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I'll bet some of the uncontrollable crying is due to those low serotonin levels. It could be affecting you on many levels. Fingers crossed this appointment Monday will help.

I can't tell you that it isn't. I have had similar type pain that felt vein associated in my calves and had similar fear. So far nothing has happened like that to my knowledge. For one thing I am anemic and I think when you are anemic your blood tends to be thinner. I hope you get it figured out. It's not a bad idea even though you must lay down to just move your legs around periodically to get the blood flowing.

Okay well I found one I'm going to try-they offer 90 day money back guarantee and filters can be switched for various things. The brand I purchased was rabbit air and it should reach me on Wednesday. I certainly didn't need another expense but we just got possession of our new home today and the air in the house is horrible!!! Pet and I don't know what else I'm breathing in. I know I had to try to calm myself to not go into panic. I coughed my son with similar issues sneezed. I did adjust but it still wasn't pleasant. I felt my sinuses swelling and ended up with a headache. The house has sat empty for the last two months so maybe if we can get some fresh air in too it will help? I also don't know what types of cleaning products they could have used that might be lingering in the air. That shower cleaning stuff about paralyzes me. Still interested to hear what types of air filters anyone uses in case this one doesn't "get it".

I see there are many of us here-do you use any type of air filter in your home? If so what type. I see there are different types, those for mold, virus, bacteria and various air pollutants. It would be nice to have one of each type but they are very pricey.

Do your veins get sore? I had two venipunctures and then two IV's and I'm getting paranoid that my veins are sore. I don't know if it's actually my veins that hurt I seem to be holding my arms tight and clenching, The while iron thing brought my anxiety out of the closet and my mind just goes wild like when I had my sick feelings this time after my iron it seemed worse this time although I'm not sure it was. I think I was so worried about living through it I was just happy it was over the first time, And didn't remember how bad I felt. I also don't know if it's just the aftermath of my anxiety that I'm experiencing rather than a side effect of the iron. My anxiety does cause me to feel physically ill. I guess I have to add I am already fearful of the iron and think it's probably not in my best interest to read all the negatives about it Oh the thoughts I was having when I felt so horrible was they must have given me a bad batch. My anxiety has had that affect on me making me feel ill It has had that affect since I was a child just didn't cause the horrible weakness shortness of breath or heart issues. My heart would race but it didn't affect me the same

The periactin is both a histamine and serotonin blocker. My allergist was suspecting carcenoid in my case I think you and I talked about it. I only tried the periactin once but it was very potent. If for whatever reason you would decide to ask for it take a tiny tiny bit. It dried me up to the point I felt stuffy-I really didn't like that part but the other effects were pretty effective.

That is what my eye looks like I think!!!! I just took at as a sign that I am not aging well I should take a pic but I don't know how to post. I don't think mine is drooping as bad as yours? But my eyelid has that same look to it. See I just turned 45 so I just thought my goodness do I ever need a face job!!!

I have this problem too and I always take it as a sign that I'm showing an allergy to a food but I kind of am wondering if that is a false assumption. If I continue to eat that particular food I then will start in with esophageal spasms that feel like my throat swelling up and really scares the dickens out of me. The thing is give it 20-30 minutes and the worst of it passes. It really has made eating difficult for me because I really don't know what my body is trying to tell me. I am so hungry. Want to eat desperately and I'm just not sure what I can eat... Things that I seem to be able to eat safely for a period of time then also eventually trigger this reaction. With the infusing of the iron and all the horrible things I felt with that it made me question if I'm getting a lot of mixed up messages with foods too and that just putting anything in my system at all has the potential to create reactions. I'm thinking so but obviously my goal is to eat safely.

I don't want to interrupt the question but in my case the increased blood pressure that my anxiety causes is an added benefit, I tried to not read to much to scare myself but-that the iron can cause hypotension. So the fact that I go in petrified causes my bp to bump up to about low 120's rather than 90/50. It actually helps compensate for the side effect of the iron which discourages me from taking anything else that would help me to relax and not be in such sheer misery for the entire day. My anxiety both chemically and the tensing up all over seems like it could be a benefit even though at the time it feels like a curse.

I think it's great that you're getting it checked out Tinks. You are in pain and this is greatly affecting your daily life. I worry too about wasting resources-I think somehow we have to let that go and try to do what we can to get help. Let us know what you find out. I hope you get some relief soon.

