What is this feeling called

[cara.mel]

You are helping me play a matching game. Its called match the physical feeling to the emotion.
An example is that when youre scared/nervous you can shake, heart beats faster etc. Another example is that happy people smile.

Ok, so you're sitting down (it doesnt happen when I'm walking) and I can feel like there is some change in my body sweeping through starting from the top end. It makes it so it seems my arms + legs etc are heavier/harder to move (but if I get up and walk there is no difference) and things seem to slow down eg processing speed. I have trouble starting new tasks however if I manage to get going I can continue (provided there are no distractions, then I end up back at square 1). I hate it and the only way I know to get rid of it is to either sit it out or go to sleep.
What human emotion fits in with these characteristics? I have probably missed some things but if you ask me directed questions I should be able to say more

On forumz rather than IRC so I can get moar opinions. Thank you for your time

[Daniel08]

:| :| :| :| :| :|

[jess3254]

It could possibly be a physiological medical condition/state, which is causing fatigue (the symptoms you have listed are just indicative of fatigue – including inability to concentrate.)

Some questions:
How often do you experience one of these episodes?
Have they just started occurring, or have you been having them for a while?
Do you feel dizzy or 'wooozy' when you get these? Nauseated? Do you have any other symptoms, like fast heart rate or pain?
Does anyone comment on how you look pale during these episodes?
How long do you have to be sitting for before you get this feeling?
When you stand up after you’ve had this feeling, do your eyes go black and does your vision disappear for a couple of seconds? etc...

Possible causes:
1)   As you are sitting when they occur, it could be due to pooling of blood in the peripherals. When you sit for long period of time and if you have rather sluggish vasoconstriction (which is common), blood can pool in your legs, causing hypotension (low blood pressure) and weak pulse pressure. The reason why it doesn’t happen when you’re walking is because the blood is pumped back up to the heart. But when your legs are dangling and not moving for extended periods of time, blood pools. Low blood pressure can cause the symptoms you have described.
2)   Just fatigue due to late nights, playing sport (especially if you don’t participate in physical activity regularly and have a burst of unusual exercise.) 
3)   Perhaps stress? Stress can cause fatigue.
I can’t really think of any human emotions which would be causing these episodes – you’re just describing fatigue, which is why I am thinking it has a physiological aetiology. 
4)         Another medical condition.

However I'm leaning towards pooling, seeing as you feel fine when you walk around.
Low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause fatigue, dizziness, inability to concentrate, fainting, head ache, washed out feeling etc.

My recommendations:
-Go to the doctor. 
-When you have an episode, move your legs around (still sitting – don’t get up too quickly, you may faint). See if it helps.
-Lie on the floor, or put your legs up on a desk as this can increase venous return, which makes blood more available to the organs.
-Don't sit it out. Stop what you're doing until you feel better and comfortable.
-Have a salty snack, like a packet of chips. Sodium raises BP, oh and have a drink of water. Or powerade.
-Do regular leg strengthening exercises. It increases venous return long term.

Things to look out for:
-Purple legs. Symptomatic of blood pooling. 
-When you have an episode, take your pulse by placing three of your fingers across the side of your wrist that is next to your thumb. Count how many beats there are in 1 minute or 30 seconds (and then times by two etc, although you probably already know this lol). If your pulse rate (BPM) is either under 50 or over 100, I think your blood may be pooling in your legs. (Your heart in itself can do one of two things when it is faced with lack of blood to pump – one, start beating unusually fast, or two, start beating unusually slowly. Depends on the individual on what happens.)

Hope it helps... I don't know what else it could be I may be wrong though, but it just fits in really well!

[beezy4eva]

Try chewing gum. Its supposed to increase circulation around the head area. Peppermint also improves concerntration, so go for peppermint gum.

[jess3254]

Try chewing gum. Its supposed to increase circulation around the head area. Peppermint also improves concerntration, so go for peppermint gum.

How? Citation?

I just can't think of any ingredient in chewing gum which would alter or mildly affect the body’s circulatory system. I suppose the ingredients of the chewing gum would be absorbed at a moderate speed sublingually, but I just don’t know how any of the components would alter circulation.  I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I can’t work it out. I know sorbitol (sweeteners) can affect the bowel, but what changes circulation?

And peppermint isn’t a stimulant. 

The only food I can think of that she could consume which may alleviate symptoms and mildly alter the body’s functions would be a snack high in sodium, as sodium raises blood pressure [ http://www.health.rutgers.edu/factsheets/sodium.htm ] (pooling in the legs causes low blood pressure, and low blood pressure may cause the symptoms she’s experiencing). Although I don't know whether the effects are immediate. 

Although much more simply, if her symptoms are caused by pooling in the legs (may not be though), she could just move her legs around or do leg strengthening exercises. I’d personally both eat chips, drink water  and move my legs around lol.
(I've edited this in my post above lol)

[Mao]

Jess do you want to become a doctor?

[Rietie]

I was also thinking that.

[beezy4eva]

It has nothing to do with the ingrediants, its the chewing motion that increases the circulation. And the peppermint helping concerntration thing is more of an aromatherapic thing, so not really sure if its true (but surely it can't hurt to try!)

Peppermint is excellent for mental fatigue and depression, refreshing the spirit and stimulating mental agility and improving concentration.

[excal]

It could possibly be a physiological medical condition/state, which is causing fatigue (the symptoms you have listed are just indicative of fatigue – including inability to concentrate.)

