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Adrenalin rushes, how to control them

I seem to be getting free floating anxiety attacks, last night I was just chatting with my husband when I noticed the butterflies in my belly for no reason, then I started with palps etc... I could literally feel the adrenalin buzzing round me.  It was quite scary.  

This morning I got it also, my baby son was having a tantrum and I got the butterflies, I felt so wound up, then another attack came on.

This evening I was encouraging my son to crawl as he is just learning, and I started feeling sickly, getting palps again, tightness in my belly, then butterflies etc... then I could feel the adrenalin buzz again!

I am not thinking about anything at the time, they just come on and they occur more than once a day.  I can't control it.  My pulse rate goes nuts, it goes nuts anyway with mild exertion but I did wonder if it goes nuts on exertion because I am scared to exert myself.  Can subconscious thought cause it?  

I know that some days I am fine, then the thought of going up the stairs because of my chronic fatigue and how mild exertion exhausts me, it leads me to psych myself up to walk up the stairs.  If I am standing for a long time while I wait for hubby to lock the doors etc... I can feel it rising, and by the time I'm upstairs and in bed I have palps, strong ones.  It then takes hours to calm down again.

I am not on anxiety meds as the side effects made my other physical symptoms with the supposed CFS worse, I have enquired about hypnotherapy.  But are there any tips on keeping the free floating attacks from coming on?

49 Responses
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200828 tn?1209917975
Have you tried yoga or meditation?  I have never tried these techniques myself but know that they are options.  The Linden Method is another med-free route. However, I haven't tried that either.  Wish I could help you more, I too, am looking for a med-free solution to my anxiety.

Good luck!
Helpful - 0
213375 tn?1202403800
I would love an answer to that question as well!!  I have been dealing with daily adrenaline rushes and anxiety symptoms for 7 years now, but for the first few years I was convinced that it was something much more than anxiety.  The heart symptoms bother me the most.  At first I had daily heart pounding, really strong powerful beats that would last almost all day.  A few years ago I developed extra beats that at first only occured maybe once a month but recently I have had as many as 50-100 extra beats per day everyday, along with the pounding.  On the really bad days I can feel the adrenaline overload as I call it because it is a constant state of adrenaline rush.  I too fear exerting myself because of the accompanying symptoms, but I've noticed that when I am forced to really active for a few days, like when moving or doing yard clean-up, that I feel reduced symptoms for up to a week afterwards.  But the adrenaline always builds back up.  The question is how do you detox your body from adrenaline overload??  Or stop our body from over producing it??  If we could answer that question we WOULD get better!  I hope you felt better today!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Maybe to late but exercise, meditation, and also the red panax ginseng extract is a supplement to controlling adrenaline its the root of ginseng plants, ive taken it and its helped me control my adrenaline, but this was cus i wanted to learn how to harness the power of adrenaline even if its just for a short period of time, but ive learned it helps u control how and when u use adrenaline, also mental hypnosis works somewhat, keep tellin yourself how or what and when u want to use thee energies. trust me its worth it to learn to control them, helps in sports and stressed situations.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Check drlam.com
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Avatar universal
If you're on birth control, I would investigate the possibilities of side effects from that.  I was on hormonal birth control for almost a year and developed anxiety and panic attacks from it.  I've been off of it for almost a month and it still comes and goes, but it takes a while to get your body regulated again.  The attacks have definitely been less severe since I've been off of the BC.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am just the same. What i found helps is a similar diet to diabetics. Whole grain, slow release glucuse foods. Make sure you eat frequently throughout the day. A drop in glucose levels triggeres adrenaline release to trigger your liver to release glucose.
I found eating frquently, but less and no instant glucose foods has helped loads
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I suffered agoraphobia with my anxiety disorder my senior year of high school. I was on and off meds for about 4 years then I went to school for massage therapy. I learned several techniques for coping with my anxiety including: meditation, yoga, positive affirmations, and regular weekly massages. Since then I have been med free for the past 6 years and it has been wonderful. Not many people realize the difference massage therapy can make, it increases serotonin and dopamine levels naturally, and releases endorphins (natural pain killers) and also relaxes the nervous system. It has worked very well for me. I still get very mild occassional anxiety attacks, but I am able to control them because I understand what is going on in my body and I can self talk my way out of an attack. There is a book called SOS Help for Anxiety, its a great place to start to learn about how to self talk your into a better life.
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Avatar universal
does anyone ever have weird electric shocks in head, feeling of not being here. Feeling of internal and external shaking, heart racing and pulsating throughout the body. complete fear of death?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I do almost every day. I started having extreme symptoms about 3 months ago. I went to the ER 4 times within the first month bc the attacks were so intense. Everytime I went, they said that everything is fine that I was just having a panic attack. My symptoms were odd head sensations, tightness around head, parasthesis in chest, arms, and torso, heart palps, and I wouldn't be able to focus on anything during these attacks. I've also been to regular doctors and everything turns out fine everytime. I have been diagnosed with a panic disorder and I have been going to counselling and taking Zoloft and I feel a lot better. The attacks hardly happen, I sometimes have a "dulled" attack, but I can usually control it and tell myself I'm okay. The "complete fear of death" happens to me too, sometimes I wouldn't want to go to sleep in fear of having a heart attack in my sleep. Sometimes I would think that I have a brain tumor or was having a stroke. I've had CT scans, EKGs, ultrasound of my heart, a stress test for my heart, bloodwork, chest x-rays, the whole nine yards, but everything always turns out fine. You should still see a doctor just in case, but it's probably just panic. If you need help, we're all here for you. :)

