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Are you irritable? Extreme fight or flight responses?

Posted , 2 users are following.

Justhormonal
Justhormonal

So I'm in the process of figuring out what my "borderline low" cortisol and DHAS numbers mean. As I look a bunch of things up, I see that cortisol/adrenaline are responsible for the "fight or flight" response. If I have LOW hormone levels in those areas, why am I so easily "aroused" to a fight or flight response? You would think I'd just be hum-drum about everything. But I find I don't just get annoyed, I get really angry, at pretty little things that seem HUGE at the time and totally rational, but later I'm embarrassed. Is it just that I'm so tired that everything is a big deal? Do others struggle with this, or did you, before treatment? Please fill me in!

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Justhormonal
    Justhormonal

    Posted

    Sorry that should be DHEA not DHAS. Still learning all the lingo...
  • christine60223
    christine60223 Justhormonal

    Posted

    I think it is because when you are under stress, since your body cannot kick out enough cortisol to deal with it, it kicks out adrenaline, instead.  

    I have a constant problem with our local hospital and their billing mistakes.  It is not occasionally, it is on a fairly regular basis, and it has been going on for many years.  I used to kind of like taing on the challenge of dealing with getting insurance to cover things, and dealing with the hospital and their mistakes...and I ususally won, and saved us thousands of dollars over the years.

    I find I can no longer deal with it very well.  The stress makes me really agitated, and it is not just a mental irritation, it is a physical feeling, too.  It sometimes takes a couple of hours to go away......and I get kind of mean.

    • Justhormonal
      Justhormonal christine60223

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your reply! And agh, yes, I think you are describing it very well. Stressful situations used to kick me into high gear, get me thinking quickly and clearly, but now they flood my whole body with stress, frustration, even panic.

      If I may ask, are you under any treatment for Addison's currently, and if so, what, and does it seem to make this feeling/reaction better or worse?

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