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Autonomic Storming.

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Guest
Guest

Hi, Last year on the 14th June 2016 I fell down a public Staircase suffering a Subdural Haematoma and an Ischemic Bleed, Other injuries including hurting my neck, I remember a blow to my front temple and then an immediate blow to the back of the head. Since about two months after the accident I have been waking at night whilst dreaming with a raised heart rate, sweating and in a full on fight or flight mode panic attack.  The medics have been pretty useless since the accident, no CBT, no real effort to medicate me at all. I went to a Chiropractor and he said it was a complex whiplash injury to my neck and to the nerves of my left shoulder.  I have been sent to my CMHT mental health team as I had PTSD and suffered from anxiety for years, since I was 15 I am now 67. This could be a long story but is it Autonomic Storming, I now use an airline neck cushion when sleeping and it has helped considerably sleeping. It is now more than a year and 5 months since the accident and i am still waiting for an MRI scan of my neck. I kept telling the medics that I could alter the awareness of my own heartbeat by moving my neck into what really is uncomfortable positions. 

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2 Replies

  • LongJourney
    LongJourney Guest

    Posted

    I find the title of your post to be very interesting. The full blown fight or flight response can be very real. When the “storm” occurs does it affect your blood pressure in any way? What are the autonomic symptoms?  Also, are you saying you can hear your heartbeats? Read about FMD- FibroMuscular Dysplasia. I’m not attempting a diagnosis.  It’s just something you might find interesting to read about. Please let me know all your symptoms of Autonomic Storm. I do believe such exist. Thanks.
    • Guest
      Guest LongJourney

      Posted

      Yes when the paramedics got to me quickly my BP was 170 over 93. I also always have a headache. I can feel my heart beat or hear it pounding. I am also woken already in a full on Panic Attack. These started about two months after my TBI and are slowly easing off. I was taking Propranolol 20mg twice a day for anxiety for 22 years then after the TBI I gradually became sensitised to the drug and my heart rate started falling to the point where it was 40 BPM and I collapsed four times twice in my Doctors surgery and twice at Hospital. All they want to do is blame my Mental Health then a Chiropractor said I had a Complex Whiplash injury of C1 and C2 which were rpobably pressing on my upper spinal cord brain stem. I started sleeping with an airline cushion and now these episodes have eased off unless I get in a difficult position whilst sleeping.
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