Adrenals?

Hi,
I was an active member here a few years ago. I'm having some weird symptoms again. I'm not sure if this is a co-infection or thyroid related or something else. I was sick really a really really bad cold a few weeks ago. It lasted over a week. Had some residual coughing for a few more weeks after that.

Last week I was feeling off, and then had some weird symptoms, which in actually experiencing now actually. My muscles, especially in my legs hurt and feel tight. My heart rate is up and I'm having some palpations, I think my BP is up too. I was thinking maybe it's my blood sugar or something like that. I'm not diabetic but I know I'm sort of heading in that direction. Then I thought maybe it's my adrenals crashing.

I don't know anymore. I'm going to see my regular doctor on Monday the 1st. If it is my adrenals, I'm gonna have to see my llmd. I feel like this is something residual from the cold I had. Maybe it triggered something. Or maybe it's Thyroid related because since I was diagnosed with like I've had thyroid issues ever since.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Wow. Thanks. Yeah, I can't explain it, but it feels like my adrenals are working overtime. I started drinking an adrenal cocktail to see if it would help. And sort of, yes it has helped. Can I ask, what else you do for your crash?

Blood pressure can be affected by adrenals, too high or too low. High when they're starting to fail I believe, because mine is chronically low. If you have thyroid problems you're bound to have adrenal problems because they're intertwined.

Thanks jb1994. I'm trying to be careful with taking my BP, because if I take it and it's too high or low I might freak out and have an anxiety attack. It was okay the last few days. Today since I was feeling bad or was up. I know I need to be more careful. Which is easier said then done.

Hi Girlie
Long time no see.
Honestly it depends on how I feel. I checked it right now, when I stood, it went up initially and then came back down a few seconds later. But there are times when I feel aweful and everything I do makes my heart rate go up.

But a couple years ago I saw a cardiologist and they did an ultrasound of my heart and I think an EKG or something. I asked the doctor about POTS and if I had it. He said I didn't and it didn't look like Lyme was in my heart either. He explained about the chambers working fine but when there's Lyme in the heart the chambers don't work together like they should. It's been a couple years and it was quite a bit of medical speak so I can't remember it all. So I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure I don't have POTS.

Girlie,

Ever heard DNRS? I've read of some people resolving their POTS through it.

I am doing DNRS right now. I went through the online program two weeks ago. (Obviously I'm not doing it 100% perfectly because I'm on a Lyme forum, and a fundamental part of the program is not focusing on illness!) It's very promising. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it!

POTS comes and goes for me, and tends to flare when I'm feeling bad in other ways. Most cardiologists don't know anything about POTS that you can't read on the Wikipedia page, unfortunately. There are very few POTS specialists, and they tend to have very long waiting lists, and most of them are neurologists. As Girlie said, POTS is actually a neurological condition, so all cardiology tests will be fine. The diagnosis tends to be pretty straightforward - if your heart rate goes up 30 points within ten minutes of standing up, then you have some degree of POTS. Many other symptoms can go with it, like digestive issues, dizziness, headaches, leg swelling, peripheral neuropathy, and fatigue. POTS can flare with lots of other issues, like stress, lack of sleep, mild dehydration, weather patterns, and hormonal changes. The first line of treatment for the heart rate element of POTS is easy - 1.5 teaspoons of salt per day (not iodized), 3L of water per day, and compression stockings. Some people have good luck with the drugs, some have good luck with very gradual re-conditioning exercise programs, and others focus on the neurological aspect (meditation, DNRS, EFT, treating underlying infections).

I don't mean to be pushy about the POTS, it's just that doctors tend not to know about it, so I would not want a treatable part of the puzzle to go overlooked for you, if indeed you have it.

Heart rate going up when standing is normal, especially when exercising or being active, and especially when you are deconditioned from chronic illness. But going up 30 or more points just from standing up is not. Like today I'm at 68 BPM reclining. But after a one-minute bathroom visit, I'm at 110. That's POTS. It also can vary throughout the day, so later when I am better hydrated, it most likely will be more reasonable. Also, with POTS, even if my heart rate is 155, the second I lie down, it plummets back to the sixties.

No need to dwell on it, really, but maybe just something to notice. Do you ever feel lightheaded or like you might faint when you stand still, like in a line? Try taking your pulse and see how it goes. I have a pulse oximeter (the little clamshell thingie that goes on your finger) that makes this all much easier to monitor.

The nervous system stuff is a great plan, regardless! If you try the DNRS, I definitely want to know what you think, and again - I'm happy to share some of my initial impressions if you'd like. I hope that this symptom flare subsides for you very soon!

I completed the online program - 14 hours in three days - two weeks ago. Honestly I am finding it so challenging! The program itself is simple, but my brain seems to be fighting back, if that makes sense. I have been exhausted and irritable, with lots of flares in neurological symptoms. It's like my brain is saying, "You want to rewire me? We'll see about that!" and then giving me an attitude that makes it hard to do the visualizations and physical symptoms that make it hard to ignore the illness. Ugh. You see folks with traumatic brain injuries and strokes getting super depressed and angry, and I feel like now I know why - our brains fight back against being re-wired! But I am committed to continuing. I definitely believe in the science behind it. I read the Doidge book on neuroplasticity many years ago when it first came out! I can see how having a buddy would be beneficial. I'll email you and we can see if we can support each other.

Lots of replies, didnt have time to read them all.

Based on my similar experience thyroid, adrenals, blood press and glucose can be all related.

-you need free t4 and freet3 tested, high or low? >then do thyroid antibody tests after

-propranerolo is and old school BP med that works by lowering adrenal output , might help temp or long term

-high adrenals can and will elevate blood glucose by signaling the liver to dump out glucose (flight/fight mode)

-holy basil is the easiest and most afordable way to mello adrenals

-there are many adrenal tests

Re: heart rate upon standing - it’s normal for it to go up 10 - even 15 bpm when you stand but going up to 25/30 or more is not.

What happens to me - when I’m doing housework and am bending down to remove things off the floor (cat toys for eg) and then vacuuming my heart rate is 25-30 points higher and doesn’t lower because I’m continuing to do this for half an hour.
Then I find I get tired.

But if I’m sitting and then stand up - then continue to be upright , my heart rate normalizes within 5-10 minutes.
It’s the constant bending down /standing up that’s the worst for me.

Mine has gotten better with treatment...not completely yet tho