Other Could this be a dissociation disorder?

  • Post starter Post starter Tyler S
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tyler S

Hi guys,
I have a problem and I think its physical and not mental, but it seems like nobody beliefs me and I want to know, what you think.
(I know nobody can do diagnostics via reading, I just want to know what you think.)
So, every few weeks I have cardiovascular problems for a thew days, sometimes weeks. It comes out of nowhere, in any situation and has no correlation with stress or emotions. I can be sitting with a friend laughing and suddenly it begins. It starts with my heart racing or pounding (which can last for two hours.) and if it gets worser, I begin to shake a little bit and my legs give up (plus sweating and sometimes I can't talk anymore, because it's so exhausting). Laying down mostly helps a bit. The first time, this problem showed up, was about 9 years ago and I thought at that time I had an allergic reaction.

I had a Service Dog in Training for a couple of months and he warned me 20 minutes before it happened. I felt good at the time he warned me, but at some point I trusted him, because he was right. I felt very secure with him, but needed to give him away. The dog trainer who is specialized in service dog training told me, that it must be some kind of physical or neurological problem, because this dog couldn't warn a mental problem. My relatives on the mother's side have a long history with heart conditions. These two facts plus the feeling of it being a physical problem make me think, it is something physical. I mean, I was in a psychiatry because of ptsd and depression (both diagnosed in the psychiatry), but since one year I don't feel depressed and have no ptsd symptoms (I don't react to my triggers anymore and feel very stable).

I don't have any problem accepting it as a mental problem, if it is. I mean, I was in the psychiatry by choice and told them every symptom. (I also had derealisation, which is gone with the other problems since I moved away and had no contact to the people causing the ptsd.) At that time, I thought it could be panic attacks, but I don't have anxiety or panic while I have the heart problems. I just feel annoyed of them, because it makes school visits really difficult and I want to study after. I just want to know what it is. The therapist didn't diagnosed it as panic disorder too, because it wasn't the right diagnose. Every time I am visiting my family doctor and he/she knows, I was in a psychiatry or had depression, he/she doesn't take me seriously anymore and just want, that I hand them my therapy report over. They didn't even want to see my long time ECG or give me a doctor referral. They start to speak loud and slow, as if I were slow. They don't listen of what I am talking about. And I changed my family doctor while moving away, but at my new home aren't many family doctors so that I can change them.

Has anyone have the same problem as a dissociation etc? Or has a clue, if it even could be a mental thing, if it's not correlated to any situation or emotion? I know, they can be a problem that I don't see, but I processed the past (as far as I know) and don't feel stressed (well, only if the heart problem last very long).
 
I'm going through the same thing; I had the same symptoms with loss of feeling in my arms and legs, tics, dizziness, immobility... I went to the cardiologist, neurologist, and internal medicine doctor, but it turned out to be psychological, although my psychiatrist doesn't believe me either. You should go to physical doctors to find out if it's a physical cause to see if your life is at risk. If not, talk about it in therapy, and if they don't believe you, find another therapist who does
 
My slow bpm readings have been fairly consistent throughout my life. Yet, now my average bpm at rest is even slower.

For the past several months, I’ve been following my bpm readings (24/7) on my smartwatch. When sleeping my bpm average is now 48, when awake and sitting, reading, my bpm average is 50 to 55. With moderate physical activity it’s in the 70’s to 80’s. With extreme cardio activity it might be briefly 120 to 140. Yet after 20 minutes of resting my bpm will return to 50. Thus, the fluctuations within my bpm readings don’t appear to correlate with my episodes of emotional stress but rather more often with my physical activities.

This being said, my bpm does continuously waver by a few points, even when I’m resting and perfectly still and not under stress.

Apparently, my doctors haven't found any physical cause for my abnormal bpm. Years ago they told me, this might be due to an issue with my sinus node. I’m thinking that my bradycardia might be more related to my dysfunctional limbic system. My breathing rate is also abnormally slow. Also my blood-pressure wavers too much. These three functions are all regulated by my limbic system. Perhaps, my Raynaud’s syndrome might also be a disfunction of my limbic system.

