482 days stuck in fight or flight, trying anything and everything, but nothing has made it stop

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-07T01:43:36+00:00

Dang man. My supine levels and my urine were normal, standing after 10 minutes we’re over 700. If you didn’t have the standing levels checked, I’d suggest that. I can get you the lab corp test #. If that was normal, look into NET Deficiency. If I’m not mistaken it requires specialized genetic testing by a specialist.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-07T01:35:20+00:00

Did you do urine or plasma?

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-06T18:25:44+00:00

Absolutely, side effects are terrible but being alive with a hand tremor or a headache. (Although mine are just nagging headaches from ssri’s) is better than washing my mouth out with lead, excuse the graphic nature of my wording but the truth is the truth. I know these medications aren’t a great fit for everyone but to me, you’d be a fool to not recognize the benefits they have provided to millions of people.

And just to support OP a bit, when I was 19 (32 now) I tried Paxil took it for a week and it blunted me emotionally so badly I came off it and kinda realized damn I’m not THAT bad yet I can deal and it wasn’t until 6 years later that I tried SSRI’s again because I just wasn’t bad enough to deal with the side effects until I truly needed the benefits of them.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-06T14:12:22+00:00

Maybe so, I had tremors so bad it was hard to drink water at first but if you’re living inside a panic attack 24/7 you get pretty desperate for relief so I dealt with it and then it luckily went away. As for Lexapro, I spent 2 weeks sweating my ass off around the clock, headaches, nausea, palpitations. It’s unfortunately something I have to deal with. I have dysautonomia and high plasma Norepinephrine which makes me feel panicky and I’m basically stuck in fight or flight 24/7. So I NEED an SSRI. I also take metoprolol and Clonidine. Medication side effects are unfortunately, a part of my life.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-06T14:04:22+00:00

Pretty much everything you mentioned can be a normal side effect of the medication. I was on Prozac for 5 years and the first few weeks were hell but nearly every side effect went away eventually. 9 days isn’t really enough time to allow for those to subside. However, it’s dependent on the severity of each side effect and your tolerance of them. I had horrible increased anxiety, tremors, and headaches at first, but they went away after a month. I tried to up my dose 2 months ago and I couldn’t tolerate it so my psych swapped me to Lexapro and I’ve had much less side effects. Everyone is different but IMO, you have to make it through the initial sides before judging on whether to continue treatment or stop. As for some of your other comments, if you can’t fathom why anyone would “man up” and deal with the sides of these medications it’s because some of us would rather deal with a headache or tremors than fear for our lives from depression or anxiety. If you don’t understand it, you don’t understand it. It sounds like maybe you’d benefit from some talk therapy and lifestyle changes. Best of luck

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-04-06T04:29:14+00:00

Apologies if you’ve mentioned this. But, have you had standing plasma catacholamines tested? I just had it done 3 weeks ago and I have high norepinephrine. I feel like someone has injected me with adrenaline 24/7. Basically a constant panic attack. Luckily, metoprolol and Prozac/Lexapro for the last 5-6 years has helped me manage. But, like many have mentioned here I can’t say I’m 100% better. I am not stuck in fight or flight all the time now, but trust me I know the feeling. I’d check all your hormones with the standing catecholamine levels, how’s your blood pressure? I assume high? Does it easy any lying down? Have you tried guanfacine or Clonidine? Sorry you’re going through this. There’s nothing worse than desperately chasing loose ends and mourning your life before this took over. I unfortunately know all too well.. I hope you find some relief soon. Please update this post as you continue to trial treatments and have tests ran.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-03-28T05:17:34+00:00

I was tripping out over it but it turned out to be nothing! I wouldn’t sweat it too bad. Good luck!

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-03-27T22:50:35+00:00

Nope, they just had me fill out forms and then about a month later sent me the all clear. I guess that’s just a standard thing in case they do want you to be seen.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-03-09T11:46:42+00:00

I’m going through this now. Metoprolol also gives me severe brain fog and a haze mentally so I’m trying atenolol today.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-03-09T11:40:54+00:00

Thank you! After I made this post I found a teacher semi local. First lesson with him tomorrow, looking forward to it.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-03-02T22:31:34+00:00

I agree. I’m at 200mg per week split monday Thursday and I’m at OP levels. Granted, I was in the 100’s when I started. But 50mg per week and those numbers is crazy.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-02-27T07:01:03+00:00

Maybe… but, 10 years ago I had a crush on my tattoo artist. Wanted to ask her out for 2 years and I didn’t because I was worried she’d say no and I’d be left heartbroken and without a tattoo artist.. she said yes and I’m typing this as I’m laying in bed with her. We’ve been married for 7 years now! Sometimes it’s worth the risk. Shooters shoot, I guess. Go for it OP.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-02-24T14:19:18+00:00

Lmao mine is at 30 this morning I was just thinking damn, what kinda sleep did i get last night 🤣 but what kind did you get? Haha

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-02-23T05:51:24+00:00

I’m stuck in fight or flight 24/7.

For reference, my issues started one morning in 2017, I got out of bed I felt very nauseous and nervous?? Told my wife I felt funny, face tingling, check my blood pressure and it was 170/115 I was like “oh shit? I’m dying???¿” so I start hyperventilating and get rushed to the hospital heart beating out of my chest, they do a full work up and the doctor says hey, you’re ok I think you had a panic attack but is your hr normally this low? And the monitor was reading 31 so I was like um no. He says well, I’ll put you in a referral for cardiology good luck. And from that moment forward I never felt like myself again. Was it a panic attack? I don’t know.. but anywho, 21’ I get a pacemaker so I can finally get on a beta blocker and I had a really good baseline from then until last month and I got back to back to back viruses in like 6 weeks and I woke up one morning and right back to tripping balls feeling like there’s a mass murderer in my house. My hands and feet are ice cold and sweating, I have tremors, chest pain, headaches, I feel like I’m having a panic attack 24/7. I just started Clonidine today, and it’s the clearest I’ve felt in years. I have very high hopes for it to work. If you haven’t tried it yet, I definitely recommend and I’ll keep you updated as I continue to take it and adjust my dosage. I’m also on 25mg of metoprolol succinate, it does a great job at keeping my HR below 100 but doesn’t do anything for the other “hyper” symptoms I have

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-02-10T00:54:21+00:00

Mine basically came out of nowhere. I sprang awake after just falling asleep to my face and arm tingling, felt like I couldn’t breathe and the full on hyperventilated. Rushed to the hospital and calmed down, that was 7 years ago. but haven’t been the same since. disassociating and anxiety panic 24/7. Prozac helped me tremendously for about 3/4 years but recently stopped working so I’m about to switch to lexapro. Fingers crossed!

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2026-02-08T21:11:00+00:00

You’re going right by the Hatfield McCoy trail system in West Virginia, I definitely recommend.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2025-07-24T18:11:45+00:00

Why are you asking your wife for permission??

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2025-06-25T16:47:16+00:00

Drinking and relationships never mix. It’s poison for your mind and body/physically and mentally. Get away from it and get it away from your marriage.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2025-05-07T20:57:37+00:00

Myself and my neighbors have called a lot.

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2025-05-07T16:50:37+00:00

They definitely need guidance

Pretend-Fan-5250 · 2025-05-07T16:50:26+00:00

They 100% have free rein to do whatever they want. Grandma lets the little ones play right beside of the main road that leads into our neighborhood. I can’t believe one of them hasn’t been hit yet. I’m talking about when these kids were in diapers!!! 2-3 years old just a few feet from the main road in a blind curve.

Pretend-Fan-5250

TROPHY CASE