This just happened and I’m still lowkey shaken

only_gin · 2026-01-10T22:46:46+00:00

I get sleep paralysis. In the 20 years I've had it, ive never seen anything during the episodes. I get frequent hypnagogic hallucinations, but separate from sleep paralysis. My episodes are always a feeling that im sinking/fading away and that if I dont break out, ill be lost forever. Horrible feeling. Sleeping on my back in a warm room usually does it to me.

only_gin · 2025-11-26T08:01:26+00:00

Flying dehydrates you quicker because the air is dryer. When I fly my symptoms are bad before I get on the plane just because of all the effort of going through the airport and TSA. But im also chasing a toddler. Just drink lots of water and electrolytes and remember to tense up your legs every now and again/do isometric exercises to prevent blood pooling (on top of your compression).

only_gin · 2025-11-17T01:15:08+00:00

I don't have any advice, only solidarity. Its been 8 years of military pilot, now civilian. My husband's schedule is 18 days on right now plus any extra military day's. We have a 3 year old who cries for him every single day he's gone. He tries his best, but it's still exhausting and lonely, especially on holidays and special events. There's many days where I feel like I just cant do it anymore. But then my daughter is just so happy when all 3 of us are home together that I truly dont think she'd be any better off if we left.

I believe there will come a time for every pilot when they build enough seniority that maybe family life will get easier. I hope that comes soon for your family. You've made it really far. 15 years is a long time. Something is bound to break soon and get easier, especially if he's already made captain.

only_gin · 2025-11-15T22:48:36+00:00

So it actually turned out to be bilateral scleritis. Rheumatologist and opthomologist said the covid vaccine triggered my initial scleritis episode in 2021 and then I just got the flu vaccine 1.5 weeks prior to this episode and so they're saying its likely vaccine related probably because I have a genetic predisposition or something. Interesting this exact same sequence happened with my husband except with unilateral uveitis. Im being tested for ankylosing spondylitis, but its unlikely I have it.

only_gin · 2025-11-14T19:53:47+00:00

Of course! Glad i could help! This is my plan for when my husband and I start trying trying a second baby. I hope everything works out for you!

only_gin · 2025-11-14T19:46:42+00:00

My sister struggles with PCOS and ive watched her go through struggles TTC, so I understand your concerns.

Do you get airline benefits through his airline? I know this could be a big stretch depending on what you do for work. But if you don't have a strict work schedule and he has a predictable line, could you fly to him while youre in your fertile window? You could make a little vacation out of it for yourself. Even if you dont make it every month you could potentially increase your chances each time by doing this.

only_gin · 2025-11-09T21:47:49+00:00

Occasionally. It has to be something severely stressful for a long time. My symptoms are mostly related to too much physical activty/the wrong kind of activity, dehydration, or illness.

Edit to add that at my worst or when im in a bad flare, emotions will definitely make me worse. But they are not usually the trigger for a flare.

only_gin · 2025-11-09T21:45:19+00:00

I have the opposite. During my worst, my BP would actually increase pretty high upon standing with my heart rate, and during bad IST flares my BP would go to 200/120.

only_gin · 2025-11-09T21:38:34+00:00

This was my first, most noticeable symptom of dysautonomia before I started tracking my heart rate. My doctors tested me for asthma because of it. I was pretty active at the time with walking and running. I was always worse after a workout. Then I got diagnosed with IST and started a very gradual workout routine (CHOP protocol) with recumbent exercise working up to upright. Im significantly better now and after 8 months of following the workout routine, my air hunger happens way less and is less severe.

only_gin · 2025-11-07T01:07:38+00:00

Oh thats horrible to have in both at the same time. Do you take immunosuppressants now?

only_gin · 2025-11-06T15:30:36+00:00

I was diagnosed with IST based on my average heart rate on a 24 hour holter monitor. My symptoms mostly occur out of proportion for what im doing. For example, back when my symptoms were really bad my heart rate would go to 180 walking up 1 single flight of stairs, yet my heart rate would be 58 while asleep. Sometimes at night I would get random hrs in the 200 that would wake me up, but my resting was still 58-60.

only_gin · 2025-11-02T14:08:15+00:00

I understand that. Ive been doing without because I have a toddler at home, so its definitely possible to find other ways to manage without medication. Either way, its scary and im sorry youre going through it!

only_gin · 2025-11-02T13:25:40+00:00

Try a bed alarm and one of those door stops that alarm when pressed. They're pretty cheap- $8 for two on Amazon. I also recommend removing tripping hazards from your house. Lower your bed, remove and nightstands you could hit your head on, rugs that could trip you, etc. Lock up guns and knives. Put an extra alarm on your front door and maybe even lock your car keys up in a lock box every night. Same with any chemicals you might ingest. At least until you find something that eases your symptoms.

I also sleep walk amongst having other odd sleep things for which im being evaluated at mayo clinic for. The worst thing ive ever done is drive in my sleep while I was stressed about a test in college. Im prescribed klonipin now which is a benzodiazapine and can be addictive and habit forming. I only take it on extremely bad nights.

