This is a form of Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) It is usually caused by holding too much unevacuated stool, urine, or you're in pain. Often a sore or a bumped toe can cause very bad "episodes" of AD. Goose bumps and sweats are a sign to check for what may be causing it. Many quads are found retaining much more stool in there bowels than could be thought possible. Your doctor will gladly write an order for your nurse to give you an enema. (start thinking about that P.I.E. Machine?) If you think its the problem, go for it. If your bladder isn't emptying, Bingo. Irrigate or change catheters. Skin sores and UTI's seem responsible for most quads with daily problems. I call it Chonic AD. I learned I suffer from a very severe form of arthritis with osteoporosis. I do grow hard bones in places I shouldn't. Breaking a bone is easy and will cause a full blown episode. I'm pretty hooked on narcotics so the pain doesn't trigger severe AD. I seem to do ok if I tilt and recline enough. When your BP goes up, sit up. Gravity should help. Frankly, I get worse from being moved. If you haven't been a quad for twenty years or so, you should have Inversine on hand if your blood pressure takes off. Inversine gives you a solid hour to find the source of the high blood pressure. You should have some plan in case of a full blown AD episode other than waiting on 911. I take a daily blood pressure medication that I can double if I forget to take pain meds enough. After twenty years or so you seem much less likely to suffer severe attacks. It is important to be ready. They can turn life threatening in a moment. This site explains AD the best of any I've read: http://www.fiu.edu/~otweb/autonomic.html This is almost the secret side effect of being a quadriplegic. Many times I've heard quads complain about the emergency room doctors not understanding AD. Print this for them. Talk to your doctor about new and wonderful ways to control this problem. I'd love to hear that Regaine solves this.
BW, john ________________________________ From: Veranda Escobar <[email protected]> To: Wendy Sell <[email protected]>; Kandy Vogelpohl <[email protected]>; quad-list <[email protected]>; Dr. Yurko <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2009 11:50:19 AM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Goose Bumps & Sweats is this AD? I don't know about anyone else. But that does happen to me too. I am a c6-c7 incomplete. My AD sometimes will make my blood pressure elevate but sometimes I get only the sweats w/goose bumps. If someone knows why this happens let me know too. ________________________________ From: Wendy Sell <[email protected]> To: Kandy Vogelpohl <[email protected]>; quad-list <[email protected]>; Dr. Yurko <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 6, 2009 6:34:18 PM Subject: RE: [QUAD-L] Goose Bumps & Sweats is this AD? Yup just a mild version…but still uncompfylll From:Kandy Vogelpohl [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 10:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [QUAD-L] Goose Bumps & Sweats is this AD? Good Morning, I am trying to figure out if my husband is having AD episodes.... I know for sure he had one when he was in the hospital because his blood pressure spiked, and I know it was from a kinked hose into his cathetor. So I am always checking that.... What I am wondering is that my husband breaks out in sweats around his shoulders and head, but then will have goose bumps going down his forearms. But his blood pressure is never elevated. Can he have AD without the blood pressure elevation? He gets so many of the symptons except that. Thanks for your help. Kandy (Wife of husband - C-4 Complete Car accident 2008. (My husband was hospitalized for a year. I just got him home a month ago.) I could use any pointers anyone has to offer.
