lfreem02

Has anyone been diagnosed with Hypersomnia?

Has anyone taken Carvedilol? I have been taking Atenolol for two years, and am trying something new to see if it will help with fatigue. My GP has requested an appointment with a sleep specialist to see if there is anything they can do to help with the fatigue and weight gain. I also stopped taking Zoloft three weeks ago. I was in a car accident that resulted in whiplash and back pain, and some of my systems have creeped back. My heart rate is up a little, and driving home everyday is a bit of a struggle due to fatigue.

Hang in there. Any time I travel I feel pretty crappy. You may need to rest when you are not working, drink lots of cold drinks, and look into some local yoga classes to help you relax. The stress of traveling, moving, starting a new job can cause a set back, but don't let it cause you to lose out on a great opportunity that sounds like you are excited about.

December 28, 2011.

Alison - I am still working with different doctors to determine why I gained the weight and why it won't come off. I was always thin prior to the weight gain, so I am baffled. I started on Lexapro when the weight gain started, but switching to Zoloft hasn't helped. The weight is mainly in my midsection and chest, which makes me think it is a hormonal issue, but my GP and Endocrinologist haven't been able to find anything. My cortisol levels have been up and down, so I am seeing the Endocrinologist later this month.

I started eating a plant based/whole food diet a year ago. I have had unexplained weight gain, so it doesn't seem to matter how little I eat, my weight won't go down. I stopped eating sugar other than honey, brown rice syrup, and small amounts of Stevia. I still have daily symptoms, but my stomach has been doing better, and acid reflux is rare. I eat as much orgranic as I can, and switched to Pink Himalayan Salt. I don't feel normal, but do seem to be doing better in some ways.

I agree that Cauliflower is a great vegetable. I have cooked it until it is soft, and then pureed it with garlic, salt, and coconut oil. It is so good. I was a vegetarian for 15 years prior to switching to a plant based diet, so the transition wasn't bad. I had already stopped eating chocolate and was cutting back on sugar. My stomach hasn't been able to handle meat for 20 years, so I don't see myself ever going back to eating it. Also, my family has a history of Cancer and I have had a few issue with it, so I decided to stay away from dairy. The China Study is interesting to read to understand the link between dairy and Cancer.

I use Organic tumeric in my smoothies for inflammation, but I usually end up pouring a little too much in.

I did find the article below that recommends 1-3 grams a day of dried/powedered tumeric.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/385952-how-much-turmeric-to-take/

Forgot to mention that I have been sighing a lot over the past few months. It is as if I need a little more oxygen. I have also woken up a couple of times breathing like I have been working out. My daughter was in bed with me last night, and woke me up because I was 'creaping her out' with my strange breathing. My GP also suggested seeing a sleep specialist.

I have gained 37 lbs, even though I have increased my exercise, and changed from a vegetarian to a plant based/whole food diet. I have never had an issue with weight before this. The last time I went in to see my GP she confirmed that I have edema. I have seen an Endocrinologist, and my free cortisol level got up to 56, but dropped back down to 27. I have a follow up next month to check my level again in case I am developing Cushing's Syndrome. I have changed birth control pills to see if that will reset something, but so far, no improvement. My GP is concerned about my heart, and if things don't improve soon or get better, she is going to order an ultrasound of my heart. Most of my weight gain is in my midsection, and I get very bloated. I honestly look like I did when I was about to give birth to my daughter 10 years ago. I also experience early satiety. I also have an appointment with my Gastroenterologist, Gynecologist, and Cardiologist next month. Hopefully someone will be able to figure out something soon. I was taking Lexapro when the weight gain started, but switched to Zoloft, but the change didn't help.

I tried a gluten free diet for four months, but it didn't change anything. I also didn't test positive for celiac, or gluten sensitivity.

I have been diagnosed with extremely dry eyes, but the doctors can't explain the issue with slow refocusing when I change what I am looking at, or the video camera vision when I am walking. The dry eyes, and blurred vision I have also experienced are associated with Dysautonomia.

I have been taking Atenolol for over a year. I am supposed to take 50mg twice a day, but I can't tolerate the morning pill with the fatigue I already have. So, I have been taking 50mg at night. I have gained 35lbs during this time, and am dealing with a lot of swelling in my legs, abdomen, face, neck, hands, and arms. My stomach looks like I am nine months pregnant most of the time, and I experience early satiety daily. When I walk to the shuttle after sitting at work, my calves and shins hurt to the point I have to force myself to make it to the shuttle. My GP diagnosed me with edema this week, and if things don't improve, she wants me to have an ultrasound of my heart. I am waiting to hear back from my cardiologist for his opinion. I also take a low dose of Zoloft, and Klonopin, but the doctors don't think the medications are the issue. I just changed my birth control pills to see if that helps. I do find exercise helps with the swelling, but it is only temporary. I eat a low sodium, plant based, whole food diet, so my doctors are baffled as to what is causing the weight gain and swelling.

I experienced blurred vision in my left eye for the first few months of having Dysautonomia symptoms. I finally saw in the mirror that my left pupil was dilated, and wouldn't change regardless of the amount of light. I read that the ANS controls pupil dilation, which I am guessing is why it happened. I have other vision issues, but the pupil issue resolved itself.

I forget names on a daily basis, and friends and family are used to reminding me of what I was talking about. My brain just blanks out mid sentence. I went to the grocery store to buy two items last week, but as soon as I started to walk down an isle, I forgot why I was there. I just walked around the store until I finally remembered what I needed. I have even had times when I have been driving and don't recognize where I am, or forget where I am going. I have learned to stay calm until I can remember. I have to take lots of notes at work, and even then I may not remember what I meant. I used to be able to get so much done, but between the brain fog, memory issues, and fatigue, I get very little done.

