I don't ask questions here too much anymore cause to honest alot of mine have been answered already either at the old board, here or by the medical profession.

But even tho I had a PA explain why this is happening to me I was wondering if happens to others with RSD or how many others with RSD that this also happens to?? It was explained to me that it all ties into the CNS, sympathetic & para-sympathetic nervous systems.

I will be watching TV, ready a book, just sitting & visiting with hubby or daughter or someone else. And then BAM! all of a sudden my body goes into the"'fight or flight" mode ONLY, if my BP & heart rate are taken, they are normal. I even went thru the HOLTER test to make sure my heart was ok. It seems strange to me for this to happen when all sows normal. Now even tho the heart rate & BP are normal, I still feel this 'BAM BAM BAM' going on inside of me. This includes in my head even. This didn't start to happen to me until about 9 months to a year ago.

How many others have this going on also??? or am I the only one out here *LOL* which wouldn't surprise me at all. I really tend to have strange reactions to different drugs & most of the time say like when we are in pain lots of folks' BP & HR go way up. Well mine go down. I am not kidding you. Like when most people are allergic to paper tape when I am not. I always have to have plastic tape used on me. Most are allergic to platic not paper. Most people get more calm on anti-depressants when I do just the opposite & get hyper. *LOL*

Just curious,
DebbyV

hi,

just read your question about "fight or flight" and i actually just went to the dr. today for same thing. one difference though, my bp and pulse are abnormal. bp 125/100 pulse 111. it really is a weird feeling. doc just gave me some xanax, did an ekg and ordered a tsh(thyroid) blood draw. i'm only 38 and have never had high b/p or pulse. i hope the xanax works, the last thing i need is to have a stroke. i'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing this difficulty but rest assured you are not alone. wish i could be of more help, have a good weekend, jenny

EXACTLY! RSD involves the sympathetic nervous system, which controls your "fight or Flight" responses, so it's no wonder you are having these things come along. I get it too... it's strange when all of a sudden it happens and you aren't in a situation that it is needed for!!

I just wanted to let you know what you mean, and wanted to tell you that I know how it is. Keep hanging in there.

And from another site:
(http://microsurgeon.org/rsd.htm)

Hi Debby! OMG "Yes" I thought I was loosing my mind! I thought this was called run, run run away.(but you know ya can't) LOL Anyway, I too like you am hyper when I am on antidepressents, pain medications.. even my xanax is not working as well as it should, so my PCD put me on clonopine. I hope that this 30 mg. time release morphine I am on doesn't make me hyper.. LOL I have been on this one since Thrusday(June 26th) are you on valium? Xanax?clonopin? these may help Debby! Love, Desi

When dealing with chronic pain issues and stresses in life, the body has a fight or flight response. I was able to deal a lot with mine with a psychiritrist that delt with chronic pain patients using bio feedback and relaxtion tapes. I also sit every day and spend at least 10 minutes deep tummy breathing, from low in the tummy not chest.

My shoulders use to be up around my ears so tight and thisincreased the symptoms.
With the methods I was taught I could get my own endorphins going, get my shoulders down and relaxed.

I went through holter monitors, BR problems, an d thumpity thump....THUMP in the heart.

Many in stressful situations deal with this. But you can take control, and not let it control you.
I do have some flares, I do have some depression, nothing like before.
Hope that something can help.
Dianne

It sounds like a panic attack. I get a lot of this sort of thing.

Panic attacks apparently can manifest in a thousand different ways and I've had about 999 of them. They do tend to affect people differently in their physical reaction. It tears my guts up.

i have this too, and had all the testing and am on bp meds now. hate it. i still get the pounding where i can feel it in my head! this rsd is NOT boring. that is for sure. joan

Funny we talk about the thing that is on my mind. Since mine is cut what happens to my fight or flight? I guess I just dont fight or flight anymore. And with it cut and if it heals than what will I start feeling worse? my pain is half at imes never less so half is better I must say untile it flares RRRRR!

I sweat on half my body now, since mine is cut or in other places more. I have dry skin, and if you think the sun bothers befor it is like 10 times worse with it cut so tender is my skin, I wish someone else who had thiers cut would talk to me.....

Hi flipnout,

After reading your post here, I'm totally confused. I tried to look back over your posts to see if you had talked about a surgical sympathectomy and couldn't find anything, but I get lost easier than I used to. so I have to ask:

Did you have one? I hope I'm not being too personal, but sympathectomies are so rare today that anything you can tell us about it would help others here. (And while I haven't posted much recently, I thought I had been pretty much keeping up with my reading, so I was amazed at the thought that a sympathectomy discussion went right past me).

Also, in reviewing some of your posts I found one in which you talked about bad luck finding a good home aide; I don't know what you've learned about resources, but where I live is so rural, I couldn't find any help at all. My grandson (and his wife) moved in to help out, for room and board, but w.c. refused to pay family members. Then they found a home of their own and moved out. He still dropped by, at least once a day, but his visits were becoming fewer. I needed help.

I eventually called the local Area Agency on Aging (AAA), and they gave me a list of home care businesses that aren't listed in the yellow pages. The first place I called didn't have anyone available for me, and asked how I had been getting along. I told the woman about my deal with my grandson and bemoaned the fact that w.c. wouldn't pay him.

She told me that she could hire him and bill work comp. I couldn't believe it, so I called w.c. and it was true. I don't know who pays for your home aide or their hiring policies, but I hope something I said can help you find another provider or (my favorite option) a way to pay a family member.

I know w.c. had dealt with this sort of agency before, but they never told me about that. I guess they don't like to spend money. BTW, I wanted to make everything clear to w.c., so I told them that I needed someone to sit around and watch TV so they could be available when I needed them.

I needed someone in the morning and evening for 2 hours each time, and w.c. paid for 4 hours a day, five days a week. Today, my daughter is my provider, and she is paid 6 hours a day, six days a week. I'm sure w.c. would force most people to fight for this, but they really screwed up in my case; fighting me for five years, until the law judge ruled I was too disabled to attend hearings. The settlement agreement the l.j. approved says that if my doc prescribes anything and they refuse to pay for it, they have to pay my lawyer to fight my case.

Sounds nice, and is, but life still sucks. I get a home aide because I need one, and I hate needing one. We all do. I hope something I said is helpful...Vic

I am so glad to hear you are getting some help nowadays.

Flipnout, I wanted to say, I have 2 caregivers, one is my daughter. She has been with me for almost 3 years. I just got my second one a couple of weeks ago.

I get 4 hours a day 6 days a week also. The way mine is paid is through the state. You might want to check with Social Services in your area. My Social Worker got my help for me. It is paid for by SSI or SS so either one will pick up the tab.

There are a lot of options out there we don't know about as Vicc says. It takes asking a lot of questions to a lot of people.

I was wondering also if you had a sympethetomy. As Vicc says you don't hear of them too often but we use to have a couple of girls on here that had them. I can't remember names but I think some just wonder off of here and don't come back when they get better and a lot of times when they get worse.

Ada