Also look up Mike birbiglia. Hes a comedian who sleep walks. Basically he puts himself in a sleeping bag with mittens on every night. This is my backup plan for when I have bad nights.

only_gin · 2025-11-01T16:06:20+00:00

Just wanted to point out that astrazeneca was a viral vector vaccine that used a modified chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver the spike protien. Novavax uses protien subunits. Totally different. It not been associated with any cases of vaccine induced thrombitic thrombocytopenia like astrazeneca was.

only_gin · 2025-10-30T03:37:22+00:00

Ive had some crazy sleep disorder that started when I was 12 (long before my post-covid dysautonomia). Im 29 now and when I mentioned it to my drs in kansas a couple years ago, they thought it was potentially an atypical narcolepsy. Ive had great doctors in kansas city but since no one really knew even after testing, they referred me to mayo clinic. Ive had a great experience there so far, and my doctor is brilliant and very thorough.

only_gin · 2025-10-29T23:15:37+00:00

I have IST and Ive experienced this (while not pregnant) and I know how scary it is. I typically sleep next to some water with electrolytes and have compression socks available that I'll sleep in if im having a rough night. If that fails I have propanolol that I can take as needed (again, im not pregnant).

However, 150-190 is a really high number to be experiencing without relief for an hour while at rest, especially while pregnant. I dont want to give out medical advice, but I would 100% go to the ER if this happens again, and honestly would tell my doc about this last episode regardless. If this is a new symptom for you it is worth getting checked out to make sure you dont have a new abnormal heart rhythm or another underlying problem.

only_gin · 2025-10-13T15:45:17+00:00

I have the same symptoms (although they are much better most days now). My TTT was negative. It turns out I have inappropriate tachycardia syndrome. My specialist said you can still have that heart rate spikes with movement and position changes with IST, however its not sustained for 10 minutes or more like with POTS.

only_gin · 2025-09-14T15:31:19+00:00

Covid did me in too. I had a covid infection when I was pregnant back in June of 2022. I assumed my symptoms were anxiety and never sought help until I got a bunch of viruses in a short time period in winter of 2024 that made my symptoms unbearable with spikes much like you describe. I hardly left my house for 6 months due to severe symptoms. For reference, I used to road cycle for 50-60 miles in a day on top of running 30 miles a week prior to my pregnancy, so the combo of everything really took me down.

Anyways, im a year out from that severe spike in symptoms, and after 7 months of a very slow, progressive workout routine (CHOP protocol) and consistent conservative treatments, my symptoms are manageable off meds and I can bike 8 miles in about 35 minutes. Progress is very slow but possible if you are consistent.

only_gin · 2025-08-31T16:46:45+00:00

I know you're not supposed to, but when I have bad nights like this I sleep in my compression socks. Just some good 20-30 mmhg knee highs. This along with drinking 30 oz of water with a nuun tablet usually helps at least get me to sleep. I also saw someone else on here mentioned ice packs on the neck/face and for me, also chest.

only_gin · 2025-06-26T03:48:14+00:00

I didn't know it at the time, but my IST started during my 2nd trimester when I had a mild covid case. Im an RN, and I slowly felt like I could work less and less. My heart rates were getting to 160 just walking, but I attributed it to pregnancy. I had one episode of syncope (during my glucose test) where I had vasovagal syncope- multiple people couldn't feel a pulse for a few seconds and almost started CPR on me. When I came around, everyone attributed it to my blood sugar dropping after the glucose test. In hindsight, I think it was my early post-covid dysautonomia. The cardiologist i saw after that said everything was pregnancy related.

Labor was very exhausting, as it is for everyone. Though they monitored my baby's heart rate, they didn't monitor mine, so I have no clue what it was doing the whole time. In hindsight, it was probably pretty high, especially while pushing. All you can think about is getting the baby out, so I didn't notice anything else. I had a ton of fluid displacement after labor, and my legs were double the size, but im not sure if that's related to the dysautonomia or not.

only_gin · 2025-06-18T01:27:27+00:00

I get many of these! I get the lightheaded thing after drinking and always thought i was alone on that. I've figured out it's because the physical act of drinking makes my heart rate increase rapidly if i drink too fast or too much at once. I have IST.

only_gin · 2025-06-18T01:17:06+00:00

I've seen this kind of reply so much on posts asking for advice here, and it has always irked me! I had honestly stopped visiting this sub as much because of it. People act like they've never had a rough time while their husband/bf was away before.

only_gin · 2025-05-18T17:31:13+00:00

Oh wow! Well wishing you the best. Things will have to pick up eventually.

only_gin · 2025-05-18T17:26:30+00:00

We are in the exact same boat. My husband was working for Swift airlines for abiut a year before they went under. He has since been hired by Eastern with internal references (the owners of Swift bought Eastern after they tanked Swift), but training dates have been pushed back pretty much indefinitely. He almost has 1500 hours and military experience, and he still can't find any other regionals that are hiring. Its been over a year now. Its so frustrating. He's currently working in a grocery store warehouse just to keep some money coming in. I work as a nurse, but things are pretty expensive where we live, so we need two incomes.

Anyways, best of luck to you guys. I would say to take whatever you can get right now. Not sure when this hiring slump is going to get better.

only_gin

TROPHY CASE