Turns Out You Can’t Quit Adrenaline Cold Turkey

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Lizzie Lau

Turns out you can't quit adrenaline cold turkeyThis news according to my new chiropractor in La Quinta, CA.  I told him that I was suffering from anxiety and headaches, then we went through my background so I could tell him about my many sports injuries:

Whiplash during a hard opening on a skydive.  I’ve done over 400 jumps.

Another whiplash when I was clotheslined off a dirt bike on a trail in Mexico resulting in herniated discs, scars, and a concussion.

Repeated spinal trauma from years of racing motocross and riding offroad. A neurosurgeon once suggested, after viewing my MRI images, that I needed to stop falling on my head.

Turns out you can't quit adrenaline cold turkey
Trauma to my back when we hit a bump on the way to Alaska on the back of the BMW and I didn’t have my weight on the foot pegs because I was leaning out to take a photo.

Plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis in both feet from years of running.

And of course the bocce ball to the back of the head at a family reunion, that most likely caused some subluxation in my neck vertebrae.

So after telling him about all the ways I have abused this body over the years the doctor asked, “Would it be safe to say that you’re an adrenaline junkie?”  I laughed and told him that reformed adrenaline junkie is part of my bio on all my social media.  He told me that my body was used to producing all this adrenaline and that my activities released it, so now that I wasn’t releasing it the adrenaline was building up and causing anxiety and what I described as a fight or flight feeling in my collarbone area.  He told me that I need to get active again, and let him fix the trouble spots in my spine.

The Gonstead Technique

I’ve been seeing chiropractors since I was in my late teens because I’ve always had back and hip pain.  It wasn’t until I had my skydiving injury at age 27 that I found out I have scoliosis.  I was really shocked when the doctor showed me the x-ray and I saw the curvature.  It made me queasy.  In over 25 years of treatment by different doctors, this is the first time I’ve encountered a Gonstead practice.  My Mom’s chiropractor up in Canada recommended the clinic I’m at now, and I’m really impressed with their thoroughness.  The initial consultation included x-rays, a scan that measures heat, and another scan that measures muscle strength.  They were able to show me on the film and the computer screen exactly where the problems are.  The doctor also felt along my spine to find swelling, abnormal muscle tone, alignment and mobility issues.

I have high hopes that the adjustments, combined with the Medical Chi Gong treatment I had recently, will help me to feel better.  I literally knock on wood every time I say this out loud, but I’ve already noticed improvements.  My posture feels better, my neck and shoulders are more relaxed, and headaches are less frequent.  The Medical Chi Gong treatment left me feeling energized and optimistic.

Next I need to get back into an exercise routine to release all the pent up energy and add some running endorphins back into my life.  I’d also love to have massage therapy more often; acupuncture would be great; reflexology couldn’t hurt.  If I’m being brutally honest, my wellness wish list would also include sex.  The last time I had any was with X3 at the end of our relationship, so yeah, it’s been a while.

5 thoughts on “Turns Out You Can’t Quit Adrenaline Cold Turkey”

  1. Yeah Traci, I did all the damage when I was younger and still convinced that I was immortal and invincible. The lung issues sound really scary though!

  2. Thanks Kathy. I'm happy to report that after seeing the chiropractor for about 3 weeks now, I'm already seeing a lot of improvement. He's eliminated 90% of my headaches, and I feel ready to get back into an exercise regime.

  3. Holy crimole Lizzie…you are an amazing woman!! Go get yourself a massage, some exercise…and the sex will take care of itself… ?

  4. Wow! You have earned every pinch, strain, or ouchie. I have lots of pain without all the great stories!
    I learned about the adrenaline issue when I developed chronic lung issues. When I went to the doc, she said that the reason I had kept going so long was I wash't getting enough oxygen so my body was producing crazy amounts of adrenaline. She warned that I would get way worse before I started feeling better because once my lungs could receive the right amount of oxygen, the adrenaline would stop and when it stopped, I would crash. HARD. She was so right. I felt horrible and then super jittery. Take care of yourself but continue to have fun.
    🙂
    Traci

  5. Hi Lizzie! I'm glad to hear you are getting at least some of your needs met these days!!!! It sounds like you definitely need to spend some time taking care of yourself for a while–adrenaline and others! And I've only jumped out of an airplane ONCE compared to your 400 so and only had one motorcycle crash to my credit so you've got quite a few more bumps than me. Maybe it's time to be a little more adventurous on an "inner journey" than being so daring on the outside 🙂

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