Hospital stay

[robivi3]

Howdy, another episode and back to the ER today. Have testing tomorrow. They did find a bladder infection today. My BP went from 190/99 to 138/82 in one minute. The onset is like someone injects a chemical (adrenyline?) and then shallow breath. It's like something uncontrollable grabs you. ALL EKG,s X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI's, Catscans and chemicals so far are normal. The attacks are so bloody scary though.

I have been "uncaffienated" for over ten days, I may have ordered caffiented coffee this morning while getting a McD's Yogurt. That may have triggered an episode.

[robivi3]

twuoo,
That is great advice. I have been attentive to posture and sleep position lately and it helps. As trite as it may sound your "breathe through the nose to the belly" advice has helped alot in one day.

Spent all of yesterday afternoon in the ER and no sign of stroke or heart issue. So far it is anxiety. What sort of makes me wonder is the nervousness after the immediate shock, darn near shaking. It is so scary. Money is tight, youngest going to Marines and my desire to keep him close, problems occuring "policewise" with middle son now 19, for two years he has given us headaches (he is unemployed and finishing Broward County Scool online in three days but stays locked up in his room, and the oldest is in College but shouldering zero of his own expenses and not "worried a bit". He is 21. Still paying all the Cell phones, the Medical Insurance and just feel like when the youngest goes to the Marines (fear there to be honest) I just need to drop everyone.

Things were so ontrack up util 2005, the kids all had plans and maps for starting life, then the middle boy found the wrong friend. My oldest was offered to start College here, live at home and pay for it. I bought his transportation and paid the insurance. He chose to do another thing and had a one year scholarship to a Rabbinnnical College in NJ. He does well but we are not Jewish (he converted at 15) and are not accustommed to Chasidic ways and he is full blown. It is a drastic change in culture even thiough I grew up mostly in a Jewish neighborhood. That is his business, he has a plan but it leaves the realm of my finances and is costing me alot right now when things are hard in South Florida.

Son number 2 was working at Wal mart but has a hard time finding anything that will pay decent or give more than afew hours. He is interviewing for an opening this morning with the State but has to be extremely open about his one problem, which was minor but major to us. Even though the folks know and like him that may toss him out until it is totally resolved. Plus he has an awfull attitude now, he got into this "emo"/ gothic style at 17 and that was a throwback from the happy ROTC kid I always knew. There are no drugs involved I am certain of that.

Son number 3 has had Marines on the brain since age five or six. When a teacher asked him "who fought at the Alamo he replied "John Wayne" years ago. He has been in DEP for over one year, runs miles per day, can run 6 without stopping and works at the recruiting office (no pay) for three days per week. He is very faithfull in Church, loved by friends, has not one ounce of racism or hate for anyone and no enemies. Hehas been my everywhere partner for years and i think I really ver seeing him go. He is a joy to be around everyday.

[MomIcantFindmy]

Robivi,
I can understand why you might be experiencing stress and anxiety. I think anyone in your situation would be. Take good care of yourself and ***HUGS*** to you!

[Minnymouth]

Yes, Robivi3,
Definetely sounds like your suffering from anxiety and stress related problems. And believe me they will play hard on your BP etc.

Sometimes life dishes out more than our mind really wants to handle at the time and we just don't realize it.

As you know, Robivi, after 4 years of taking care of my mom (by myself/and working) my financial affairs hit "disaster territory"..... Then I broke 3 ribs (unable to work 2nd job), then had to file BK, then Trustee seized my home, sold it, and I bought it back from buyer.

During this time span, I suffered medical problems out the A***..... Broken ribs, asthma attacks, panic attacks, hyper-ventilating, etc. No moral/financial support from anyone until I found this forum.... (they really saved my life)....

The doctor said my body was in "defense mode" - FIGHTING - trying to deal with the stress of everything.

Even now - 4 years later - and my life is quiet and finally straightened out again - IF ANYTHING upsets me or I get stressed my body goes back into "defense mode" and symptons start again.

Now that I know what causes the symptons, I have better control over everything and don't let situations arise or "control them better" when they do.

I do a lot of deep breathing excercises (also good for the asthma) and get lots more rest then I did before (5-6 hours of sleep is just not enough). And I eat better. I also have chemical and food allergies I found that help trigger attacks......

I have decided that I am "allergic to life"........lol.... but I deal with it everyday now.

Hopefully soon you will learn what is "setting everything off" in your body. Something is "triggering" your system. Stress, lack of sleep, or food.

I never had any problems until emotional/financial problems/medical hit me and I mentally had trouble dealing with all of it together in one blow!!

