Hi, I'm new to the forum, but not to Lyme. Came down with it in early March 2008 and was diagnosed in July 2008. Took 23 days of doxy in July-Aug. 2008, but wasn't cured. Been on Penicillin VK for almost 3 months now.
Since last October I have been having a problem with early morning adrenaline surges/heart palpitations. I'm awakened in the early morning (usually around 5 a.m.), sometimes out of a sound sleep, with a surging feeling followed by a racing heart--sometimes when I awake my heart is already racing. Once the heart starts to slow down, I get the shakes for 10 or 15 minutes.
I've ended up in the ER three times due to this. I've had EKG's, an echocardiogram and all kinds of blood work. Everything always looks fine. My cardiologist has me on Inderal LA, which seemed to have calmed things down for a while.
However, I've had it happen twice this week already. It's not fun--it's a very scary feeling.
Anybody else have this, and if so, have they been able to determine the cause? I'm convinced that it has something to do with Lyme.
Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
I got the same feelings. I woke around the same time. I felt cold when I got the shakes, so I would run a hot bath right away. In my case, it was happening on a daily basis as was scary every time.
For me I thought it was toxicity since I could go back to sleep with certain supplements. I felt very toxic and anxious when it happened as well. I'm not sure if this is the case for yourself.
Now I have severe stomach pain awakening me as well. I have all the symptoms of a duodenal ulcer, and I've wondered if that was the cause all along.
Do you have belching and epigastric pain as well? Epigastric pain feels like chest pain to me. The pain also makes my heart race.
Posted by Tif (Member # 12701) on :
There are many things that can cause this, and my case is certainly not like everyone's but I have experienced this at very extreme levels for a long time.............I have spent years trying to get answers as to why this was happening to me;
it is ALWAYS worse upon waking. For the first time in 15 years, I am getting a bit of relief since I have started replacement for my adrenals.
I have seen probably 15 dr's for this specific issue over the years. Unfortunately, had it been caught sooner, I might have been able to salvage my adrenals. As it is now, I have full blown Addison's disease and will be on replacement from here on out.
Listen to your body; you know if something is not right............
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Learn how to control hypoglycemia and eat a protein snack before bed.
Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :
Likewise for me.
I had horrendous anxiety and adrenaline surges, felt nuts, my whole life turned upside down out of nowhere, I felt like a different person-literally.
Turned out my adrenal glands had completely failed and like Tif I had full blown Addison's once it was finally caught.
I think anyone suffering from bad anxiety or the overall inability to deal with stress should request that their adrenal glands be looked into.
I wish I had known earlier. Mine is autoimmune, but I still could have had a fighting chance and at the very least I wouldn't have almost ended up dead and in a total mental/physical breakdown that I am still digging myself out of.
I am not trying to be overdramatic-it was seriously the worst time of my life (and thats saying something lol) and I feel it could've been completely avoided.
It makes me sad to realize how much the adrenal glands are ignored-I really wish I myself had paid better attention, but at the very least it would be nice if doctors in general paid more attention to the lesser known organs/glands.
Posted by ott70 (Member # 18237) on :
I get them too, although not as bad lately. I assume it's adrenaline, although I never felt ramped up like a classic adrenaline surge. My experience is a rushing/flashing sensation through my chest and sometimes up into my head.
Generally in the morning for me upon waking and sometimes during the day or evening.
Had my hormones tested a couple of times when feeling this way and the numbers would come back in range, for the most part. High dopamine once, but that was back in range last time I had tests.
Maybe I'll try that protein snack suggestion. And I agree with the adrenal support, as that always seems to help me.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- You may already know this but it is the most important thing to first consider: ASPARTAME and MSG can cause a toxic neuro hyper-excitability. Google both for all their names and avoid even a trace. Check all your labels, even breath mints and toothpaste.
========
A racing heart rate (and the follow up "shaking") can indicate severe magnesium / calcium deficiency.
It can also be from too many circulating toxins (neuro hyperexcitability) - so liver support is essential, as is attention to adrenal support and blood glucose stability as many suggest.
A snack of Quinoa before bed may help. See www.marysgonecrackers.com for gluten-free whole grain crackers.
-------- MAJOR REFERENCE LIST FOR SUPPLEMENTS:
This is included in Burrascano's Guidelines, but you may want to be able to refer to it separately, too:
A recently published study investigated the effects of curcumin, a constituent of the botanical turmeric, on changes in cognition and memory caused by stress. . . .
. . . In this new study, researchers investigated the effect of curcumin supplementation on stress-induced learning defects in mice. . . .
. . . In addition, curcumin reversed the stress-induced increase in the levels of serum corticosterone, the primary hormone secreted during the stress response. . . .
. . . its neuroprotective effect was mediated in part by normalizing the corticosterone response, resulting in down-regulating of the phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin kinase II and glutamate receptor levels.'' . . . -
Posted by LymeGoAway (Member # 25041) on :
Thanks for your responses everyone.
Canefan17's response got me to thinking about hypoglycemia. I remembered seeing something about that in connection with the warnings about Inderal. I did some research, and sure enough, hypoglycemia is a rare side effect of beta blockers.
Now I'm wondering if the Inderal is part of my problem. I'm going to put a call into my cardiologist.
Has anyone had a problem with low blood sugar while on a beta blocker?