Has Anyone Experienced This? Could It Be Related To Cortisol?

Blossom

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I am. If I were to lay down and try to fall asleep this very moment, I would wake up immediately with palpitations. Then I begin to feel pain around the upper chambers of my heart, as though they are fatiguing from beating at excessive rates. With that comes a spreading burning sensation through my skin. It's feels like cortisol or adrenaline is reaching the heart, triggering palpitations and then being pumped through the blood to the tissues and causing hot flashes.
Have you had an ECG or worn a holter monitor to verify a-fib?
 
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Have you had an ECG or worn a holter monitor to verify a-fib?

I had an entire battery of tests when I was still insured, that was in 2014. Only problem is, I was taking the benzodiazepines and SSRI at the time, so it prevented whatever was causing it. When I did the stress test on the treadmill, everything came back good.
 

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How long has this been going on? Have you checked your blood pressure and temperature during these episodes? Any wheezing? Some of those symptoms are quite concerning, you may want to get insured just for a short time and get worked up. I agree the Holter may be helpful.
 
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I have not, and I wasn't aware this was even a thing. When I was around 15 years old I actually had episodes where I would wake up in the morning, and head to the bathroom. I would immediately experience a racing heart (not palpitations, but an actual pulse probably around 180bpm), vision would go black, and I would pass out. If I sat down before that point, my heart would slow and vision would slowly return. My doctor found nothing wrong, and attributed it to vitamins that I was taking (one-a-day).
 
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How long has this been going on? Have you checked your blood pressure and temperature during these episodes? Any wheezing? Some of those symptoms are quite concerning, you may want to get insured just for a short time and get worked up. I agree the Holter may be helpful.

I haven't been able to check blood pressure, however, temp is usually in the low, to mid 96 range.

No wheezing, but I can feel what seems to be every artery, vessel and capillary building pressure. The veins in my arms pop out and I can feel pressure on the side of my neck, which is accompanied by a sweat and burning skin feeling. There is also a pressure in my nose and ears, that will give a popping sensation, similar to that of cabin pressure change during a flight, and then it will pour blood.
 

Luckytype

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I have not, and I wasn't aware this was even a thing. When I was around 15 years old I actually had episodes where I would wake up in the morning, and head to the bathroom. I would immediately experience a racing heart (not palpitations, but an actual pulse probably around 180bpm), vision would go black, and I would pass out. If I sat down before that point, my heart would slow and vision would slowly return. My doctor found nothing wrong, and attributed it to vitamins that I was taking (one-a-day).

Orthostatic hypotension. Happens to a majority of people when all vessels are relaxed, you stand, blood dumps with gravity, HR gets driven up to maintain pressure, sometimes gravity wins.

To combat this as an experiment people can literally stand up and begin calf raising or squatting up and down. The muscles act as a pump faster than HR can respond and you avoid the faint like effects.

Im surprised your doc never even mentioned this. Ive never once heard of it being vitamin related unless you megadosed niacin and had a massive vasodilation type response which would likely take a couple mins and last more than a couple minutes. You would likely also have a pretty big skin flush all over

You could also do the lying to standing in 2 or 3 steps, sit up and wait, swing legs and wait etc
 
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Orthostatic hypotension. Happens to a majority of people when all vessels are relaxed, you stand, blood dumps with gravity, HR gets driven up to maintain pressure, sometimes gravity wins.

To combat this as an experiment people can literally stand up and begin calf raising or squatting up and down. The muscles act as a pump faster than HR can respond and you avoid the faint like effects.

Im surprised your doc never even mentioned this. Ive never once heard of it being vitamin related unless you megadosed niacin and had a massive vasodilation type response which would likely take a couple mins and last more than a couple minutes. You would likely also have a pretty big skin flush all over

You could also do the lying to standing in 2 or 3 steps, sit up and wait, swing legs and wait etc

I wish that were still the case. What is happening now is nothing like that.

At this very moment I'm having discomfort in my neck, left and right arm are weak with dull throbbing in my left shoulder and upper arm. Blood pressure is 121 over 89 with a irregular (AF) pulse of 94bpm. Temp is 96.1°, though I feel like 102° with light sweating, in a room that is 72°
with the ceiling fan on.
 