Sincerely,
Cody
Helpful - 0
1528371 tn?1294014362
Me!  Comes in waves all day every day, especially when I'm sleeping.  What do we do?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi

I'm no health expert, and neither are the experts!~

So I decided to research it myself, I decided to take natural vitamins instead of the hardstuff since this might be a life long issue.

Try Executive Stress B formulas and Mood pills with St Jons Wort

I don't condone to Valium and such on an ongoing basis

Only recently I've started to discover my body has been acting differently, so I just have to adjust and balance it.

All those symptoms above are derived from Anxiety and Stress, and can manifest in different forms.  There are many ways to tackle it, so decide on the healthiest way for yourself to do so, exercise and healthy lifestyles definately helps.  If you're overweeight or unfit that's probably your first step. Then check your diet, are you eating out too much? Too much salt?

When did you have your last holiday?  Try taking the public transport instead of driving, or move closer to work since you spend 70% of your time there.

Don't give up finding the answer to your own body :)

Take care
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I used to have all these symptoms but panic attach. I went to a functional medicine doctor for help and with the correct kind of thyroid tests (most MD's don't know much about thyroid function) I was put on a compounded dose of hormones made for my particular chemistry formulated in a lab. Your doctor has to work with a lab to do this. It worked like magic. No more palpitations, no more Graves disease, skin improved, no more butterflies, I sleep like a log, elimination far improved. I urge anyone to find a good functional medicine person in their local. Do an internet search. AND GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST. The only downside is these doctors may not take insurance. The good news is the treatments are minimal cost after the first tests and very affordable and if the pharmacy doesn't take your insurance, they should give you a form to send in on your taxes. I got all this service in Ocala, Florida.  Dr. Douglas Hall.
Helpful - 0
1547031 tn?1296831436
The symptoms that you all are describing are consistent with an anxiety disorder.  It is extremely important to see a physician before trying to treat anxiety to rule out any physical causes for your symptoms.  Seeing a physician should always be the first step.  Once all physical causes have been ruled out for the symptoms you have been experiencing you can definitely start to address the mental health side of the issue.  In my particular case, seeing a psychiatrist, a therapist, meds, and daily relaxation and meditation have really been beneficial.  The thing to remember is this.  People who have physical symptoms from anxiety can almost never control these symptoms.  Them "hitting" you out of the blue, is so typical for this disease!  That's what happens to me, to all of us.  The natural fear we feel as this happens, in my opinion, comes from our apparent lack of control we have over our own bodies and it also has to do with the fight or flight hormones we've got swimming around in there in abundance.  When you are able to use techniques to slow down your sympathetic nervous system response (which causes a lot of the uncomfortable symptoms) and start implementing some positive self-talk to counter act the false statements our brains are telling us, the cycle of anxiety can be broken.  There is hope!  There is so much hope!  It does get more manageable.  It takes a lot of work, and a lot of effort, but it does get better!  Take good care.  Jen
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
calcium
magnesium
vitamin D4
B complex
st johns wort
omega 3

