Yes, I have felt some chest discomfort and even slight pain on my left side. I had a complete cardiac work up a couple of years ago when I began to experience that, and fortunately the results were great. It can be the sudden rush of adrenaline that can cause those symptoms due to anger or anxiety. Is your father showing signs of dementia? If he is, maybe it would help you to think that he says mean things due to his cognitive decline and not because he is trying to be mean on purpose. When we don't take things personally they don't affect us as much. If his cognitive abilities are perfectly fine, then you may want to set very clear boundaries with him and not allow him to be that way to you. Just in case, check with your doctor and get an EKG, to be sure your heart is fine. Good luck!

i am so very sorry for what you are going through. life with AD is hard at the best of times so i know what it must be for you. i can relate in a lot of ways.....i have a grown son who has many problems. i have to take him everywhere and deal with his dependencies and emotional problems everyday. i just don't have the adrenal glands to handle it (haha). really though it is slowly killing me. i try to stay on an even keel but then he makes me so upset that i scream and cry and just go to pieces!!! i am all that he has so there is nothing to do but the best i can. my point is i know how you feel and i think people like us with AD it puts even more stress on our health and well being. good luck to you!!!!!!

Thank you both, for your replies. Thank goodness it has gone away, and I am determined not to get that upset, again! But I'm always determined...when you get that physical surge that happens in an instant, it is easier said than done.
Eclaire, I'm glad your check up was good! I have been hearing a lot about adrenaline rushes on this forum, and it makes a LOT of sense to me! That is just what it feels like, and I could probably fight the Wooly Mammoth at that time! I know it's no good for the heart to have that happen too often.
As far as Dad goes, he is still very sharp; does crosswords everyday, without fail. However, it IS frustrating for me to try to explain things to him, as he is very deaf, and slow to catch on. Not as much blood going to his brain, I'm guessing? I WISH I had a partner, so that all my expectations for understanding and companionship don't soley rest on him.
Sheri, I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner! I feel for your situation, as well! I'm so sorry that you have sole responsibility for your son, that has to take a lot out of you. I know what you mean about trying to stay level and calm, and then you get to a breaking point. I'm trying to learn some coping skills, like putting soothing music on my little kitchen radio, things lie that. I know people ask me this, but do you have any family members or friends, who could help you out, at all?Well, I hope all of us can cope better with the stress. It is so hard for people to understand, that we're not just being crazy and flying off the handle, but that it is physical, as well as emotional.

I guess I just don't get it. I was told that the pituitary gland controls all the glands in the human body. As I understand it, I do not have "flight or fright"...my body is not capable of it....adrenal insufficiency does not allow it to occur. Stress causes problems in all of us, sick or well. But, to those of us with Addison's Disease, it's much, much worse, because our adrenaline gland is non-functional....causing the stress to run amuck(if you will)in our already sick bodies.
I've never back off, but I rarely start anything because of this disease. And, by "never backing off" I mean, my brain tells me to protect myself and not be hurt(or hurt someone else), but my body does NOT respond in kind.
That is why, to me, Addison's Disease, and/or Adrenal Insufficiency, is so deadly to those of us who have it....we are NOT able to control our responses due to the inefficiencies of this disease that doesn't help us to cope, respond, whatever you want to say.....this is how it's been explained to me and even though I do NOT want to admit it, it does make sense. Stressors become our allerigic reactions as if stress gave off a shock response to RXs, i.e., anti-biotics, et cetera.
My Endocrinologist is also a DM(Diabetic)Specialist. Diabetics really do lousy with stress....so, imagine having both. I'll never die of DM, but I will die of its complications and other high risks. So, what higher risk is there than to add stress to a body that doesn't even produce the average 35 mgs most people need day to day...then, we get stressed, go into crises, how can we possibly produce more adrenaline when our bodies do NOT produce it to begin with?
I'm trying each and every day since I was diagnosed five years ago to understand this disease....then, I keep finding our that each of us has different reactions to crises. Like me? Well, my B/P plummets to something like 40 or 30/palpable......killer! I am still learning and I don't mean to make what I know to be truth to be the same for anyone else. I just thought I could add to the discussion.
I am not a downer-type person. It's difficult for me to even write this. I hope I might be the only one to react this way. After all, 25 to 35 out of a million people have Addison's Disease, we can't possibly be all the same.
I keep praying for cures for all of us. Take care. Peace&Love to All, Franciann

Judith,

"my heart starts feeling like it's buzzing, rather than beating, and sometimes my left arm feels tingley. It can last for a couple of hours! "

I get the same thing...we're still going through the diagnosis process, but we're pretty sure it's Addison's (my mom also has Addison's)...but the buzzing and tingling is quite familiar...in fact the tingling progresses to moderate tremors in my right arm. We've found that salt (about 1/8 tsp) helps reduce the shaking and shorten the duration. (Has never completely eliminated, but it helps.)

Not having support at home must be very difficult for you. If you like music, an ipod may help since you can block out other irritants while you try to calm down.

I hope you have a calm and restful holiday.