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What about trying topical magnesium, i.e., magnesium oil, which is just magnesium chloride dissolved in water. It might help the heart issue and would be a way to increase your magnesium levels without causing any gi distress.
 

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I wish that were still the case. What is happening now is nothing like that.

At this very moment I'm having discomfort in my neck, left and right arm are weak with dull throbbing in my left shoulder and upper arm. Blood pressure is 121 over 89 with a irregular (AF) pulse of 94bpm. Temp is 96.1°, though I feel like 102° with light sweating, in a room that is 72°
with the ceiling fan on.

That also seems like hypothyroid and adrenal issues
 

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@Uncaged, have you tried bag breathing for a minute or two when these episodes occur to see if it helps? I think it's worth trying just too see if it helps your symptoms until you can get to the root cause.
 
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What about trying topical magnesium, i.e., magnesium oil, which is just magnesium chloride dissolved in water. It might help the heart issue and would be a way to increase your magnesium levels without causing any gi distress.

I was just trying to find out if there is a way to go to the ER or urgent care and have them administer intravenous magnesium sulfate.

I have the ancient mineral oil, but it causes severe itching that last for a few days.
 
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That also seems like hypothyroid and adrenal issues

I concur. When I began taking small doses of cynomel (every hour) last year, along with 3 forms of magnesium, but wasn't drinking milk, temps started to rise and I didn't have the palpitations. Then I ran out of magnesium supplements and thyroid, but couldn't afford more right away, with working small side jobs.
 
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@Uncaged, have you tried bag breathing for a minute or two when these episodes occur to see if it helps? I think it's worth trying just too see if it helps your symptoms until you can get to the root cause.

I've tried buteyko breathing while it's occuring and I feel like I'm suffocating (more so than the normal effect of buteyko.
 

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I have found that, at least for me, some topical products I tolerate better if I first apply some kind of oil to my skin first.

Magnesium sulfate is Epsom salts. How do you do with an Epsom salts bath?
 

Blossom

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I've tried buteyko breathing while it's occuring and I feel like I'm suffocating (more so than the normal effect of buteyko.
With bag breathing you will rebreathe your own co2 and you stop as soon as it starts to become slightly uncomfortable. Buteyko allows your co2 to gradually build up because you are not exhaling as much. I personally think in a state of acute anxiety/panic/ adrenaline surge bag breathing could break the cycle rapidly. We tend to hyperventilate during stress and I think with some people trying to not breathe can backfire and increase the stress. With bag breathing you are not overriding your instinct to breathe but you are still increasing co2. I'm not a buteyko expert whatsoever but I view it more as an art and skill that's slowly developed over time and bag breathing more as a quick intervention.
 
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I have found that, at least for me, some topical products I tolerate better if I first apply some kind of oil to my skin first.

Magnesium sulfate is Epsom salts. How do you do with an Epsom salts bath?

I actually do well with Epsom salt in a bath. My only concern is the exceptionally high chlorine/chlorimide levels is the water here.
 
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With bag breathing you will rebreathe your own co2 and you stop as soon as it starts to become slightly uncomfortable. Buteyko allows your co2 to gradually build up because you are not exhaling as much. I personally think in a state of acute anxiety/panic/ adrenaline surge bag breathing could break the cycle rapidly. We tend to hyperventilate during stress and I think with some people trying to not breathe can backfire and increase the stress. With bag breathing you are not overriding your instinct to breathe but you are still increasing co2. I'm not a buteyko expert whatsoever but I view it more as an art and skill that's slowly developed over time and bag breathing more as a quick intervention.

That makes sense. I'll try the bag instead and see how that works. I appreciate the perspective, Blossom.
 

Blossom

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That makes sense. I'll try the bag instead and see how that works. I appreciate the perspective, Blossom.
I hope you find relief. I think getting magnesium in a way you can tolerate sounds good too. Sometimes it takes trying different things and getting lots of input before we finally figure things out. The holter monitor couldn't hurt if it's feasible to get a physician who would be willing order the test.
 

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