Dysautonomia/POTS symptoms worsen when my back muscles gets burnt out

[ChookityPop]

I have made this connection and it happens when I burn either my lower back and buttocks muscles og my upper back/coat hanger pain severly. I burn these muscles regularly but if I really really over do it they severe burns out and when that happens my dysautonomia/POTS symptoms worsen.

Upper back
I have burnt out my upper back muscles to the point I woke up with drop in blood pressure when I went to the bathroom at night and almost fainted. Had to lay down and couldnt go anywhere the first night and had to sleep on the floor. The next two nights I managed to get to the bed.

Lower back
This happened 3 weeks ago. I sat and stood WAY to much. I cant sit in chairs etc as I have to lay/reclined in my bed on top of a perfect constructed duvet and pillow construction not to burn out my stomach muscles.

But a family member visited and I hadnt seen him in over two years and I ended up sitting and standing up until it was too late, I often dont get any real heads up before its too late. I have this thing where Im at the doctors office waiting for my turn I sit in a chair and suddenly I need to stand up and walk since my lower back and stomach burns out if I continue to sit. So I have found this weird balance of managing my symptoms.

So now I overdid it and felt it right away. The super inflamed feeling that runs through the whole body, brainfog, trouble breathing feeling of I dont get enough oxygen etc. So after this my dysautonomia/POTS symptoms worsened. I got dizzy when standing up, fatigue and very brainfoggy. I dont have dizziness, brainfog or that bad fatigue regularly. I have pretty decent energy levels. But this still persists now going on 3 weeks Im not that dizzy but it happens on and off but Im very fatigued and still quite brainfoged. Though all these symptoms comes and goes in ways in a way.

When my muscles burns out I feel terrible. Thats my trigger to feeling worse and PEM. My symptoms do resemble myastenhia gravis and LEMS but I have negative EMG and NCS though I have not had any repetitive stimulation test.

Anyone else?

 

[splusholia]

Yes, I’ve noticed this same thing.

 

[BrightCandle]

Yep I get the same. My lower back is tweaking the past few weeks and while I feel more energetic and clearly have energy to burn to an extent from other interventions the back is worse today and I am as a whole worse too well beyond just the pain. I am not sure if the back pain is the cause or just a symptom of the condition, just another muscle group that is struggling with lack of energy and thus much more prone to injury and much slower to heal.

 

[sb4]

Perhaps it relates to neck posture. If your lower back gives out you perhaps slouch more and have more forwards head posture. This maybe reduces blood flow to the area slightly or impinges the spinal cord / brain stem somehow?

 

[Violeta]

Perhaps it relates to neck posture. If your lower back gives out you perhaps slouch more and have more forwards head posture. This maybe reduces blood flow to the area slightly or impinges the spinal cord / brain stem somehow?

This brings to mind the word meninges.

 

[splusholia]

For me it works like… if overuse my arm muscles, I can rest them for a few days and be ok. Same with leg muscles. Overuse of back muscles, however, can lead to a major relapse.

 

[ChookityPop]

For me it works like… if overuse my arm muscles, I can rest them for a few days and be ok. Same with leg muscles. Overuse of back muscles, however, can lead to a major relapse.

Very interesting to see so many having the same muscle issues. How long does it usually take for you to recover from a major relapse caused by overuse of back muscles?

 

[splusholia]

Very interesting to see so many having the same muscle issues. How long does it usually take for you to recover from a major relapse caused by overuse of back muscles?

It can be quite a long time so I try and look out for the warning signs now. I think the last time I had a crash like that it took about 8 to 9 months for me to get over it. But I should add that I was very severe and I’d pushed myself far too hard.

 

[Learner1]

Very interesting to see so many having the same muscle issues. How long does it usually take for you to recover from a major relapse caused by overuse of back muscles?

This sounds like deconditioning, then overdoing it. It can be a vicious cycle. It could be nerves pinched by position, too

Might it be possible for a physiatrist or DO to check you over and then a PT to help with a gentle strengthening program?

 

[ChookityPop]

This brings to mind the word meninges.

Can I ask what you mean by meninges?

This sounds like deconditioning, then overdoing it. It can be a vicious cycle. It could be nerves pinched by position, too

Might it be possible for a physiatrist or DO to check you over and then a PT to help with a gentle strengthening program?

I don't think its deconditioning since it was the very first symptom I had when I relapseed in 2019 (went from working 60-100% and working out a lot) and it started in my legs in april 2019. In november 2019 I was removing like 10 cm light snow from my car without thinking it could harm me and then it happened. I burnt out my muscles in my arms and I immediately got this whole body inflammation feeling, it "feels" like a huge amount of cytokines or something fills up my bloodstream which make me feel absolutely terrible as well as brainfog and a crazy amount of muscle and burning pain. When this happens I cant follow conversations on podcasts or tv etc.

It cant be deconditioning when it was my first symptom after relapsing? And then 6 months later it happened in my arms. Fast forward to april 2020 it happened in my lower back muscles so I had to stop sitting all together and lay/sit reclined in my bed with duvets and pillows behind me. September 2020 it happened in my stomach muscles. It can happen in my neck if Im not careful. I have started TRT which helps a little bit.

I dont think its deconditioning since it was my first symptom and the fact that I actually had worked out like crazy for almost a year in advance both strength and cardio. So I actually was great shape physically when I relapsed. What do you think?

Edit: When it happened to a New muscle group It permanently got Worse. Like my vaselin muscle tolerance got severly worse.

I can add that after burning out my leg muscles I had incredible burning pains and I couldnt have my duvet over my legs when I was sleeping. Every muscle group that burns out gives me incredibly burning pain. My nerves seem very irritated and burning as well for example the median nerve in my arms can get very inflamed if I overdo it. I have small fiber neuropathy with TS-HDS autoantibodies.

I have also had NCS and EMG which didnt find anything wrong with my nerves.

 

[ChookityPop]

Perhaps it relates to neck posture. If your lower back gives out you perhaps slouch more and have more forwards head posture. This maybe reduces blood flow to the area slightly or impinges the spinal cord / brain stem somehow?

Maybe? But It happens in every muscle group in my body. Though I have kyphosis (though not that severe).

 

[Violeta]

@ChookityPop ,
Meninges are the three membranes (the dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater) that line the skull and vertebral canal and enclose the brain and spinal cord.

Usually problems with the meninges causes upper back and headache pain, but I'm wondering if it can affect the lower back, too.

A condition marked by headache, fever, and a stiff neck, which is caused when the meninges (three thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord) become irritated.

I found and article about meninges related to posture.
https://corewalking.com/more-on-the-spinal-column-the-meninges/