So…here’s your crash course in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome:
(paraphrased from various sources…sorry it’s so long!)
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (P.O.T.S.) is a cardiac, and partially a neurological, condition that was first identified in 1993 and is defined by excessive heart rate increments upon upright posture. A normal heart rate is between 60 and 80 beats per minute. The heart rate of a P.O.T.S. patient increases by at least 30 beats per minute when the patient stands up and/or increases to at least 120 beats per minute when the patient stands up.
These large increases in heart rate usually occur within 10 minutes of standing up. It is estimated that a P.O.T.S. patient uses about three times as much energy as a healthy person does just to stand.
Research shows that P.O.T.S. patients’ quality of life is similar to those with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Most patients have to make some radical adjustments to their lifestyle in order to cope with this disorder.
There is no known cure. Some medications can help, but effectiveness varies widely depending on the individual patient. There are no support groups. It is usually in adolescents, who usually grow out of the condition after puberty ends. Extremely rare, it can be found in people older than 20. These patients will probably have it all of their lives
(I’m almost 24, I’ve had it most of my life and I’m probably not growing out of it.)
= Here are a list of potential symptoms, the highlighted ones are the ones I have: =
Orthostatic
Light-headedness or dizziness
Presyncope
Weakness
Palpitations
Tremulousness
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Loss of sweating
Hyperhidrosis
Exacerbation by heat (even a 2-3 degree difference kills me.)
Exacerbation by exercise (just a few minutes sets off my arrhythmia)
Exacerbation by meals (immediately following a meal is nausea at the very least)
Exacerbation associated with menses (yeah…WAY worse then)
Bloating
Nausea (constant)
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Constipation Diarrhea (was misdiagnosed as IBS for me)
Bladder dysfunction
Pupillary dysfunction
Fatigue
Sleep disturbance
Migraine headache
Myofascial pain
Neuropathic pain
cold extremities (an associated condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon…can’t stay outside in the cold for more than 10 minutes)
disorientation
tinnitus
dyspnea
headache
muscle weakness
visual disturbances
brain fog
burnout
decreased mental stamina
depression
difficulty finding the right word (also a pre sign of Parkinson’s…they’re also related)
impaired concentration
sleep disorders
chills
feelings of fear (occasional)
flushing
overheating
nervousness
over-stimulation
Fainting or near fainting
Tachycardia
Clamminess
Anxiety
Postprandial hypotension
Blood pooling in limbs
Feeling cold all over
Low blood pressure upon standing
Cognitive impairment
Narrowing of upright pulse pressure
Hypovolemia
High blood pressure
Hyperventilation
Numbness or tingling sensations
Reduced pulse pressure upon standing
Low back pain
Aching neck and shoulders
Noise sensitivity
Light Sensitivity
Disequalibrium
Arrhythmias
Chemical sensitivities
Feeling full quickly
Feeling “wired”
Food allergies/sensitivities
Hyperreflexia
Irregular menstrual cycles
Loss of appetite
Loss of sex drive
Muscle aches and/or joint pains
Swollen nodules/lymph nodes
Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
Weight loss or gain (loss for me)
Feeling detached from surroundings
Restless leg syndrome (occasional)
Esophageal motility problems
Heartburn
Acid reflux
= Lifestyle changes: =
- little to no alcohol (for me, I can’t have any.)
- drinking an insane amount of water
- increased salt intake
- tilting the bed up
- more or less caffeine (depends on the patient…for me, less to none)
- light exercise for some patients
- compression garments
- potential need to move to a new location (I’ve been debating this myself, it turned up in some of my research the last few days!)
- medications…all work differently in different individuals, or don’t work at all.
POTS Wiki
Holistic Living
More POTS info