It's been my automatic response when I feel bad and so out of control to break down and cry and I actually think it helps. Yes I would love to spare my family all the drama-I realize it's not fair to them. I try not to talk openly about my darkest fears and feelings I can shelter them from that but they know when I'm not feeling good. My kids are 12, 10, 7 and 5. I actually think they have a pretty good handle on all if this. There are times when I'm alone with them and they are acting up and I ask them to stop and they won't quit the hyper that I wish that they could follow direction better and be more sensitive but I realize they are kids. I think the crying is normal and a therapeutic coping mechanism and as you start to feel better it will happen less and less.

It sounds like the marijuana alleviated your symptoms...have you tried it again? I know what you mean about the bad reactions. I just went to the hospital last month because my body balance was so off I was bouncing off of walls and yeah the ER physician said he would give me something for the dizziness but with everything I was describing he was afraid to give it to me...finally someone who listened and took my word for the fact that I have weird reactions and didn't just blame it on anxiety.

My choices have been complicated by my own issues and fears... I have felt I had reactions to meds so fearful to take them. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm the norm. Also it's complicated by my anemia. I didn't know what was happening I just knew I was getting weaker and weaker and I didn't know why. My instinct told me I was going to just burn myself right out. So finally it was discovered I have microcytic anemia and I'm being treated with IV iron. I am hopeful in time that I can be more active but my choice to do less felt like what I needed to do. I do get out and run errands and many here are quite active so no you don't have to spend your life meditating like a monk. It's all a personal choice and we all have different limits. I hope that you can find meds that help you to achieve a lifestyle that you can be comfortable with-I guess I'm hoping I can ease into more activity without feeling like my body is spinning out of control.

My understanding is that the beta blockers only block the action of the adrenaline on the heart that it will not stop the surges. I think a benzo might do a better job of that which you said you took one. I find activity difficult. It's like I need to be a monk and sit in a trance to not agitate the system. I know this is not what any of us desire or realistic for our lives. I would have difficulty controlling getting my system agitated with the activity that you are doing. I have to do a little ( sit with feet up and get system calm ) repeat. Too much activity sends me haywire-but I'm not on any meds.

In all of this...regarding what part is physical what part is psychological. Does anyone know if there is a physical form of anxiety? With getting these iron treatments it stirred up horrible anxiety. I get triggered by the iron infusing into me-so it almost seems like a physical reaction-the body feels something different and foreign and goes into alert. So I get palpitations tightening if chest. Basically my body is telling my brain to run or vice versatile from this invader and I know I can't. I get lightheaded and nauseous and restless. I ask to have it slowed down but honestly I don't know what difference it will really make. So feeling trapped and so uncomfortable and vulnerable and like I am just a problem to everyone around me I cry quietly to myself. And it helps to have a release for the emotions. Interestingly I don't have to cry long at all and suddenly another break in the wave and I don't feel so bad. I know there are tons of accounts of anxiety and all of the symptoms it brings on and how it rolls through your body with different sensations like not being able to breathe etc. I started to wonder if a person prone to anxiety which I know I am can have that all get triggered and exacerbated with an illness like POTS-not that that's all it is but it might help explain many of the strange sensations we get. Could there be something in the body a virus or something that the body senses and it's telling us to run? Thinking we can get away from it? I don't know how any of this works and wondered what other people's thoughts or understanding of the process is? Is the same thing happening with me with food even if it is a certain chemical in food that's physically triggering me what if it is simply anxiety that I'm experiencing. I don't understand it and I'm not sure how anyone can tell me for an absolute fact that I am safe with all things ( I wish they could is why I'm mentioning it ) There are a lot of things such as the klonopin and anti D's helping many become more functional. Obviously it's not a cure but does it quiet those things such as anxiety and it's affects down enough that then you are simply dealing with the POTS and it's cause instead of the horrible debilitating anxiety that it is physically causing in the body? What does anyone think?

I had that thick discharge a couple days ago. It was thick and milky looking My vision was also a little blurry that day. I noticed the discharge for 2 days and then it went away. I agree that anything that doesn't go away on it's own like that probably needs to be checked out.

Bless your heart Alyssa. I'm very sorry you are dealing with that. Do you get any warning?

What is going on? Is this a sign of healing? I'm obsessed with eating. I keep craving the things I used to eat-chips and soda, salads, yummy veggies, Chinese. I feel like I'm starving.... This is a whole new experience for me does anybody else get starving hungry I thought POTS had the opposite effect and was an appetite killer.

