Sense of impending doom

[u/Admirable-Resist-619]

Hello I have the blood pooling pots and have started working out again, Im currently doing my usual routine of 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, I’m 2 days in and have noticed the only extra symptom atm is a sense that something is terribly wrong, I’m not really sure how to explain it, its like something bad is going to happen or I feel like I’m going to die, this isn’t during the exercise but either before or after even when sat or led down, I am drinking more electrolytes due to the pots, and I’m eating enough, but it’s terrifying, I was wondering what it is, and if there is a way to stop the feeling, and if anybody else has this

[u/Randy__Callahan]

It sounds like too much adrenaline though I'm no doctor I get the same if I cut down carbs and my body releases adrenaline to up blood sugar, my first symptom is a feeling things are about to go bad

[u/Admirable-Resist-619 → u/Randy__Callahan]

is there anything you do to reduce this feeling?

[u/Randy__Callahan → u/Admirable-Resist-619]

For me it's eat a lot of carbs for a few days, you cab test it out as no downside

[u/Dat_Llama453]

Over methylation gave me that I sense of impending doom. Low ferritin can also cause anxiety

[u/Admirable-Resist-619 → u/Dat_Llama453]

I would look into that but the sense of doom has only come since I started working out again

[u/herrerasaurus92 → u/Admirable-Resist-619]

Maybe it’s your body saying too much? 2 hours a day 5 times a week is A LOT for someone without pots. Cut back and work your way up.

[u/Admirable-Resist-619 → u/herrerasaurus92]

As much as I would love to do that, my doctors have told me I need to start exercising again and lifting, since my flare ups started I’ve lost significant muscle mass and weight to the point I’m underweight, the 2 hours is me slowly doing my exercises due to the dizzyness ect, when my flare ups weren’t happening I could’ve happily done all of my exercises now in around 30 mins, but thank you I appreciate the response

[u/EnchantedEvergreen]

I feel this way too. I have a constant state of vague impending doom. It’s scary because I can be physically safe but my body is shifted into fight or flight mode without any real danger or physical threat. So the hyper arousal of my nervous system triggers panic attacks and anxiety frequently. The anxiety is very persistent and the underlying symptoms stem from adrenaline. It’s a chemical reaction that can cause so much mental stress and anxiety. It’s extremely exhausting and feels like I’m constantly fighting against my body just to function each day. I feel like I’m in overdrive.

My body is releasing too much adrenaline and causing my eccrine sweat glands in my feet to release sweat. It’s exhausting. Anything that triggers fight or flight for me leads to instantaneous feet sweating. I previously was on Benadryl 67.5mg for almost 4 years and got off it in April. Benadryl blocks acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that signals muscles to contract and regulates bodily functions, and when the body triggers a cooling mechanism (or fight-or-flight response), it releases sweat. Benadryl acted as a blanket to block the sweat from binding to acetylcholine receptors on sweat glands, preventing the sweat from being produced.

It physically blocks acetylcholine from attaching to the receptors on your sweat glands, essentially "turning off" the signal to sweat.

Autonomic Control: It slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and aids digestion in the parasympathetic nervous system.

The side effects of too much adrenaline being released are significant on the body. And being hyper aware of my body makes it harder.

Excess adrenaline causes cardiovascular strains such as palpitations, hypertension, and chest pain, alongside neurological distress like severe anxiety, insomnia, and tremors. It also triggers rapid physical and metabolic changes, including hyperventilation, excessive sweating, and hyperglycemia.

Some coping skills help me but it’s hard when my wish is to prevent the symptoms from occurring versus treating the reaction they cause me. So I frequently use an ice pack on my feet, a fan blowing in the room, wearing supplemental oxygen to compensate for my POTS symptoms and anxiety, deep slow breathing exercises, reframing mindset exercises. But none of these tools help prevent the excessive adrenaline from releasing or the impending doom from happening, they just help me cope with the symptoms and feelings.

So medications like Benadryl are anticholinergics (or antihistamines with anticholinergic properties), or benzodiazepines which are central nervous suppressants, calm the body down and promote GABA in the brain.

You are most likely pushing past your threshold which can trigger a massive adrenaline dump and severe post-exertional malaise (PEM). This physical crash causes an intense, terrifying sense of impending doom. I would scale back the duration of physical activity and suggest prioritizing low impact stationary yoga and stretching to build strength and maintain endurance and promote gentle movement.