Good Luck my friend, I hope you find it soon and life gets back to normal for you.

[robivi3]

I just got back from the lab and doctor. BP 110/82. He says all is pointing to anxiety. Gotta learn to cope. Once i get to the ER and into Triage the BP goes down quickly.

[robivi3]

I've had three (major) of these attacks in two weeks, none ever before, went to ER each time, then to doctor. Just strange that when i get in the ER or Doctors Office my BP gets lower. It went down 60 in a one minute period after entering the Triage. Needles don't really bother me, nor does the equipment. It is just so wierd. Sunday I came to the ER from work and had my wife on the phone and literally thought I would die. They had to sedate me after all the tests. Eating seems (can only say seems) to trigger it, the last two were after lunch. It feels like a chemical is injected and you start with the attack, it is so bloody wierd. ALL of my indications and tests are negative, my chemical levels thus far after numerous tests are all within specs. Anyone else had this?

Never been sick or on any medicine at all until now

I have had minor panic attacks, very momentary in the past, mostly when recieving bad news. This seems to be full blown, anytime. I will get more test results friday. Twenty years, no regular physical's and with excellent Insurance has been stupid to say the least. Never again. Fortunately my wife has always gone regularly.

[Minnymouth]

My Friend,
I sure do "feel" for you with what your experiencing. It's very difficult to deal with. Took me a long time to get my panic attacks under control. I did it without meds for the attacks, because it only made the asthma flair up too.

Believe me, I know, it can scare you to death almost. It's terrible all of a sudden not being able to breath, see stars, feel your heart jumping out of your chest, and sitting there saying "calm down, breath deep" to yourself. What's even scarer is if your home alone.

Several times I almost picked up the phone and called 911 to come and get me. But I covered my mouth up, started deep breathing real slow in and out and finally it let up.

The more you fight it, the worse it gets. So I've learned to ride it out and go with it and get it under control.

You may needs meds to help you. And I hope you don't have asthma also.... double trouble...

Have they checked you for "sleep apathny" (can't spell)???

All my attacks happen about 2-3 am in the middle of the night. Have had only one in the daytime.

Haven't had any real bad attacks now for several months since my life has calmed back down, got my house back, and the BK ended.

If I get upset about something I can feel it coming on and start deep breathing slowly and calming myself down.

Good luck, I hope you find a way to relieve your symptons and stop them before they get really going. Its scares you more than anything else and that only makes it get worse.

Its a pretty common thing these days, lots of people under stress have panic attacks. Many of my friends and neighbors do. Life is such a pain sometimes and very hard to deal with "everything" these days. The cost of everything, low paychecks, no money, kids, just everyday life sometimes gets out of hand. And our bodies say "ENOUGH"......

Hang in there, try getting some extra rest you may need and don't know it. Excercise is good too.

Keep us posted..... we're thinking of you.....

[robivi3]

More work tomorrow. Coulddn't imagine this without Insurance. This is horrible.

[FLBK7]

More work tomorrow. Coulddn't imagine this without Insurance. This is horrible.

Stress and anxiety can wreck your health and are often to blame for all kinds of symptoms that mimic heart attacks and panic attacks. I'm glad you're getting yourself checked out from head to toe, so to speak.

If after this battery of medical tests you still experience the incidents, you may want to consult your doctor about trying a mild anti-anxiety medication. It may help.

All the best to you. Please keep us posted.

[robivi3]

Back to the ER yeserday. This time dye injected/CT, numerous blood tests both arms, X-rayed, fifty BP readings both arms (yes there is a difference), and still no problem found. One thing, potassium level low every time which may create a problem which I guess is resolvable. Numbness in the left arm, a little finger tip pain (the shot up injected, tensed, untensed recently highly used left arm!).

I eat tons of bananas, oh well changing bodies. I guess just dealing with the blood pressure issue. The last two attacks I just said out loud, "this is not a heart attack" and the onrush subsided but still felt odd.


Totally, totally wierd. The symptoms of a stroke or heart attack, even the after feeling but heart OK, veins ok. About midnight (in ER) last nite I had the feeling of dying but wasn't ready to go. This is straight out of hell and i am beginning to feel that their is a spiritual, physical, mental thing here. Just plain wierd.

I can look back and see moments where I have panicked on recieving mail say from the Trustee or some bad news and have to end any type of cycle. I considered myself resilient but am not so resilient as I thought.

