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CNS-related crashes with dominant nausea

nerd

Senior Member
Messages
863
I'm curious if any of you has the same manifestation of acute crashes as I have. Because in my case, the sequence is relatively consistent among all the incidents.

Yesterday, I had another lukewarm bath. These baths happen to change something so that I wake up early and feel ready for the day, no typical hangover feeling and no typical burning throat. So I stood up early because I felt hyperactive in the bed. The whole day went smoothly until 6 pm or so when I suddenly crashed.

I've had these crashes since childhood. First, I have extreme nausea, the feeling that I'm about to vomit any moment, and stool urgency. But it's not real, just my nervous system sending false signals. So it's important that I don't give in to these feelings because it makes things even worse when I rush to the toilet. In that case, I lose consciousness after feeling that I'm about to die - probably severe anxiety despite my consciousness telling me that this is just another of many incidents like these. So I've learned to lay down instead asap. At least, it seems to keep me conscious this way.

Soon after this, my body feels like I'm freezing. Sometimes, it can be interrupted by short moments where it inverses and I feel like my whole skin is burning. But it's mostly shivering without fever. I also have tachycardia at first. Eventually, this fades when I keep laying. What I also noticed today was a very strange taste in my mouth and the back of my throat, before the crash and still ongoing. Soon after the crash, I also feel very thirsty, this can last longer. It's a fake thirst.

Does anyone have the same or a similar manifestation of their crashes?

I was in a hospital three times because of this. The third time, they at least checked my blood. They found elevated D-Dimers. I wonder if this is sort of a thrombotic issue or hemolytic anemia that causes a serotonin syndrome like Covid-19 does. I looked through the range of nausea medications because that's my earliest symptom. You can find anti-cholinergic, anti-muscarinergic, anti-histaminic, and and anti-serotonic medications among them. Each of these mechanisms can be linked to the pathophysiology of ME. Any guesses which might the best explanation for a mechanism that causes stomach-unrelated nausea, gut-unrelated stool urgency, taste changes and thirst, and temperature missense or dysautonomia?

Another typical explanation would be the vagus nerve. People with acute life-threatening conditions can experience the same early signs, like for a heart attack. As a contrast, however, I've already made the experience of renal colics, which I would describe as the worst pain I have ever endured - not even opioids would help against it. Obviously, this triggers the vagus nerve as well. But not even this was comparable. The nausea was there, but not as dominant. No anxiety or shivering either. So if it is the vagus nerve, what activates it in such an overt manner?
 
Last edited:

Pyrrhus

Senior Member
Messages
4,172
Location
U.S., Earth
Yesterday, I had another lukewarm bath. These baths happen to change something so that I wake up early and feel ready for the day, no typical hangover feeling

I get a similar experience.
If I don't get two warm baths per day, I wake up the next morning feeling worse...


I've had these crashes since childhood. First, I have extreme nausea, the feeling that I'm about to vomit any moment, and stool urgency.
I lose consciousness after feeling that I'm about to die
What I also noticed today was a very strange taste in my mouth and the back of my throat, before the crash and still ongoing. Soon after the crash, I also feel very thirsty, this can last longer.
Any guesses which might the best explanation for a mechanism that causes stomach-unrelated nausea, gut-unrelated stool urgency, taste changes and thirst, and temperature missense or dysautonomia?

Could these be focal seizures?

Focal seizures can come with an "aura", such as strange tastes and nausea, before the seizure:
https://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/seizure-with-aura
 

Judee

Psalm 46:1-3
Messages
4,500
Location
Great Lakes
I've had these crashes since childhood. First, I have extreme nausea, the feeling that I'm about to vomit any moment, and stool urgency. But it's not real, just my nervous system sending false signals. So it's important that I don't give in to these feelings because it makes things even worse when I rush to the toilet. In that case, I lose consciousness after feeling that I'm about to die - probably severe anxiety despite my consciousness telling me that this is just another of many incidents like these.

So is it possible that you are having an IBS flair? Are you eating dairy or some type of fiber or nuts/seeds before this happens? I know two people who have IBS flairs that cause them to lose consciousness on the toilet. I've come close but not actually passed out. (Chocolate also used to do this to me but not anymore.)

Soon after this, my body feels like I'm freezing. Sometimes, it can be interrupted by short moments where it inverses and I feel like my whole skin is burning. But it's mostly shivering without fever.

This could be a shock reaction. I get very, very cold at least one time a day and then like you I almost always have to go lay down. Usually under an electric blanked piled up with additional comforters and blankets on top.

I've gotten up to 9 layers now between the blankets and my clothing layers...even a couple pairs of socks, mittens and a hood. Your warm bath may be acting in a similar way.

Our internal thermostats may not be able to self-reset.

I take a nap then if I can and am usually finally warm by the time I wake. I didn't used to layer so much when I slept. (Maybe just 5 layers before.) I've noticed I wake feeling a bit better with the additional layers now.

also have tachycardia at first. Eventually, this fades when I keep laying. What I also noticed today was a very strange taste in my mouth and the back of my throat, before the crash and still ongoing. Soon after the crash, I also feel very thirsty, this can last longer. It's a fake thirst.

What happens with the IBS flairs is the intestines either swell suddenly or are cramping nearly shut. I wonder if that's why you're getting the tachy and the sudden thirst. You body may be trying to help flush the intestines and having to draw it from your bodily tissues. Perhaps the cramping is also affecting the blood flow to your heart??

Does the strange taste feel like stomach acid back up (reflux)? If things are not moving in the right direction, they start to back up sorta like a traffic jam.

Anyway, just an idea. I could be way off but I thought I'd mention it.
 

nerd

Senior Member
Messages
863
I get a similar experience.
If I don't get two warm baths per day, I wake up the next morning feeling worse...

Your warm bath may be acting in a similar way.

I meant lukewarm, so the middle spot between cold and warm. This seems to trigger something. I suspect that it triggers EBV or a herpes virus to reactivate and the immune suppression from this alleviates some of my symptoms for a limited time. One day after, so today, my throat feels swollen and inflamed, more than normally. Also having issues with my sight, like that I can't clearly see what is right of the center point on both eyes. But this might be unrelated.

Before my keto diet, I also used to rely on warm baths more because I often felt too cold. The keto diet changed this for the most part.

Could these be focal seizures?

I have no idea. During my first hospital stay, they also suspected a seizure but they couldn't trigger it with their typical methods, so there was no way to verify it.

What happens with the IBS flairs is the intestines either swell suddenly or are cramping nearly shut.

Perhaps, it might be mast cell related. I remember now that I tried a new wheat-free soy sauce the two days before, not much though. The histamine might trigger the mast cells and cause inflammation. Or it's a reaction to the soy.

Does the strange taste feel like stomach acid back up (reflux)?

Definitely not. I remember having these.

Thanks guys, I guess I'll just try different anti-nausea medications and see what works best. Maybe this tells more about the mechanism.