Carbon monoxide effects
Reduced stress tolerance
Long term carbon monoxide effects may include a reduced ability to respond and cope with a wide
range of stressors.
It can take time for a survivor to come to the understanding that they are more easily affected by different
stressors. A survivor may have a reduced ability to function as they once did.
The percentage that experience these carbon monoxide effects is not known as statistics are unreliable.
Different kinds of stress
There are many different kinds of stress and stress can be viewed in many ways.
Stress can be seen as internal or external. It can be seen as brain stress or body stress. It can be viewed as physical, mental, emotional, or even
spiritual. It can be thought of as financial, relationship, toxic, chemical, or energetic.
Stress can come in the form of a large one-time stressor such as an major accident or death of a loved one. This
is known as acute stress.
Stress can be ongoing such as working in a difficult environment, struggling with a health issue, or living in
an abusive relationship. This is known as chronic stress.
While we have a degree of choice how we respond to certain types of stress, the body and brain automatically
responds to others.
All forms of stress can be seen as a “forces attempting to push us off balance.” It takes energy to "cope, bend,
or manage" stress.
Why long term carbon monoxide effects can reduce tolerance to stress
Carbon monoxide poisoning places a heavy burden on cells throughout the body. It can cause [subtle] cellular
injury and damage. When cells are impacted they may have a reduced ability to function properly.
When cells are unable to function properly they are less able to respond to stressors of all kinds. Seemly
unrelated symptoms and effects may then arise.
Long term carbon monoxide effects can cause even more damage
The last thing a survivor needs is more strain on an already weakened system. However, ongoing health challenges
can create stressors on individuals and families that [significantly] increase stress and further destabilize the
situation.
Stress of any kind triggers processes that increase normal carbon monoxide production levels within the body.
This causes the body to then be "exposed" to even more carbon monoxide.
Stress also causes the body to produce a substance called cortisol which helps restore balance to a variety of
functions within the body and brain, particularly after the stress is gone.
However, extended periods of stress can cause destructive amounts of cortisol to be produced.
Ongoing stress is damaging to a healthy person. It is especially aggrevating when layered on top of long term
carbon monoxide effects and can [seriously] intensify symptoms.
Ongoing stress can further impact the brain, nervous system, endocrine system, heart and more.
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effects - Reduced stress tolerance
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we are living a nightmare.. my husband forces himself to work and is under a lot of stress... He's working himself
sicker than he already is (for his family )according to this post. god help us.. we are getting no help from Drs. they do not know squat about chronic co exposure and the horrific aftermath that ( we are learning) awaits a large percentage of us who were lucky enough to survive.
jacobsdotmichelle@gmaildotcom..
hang in there
We were taken to an Atlanta hospital where I spent the day in oxygen therapy; he, because of his age, went into the hypobaric chamber for several hours, then was life-flighted down to the Augusta Medical Center for more hypobaric therapy, staying overnight.
All this is to say that we got immediate treatment; doctors knew what they were doing. BUT - 5 months later I am still having extreme physical and emotional symptoms, particularly those relating to stress. The doctors recognize that my misfunctioning adrenal glands date from the CO incident, so there are many knowledgeable medical support people out there.
Yrs ago I went thru 2 internal medicine Drs since I ve been co poisoned. When I say look of u don't no what to do tell me up front and you won't waste my time n I won't waste yours. This very stressful saw my 3 rd internest Monday blood pressure up high because we were discussing my symtoms n she said 2 yrs later u still having symptoms I said yes when there stress or something that throws my balance off symptoms are like they never left. So yes stress can do that to us. I wish there was something these crazy doctors can do SEE I'M STRESSING NOW.!!!!!!!!
We thought he had gone off the deep end and it took a long time for us to understand he had a brain injury from co poisoning.
It took the loss of my marriage, my business, and most my friends before I started to understand what poisoning had done to influence my behavior and personality.