I'm new to the FM/CFS DX, and new to this board. I'm having a moderate flare right now and I knew it was coming, I tried so hard to stop stressing, but I couldnt keep the stress level down enough to keep from having a flare. I'm experiencing a symptoms I havent had for years. When I stand up my heart races, when I eat my heart races, when I walk to the bathroom it just thumpes out of my chest, of course in the past I've had test and of course its nonthing and I get patted on the head and push out of the DR office because my heart is healthy, or its anxiety, heres Xanax see ya later. Well in the past I had anxiety but this is different, I have also had a lot of new symptoms this time that I never had in the past. Is this a symptom of FM flare I only get it when having a flare. Has anyone eles had this paticular symptom? Please let me know how you deal with it. It keeps me either laying, or sitting down, most of the time. Its terrible, for me its up there in with brain fog as one of the worst symptoms, of course sleepness pain filled nights is right at number one on the list. Any post appreciated thank you. ME

MeManuel:

Many people who have fibromyalgia also have hypoglycemia. With hypoglycemia, you are sensitive to high carbs/high sugar diet. When someone with hypoglycemia eats something with high carbs/high sugar, the blood sugar spikes very high, which is then followed by a sugar crash. Your body is programmed to send in adrenaline to counter act the sugar crash in your symptom (the flight or fright hormone). Symptoms can be shakiness, rapid heart beat, faintness, irritability, headache, panic attacks, fearfulness. Another food item that is hard on hypoglycemic people is caffeine which can aggravate your over loaded system. I, in particular, have a pounding heart beat after I eat a no-no. It's an awful feeling.

I am no medical doctor, so I can't say that this is your problem, but it is certainly something to consider.

Kirstee

Yes, and to what Kirstee says, I will add that endocrine issues such as thyroid and/or adrenal problems are common in FM/CFIDS & contribute mightily to all aspects of the suffering, incl. the hypoglycemia.

You would benefit from having a thorough thyroid panel (free T3, free T4, and all 3 thyroid antibodies) tested -- not just TSH, for starters. This is rarely done except by fibro specialists (not necessarily rheumatologists). Some types of autoimmune thyroid disorders cause painful symptoms w/anxiety & pounding heart that mimic fibro flares. These are treated w/thyroid meds, not "fibro meds," not Xanax. If thyroid comes back totally clean, (and you want testing done during a flare), you should move on to adrenal testing, an a.m. cortisol test and/or ACTH challenge test.

The main Rx you need is a better doc, which will take some looking. It pays to network in your community, and to prescreen docs over the phone. Some of us find help from rheumatologists, others from fibro/CFS specialists, others from alternative med docs.

Many of us suffer the additional stress of health anxiety. If you are unhappy taking Xanax, I highly rec. listening to the CD set by Andrew Weil, MD, entitled Breathing. I found this at my local public library, did not have to buy. I promise you will be inspired by what this acclaimed doctor of integrative medicine has to say about how we can help our bodies become less "trigger-happy" in responding to stress & anxiety.

Best wishes.

Thank you, for posting, I learned a few things. I do have a great stress coping ability, I learned to meditate a few years ago which rid me of horrible hyperventilation, panic attacks, and med dependence. I agree that this is so important and I cant stress it enough to anyone. Promise not go crazy about how great it is, but it literally change my life, and helped with what I now know to be FM. I just had everything happening at once and couldnt keep myself down to the level I need to be at for some reason this time, sometimes, it seems the illness causes the stress, and sometimes the stress causes the illness. Thank you so much for the postings

MEmanuel

Re; meditation. What position do you meditate in? I find it so hard to meditate with an unsupported back like I used to do sitting on my zafu now I have such back and shoulder pain.
JulieYP

hello i'm new also are you here now??????

hello you here?

hello you here?
am i alone here? please help