Shakey

HockeyMom · Post by **HockeyMom** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:53 pm

Hey guys (all of you...Tex, Erica, Gabes, Brandy...),

I know we all say it all the time...and I've been on this board on/off since my diagnosis in late 2011..BUT THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT PEOPLE!!!

Gabes and Erica..I do think this hormonal thing is probably a big part of this mess. My mom didn't hit menopause until her 60's!!! Crazy. I will look into the progesterone creams online first, see if that helps at all. I'm 53 and would really just like to be done with that... Funny Erica, I already sort of slather my abdomen with magnesium oil at night anyway. I feel like I'm just one big crusty salt lick or something on legs/belly/arms...plus Colorado is dry anyway.

I go to the cardiologist Thursday. See how that goes. Like I said, feels somewhat better HR wise, but not where I would like to be. Sounds like you need some of my increased rate Tex!!!

I am definitely not being Super Mom or even Super Coworker at this point. I'm lucky in that I've only missed one day of work with this whole mess in the past year. What bothers me is just feeling so crappy. Don't remember feeling just overall crappy until a few months ago. And the shakey thing is relatively new...maybe part heart thing, ?part magnesium thing, part blood sugar thing?? Yesterday and today I made a point of bringing a snack into ICU (my rotation is in there until the end of the month) and having something am/pm (apple sauce in am, sunflower butter in pm). That seems to have knocked the shakiness down alot. Hmmm. Really it's just me taking care of/cooking for me right now. And the one cat I have left. My brother lives with me but does his own cooking obviously. Kiddo is 23 and lives on his own. I'm trying to get out and do more, but it's hard when you just feel crappy.. Right now I'm having to deal with my father in law who for whatever reason has decided to make my life more stressful. I've decided he's pretty toxic so I'm pretty sure we are done!! Unfortunate, but I don't need to deal with him...and my brother in laws back me up on that decision.

I get the stress thing, and my life has been stressful this past year. But now I'm just sort of mopping things up and trying to settle. I am just trying to
put out fires and hope that is going the right direction Gabes!! One of my ICU doctors asks me if I've been riding yet...he knows late hubby and I were big bicycle riders and he is too....I had to tell him no..I can't afford to burn any calories right now. Then explained the whole deal to him...poor guy!!

I really wish I was sleeping better. Only do the Benedryl occasionally Tex. I did the Allegra for a year or so daily a few years ago upon the recommendations of this board but didn't notice any real significant difference being on it.

So, in summary. Thank you people for all your concern and support. I know you all have your own issues/problems and I think about you and your heart daily Tex. My thoughts are with you....Thought I was a success story in remission for years but things change, don't they??

Laine

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:00 pm

Thought I was a success story in remission for years but things change, don't they??

that they do.... the Pema Chodron audiobooks are great to help accept 'impermanence'

good luck with the cardiologist and fire fighting mission! with time the crappy feeling will go...
one thing I have learnt in my wellness journey, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom, physically, mentally, and emotionally to find a better way up hike up the cliff.

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:30 am

Hi Laine,

Have you had your ferritin and iron scores checked in the last 6 months? I definitely "felt crappy" and I felt on going anger feelings when my scores were low. Iron is something you should not supplement without test scores. One of my low iron symptoms was feeling semi-ticked off at everything all of the time (way out of the norm for me.)

Brandy

HockeyMom · Post by **HockeyMom** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:46 am

Hi Brandy-
Just checked the pt portal at my PCP's office. When I had them pull all that blood 1/28/17 all the iron numbers were within range except TIBC which was flagged low as 247..appears range is 240-450...

I'm going to buy progesterone cream today. Think this might be a piece of the puzzle I need to address.

Laine

Post by **tex** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:21 am

My guess would be that the low TIBC result is associated with the chronic inflammation you're currently experiencing.

This heart stuff is as tough to figure out as MC. Yesterday I felt great, still sticking with only 300 mg of magnesium. But I noticed toward night that I was having more trouble breathing. I didn't think much of it because of all the tree pollen around, and I'm not taking an antihistamine right now, in case that might have some undocumented effect on my heart. But last night I had trouble getting to sleep, and I woke up after a couple of hours and couldn't get back to sleep. So I finally got up and took 100 mg of magnesium glycinate. It relaxed me and I slowly began to breathe better, but I was only able to get a few more short catnaps before I decided to get up and get going.

When I checked my BP after breakfast, I was surprised to see that my HR was 81, and I didn't notice any skipped beats.

So despite not getting much sleep last night, I'm feeling better again today, and breathing normally again.

I think that stress has a heck of a lot to do with not only our disease symptoms, but also how we feel in general.

I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow.

Tex

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:00 pm

Gabes and Erica..I do think this hormonal thing is probably a big part of this mess. My mom didn't hit menopause until her 60's!!! Crazy. I will look into the progesterone creams online first, see if that helps at all. I'm 53 and would really just like to be done with that...

HI Laine,
Since you are 53 I am betting that you are in Perimenopause and that it has the potential to last until you are close to 60 then if your mom didn't get to her final menopause moment until her 60's. With that said, yes you could most definitely use some progesterone therapy for a while, and in keeping up with the VitD and Mag and as low stress as you can, you may need to evaluate what a new 'normal' may be for you

You can do this...I'm not going to glamorize it, I am glad I am done with that stage (wish I didn't waste so much time in my 40's feeling yucky but that is the way the cookie crumbled), because I might have had a better go of it had I understood what my diet should have been. Due to sensitivity to soy the estrogen patch and progest cream were actually working against me when I was trying it, and it caused me more upset in MC world. Watch out for that aspect of things too...I know that is a huge conundrum, but if Progest works, great...just be prepared to experiment if need be.

