Adrenaline After Surgery, Not Being Able To Sleep

[scarlettsmum]

I'm two days after surgery, I had opened stomach wall muscles and a hernia that had to be fixed. I was under general anaesthetics and had a paracetamol suppository, and ibuprofen today and didn't think it did much for me in terms of pain relief and I refused opiates since the pain was bearable. I am battling a major adrenalin stress reaction from the surgery itself, plus not being to able eat before and after the surgery and difficulty eating now because of all the tight bandages over my stomach that is preventing me from sleeping and I have all the physical symptoms of feeling light headed, needing to go to the toilet, cold extremities whilst also flushed cheeks (perhaps due to lack of sleep last night) as well as racing heart. I was considering pregnenolone on Haidut's recommendation but since I never used it before I didn't want to experiment with it when most vulnerable. What do you think would stop the adrenaline reaction best and would help me sleep at the same time? Should I reach for cypro or Benadryl ?

 

[CoolTweetPete]

I'm two days after surgery, I had opened stomach wall muscles and a hernia that had to be fixed. I was under general anaesthetics and had a paracetamol suppository, and ibuprofen today and didn't think it did much for me in terms of pain relief and I refused opiates since the pain was bearable. I am battling a major adrenalin stress reaction from the surgery itself, plus not being to able eat before and after the surgery and difficulty eating now because of all the tight bandages over my stomach that is preventing me from sleeping and I have all the physical symptoms of feeling light headed, needing to go to the toilet, cold extremities whilst also flushed cheeks (perhaps due to lack of sleep last night) as well as racing heart. I was considering pregnenolone on Haidut's recommendation but since I never used it before I didn't want to experiment with it when most vulnerable. What do you think would stop the adrenaline reaction best and would help me sleep at the same time? Should I reach for cypro or Benadryl ?

Clonidine strongly antagonizes adrenaline. If you don't have that on-hand on I think Cypro would help.

I have seen reports of peoples adrenal responses being exacerbated when using pregnenolone without food, so it might not be the best course of action for you while you're finding it difficult to eat.

 

[scarlettsmum]

Clonidine strongly antagonizes adrenaline. If you don't have that on-hand on I think Cypro would help.

I have seen reports of peoples adrenal responses being exacerbated when using pregnenolone without food, so it might not be the best course of action for you while you're finding it difficult to eat.

Thanks for letting me know. I will ask for cypro. Interesting about pregnenolone, I'm really pleased now that I haven't experimented with it in this instance!

 

[tara]

Are you able to drink juice or other sweet drinks now to get some sustenance in? And salty broth?
Cold feet are stressful - maybe a foot soak with some Mg sulphate?
Shaking, yawning, and making a noise?
Breathing exercises or meditation?

 

[scarlettsmum]

Are you able to drink juice or other sweet drinks now to get some sustenance in? And salty broth?
Cold feet are stressful - maybe a foot soak with some Mg sulphate?
Shaking, yawning, and making a noise?
Breathing exercises or meditation?

Hi Tara,
Yes, I have made a lg pot of oxtail stock, have been drinking two - three cups of pure broth both days. I also have a litre of both OJ and milk by my bedside.:) As well as some dark chocs for more calories and a carrot to help me go since I have to spend most day in the bed. I'm going home tomorrow so could try Epsom salt feet soak, that's a good idea. What is this shaking, yawning and making a noise? I though these things deplete CO2 and therefore to be avoided? Please enlighten me. Thank you!

 

[tara]

What is this shaking, yawning and making a noise? I though these things deplete CO2 and therefore to be avoided? Please enlighten me. Thank you!

This is not from Peat.

My thinking here is that stored physical tension can be tied to fear and stress, and that these can keep adrenaline high even after an acute crisis is over. So anything that helps dissipate fear and other stress might make it easier to relax physically and hopefully lower adrenaline levels as the system gets the message that the crisis is now over. There is discussion elsewhere about trembling and shaking. I think yawning can sometimes help relax physical tension, and sometimes yelling about current pain can help reduce it's power - or maybe biting something, as Peat has mentioned. Ways to get the stresses off rather than store them up for the longer term.

But as you say, there is a risk of lowering CO2 in the short term, which may well not be helpful. In th e llonger term, releasing stress should improve relaxation and therefore CO2 levels. Perhaps the short-term risk can be mitigated by short breath holds in between? I'd like to have a better understanding of how to make these two processes work together rather than counteract each other. Maybe it's about relaxing really thoroughly, rather than clenching to withstand pain and hold in the releases?

 

[Tarmander]

I would avoid the pregnenolone. After experimenting with it, I find its destress action works very well when you are not super stressed to begin with. This is just my own theory, but I see it as a substance that increases an already lowered stress state, which then leads to a life with less and less stress. But it does not work all that well at flipping your polarity from one of stressed to relaxed. B3 and MB seem to do that much better for me.

 

[DaveFoster]

Don't take clonidine. Ever. Unless prescribed. Don't take any drugs without consulting your doctor.

Anti-histamines will help, as will anything that serves as a GABA agonist (Valium, Attivan, Klonopin, Xanax, niacinamide, glycine, etc.). Short-term you may want to talk to your doctor about one of these drugs.

Cyproheptadine will help restore your appetite and improve your sleep, but be sure to only eat when you're hungry. Also, keep in mind that after you discontinue cyproheptadine, your appetite will be reduced temporarily.

 

[scarlettsmum]

Thanks guys so much for all your help!! I just wish I could get something fast enough. I probably feel safest with cypro from what I learnt here on the forum, I will just have to wait until it arrives and try to manage adrenalin with food or some sort of relaxation technique as Tara describes.

And another question: I ran out of OJ this morning so reached out for milk and had a major adrenaline surge, I am a bit confused by it as I thought that milk was a complete food? Fortunately I had sugar near by the hospital bedside, so I dumped both packets in a small amount of fruit tea and that saved me, stopped the racing heart immediately. Is this normal then? Is milk considered a protein on its own and therefore should always be consumed with some form of sugar? Thank you!

 

[InChristAlone]

I can't tolerate milk by itself. I know lots of others that can't either. Its very insulinogenic and will drop blood sugar. You may even need to take milk with a meal to prevent the crash. Hope you heal up fast

 

[scarlettsmum]

I can't tolerate milk by itself. I know lots of others that can't either. Its very insulinogenic and will drop blood sugar. You may even need to take milk with a meal to prevent the crash. Hope you heal up fast

Thank you, Janelle. I will make sure to pair it up with some sugar next time.