Aa
Adrenal Fatigue and Heart Palpitations??
I'll try and make this short. Been having severe irregular heartbeat for several months now. Been to two cardiologists with numerous tests done saying they are benign PVC's/PAC's. Also, for the last few years I have had pretty bad anxiety type symptoms. Can Adrenal Fatigue be the culprit for my heart problems and anxiety. I'm so tired of going to Dr's with never any explanations for what's causing this. What other tests should I have they may have been overlooked. My blood work for Thyroid disorders always comes back normal. I'm only 35 but am extremely tired of these nasty symptoms, especially the heart palps.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Hi BENNPATTY, et al,
I think I can shed some light on the connection of a fast heart rate type stuff and the adrenal gland. I read a scientific article on it, and while there are some disagreeances on it or ignorances! on it, I think it helps explain very well how come us adrenal people have weird feelings with the heart.
The adrenal gland and thyroid gland have an inverse relationship. Often if the adrenal is low, the thyroid will be high. When the thyroid is high, that's when a heart attack feeling comes. Now, BENNPATTY, that coldness you got is probably because your adrenal is low, as that is a symptom. Also usually that's when the thyroid will go up and give you heart palpatations. So, since you stopped the corticosteroids for your insufficient adrenal, after the initial adaptation period, you've now gone back to PERHAPS a normal adrenal (and normal thyroid).
But speaking for myself, when I went off my hydrocortisone, I felt good for a month, but I guess when the drug finally and totally left my body, I started feeling weird, just like the description you gave, and so I had to go back to my endocrinologist and get a new hydrocortisone.
Now, they got me on a diff adrenal med, and I experienced too high a dose with my original med, so on the new one, I cut the pill in half. It is very powerful, BUT because I know what things to eat and how to fix my sleep (two of my symptoms, as examples) and what med to take for depression now (another symptom), I am doing better. To be precise, to combat my side effects from the steroid, well, since I have on-hand Zoloft (SSRI antidepressant), that's what I took, and I quit drinking coffee in afternoon and ate bananas to get me back to sleep, also setting clock for a.m. rising at same time daily, until I could manage the new corticosteroid.
But yes, I think corticosteroids are VERY tough drugs to take, and in my opinion, they are given at too high a dose for adrenal insufficiency... now, if I were in an adrenal crisis, fine, slam a person with a big dose. But for minor adrenal loss, docs really need to start low, and then if needed ease into larger doses each month, as an example.
BUT if the cortisone medicine is at the right dose, and if these docs would then prescribe whatever stuff is needed for particular side effects that pop up, patients would do better. Like for constipation, recommend Senocot over-the-counter, or daily oatmeal; insomnia, prescribe Soma as sleeping pill, or bananas; depression, about 100mg Zoloft split for 2x daily or split 1-1/2 daily is enough, or suggest herbs good for depression; anxiety, the oldest tranquilizer Valium (and I think most reliable and free of side effects of all diazepams), or get the patient into a YMCA program of swimming or an aerobic course, and massage, including hot baths at home.
A word about beta-blockers for an overactive thyroid (in some cases creating adrenal insufficiency), as LOLLIPOP and GARBO (above) mentioned, I took atenolol for about four to six months, blood measured monthly, until my doc got my thyroid numbers down, and he stopped the beta blockers just as I left thyroiditis (like hyperthyroid) and before I was about to go into hypothyroid. That's it. The beta blockers FIXED the temporary hyperthyroid-like symptoms. And as I said, since adrenal and thyroid have inverse relations in most cases, if you lower the thyroid, the adrenal will come back up, too. That's my opinion, in theory. But SOME people (like me) have a normal thyroid but a low adrenal, in which case beta blockers would have no effect on the adrenals.
A regular on this forum once told me, when I asked, that some people do not need to take corticosteroids forever. I thought that was my path. But it was not. I have a normal thyroid but low cortisol from the adrenal, so I MUST have cortisol replaced or I go into a kind of semi-coma state, which put me in the hospital last winter for a month, twice, gave me a little temporary amnesia, but they never understood it was my low adrenal. It was only when I got in with a new primary doc that he spotted the low adrenal.
I hope this information helps you, BENNPATTY, and others that are still reading about all this (altho this is an old post, so some have gone away). Let us know what you do. I think you should go back to your endocrinologist or even to your regular doc while you are feeling well right now, and get your adrenals checked (and maybe all your other glands, like thyroid, pituitary, male/female hormones, etc.). If it turns out your adrenal is low, but you have no symptoms right now, could be eventually you will need to go back on the corticosteroid drugs, OR you will be fine!
Regards, Gail
I think I can shed some light on the connection of a fast heart rate type stuff and the adrenal gland. I read a scientific article on it, and while there are some disagreeances on it or ignorances! on it, I think it helps explain very well how come us adrenal people have weird feelings with the heart.