I do. Sometimes it is more of a cold burning on the skin of my left arm. I have had burning on the skin of my legs below my knees when walking. Sometimes it is in spots, other times it is my entire calf and/or shin after I have been sitting for a while. Last night I was jogging in a short sleeved shirt, and the cold made the skin on my arms burn and turn bright red.

krystal: I am taking a low dose at night before I go to bed. My doctor wanted me to start taking it to calm my nervous system and brain, and to help me sleep better. I went off of it for about a week, and started having a scary episode that had finally stopped. I was having an issue with feeling like my brain was shutting off, and I may lose consciousness. An EEG showed that I have some abnormal activity on the left side of my brain, but not bad enough to be a seizure. Once I went back on the medication, the episodes stopped again.

My doctors knew that I had some form of Dysautonomia, but didn't understand why compression stockings, Midodrine, and Fludrocortisone made my symptoms a lot worse. I finally went to an ANS specialist out of state, and he said that my blood pressure increases, not decreases, and that I needed to lower it. So, I have been taking a beta blocker, SSRI, and Klonopin, which has helped. I still deal with symptoms daily, but it is better. The tilt table test indicated that my vagus nerve was being triggered, but the stress test is what showed that my blood pressure goes up to 200/100 without medication. Many doctors are familiar with orthostatic hypotension, but not hypertension.

I have been working with my GP and Endocrinologist to determine why I have had sudden weight gain. I am hyper not hypo, so I am not taking Florinef. I am taking Atenolol, Zoloft, and Klonopin. I have always been thin, so it is really strange. I eat a plant based diet, and exercise. My fatigue has been getting worse since the first of the year, which makes me think that something is brewing. My free cortisol level has been 31, 56, and then 27. I am going back in a couple of months to retest to see if I have Cushing's Syndrome/Disease.

I did notice the weight gain started after I started taking Lexapro. I asked that I switch to Zoloft. The weight gain has stopped but I can't lose the 35lbs I had already gained.

Seeing an Endocrinologist doesn't hurt.

December 28, 2011. This article gives me hope.

I am currently being tested for Cushing's by an Endocrinologist. I was diagnosed with Dysautonomia in 2012. I started gaining weight in my midsection, breasts, shoulders, and face last summer, have had issues with muscle and bone weakness, memory and attention issues, high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, issues with my menstrual cycles, and extreme fatigue. My Gynecologist did multiple tests and ruled out polyps and fibroids. I am now 35lbs above my normal weight. I am 42 years old and my weight has never been an issue. I eat a plant based whole food diet, and exercise, so my GP is baffled. I do have symptoms of hyperpots, and was told by the ANS specialist that I have too much adrenalin being produced, but nothing official has been diagnosed. Cushing's can be in the form of a syndrome or disease. It has specific symptoms, and is related to the pituitary, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands. There is a 24 hour urine test, blood test, and saliva test that can be done to determine if Cushing's is even a possibility. I am waiting on the results of a second urine test, and saliva test now. I am also being tested for Acromegaly (very rare/very unlikely), and having T3 and T4 levels checked.

So, they POTS and Cushing's is different, and there is a link to prolactin and pituitary issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cushing's_syndrome

https://www.emoryhealthcare.org/pituitary/disorders-tumors/index.html

I had a bad reaction to the flashing lights during my EEG. The faster they got, the worse the reaction got. I was having a feeling like my brain was turning off, and that I would pass out at any time. I didn't ask the person doing the test to stop, because I wanted to see what was happening with my brain. There was unusual activity on the left side of my brain, but it was still in the normal range. The neurologist doesn't think it is seizure related. I have found that a low dose of Klonopin helps. It took a while for the weird feeling to stop once I started driving, and there was flashing sunlight from trees, or reflecting from other cars, but it has improved. I went off of the Klonopin for about a week, and started having issues again. So, I went back on it.

I found out that I have high cortisol, and glucose levels, and am seeing an Endocrinologist next week. My GP thinks I may have Cushing Syndrome due to my unexplained weight gain, where the weight gain is, and due to some of my symptoms.

I got my Cortisol level results back, and on a scale of 4-23 it was 31. So, I have been referred to an Endocrinologist. I am doing the 24 hour urine test today, and will hopefully have the result in a few days.

Gemma - I wanted to follow up with you on what you have found since you started this discussion.

I have Dysautonomia (started two years ago-diagnosed a year ago), and was told that my sympathetic nervous system is triggering too much adrenaline to be produced. I went to see my GP this week to talk to her about my steady increase in weight since last summer, and she agreed that there is an issue. I have gained 30 lbs. in a little over a year. I have never had a weight issue, and lost all of the weight after I had my daughter 10 years ago. Based on my diet and exercise, I should be quite skinny (according to the doctor). The doctor ordered the following tests:

CBC

Vitamin B12

Comp. Metabolic

Cortisol, Serum

TFT/TSH (reflex test)

Vit-D

24 Hour Urine Free Cortisol

I have gained most of my weight in my abdomen, and have a round face, which are both signs of high cortisol levels, and Cushing Syndrome. I don’t know if the medications I have been on have caused an issue, or if the adrenaline is causing an issue.

Putting your feet in hot water while placing a cold pack on the back of the neck can help with migraines. I was also told by a nurse that putting an ice pack on the throat while putting a heating pad on the ears when having referred pain after tonsil surgery can help with pain. She said it confuses the nervous system. So, I can see how that could work.

My tinnitus comes and goes in both ears. I haven’t found anything that helps, other than time. It was a lot worse last year, but has improved.