epinephrine (adrenaline) rising when the body is working on waking up. Sure some folks are a bit sensitive to adrenaline but again just may just be normal body response. I did have a nurse a while back get me a bit spooked over the early morning SVC's but there is no worries.

I would Google what the body does at night and waking hours before pursuing new drug. not saying one may not have a legit issue but that is for a Doc to diagnose.

Again this did come up on a diabetic forum. Just food for thought

[bizbiz]

@Machair Sorry you are experiencing these episodes. They are awful and unsettling and I know exactly what you are describing as I've experience them too. I've had them with all of my flares - probably the worst at the beginning of this most recent flare. While I still wake up with a racing heart some mornings, I haven't experienced a 'night time episode' for a while (at least a year or so now). I haven't changed anything, so I don't have an explanation as to why.