Keep listening to yourself :bigbighug:

Erica

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:25 pm

its not just menopause that can have impact on digestion - for me at age 47 and just starting to have regular periods for the first time in my adult life, my digestion is majorly affected by the fluctuations. I know that the period is on its way due to the changes in my digestion 2 days prior.
I am tracking this better and increasing things like B6 via P5P and magnesium etc to help the body through the fluctuations.

as I have discussed with my doctors, these layers of 'intensity' with various health things and high maintenance eating plan etc is tiring. it takes ALOT of energy to get through each week.

HockeyMom · Post by **HockeyMom** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 4:55 pm

Erica and Gabes-

I'm off today as I'm working this weekend. So did some internet research on menopause/perimenopause, etc. I am pretty sure I am having a full blown storm right now...and all the symptoms sort of fit now...looking back on it. Thought it was all just magnesium deficiency...but I'm starting to think that it's the crazy hormone thing going on. Haven't had a true period for a few months..will get a day or two, then spot but not a real period. And the sleep, heart pounding, anxiety, feeling of impending doom thing all fit the bill. I just wasn't putting the pieces together, numbskull that I am. I have been feeling horribly "menstrual crampy" for a good 5 days now..with nothing happening.

So, went and bought some over the counter progesterone cream today with no "bad stuff" in it that I can see. My question is for anyone using/used it...how much? Seems the number is 20 ?mg/day on some sites, and then of course the progesterone site says 100-200/day!! Dose according to symptoms. Well,
I would slather myself with the stuff today if it would make the cramping and feeling crappy better. Plus I am just crazy anxious and jumpy...not my norm atl all. I have used 40mg of the stuff today in 2 doses.

Thought anyone??

Laine

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:11 pm

my advice
start slow and work up gradually - listen to your body (as best you can)
magnesium would be part of it, but in your case not the whole thing.
keep reading about perimenopause etc and figure out options that will suit what is happening for you.

My older sister had rough rough time with perimenopause and sees a functional doctor hormone specialist, her hormone levels are tested every 6 months and the cream dosage is adjusted to suit what is going on. these tests are not mainstream hormone tests and she has to pay for them. of note, her symptoms are worse if she eats gluten, dairy and drinks alcohol so she avoids them 95% of the time.

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:15 pm

and of note - the combo of MC and perimenopause your magnesium needs may be super high at the moment, and once you started taking it the body wants more!
3 years ago I needed at least 800mg elemental magnesium per day for about 6 months to correct my deficiency.

http://drcarolyndean.com/2012/10/magnesium-menopause/
http://www.larabriden.com/8-ways-that-m ... -hormones/

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:33 pm

Hi Laine,

You might want to see someone who does bioidentical hormones in the Colorado area. I would get the blood tests.

I eventually had to get the creams. After 2 years of MC I just felt crappy--at this point age 52. When tested
I had very little progesterone, very little pregnenalone, and no testosterone shown floating around in my body. Apparently women are supposed to have some testosterone. It took three months of the cream applications until I felt like normal.
I think 2 years of MC had decimated my hormones.

Brandy

Lou Ann · Post by **Lou Ann** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:57 am

Janie,
Did they put you on meds for your pvc's?
I was put on a lopressor, which at the time I was glad because I could feel every one and they were really driving me crazy plus caused some anxiety just from the amount I was having. I was told menopause might cause them and once I'm done with that (if ever) I might be able to stop the meds. I don't have many at all any more..... occasionally I will have a bad day. They scare you and say don't stop the meds, so how would I know if I still need them or not!! I go to my cardiologist in a couple months...I guess I will ask, but I'm pretty sure I know what the answer will be.

Lou Ann

P.S. Any news on your monitor yet Tex?

Post by **tex** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:29 pm

Lou Ann wrote:P.S. Any news on your monitor yet Tex?

Well, sort of. Yesterday about noon I received an email advising me that I should check my "My Chart" account because there was a new message. Sure enough, when I logged on I could see that I had a new appointment scheduled. It appeared to be an appointment to turn in the monitor that I had worn for a week. I had mailed the monitor to San Diego, CA 9 days before that appointment was listed. But the interesting part was that the appointment was for last Friday (5 days before the appointment was listed).

So I called the appointment desk at the branch clinic that I use and asked if they had a time machine I could borrow so that I wouldn't miss that appointment.

They didn't so she said to just forget the appointment.

I never cease to be amazed at how much more sophisticated the health care system is becoming as it completes it's transition into a service that is completely unaffordable for the average patient.

Otherwise, no news, so it's a dang good thing that my heart seems to be doing OK despite their slow service. BP and HR this morning, 114/71 and 70.

Tex

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:43 pm

So, went and bought some over the counter progesterone cream today with no "bad stuff" in it that I can see. My question is for anyone using/used it...how much? Seems the number is 20 ?mg/day on some sites, and then of course the progesterone site says 100-200/day!! Dose according to symptoms.

Hey Laine,
Yep I was on 100 mg of progesterone....that is indeed quite a bit of the stuff if it isn't in concentrated form....sooo you may be applying more than you realize, but it did the trick! Until my MC decided for me which was probably due to the SOY in the progesterone...grrr. So as long as you tolerate it, it will do wonders for you

Hugs
Erica

Lou Ann · Post by **Lou Ann** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 3:00 pm

Well Tex, if all that doesn't put your trust in the system I don't know what will!!!

The time machine comment made me laugh....I hope she also appreciated it

I'm glad your numbers are so good and I hope they stay that way!!

Lou Ann