INCREASED HEART RATE, DIZZINES, LIGHTHEADEDNESS, WEAKNESS AND LOSS OF BALANCE AFTER 1 HOUR NAPS

[lauluce]

Hi, I'm new here, my name is Laureano and I'm from Argentina. I've had CFS for 14 years being now 28 years old. I've got many symptoms, but one I've never found information about is the one described in this post title. When I wake up after a night sleep lasting 6, 7 or 8 hours, I don´t experience this symptoms, but when I wake up from a nap I always take from 14:00 to 15:00 hours (when I come back from work), 8 of 10 times I experience this symptoms just after waking up. The symptoms appear even if I still lie in my bed, it isn't necessary to stand up for them to show up; and if doesn't matter if I stand up slowly, first sitting and the standing up. Once I registered 130 beats per minute, when normally I'm 90 beats per minute, and I suppose it should be even lower while sleeping. Anybody has a clue about what this could mean, I would be very grateful to anybody who could answer

 

[Bethany13]

Hey Lauluce,
My name is Bethany and I am from way down here in south Georgia. I have had autonomic dysfunction for about a yr now and currently have tons of symtoms, that no doctor can figure out why. One of my symptoms is waking up to rapid heartbeats after a nap,usually pounding out my chest sometimes I can see it its so fast. I also feel as if I have a fever and am burning up,Im a very cold natured person so this is very strange for me.So with that said I am in the same boat as you. After reading other forums Ive read sometimes it can be anxiety, that could be one of your problems?

 

[lauluce]

Thank you for your answer bethany, we are apparently in the same boat indeed, except for the feeling of fever, despite when I'm fatigued I also feel hotter than normal. I doubt its anxiety in my case, since this happens on very good days psychologically speaking and also on bad days, when I've had some problem at work for example, it doesn't correlate to anxiety levels in me, is is that way in you? My best guess is that my body has problems changing the way the cardiovascular system works, having trouble to swap between "sleep mode" and "non sleep mode". Indeed, this changes clearly must happen, a normal person changes his blood pressure and heart rate when he's sleeping, and also, I guess, the cardio system doesn't have to work that much to bring blood to the upper body, not having to fight gravity as it does when one is awake.
One question, how did your doctors diagnose you with autonomic dysfunction? what are the tests? I'm pretty sure I've got that, but I'm fighting against lack of knowledge in this part of the world. Maybe some one else can give some insight on these symptoms in this boards. Bye!

 

[Valentijn]

@lauluce - Have you checked your glucose levels after one of these episodes? I seem to recall that dropping blood sugar can cause an adrenaline surge, or something like that.

It also might be worthwhile to get norepinephrine and epinephrine levels checked. Cortisol also might be a culprit.

 

[lauluce]

uhm, my cortisol was fine last time, and I gess norepineprine and epinephrine where normal when I tested, but that was like 8 years ago, 6 years before this nap symptoms appeared. Do you have any text regarding the connection between this two substances and the episodes I describe to show to my doctor? he wont sent me to do any test without any sort of guide... :S

 

[justy]

Hi Lauluce - and welcome! I also have heart beating very fast plus dizziness and internal tremor if I wake after only 20 mins to a few hours after a nap or in the night. I never experience this if I have a normal nights sleep. I get it too if I nap in the afternoon. I have had this for many years and never heard of another person experiencing it.

Mine has got worse recently as I keep waking within an hour of falling asleep and the internal vibration and high ehart rate is horrible. Once I fall back to sleep all is ok and in the morning I feel fine.

Out of interest my cortisol is BELOW the normal level in the afternoon and night. and it is quite different to the 3 am waking with low blood sugar that I often experience.

Would be good to hear if anyone lese has this. Also interesting that during my remission to near normal this symptom continued.

Take care,
Justy.

 

[lauluce]

well it seems that now there are three of us with a similar symptom, guess if something good could come of this, maybe someone in the forum has answers If somebody else is experiencing this, please post it here

 

[Bethany13]

Thank you for your answer bethany, we are apparently in the same boat indeed, except for the feeling of fever, despite when I'm fatigued I also feel hotter than normal. I doubt its anxiety in my case, since this happens on very good days psychologically speaking and also on bad days, when I've had some problem at work for example, it doesn't correlate to anxiety levels in me, is is that way in you? My best guess is that my body has problems changing the way the cardiovascular system works, having trouble to swap between "sleep mode" and "non sleep mode". Indeed, this changes clearly must happen, a normal person changes his blood pressure and heart rate when he's sleeping, and also, I guess, the cardio system doesn't have to work that much to bring blood to the upper body, not having to fight gravity as it does when one is awake.
One question, how did your doctors diagnose you with autonomic dysfunction? what are the tests? I'm pretty sure I've got that, but I'm fighting against lack of knowledge in this part of the world. Maybe some one else can give some insight on these symptoms in this boards. Bye!

In my case its diffentantly not anxiety.I do have stress but, I deal with it very well I think. When I was diagnosed with automic dysfunction.I went to my cardio. doctor and explained to her all the problems I was having which are basically the same type things I am currently having just a little more now.I think based on what I explained to her she felt that is was diffiantly autonomic dysfunction.I am currently on Midodrine 5mg 3xs a day which has helped some.A lot of patients with POTS are given this to help regulate the blood circulating in the body to help with blood pressure. I have extreme high heart rates which cause me to pass out but, when I do my blood prsssure bottoms out. It is a very scary feeling! But this heart racing during naps has just started happening over the past few months, I have let my new doctor by aware of this.Thats why she is trying to find a final diagnosis since im having so many problems.