In regards to my dissociation - I seem to have very little conscious awareness of slipping in and out of my episodes of dissociation. I only know that under extreme emotional stress my body functions aren’t normal until the stress is removed. Unfortunately, my own ‘normal,’ for example, my resting 50 to 54 bpm, isn’t a normal body function.
 
My slow bpm readings have been fairly consistent throughout my life. Yet, now my average bpm at rest is even slower.

For the past several months, I’ve been following my bpm readings (24/7) on my smartwatch. When sleeping my bpm average is now 48, when awake and sitting, reading, my bpm average is 50 to 55. With moderate physical activity it’s in the 70’s to 80’s. With extreme cardio activity it might be briefly 120 to 140. Yet after 20 minutes of resting my bpm will return to 50. Thus, the fluctuations within my bpm readings don’t appear to correlate with my episodes of emotional stress but rather more often with my physical activities.

This being said, my bpm does continuously waver by a few points, even when I’m resting and perfectly still and not under stress.

Apparently, my doctors haven't found any physical cause for my abnormal bpm. Years ago they told me, this might be due to an issue with my sinus node. I’m thinking that my bradycardia might be more related to my dysfunctional limbic system. My breathing rate is also abnormally slow. Also my blood-pressure wavers too much. These three functions are all regulated by my limbic system. Perhaps, my Raynaud’s syndrome might also be a disfunction of my limbic system.

In regards to my dissociation - I seem to have very little conscious awareness of slipping in and out of my episodes of dissociation. I only know that under extreme emotional stress my body functions aren’t normal until the stress is removed. Unfortunately, my own ‘normal,’ for example, my resting 50 to 54 bpm, isn’t a normal body function.
You shoul go again to doctors, to all of them if you can because honestly, It seems physical.
 
You shoul go again to doctors, to all of them if you can because honestly, It seems physical.
Seems like my BPM readings have always been red flaged. The medical technicians monitoring my EKG tests always display a jaw dropping look of amazement. My last EKG was 11 months ago. Anymore, I try to warn these technicians before-hand that my EKG readings won't be normal.

I've been getting regular checkups. Then my neurological/ brain damage only complicate everything. My PCP told me that this problem isn't an incomplete heart-block, though it appears to be one on the monitor.
 
Last edited:
When sleeping my bpm average is now 48, when awake and sitting, reading, my bpm average is 50 to 55. With moderate physical activity it’s in the 70’s to 80’s. With extreme cardio activity it might be briefly 120 to 140.
Those have been my levels for most of my life (40 something, now); I’ve always been told it’s because I was extremely fit/healthy/an athlete & have a badass cardiopulmonary system.

When I’m out of shape, or in a lot of pain (moderate pain, not 8/10 and up) my resting HR is in the 70’s & activity HR also jumps 20-40 points.

When I’m sick my HR is generally around 100bpm.

Yet after 20 minutes of resting my bpm will return to 50.
Except this. When I’m fit It usually only takes a minute or two to return to 50bpm.
 
Those have been my levels for most of my life (40 something, now); I’ve always been told it’s because I was extremely fit/healthy/an athlete & have a badass cardiopulmonary system.
I've most likely never been extremely physically fit though, I did a good amount of daily physical work caring for horses for 40 years. Yet that activity ended three decades ago. Too much sitting these days.
Except this. When I’m fit It usually only takes a minute or two to return to 50bpm.
My BPM also normally drops down quickly, from about 70 or 80 to about 50 within a minute or two after walking around or climbing one staircase. When I've noticed this slower lowering of my bpm, this only occurs during the very gradual cooling of my body temperature after an extended cardio workout. In other words, my body temperature might only require more time to cool down.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

2025 Donation Goal

Help Keep MyPTSD Alive! Our annual donation goal is crucial to continue providing support. If you find value in our resource, please contribute to ensure we remain online and available for everyone who needs us.
Goal
$1,600.00
Received
$220.00
13%

Trending content

Featured content

Back
Top