Hormonal issue? Familiar-sounding to anyone?

[teachma]

Periodically, I experience what feels like a racing heart and shortness of breath. It happens usually in the middle of the night (I wake frequently with mu nursing toddler and that's when I notice it) and comes on and off though the next several days before subsiding. I have recently noticed what seems to be a pattern: several days to a week before I get my period, it begins, and it usually ends sometime during the first day of my period. Interestingly, the first time I noticed it was years ago, during the lengthy weaning process with my then 3 year old daughter. While pregnant with my son, and in the post-partum time before my period returned (which was abt 14 mos post partum), it did not happen at all. Anyone have an explanation and treatment suggestion for this uncomfortable, anxiety-provoking experience?

[teachma]

I guess this doesn't resonate with anyone...

[JaneS]

Do you have other symptoms of hypoglycemia?

Hyperthyroid?

Only in middle of night, then it's likely hypoglycemia. The adrenals kick in to bring up your low blood sugar and produce adrenaline... which causes the panic symptoms if your body doesn't clear adrenaline well (low vitamin C, whole food vitamin C bioflavoniod deficiency can cause this).

Treatment for hypoglycemia is low carb diet.

Hypoglycaemia - the full story
http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Hypog...the_full_story

Maybe those nights that is happens you have sugar late at night or more sugar during day?

Insulin control is also influenced by thyroid function too I'm finding.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

I have similar "attacks" although I don't wake up with them, they usually happen when I am already awake. I also have them on and off for a week before my period starts, so I really think they are hormonal.

When I asked my doctor, she suggested low blood sugar. So I bought a blood sugar test thingy from Amazon.com and when I tested my blood sugar during an attack, it was always fine (always above 100, usually around 120). Its definitely not low blood sugar although that is exactly what it feels like.

I think (this is just my guess) that something happens hormonally during that time of the cycle that causes the adrenal glands to try to compensate. I also have noticed I experience increased anxiety during that time of my cycle, so I guess it could be related to anxiety (although when the attacks hit, I don't feel anxious... but get anxious because of the attacks because they feel kind of frightening).

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by BellinghamCrunchie

I have similar "attacks" although I don't wake up with them, they usually happen when I am already awake. I also have them on and off for a week before my period starts, so I really think they are hormonal.

When I asked my doctor, she suggested low blood sugar. So I bought a blood sugar test thingy from Amazon.com and when I tested my blood sugar during an attack, it was always fine (always above 100, usually around 120). Its definitely not low blood sugar although that is exactly what it feels like.

Well that might make sense b/c it's my understanding that the adrenals release adreneline to help bring up low blood sugar and release the glycogen from the liver.

Its adreneline that makes you panicky, not the low blood sugar per se. You would have low bs right before the attack, and then the blood sugar would rise along with the adreneline release.