 

[lauluce]

good to hear they could diagnose you based on your description of the symptoms. Sadly, my autonomic symptoms are not so severe apparently, except after a nap, so no diagnosis yet

 

[kisekishiawase]

ive been through this too and it drives me nuts. but mine isnt only from nap but hours/minutes of sleep too sometimes. sometimes when im tired i can feel when im about to enter sleep palp kicks in. doctors i went to didnt help
from what i read it could be many things causing it. so im confused.
(anxiety is not)
i read somewhere theres a system going on in our body when we sleep and people who experience that have some glitch to it (i forgot the detail abd the site, have to check again hope i find it)
@Valentijn
i was thinking of checking my cortisol level again. i did only once saliva test it was really hard to do also. because when i got the attack i couldnt do anything and collecting saliva is hard.
the result was high but im not sure if its accurate cause i felt soreness in my mouth although i gargle with water before i was thinking if theres still acid left could effect the result. also i read we werent supposed to force the saliva out, move jaw but i did cause my saliva only came out so little.

checking blood sugar when the episode happens when waking up is also hard.
and the test to check chatecholamine seems impossible to do? i have no idea of that test.
feel hopeless.


@Bethany13 did u take tilt table test? and so about the waking up with the attack hows the solution? i also feel the hot flash sometime and adrenaline rush but i also read it could be hormonal (estrogen, progresterone, etc)

@lauluce actually many people experience that from what i google with many possible causes. still im lost and struggle to fight my issues

 

[taniaaust1]

Anyone getting dizzy after waking up should have a tilt table test done to see if you have autonomic dysfunction of some kind (dysautonomina eg POTS) or if your doctor wont do that.. do a "poor mans test" with taking the BP too..

 

[Valentijn]

@Valentijn
checking blood sugar when the episode happens when waking up is also hard.
and the test to check chatecholamine seems impossible to do? i have no idea of that test.
feel hopeless.

If you don't know someone with a blood glucose meter you can borrow, they're available dirt cheap, and usually with a few free test strips and needles included.

Catecholamines can be tested in the blood at most labs. It's also available as part of a urine test from lots of companies.

 

[kisekishiawase]

If you don't know someone with a blood glucose meter you can borrow, they're available dirt cheap, and usually with a few free test strips and needles included.

Catecholamines can be tested in the blood at most labs. It's also available as part of a urine test from lots of companies.

unfortunately i think the catecholamine test isnt available in my country :'(

 

[bertiedog]

You have reminded me that I used to experience this for possibly 10 years or more but for me the culprit was adrenals that couldn't function properly and also untreated thyroid disease. I have been on a complete replacement dose of steroids now for over 10 years plus thyroid meds and thankfully can have the odd nap at any time of the day with no problems whatsover in fact I always feel really good after and very relaxed. The dose of steroid I have to take is 6mg Prednisolone and a top up of 2.5 mg hydrocortisone late afternoon.

I recognise the internal tremor because I had that only last Friday after I had a nasty accident in the park where a large dog bolted into my legs bruising them badly and tearing the ligaments in my knee. The pain was horrendous for 2 days and all Friday evening I had that tremor in my insides and I felt so ill and stressed. Thankfully I reminded myself I was on steroids and I would need more because of the shock and pain so I took just another 2.5 mg hydrocortisone and within 30 minutes all internal tremors stopped and didn't come back. I still felt shocked and very ill and upset (couldn't stop crying for a bit) but after a bit of sleep and some Clonazapan on the night of the accident by the next day I was more normal, just had upset bowels and still terrible pain.

So I would say that what you are experiencing is definitely the adrenals not coping.

Its such a relief not to have to experience this but only on occasions when I have a really bad shock. BTW I had a similar thing 6 months ago when I fell down a hole in the park and sprained my ankle. I had an identical response and again needed just a bit extra h/c to overcome it but felt unwell for a copy of days after. Within a week my ankles had healed and I was really surprised it was so quick. Hope I will be as lucky this time!

Pam

 

[lauluce]

hi bertiedog. how did you get diagnosed with this adrenals problem? wich test did you take? I'd like to see if this is my problem too... it may well be

 

[lauluce]

unfortunately i think the catecholamine test isnt available in my country :'(

where do you live? I think even here in Argentina those tests can be done... my hearth is with you, i also feel frustrated by the lack of resources in my country

 

[kisekishiawase]

where do you live? I think even here in Argentina those tests can be done... my hearth is with you, i also feel frustrated by the lack of resources in my country

how do you get the test?

 

[lauluce]

how do you get the test?

lokk here, this is the website of "iaca" laboratories, in the city of Bahia Blanca, surely they do these same test in labs in Buenos Aires, our capital. https://www.iaca.com.ar/index.php?a..._laboratorio=7&id_especialidad=1&pagenumber=2
The test I think you're looking for are "Catecolaminas urinarias" (urinary catecholamines) and "Catecolaminas urinarias litro" (urinary catecholamines by liter). Where are you from kisekishiawase?

here is a lab in Buenos Aires where they aparently do the test:
http://www.ceusa-laeh.com.ar/indicaciones.php
just look for the word catecolamina, spanish for catecholamine