Serotonin syndrome is a serious condition-do they know what caused it in your case? It sounds like your body has been through some real physical challenges here lately...I'm glad you pulled through okay and sorry you're feeling so weak right now. I have a hunch my serotonin levels run high based on what I'm reading and my experience taking the serotonin blocker.

When I described my symptoms to my allergist it reminded him of carcenoid syndrome I guess with eating I have trouble with that...serotonin gets released from cells and causes high heart rate, flushing, dizziness, he actually wanted to do a test on me for it but you have to go without bananas for 3 days prior to the test and bananas are one of the less than dozen of foods I can eat...after hearing my weight loss delimma continued reactions to foods that I did not show allergy to with my allergy testing he thought periactin might be an answer for me. It blocks both histamine and serotonin. Many if us have symptoms that mimic disease without the actual disease. I believe it's totally possible for my body to act like carcenoid syndrome when they may scan my entire body and not find any of these serotonin releasing tumors at all. I think it can be effective though to treat the symptoms and get relief. Funny thing about this abnormality is for me my symptoms often change-for instance one day I have trouble with food, the next I can eat but I get racing heart and shortness of breath instead. It's enough to make you wanna pull your hair out.

Steven I could have written your post. I have felt the emotions you are feeling and I was a totally functional person before I got hit with something very similar to what you are describing. I was very active-worked as a nurse in a nursing home-would get there at 6:30 and had so much energy I would buzz around that whole building power walking before my busy day ever started. The fear and strange feelings that came along with this for me was unbelievable. For example in 1999 I had a tonsillectomy. I had no fear. Went alone to the hospital with my things in a Walmart bag. I totally trusted medical staff medical procedures. Now I can't do something as simple as a test or procedure and I'm convinced with irrational fear that it's going to kill me. I have the reoccurring thought I'm going to die too. I think it must be related to the chemical processes in our brain. Steven you are most likely going to be okay. Even though what you are going through is very uncomfortable that feeling you are getting is false. I really believe it. I think you are one of the first people to my knowledge that is expressing that same level of fear and emotion with this that I have experienced. As far as drugs to stop that feeling-a beta blocker did it for me but my blood pressure dropped too low on it. I have only tried Zoloft as an antidepressant and I ended up with a rash 2 weeks into it and had to stop. Periactin is an antihistamine that also has a calming affect. It is an antiserotonin drug. When I tried a sliver I was amazed because I had a lot of stress that day and none if it was affecting me physically. That fear left and I wasn't getting the strange "off" sensations that I often get in my stomach and chest. I have not taken any more simply because I am required to drive some daily with running kids and it made me feel a bit intoxicated-but finally relief from all those feelings and sensations. You may have to experiment to find something that works for you but I believe it is possible for you to find a medication that gives you some relief from some of these symptoms. Hang in there!!! I have been dealing with this for over 2 years and there are many here that have been here much longer and we are still here. It can get better.

I remember spoon rings... I can't tell you how old I was when they were popular but I remember them.

I just had potassium checked in September and it was okay. They are doing more bloodwork in 3 weeks to check my iron levels-I'll ask if they can check potassium again along with that.

I've never fainted before. My heart seemed to go back to regular rhythm right away so hopefully if it was enough to make me faint I would convert and come to. I tried coconut water and reacted. I can't wait til the day when all of this food reaction stuff let's up...I'm liable to gain 20 pounds cause I keep thinking of everything I want to eat. : )

I have had several full cardiac work ups. Maybe it was nothing to worry about like you said it was just for an instant it just got me because it was 2 back to back. I think possibly if my sugar was a bit low it may have contributed. I'm gonna try to stay hydrated. Not go anywhere without food. It's like when I get that urge to eat I need to. Maybe a blood sugar thing and then if it does happen again I may get my heart checked out again...who knows I could go another two years and not have another blip like that. The thing is how instant it was. I guess fear wise I could go either way but at this point I am not fearing it-it happened so fast that I'm just not going to worry much about the what ifs. As far as driving if I feel that start again I may pull over right away and try to get my bearings. It wouldn't be a bad idea to contact someone let them know where I am and what is happening so they can call for help for me in case I can't. I don't drive a lot and I try to choose country road as much as possible. I'll try to be very careful because obviously I don't want something to happen where I wreck my car and injur either my occupants or anyone else on the road. : )