The adrenal gland and thyroid gland have an inverse relationship. Often if the adrenal is low, the thyroid will be high. When the thyroid is high, that's when a heart attack feeling comes. Now, BENNPATTY, that coldness you got is probably because your adrenal is low, as that is a symptom. Also usually that's when the thyroid will go up and give you heart palpatations. So, since you stopped the corticosteroids for your insufficient adrenal, after the initial adaptation period, you've now gone back to PERHAPS a normal adrenal (and normal thyroid).
But speaking for myself, when I went off my hydrocortisone, I felt good for a month, but I guess when the drug finally and totally left my body, I started feeling weird, just like the description you gave, and so I had to go back to my endocrinologist and get a new hydrocortisone.
Now, they got me on a diff adrenal med, and I experienced too high a dose with my original med, so on the new one, I cut the pill in half. It is very powerful, BUT because I know what things to eat and how to fix my sleep (two of my symptoms, as examples) and what med to take for depression now (another symptom), I am doing better. To be precise, to combat my side effects from the steroid, well, since I have on-hand Zoloft (SSRI antidepressant), that's what I took, and I quit drinking coffee in afternoon and ate bananas to get me back to sleep, also setting clock for a.m. rising at same time daily, until I could manage the new corticosteroid.
But yes, I think corticosteroids are VERY tough drugs to take, and in my opinion, they are given at too high a dose for adrenal insufficiency... now, if I were in an adrenal crisis, fine, slam a person with a big dose. But for minor adrenal loss, docs really need to start low, and then if needed ease into larger doses each month, as an example.
BUT if the cortisone medicine is at the right dose, and if these docs would then prescribe whatever stuff is needed for particular side effects that pop up, patients would do better. Like for constipation, recommend Senocot over-the-counter, or daily oatmeal; insomnia, prescribe Soma as sleeping pill, or bananas; depression, about 100mg Zoloft split for 2x daily or split 1-1/2 daily is enough, or suggest herbs good for depression; anxiety, the oldest tranquilizer Valium (and I think most reliable and free of side effects of all diazepams), or get the patient into a YMCA program of swimming or an aerobic course, and massage, including hot baths at home.
A word about beta-blockers for an overactive thyroid (in some cases creating adrenal insufficiency), as LOLLIPOP and GARBO (above) mentioned, I took atenolol for about four to six months, blood measured monthly, until my doc got my thyroid numbers down, and he stopped the beta blockers just as I left thyroiditis (like hyperthyroid) and before I was about to go into hypothyroid. That's it. The beta blockers FIXED the temporary hyperthyroid-like symptoms. And as I said, since adrenal and thyroid have inverse relations in most cases, if you lower the thyroid, the adrenal will come back up, too. That's my opinion, in theory. But SOME people (like me) have a normal thyroid but a low adrenal, in which case beta blockers would have no effect on the adrenals.
A regular on this forum once told me, when I asked, that some people do not need to take corticosteroids forever. I thought that was my path. But it was not. I have a normal thyroid but low cortisol from the adrenal, so I MUST have cortisol replaced or I go into a kind of semi-coma state, which put me in the hospital last winter for a month, twice, gave me a little temporary amnesia, but they never understood it was my low adrenal. It was only when I got in with a new primary doc that he spotted the low adrenal.
I hope this information helps you, BENNPATTY, and others that are still reading about all this (altho this is an old post, so some have gone away). Let us know what you do. I think you should go back to your endocrinologist or even to your regular doc while you are feeling well right now, and get your adrenals checked (and maybe all your other glands, like thyroid, pituitary, male/female hormones, etc.). If it turns out your adrenal is low, but you have no symptoms right now, could be eventually you will need to go back on the corticosteroid drugs, OR you will be fine!
Regards, Gail
I have the same issue but mine is calming down i think because i stopped the corticosteroid i was on called Flonase inwas orginally on Omnaris but insurance switched me over to Flonase, ive been on flonase and omnaris for about 3 years straight only recently ive felt extremely anxious/panic attacks with no rhyme or reason so i stopped all unecessary meds and only took my diovan for my blood pressure and Lialda for my ulcerative colitus its been about 20 days and the palps are now on and off mostly off where as last week and the preceeding weeks they were constand and only stopping for maybe a total of 10 minutes throught the whole day. I keep a journal of every symtom i have and rate it 1-10 including. Anxiousness, bloodpressure , yesterdays bloodpressure at that time to compare, hands cold or muggy, stiff neck feet cold or muggy, head feels tight, palpatations, time i took other medicines, astma like symtoms, pulse, etc those were my symtoms, and my blood pressure has been high 150's over mid 90's for weeks only the last few days has it started to subside yesterday 131/83 which is almost normal for me. I actually think mine is adrenal gland fatigue in particular cushing's brought on by the over use and prolonged use of the corticosteroid found in flonase the nasal inhalent used sometimes to treat allergy sufferers.
I am not sure you are going to get a response from someone who posted 4 years ago... and posting email addresses is a violation here (plus spammers can troll for them so it is partly for your protection).
