Re: EOS count of zero

[Guest guest]

Hi, Dawn.

This can be caused by high levels of either cortisol or epinephrine

(adrenaline). Most PWCs who have been ill for some time have lower

than normal cortisol, but I suspect that epinephrine might be high, in

an attempt by the adrenals to compensate for the low cortisol. As you

may know, Dr. Cheney says that PWCs who have low cardiac output are

putting out more epinephrine to help " pump " their available blood

output through the capillaries, to make up for the low cardiac output.

I haven't heard of low eos (eosinopenia) in PWCs before. I think tje

doctors don't pay much attention to the eos unless they're high, and

that can be due to allergies or helminthic infection (worms).

Rich

>

> I have a very strange question. Everytime I get a complete CBC

done,

> my blood work shows an EOS count of zero, which is below normal.

Yet,

> no doctor has ever seemed to think this is relevant and I have been

> unable to find any research to say one way or the other. Has anyone

> else experienced this? Or can anyone answer if this is relevant?

> Thanks,

> Dawn

>

[Guest guest]

On Mar 3, 2006, at 10:36 PM, rvankonynen wrote:

> This can be caused by high levels of either cortisol or epinephrine

> (adrenaline). Most PWCs who have been ill for some time have lower

> than normal cortisol, but I suspect that epinephrine might be high, in

> an attempt by the adrenals to compensate for the low cortisol. As you

> may know, Dr. Cheney says that PWCs who have low cardiac output are

> putting out more epinephrine to help " pump " their available blood

> output through the capillaries, to make up for the low cardiac output.

Rich, could this be why I have an over-the-top reaction to the tiny

bit of epinepherine dentists and doctors often add to novocaine

injections to " set " the drug?

I go into full-on panic attacks, and my heart rate shoots up to the

200 range within seconds of getting this stuff. It's horrible, which

is why I make sure anyone who treats me keeps me far away from the

stuff.

Interesting that there's a connection to our cardiac issues. Are

there studies on this? Because getting my cardiac situation checked

out is my Next Big Push, and it would be useful to have them on hand

to get the docs to see what I'm trying to describe here.

Sara

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sara.

I'm currently in the process of studying your case, based on

your " collected works " as found on the Experimental list, which I a,

finding to be detailed, precise, and very informative. By the way,

if you would be willing to share in addition the summary of your

case that you prepared for your doctors (which you mentioned in one

of your posts), I think that would help me quite a bit. My email

address is richvank at aol.com if you want to backchannel it. If

you do send it, and you want me to keep it in confidence, I will.

My best guess at present as to why you are so sensitive to

epinephrine injections is that you have a genetic variation in the

gene coding for your COMT enzyme, possibly homozygous. COMT stands

for catechol-O-methyltransferase, and it is one of the enzymes

responsible for breaking down epinephrine. If you have a genetic

variation that causes this enzyme to break down epinephrine more

slowly than normal, especially if you are homozygous for such a

variation, i.e. have inherited two copies of it, this would cause

the epinephrine that enters your circulation to rise to higher

concentrations and to remain high longer than in other people. The

symptoms you describe would suggest that this did occur. They are

classic symptoms of high epinephrine. How about tremor and clammy

skin? Did you get those, also? With all the rest of the major

symptoms going on, I suppose it might have been hard to notice

whether you had them, though.

Concerning the adrenal response to low cardiac output, Dr. Cheney

cited Guyton's and Hall's Textbook of Medical Physiology, of which I

fortunately have a copy. On page 181 of the tenth edition (2000),

they say, " When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated in most

or all parts of the body during stress or exercise, the sympathetic

nerve endings in the individual tissues release norepinephrine,

which excites the heart, veins and arterioles. In addition, the

sympathetic nerves to the adrenal medullae cause these glands to

secrete both norepinephrine and epineprhine into the blood. These

hormones then circulate to all areas of the body and cause almost

the same excitatory effects on the circulation as direct sympathetic

stimulation, thus providing a dual system of control. "

Dr. Cheney also cited the Cecil Textbook of Medicine, of which I

also have a copy, and on page 609 of the 22nd edition (2004), it

says, " Arteriolar smooth muscle tone is regulated by extrinsic and

intrinsic factors. The extrinsic factors consist of sympathetic

nervous system innervation of arterioles, which are largely

regulated by arterial and cardiopulmonary baroreceptors.

Circulating epinephrine and norepinephrine are released into the

circulation by stimulation of the adrenal medulla. "

I also have a copy of Medical Physiology by Boron and Boulpaep

(2003), and in the discussion of response to hemorrhage, which

decreases the supply of blood to the tissues, as does low cardiac

output, it says the following on p. 586: " In addition, the

sympathetic response triggers the adrenal medulla to release

epinephrine and norepinephrine roughly in proportion to the severity

of the hemorrhage. Lowering the mean arterial pressure to 40 mm Hg

causes circulating levels of epinephrine to rise 50-fold, and

norepinephrine, 10-fold. The consequences of the four combined

reflex actions are the following responses. " [After this they

discuss tachycardia and increased contractility, arteriolar

constriction, venous constriction, and stimulation of plasma levels

of angiotensin II.]

So I would say that the adrenal response to low cardiac output is

textbook material at this point, and hopefully your doctors will be

up to speed on it. If you go to a cardiologist, I would think they

would be very familiar with this.

Rich

> Rich, could this be why I have an over-the-top reaction to the

tiny

> bit of epinepherine dentists and doctors often add to novocaine

> injections to " set " the drug?

>

> I go into full-on panic attacks, and my heart rate shoots up to

the

> 200 range within seconds of getting this stuff. It's horrible,

which

> is why I make sure anyone who treats me keeps me far away from

the

> stuff.

>

> Interesting that there's a connection to our cardiac issues. Are

> there studies on this? Because getting my cardiac situation

checked

> out is my Next Big Push, and it would be useful to have them on

hand

> to get the docs to see what I'm trying to describe here.

>

> Sara

>