Be cautioned not to panic over the worst situations, they are bad, but if you are in health you will be OK. Keep your health at the forefront. Don't watch streessful things when you are already under stress. What picked me up on the first day of this issue was that AMC did a Chaplin marathon and I thought his silent movies were utterly hilarious, the things he said with his expressions had me laughing in the hospital bed.

I really want to encourage everyone not to strress over your BK or finances, please it will kill you. Try and lighten your load when you can. I hope I'll write a book one day, I've some really excellent and great times and I've literally (1990-91, 2003-2004) been bashed against the rocks, 1990-91 being the worst of it.

I think Minnymouth could write a book also, she was beaten to hell by a viscious and violent Trustee with practically no soul trying to prove how low she could sink, she has been through hell and survived no thanks to the small town scumbag croniism she had to fight against. She did it alone and i find that scary, she is to be commended. It was all beyond her control and she endured many insults and put downs from members who are I guess thankfully now banned.

I can't say enough about the staff at Westside Regional Hospital in Plantation Florida, they have over the years been excellent. Never in 15 years with this hospital have I heard a cross word or seen anything but smiles in the ER. They have stapled my head (I refuse the Counties work comp. contract cave men) and mended my boys, one of whom cut his hand in a meat slicer. they are from every "tribe and tongue" mine included and are a staff of fine people. The Chef for the Cardio unit is beyond excellent, the food is superb.
see you guys later.

[Minnymouth]

Yes, my friend, I used to panic out when I opened the mail box and a letter from the Trustee looking back at me. Hyperventallating, etc as I opened it..... Just the slighest thing would set me off.....

It is soooooo scary at times... especially in the middle of the nite when your there alone and no one around. Your very lucky if you have someone with you when it happens.

Mine are usually in the middle to the night - 2-3 am.....

I have taken control of my attacks now, and they are few now. Just every so often if I have a stressful day at work.

Hopefully they will be able to give you some meds to help calm them down and get the chemicals in your body - BACK IN BALANCE.

I have to keep telling myself.... I can handle this, I have too, and I start my deep breathing till it all passes.

I have to keep it under control because of my asthma.... I almost can't handle a panic attack and a full blown asthma attack together at the same time. And one will set off the other.

I have decided that I will leave this world probably having a full blown asthma attack and panicking out............ SCARY THOUGHT.....

Get lots of rest, laugh a lot (its very healthy), excercise, do a lot of deep breathing (belly breathing) and RELAX (play with that dog of yours)............ let things take care of themselves. Don't fight what you can't change!!! Just let it go!!

Also get lots of sunshine...........good for the body, mind, and soul!!!! And very relaxing....

Take care, keep us posted.

Will be thinking about you.......

[robivi3]

the main issue right now is pain/numbness (scale of 1-10 its a one) in the left arm and wide pressure differential in both arms since the second and most awful attack. No evidence so far of damage but something physical has happened. The onset of HBP is physical so the whole thing may not just be stress.

[cetiya]

might as well tell my sad story too. I just got out of the hospital after a 7 day stay. I have asthma and got bronchitits and couldnt breathe. had to call 9-11. my heart was 160 so they gave me adenosine (a nasty drug that slows downs certain heart rhythms) ended up in ICU with diabetic ketoacidosis. panicked like crazy over and over again cos I couldnt breathe, almost had to be intubated. got put on huge steroids so now I'm a big whale, still weak, and have home 02 that I use sometimes, not all the time. I'm only 50! oh yeah, I have nodules on my lungs, they did a chest CT on me and found them. never in my life have I been so sick. i'm hoping my diabetes will go away now that I'm off the steroids, but they are still high, but i'm overweight too. I need to get healthy, dont want to go thru this again ever. being sick sucks.

[epiphany]

Hey, sorry I haven't read this tread until now. Hope you are doing better, you sound like you are.

Thanks for sharing. You are so right about the stress factor and how it can affect one's health. I have been expericing neck pain the last few months and last week was on vacation...didn't even notice that the pain was gone until I went back to work this week and now it is killing me again. I know it is stress, I just know it is. But that definitely pales to what you are going through.

Please take care of yourself...don't work right now if you don't have to!

Wishing nothing but calm and health for you,

ep

[Minnymouth]

Cetiya,
I can really relate to you and your condition. Diabetic I'm not, but yes, do have the asthma and bronical problems. Born with asthma and bronical pnemonia. Besides being a twin and born early.

Yes steriods do help, BUT, they also work against you in many ways. Serious weight gain, severe swelling of face, hands, feet.

The ONLY THING that has kept me out of the hospital A LOT is the second I feel it coming on, I head for the doctor. My doctor warned me a long time ago - "don't play with this"... its dangerous.