Did you see a cardiologist or an endocrinologist for the beta blockers?
Did you see a cardiologist or an endocrinologist for the beta blockers?
how did the beta blockers work for you and what does and which one are you taking. I have the same symptoms and yes they drive you nuts. with no one giving you and answer except all is well
Please let me know the answers to what i asked
***@****
Please let me know the answers to what i asked
***@****
I've been having similar symptoms for the last 2 months. I have been having hot flashes. My heartrate has been going a little faster or a little slower through out the day when I'm calm and at rest. Exercising for a normal length of time has made my symptoms much worse.
I had blood tests done and they come back normal, *including thyroid test*. My heart has been listened to, and an ekg. All appear normal. My doctor thinks its my stress hormones acting on my body and in turn they trigger anxiety which gives me insomnia. It gets much worse with exercise. My doctor prescribed antidepressants for the anxiety and vitamin suplements, calcium, and Vit D.
Another thing that is helpful, I stopped eating all food with sugar in it to steady my blood sugar, candy, cakes, soda, even fruit juice and processed foods/bread. It has helped me. Whole grains are better for you. I've been eating 4 servings of oatmeal a day for almost 3 weeks. *the strange thing is oatmeal has been slowing down my heart rate for several hours after I eat it* My heart rate is like 80 normally. When I go to bed it is like 70-75..when I wake up in the morning its like 90 or so. *this morning it was 100 and I couldn't sleep past 5am. and it has been 7 hrs since I ate dinner last night.*
Anyway I hope this helps.
I had blood tests done and they come back normal, *including thyroid test*. My heart has been listened to, and an ekg. All appear normal. My doctor thinks its my stress hormones acting on my body and in turn they trigger anxiety which gives me insomnia. It gets much worse with exercise. My doctor prescribed antidepressants for the anxiety and vitamin suplements, calcium, and Vit D.
Another thing that is helpful, I stopped eating all food with sugar in it to steady my blood sugar, candy, cakes, soda, even fruit juice and processed foods/bread. It has helped me. Whole grains are better for you. I've been eating 4 servings of oatmeal a day for almost 3 weeks. *the strange thing is oatmeal has been slowing down my heart rate for several hours after I eat it* My heart rate is like 80 normally. When I go to bed it is like 70-75..when I wake up in the morning its like 90 or so. *this morning it was 100 and I couldn't sleep past 5am. and it has been 7 hrs since I ate dinner last night.*
Anyway I hope this helps.
Have you found the cause? I have the same type of problem. Severe heart palpitations. Did the whole cardiology tests, halter monitor etc. They wanted me to take Beta Blockers, but it doesn't sound like that would help solve the problem, just alleviate the symptom. I had taken care of a yeast infection (with a pill), but it didn't help the heart palpitations. My thyroid tests come back ok. Bood tests ok. Dr. said if I had adrenal problems they would show up in my blood tests around my kidneys. I don't know but my head hurts everytime my heart pauses.. it feels like my neck swells everytime, and my abdoment feels bloated. I am 39 and this has been going on for a few years on and off. Please if you have found anything, let me know! Thank you!
Hi. Yes, adrenal fatigue could cause your problems. So could a systemic yeast infection, faulty thryoid, faulty pituitary, hypoglycemia, and many other situations. And it could be just anxiety. And, yes, I know, there is no "just anxiety" when you're the one experiencing the symptoms! Be methodical about this. Write down all your symptoms and when they occur. Keep a journal detailing food and beverage consumption, vitamins, meds, weather, amount of sunshine, any disturbance at work work or within your personal life. I prefer a chart with room on the sides for added notes. You'll find what works best for you. It sounds as though you need to regain control, and you can begin to do it with these simple steps. If you see that your days are bluer and your anxiety symptoms are much greater on days with little sunshine, investigate SAD and lighting therapy. Low Blood Sugar and You by Carleton Fredericks is my favorite book for thryoid conditions that aren't obvious with blood tests, and how to home test. Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson will give you many clues as to whether you may have an adrenal problem that is not one of the two extreme conditions of Addison's or Cushing's and will tell you what to do to secure a saliva test. It will take you a long time, but go through all the threads in these forums and and other sites, checking out thyroid and adrenal problems, anxiety and depression, yeast (candida) syndrome, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and any other conditions that get your attention. I don't think anxiety has to be caused by another condition, although it can be. There are some very good observations and tricks for dealing with anxiety made by the people who contribute to both the anxiety and depression threads, on both MedHelp and other sites. Knowing that your cardiovascular system is healthy is a big plus, as you can strike that from your list of possibilities. While you're trying to research these health conditions to decide what type of doctor and tests would be best for you, eat, drink and sleep in as healthy ways as you can. Sick and Tired by Robert O. Young and Patient Heal Thyself are two other good books with extensive bibliographies new ways of thinking about how we live. I've learned much from all these sources, and hope that you will, too. Best wishes to you. Report back when you can.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Adrenal Insufficiency Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