Some questions:
How often do you experience one of these episodes?
Have they just started occurring, or have you been having them for a while?
Do you feel dizzy or 'wooozy' when you get these? Nauseated? Do you have any other symptoms, like fast heart rate or pain?
Does anyone comment on how you look pale during these episodes?
How long do you have to be sitting for before you get this feeling?
When you stand up after you’ve had this feeling, do your eyes go black and does your vision disappear for a couple of seconds? etc...

Possible causes:
1)   As you are sitting when they occur, it could be due to pooling of blood in the peripherals. When you sit for long period of time and if you have rather sluggish vasoconstriction (which is common), blood can pool in your legs, causing hypotension (low blood pressure) and weak pulse pressure. The reason why it doesn’t happen when you’re walking is because the blood is pumped back up to the heart. But when your legs are dangling and not moving for extended periods of time, blood pools. Low blood pressure can cause the symptoms you have described.
2)   Just fatigue due to late nights, playing sport (especially if you don’t participate in physical activity regularly and have a burst of unusual exercise.) 
3)   Perhaps stress? Stress can cause fatigue.
I can’t really think of any human emotions which would be causing these episodes – you’re just describing fatigue, which is why I am thinking it has a physiological aetiology. 
4)         Another medical condition.

However I'm leaning towards pooling, seeing as you feel fine when you walk around.
Low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause fatigue, dizziness, inability to concentrate, fainting, head ache, washed out feeling etc.

My recommendations:
-Go to the doctor. 
-When you have an episode, move your legs around (still sitting – don’t get up too quickly, you may faint). See if it helps.
-Lie on the floor, or put your legs up on a desk as this can increase venous return, which makes blood more available to the organs.
-Don't sit it out. Stop what you're doing until you feel better and comfortable.
-Have a salty snack, like a packet of chips. Sodium raises BP, oh and have a drink of water. Or powerade.
-Do regular leg strengthening exercises. It increases venous return long term.

Things to look out for:
-Purple legs. Symptomatic of blood pooling. 
-When you have an episode, take your pulse by placing three of your fingers across the side of your wrist that is next to your thumb. Count how many beats there are in 1 minute or 30 seconds (and then times by two etc, although you probably already know this lol). If your pulse rate (BPM) is either under 50 or over 100, I think your blood may be pooling in your legs. (Your heart in itself can do one of two things when it is faced with lack of blood to pump – one, start beating unusually fast, or two, start beating unusually slowly. Depends on the individual on what happens.)

Hope it helps... I don't know what else it could be I may be wrong though, but it just fits in really well!

Sif not be at the karaoke while posting this

I was talking to cmel about this at that point, and I think what she describes is merely pins and needles. However, she is seeing a doctor about it, inter alia, soon.

[BA22]

Jess outlines a good diagnosis (Dx - med lingo)

The symptoms are characteristic of Hypotension, which can indeed be associated with venous pooling. However, as the body has receptors that generally prevent pooling during inactivity, and if the problem is hypotension, then there is most likely another, or secondary cause

Still Jess, that effort was a lot better than most of the kids in my tutes, haha

[cara.mel]

How often do you experience one of these episodes? - maybe once/week on average, sometimes nothing for a few weeks
Have they just started occurring, or have you been having them for a while? - maybe 6/7 years or so
Do you feel dizzy or 'wooozy' when you get these? Nauseated? Do you have any other symptoms, like fast heart rate or pain? - no but I shall check heart rate next time
Does anyone comment on how you look pale during these episodes? - I don't look pale
How long do you have to be sitting for before you get this feeling? - independent of time
When you stand up after you’ve had this feeling, do your eyes go black and does your vision disappear for a couple of seconds? -nup

I think I have low blood pressure anyway and I do get dizzy after 5s sometimes when I stand up after lying down and this is different
I pretty much live my life tired, not from lack of trying to sleep btw

I can concentrate etc I just can't be bothered doing it, if I get started its all good.
Thank you


Excal - I think I know what pins + needles are and I was trying to work out if what I was feeling was in any way related to jersey death. That is completely different to what I am describing here; that is purely a physical feeling

[bucket]

i thought this was a game not a serious thing. :S

[hard]

i thought this was a game not a serious thing. :S

bad

[jess3254]

Jess outlines a good diagnosis (Dx - med lingo)

The symptoms are characteristic of Hypotension, which can indeed be associated with venous pooling. However, as the body has receptors that generally prevent pooling during inactivity, and if the problem is hypotension, then there is most likely another, or secondary cause

Still Jess, that effort was a lot better than most of the kids in my tutes, haha

Haha ok. I know the symptoms of hypotension due to pooling from inactivity of the legs can be fairly mild, such as the "tired" and "heavy" feeling she's describing, however the onset can be fairly rapid (and the secondary causes can be fairly insignificant). However, the symptoms she's further described:

I think I have low blood pressure anyway and I do get dizzy after 5s sometimes when I stand up after lying down and this is different
I pretty much live my life tired, not from lack of trying to sleep btw

This sounds a lot like mild orthostatic intolerance (OI), which is caused by a fault in the autonomic nervous system. And if you have orthostatic intolerance, your vasoconstriction can be rather sluggish when sitting down and venous pooling may occur. I'm probably wrong though. And I should shutup, I'm not a doctor haha.
A real doctor needs to take her Hx (lol), and check for acrocyanosis and such.

oooh, BA22, do a project on POTS/ Dysautonomia at some point if you can. You'll be the only kid in your cohort that's done it, and hopefully you'll get top notch marks

[cara.mel]

I looked that up and it doesn't fit.

If it helps it only really happens when I'm alone or off in my own little world, not with friends.

Whats a Hx?

I've seen dx before, I hate 'dxed' it looks so funny and I dont know how the x got there anyway

Edit: The fact that you people don't know is helpful in itself. I am very grateful