I have long COVID, MCAS, POTS, etc., and I absolutely notice a direct line from any kind of stress to symptoms in my body. The most troubling ones are increased fatigue and brain fog, but the one that warns me the “loudest” is peripheral neuropathy. My arms and sometimes my legs, neck, and face get a cold numbness, like when you rub Icy Hot on your skin. It’s not painful per se, just kind of noticeable and uncomfortable. I typically have to immediately rest, meditate, stimulate the vagus nerve to try to restore equilibrium, and it doesn’t always work.
Thank you for sharing this - your description of that 'loud' peripheral neuropathy warning signal is so vivid and relatable. It's fascinating (though frustrating, I know) how our bodies develop these unique stress signatures. That Icy Hot sensation you're describing is a classic example of how stress can trigger neurological symptoms through mast cell activation.
You're spot on with your intervention strategy too - immediate rest and vagal nerve stimulation are exactly what your body needs in those moments. When our mast cells are triggered by stress, they can affect nerve function and blood flow (hello POTS!), which explains that cold numbness you're experiencing.
Have you noticed any patterns with timing - like how quickly these symptoms show up after a stressor? Sometimes tracking this can help us catch things earlier. And while it's frustrating when the usual tools don't always work, please know that's not a failure on your part - it's just the complex nature of how our nervous systems and mast cells interact.
Keep listening to those 'loud' signals your body sends - they're not fun, but they're valuable data points for managing this condition. 💜
My system goes from zero to 1000 in seconds off of things that would’ve never even been a blip on my radar before I got sick. Something as simple as a rude comment from a total stranger on social media sends my HR shooting over 105, I start sweating, and then the fatigue sets in. There’s also this anxiety that I don’t like talking about because people and doctors tend to use it to explain away everything: stomach pain and acid reflux (anxiety), sleep disruption (anxiety), etc when most of my symptoms (including the anxiety) is caused by my severe histamine intolerance. I’ve gotten really good with my nervous system supports. Took years to figure out which ones works best for me, while also trying to reduce stress-inducing situations.
I totally understand that zero-to-1000 response - it's like our bodies completely lost the ability to properly calibrate reactions! That mismatch between the trigger (a random comment) and your physiological response (racing heart, sweating, fatigue) is such a classic mast cell/histamine pattern.
And yes to the anxiety piece being weaponized against us! The medical gaslighting is infuriating - either "it's just anxiety" or my personal favorite, "have you considered losing weight?" as if that explains why your body suddenly can't tolerate foods you've eaten your entire life.
I'm genuinely impressed you've developed such a personalized nervous system toolkit. That self-knowledge of which techniques actually work for your specific system is invaluable. It's that intersection of reducing both physiological and psychological stressors that creates the most powerful healing path forward.
I have long COVID, MCAS, POTS, etc., and I absolutely notice a direct line from any kind of stress to symptoms in my body. The most troubling ones are increased fatigue and brain fog, but the one that warns me the “loudest” is peripheral neuropathy. My arms and sometimes my legs, neck, and face get a cold numbness, like when you rub Icy Hot on your skin. It’s not painful per se, just kind of noticeable and uncomfortable. I typically have to immediately rest, meditate, stimulate the vagus nerve to try to restore equilibrium, and it doesn’t always work.
Thank you for sharing this - your description of that 'loud' peripheral neuropathy warning signal is so vivid and relatable. It's fascinating (though frustrating, I know) how our bodies develop these unique stress signatures. That Icy Hot sensation you're describing is a classic example of how stress can trigger neurological symptoms through mast cell activation.
You're spot on with your intervention strategy too - immediate rest and vagal nerve stimulation are exactly what your body needs in those moments. When our mast cells are triggered by stress, they can affect nerve function and blood flow (hello POTS!), which explains that cold numbness you're experiencing.
Have you noticed any patterns with timing - like how quickly these symptoms show up after a stressor? Sometimes tracking this can help us catch things earlier. And while it's frustrating when the usual tools don't always work, please know that's not a failure on your part - it's just the complex nature of how our nervous systems and mast cells interact.
Keep listening to those 'loud' signals your body sends - they're not fun, but they're valuable data points for managing this condition. 💜
Thank you for explaining all of this!
You're welcome. <3
My system goes from zero to 1000 in seconds off of things that would’ve never even been a blip on my radar before I got sick. Something as simple as a rude comment from a total stranger on social media sends my HR shooting over 105, I start sweating, and then the fatigue sets in. There’s also this anxiety that I don’t like talking about because people and doctors tend to use it to explain away everything: stomach pain and acid reflux (anxiety), sleep disruption (anxiety), etc when most of my symptoms (including the anxiety) is caused by my severe histamine intolerance. I’ve gotten really good with my nervous system supports. Took years to figure out which ones works best for me, while also trying to reduce stress-inducing situations.
I totally understand that zero-to-1000 response - it's like our bodies completely lost the ability to properly calibrate reactions! That mismatch between the trigger (a random comment) and your physiological response (racing heart, sweating, fatigue) is such a classic mast cell/histamine pattern.
And yes to the anxiety piece being weaponized against us! The medical gaslighting is infuriating - either "it's just anxiety" or my personal favorite, "have you considered losing weight?" as if that explains why your body suddenly can't tolerate foods you've eaten your entire life.
I'm genuinely impressed you've developed such a personalized nervous system toolkit. That self-knowledge of which techniques actually work for your specific system is invaluable. It's that intersection of reducing both physiological and psychological stressors that creates the most powerful healing path forward.
Thanks so much! Sorry to finally respond so late, thought I had a while ago. Oohh that weight comment is infuriating!!
This post captures what’s going on so much! I’ve already shared it with my wife and brother.
So true