try this comonation for a month :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
as i am typing i am having adrenalin surging thru my body. i have been like this for over 5 years, i had my thyroid checked, came back fine, but my testosterone came back very low. i dont beleive this is causing my adrenalin rushes, they last all day. i know this isnt right with ones body and mind. i wak up in the morning and the rush starts. i'm wondering if this is cause by the adrenal glands not working right. sometimes the rushes are over whelming and i just wonder if i will make it thru the day. does anyone feel like this out there? i know its scary for me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Dear Cody
how to get rid of these things. exactly same i am experiencing. all tests are f9. Due to this reason i ve suspended my passion of getting inside a graduate school for engineering doctorate. plz help
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I too have had many of these symptoms, but I do not know how to explain it. I'm 23 years old, and I am a disabled veteran. Served in the army for 5 years, 2 tours to Iraq. Anyways, I have been seen by the VA Mental Health and been given Zoloft for Anxiety. When I have attacks, I can't control them. I have had to go to the ER several times because of it. I will get light headed, chest pains, heart palps, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and I wouldn't be able to take a deep breath at all. It feels like something is preventing me from breathing right. After my attacks, I have headaches. I never feel safe by myself. I hate driving alone because I feel like nobody is around to help me. I only feel safe when my girlfriend is with me. But I can be sitting at work and fall into an anxiety attack. I don't know if it's adrenaline running or what? I need some advie from others that suffer from this. I'm scared to die and I fear it's my heart. I have had an ultrasound done on my heart though, and it came back fine. Please, someone give me more advice or anything that you believe could help me out.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
please read " Hope and Help for your nerves" by Dr. Weekes it is an excellent book it explains to you how the whole cycle of fear- bewilderment -fear works,first you get an anxious thought or feeling then you start wondering"what's happening?" which is bewilderment then you add the second fear which then turns into a full on panic attack! she also has a wonderful CD that has also helped me.
Good Luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been having burning and tingling running up and down my arms and feel the need to pace. Like I can't turn off my mind from worry and fear? Any suggestions.
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Avatar universal
EFTor tapping is an excellent med free way of keeping anxiety at bay.You can do it discreetly on the outside edge of your fingers using your thumb while you wait for an interview or when every symptoms occur. If you are at home you can do all 9 meridian points and tap, the one at the notch of collar bone id v effective, pick your fav and tap that point, Excellent.
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Avatar universal
Look up a group called Recovery in your state/area. Amazing group!
It is all interlinked:
-you get depressed because you have anxiety
-low blood sugar, poor diet, sugar, caffeine, simple carbohydrates, etc., cause anxiety and depression
-stress causes anxiety
-having anxiety and depression causes stress
-not exercising causes buttloads of problems, but can make anxiety and depression worse. Exercise releases endorphins which elevate mood and it also releases adrenaline which gets your body used to releasing adrenaline when you're resting.
Start slow and work your way into more challenging exercise. Diet and exercise should be the first two things that are altered if you want to feel better.

Jess RN
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Are you referring to http://smartrecovery.org ? Thanks
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Avatar universal
I've had the sensation that my brain has been "blinking" on and off very quickly... usually happens in the morning, but it's not accompanied by any rush in adrenaline or increased heart rate/breathing
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I do feel exactly like that.  I have am also having a rush right now as well.  I am pretty sure its hormonal. I am a 41 female and there are some changes happening right now in my body.  I feel like I am healthy, i exercise, and eat right..  I am definitely sure that stress has triggered these adrenaline rushes I have.  I had my first one in spin class.  Its a very vigorous class and itr freaked me out.  Now I just get them every once in a while. Mostly at night.  But, I have had one all day today.  Im scared and am going to see a doctor soon.
Jen
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