When my financial affairs started going bad and I had to file BK, then everything medical in my life went to pot also. Stress brought on panic attacks, weakened my immune system for bronchitus to set in, and then the asthma attacks followed. Its a viscious circle. You have to keep ALL OF THEM under control in order to survive.

The girls in the office have seen me turn purple at times when it all flairs up at once.... they watch me very closely when it starts. They will continuously ask me if I have it under control. I tell them as long as I'm shaking my head "yes", I'm okay.... if I start shaking my head "NO", THEN call me an ambulance.

Two other ladies in my office have experienced panic attacks recently caused from stress in their lives. NOW they know how I felt. They are both having trouble dealing with it...... I must deal with "things" better than most people do. Thank God neither of them has asthma too.... If their tongue, lips, and throat swelled shut on them during a panic attack, THEY WOULD DIE! They couldn't handle it..... they would PANIC OUT!!

Panic attacks can be controlled by deep breathing excercises and telling yourself "I'm okay, I'm okay"...... I can handle this!!! AND cover your mouth and breath deeply and slowly thru your nose to stop the hyperventillating.

Asthma attacks can only be controlled by the person that is having them. And most carry medicines to inhale for the attack. BUT FIRST, you have to stop the panic attack to get the medicine in your lungs.

So the two together at the same time, can scare the HELL out of ya!!

If you are prone to bronchitus, please keep it under control. First sign of a cold, go to the doctor, get meds. DON'T let it get out of hand or think you can whip it yourself. It often only gets worse, then its too late..... it becomes a "battle" with the asthma and panic attacks adding too it.

I am extremely "chemical sensitive" to many colognes, air freshners, candles, soaps and fabric softeners. When I am exposed I start coughing (a for-runner for asthma). The more I am exposed the more violent the coughing becomes. I have to get away from the souce and find "fresh air".... The minute I find "fresh air" the symptons start going away. Many chemcials will irritate the bronical tubes and cause bronchitus to flair up.

Nobody knows your body better than you do. If you find things that set you off, irritate you, avoid them if possible.

I feel deeply for anyone who has asthma, panic attacks, or bronchital problems. They are very hard to deal with on a daily basis when it is just a normal day. Throw in stress also................... and its devistating what it can do to your life.

Lots of rest, avoid contaminates, and mentally program yourself "that I can handle this" HELPS a great deal in trying to deal with it all.

Robivi3, you know how your arm feels when their taking your bloodpressure, how it can instantly hurt and feel like its going to burst? Panic attacks and asthma can make you feel the same way..... especially if together at the same time. Often you feel like your chest could explode.

Robivi3, the minute your stress level goes up, you could be experiencing a chemical imbalance that brings on your panic attacks. Chemical imbalances are hard to detect and often requires meds on a daily basis to regulate them and get them back on track.

They call them the "golden years" (my age).............. personally I see nothing golden about them!! Along with the age, comes a lot of medical problems that are difficult to deal with.

Its hard to keep a well-rounded life, good medical condition, and good financial well being in our lives the way our society is today. Everyone is struggling to survive "just living".... And right now EVERYTHING is so expensive, most can't afford it, and people are so stressed out they can't deal with ALL OF IT piled on them at once. It's more than the mind and body can handle emotionally, physically, and mentally at the same time.

Those of you that do have some of these conditions. YOUR NOT ALONE...... others are right there with you. Talk about it, get it out in the open, find a way to deal with all of the turmoil that upsets you. Relieve as much of the stress as you can......

Yes STRESS CAN KILL YOU.............. in more ways than one!!

When they can't find ANYTHING medically wrong with you and they say "it's stress".......... you best believe me..... they know what they are talking about!!

Mentally someway, you have to learn to deal with it on a daily basis..... till it passes.... and eventually it will.

The human body can only take so much stress, before it buckles and starts fighting back........... panic attacks is a form of fighting back, just like the asthma attacks are to things your allergic too. The body does fight back!!!

CAUTION.......... if you take a med for panic attacks and it makes you feel suicidal......then that's not the right med for you..........GET OFF IT!!! (One girl in my office experienced this). The minute she stopped the meds, she was okay!! SO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.....

Cetiya, I hope you get yours under control and take better care of yourself. Discuss options with your doctor, loose a few pounds, and keep your diabetic's under control.

Robivi3, I hope they find out what "triggers" your symptons so you can deal with them and hopefully get them under control.

I know it is extremely scary for both of you and I wish you both were not dealing with this......

I wish the best for both of you trying to solve these issues right now in your lives...

Minny