How Would You Describe Your Symptoms?

[kwalk]

like a really definition of all of these and maybe how you feel if they are mixed together

dizzy

groggy

lightheaded

and maybe any other weird things you experience that I might be missing a name to.

sometimes I'm kind of like, which one am I feeling right now? especially when I'm just sitting.

[pat57]

HEAVY legs

dazed

weak

[Guest tearose]

I say I have problems with all the automatic systems in the body.

I have trouble regulating body temp, heart rate, heart rhythm bp, digestion, elimination, sleep, hydration, vision...

I try not to focus on all my symptoms, instead just try to manage them.

[dizzygirl]

yea uhm too many symptoms to sort out.. just about everything in my ANS system seems to be affected....

tearose gives a good pointer!

[lorrie]

I have the following symptoms:

always - dizzy, nausea, weak, feel hot, tired

sometimes - stomach pain, headache, shaky, overwhelmed by noise and light

with episode - stomach cramps, severe sweating, bloodshot eyes, red skin, severe chills and all the others above

[lorrie]

oh, and don't forget the pounding heart and bp all over the place from extreme hi to extreme low

[MelissaCrystal]

Here is a list of my symptoms. There are so many that I haven't added---sometimes they are hard to remember unless I have a bad day...then I'm too tired and feeling bad to update the file, hah.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc639z88_41ggb9fg7m

http://docs.google.com/View?docID=dc639z88...evision=_latest (if the top doesn't work)

[RichardInAz]

1. high blood pressure upon standing (200/100 sometimes, but I always go up 20 or 30 mmHg when standing).

2. Tachycardia when standing (go from 65 to 120 often)

3. Adrenaline rushes

4. A strange fullness feeling above my stomach but below my heart.

5. Severe brain fog that comes and goes every few weeks

The thing that put me out of comission was the high blood pressure and fullness in my stomach upon standing. I guess that is blood pooling up there? Whatever it is, that is what made me stop exercising a year ago. It can even cause me to have PACs and PVCs.

[mrsdavidson8605]

there are so many feelings i have...

dizzy

light headed

headaches

muscle aches... BAD!

can't sleep through the night....

trouble with temp regulation (keep it at about 70 degreese in the house plus a fan on me at night and still get hot when I sleep)

can't keep fluids in

weak

foggy brain A LOT... forget my train of though quite often

clumsy

unsteady gait

heat racing

chest pains

rush of feelings (some would call it a panic attack but I know it's the POTS)

See how different we all are?? that's why we all have trouble accepting the diagnosis bc we think there must be a better explination to all these different symptoms!!!

[Tammy]

Feeling low on oxygen when I've been upright for a bit.

Extreme/Profound weak spells (last about 2-3 hours before I'm able to move - even opening my eyes during these episodes is difficult)

Heat/Cold Intolerance

Sensativity to sound/light

Lighthead, tingling, SOB, weakness, & fingernails turn purplish when trying to sing/read/carry a conversation/blow up a balloon, etc.

Adrenaline surges - panic type symptoms (but without fear or emotional connections)

Narrow Blood Pressure (95/78 typical reading when on feet too long)

Tachycardia spells (on beta blocker for this)

Urinating frequently (especially after weak spells and also when having adrenaline surges)

Craving carbs/sweets (try to avoid these but the cravings are still there)

Unable to lift anything more than a few pounds without pre-syncope symptoms

[mvdula]

Wow - so may of these sound so familiar I had to reply. I have been feeling VERY normal for a while now, thank God. Haven't had a real episode in 2+ months. Did have a little weakness episode recently on 1st day of period but took a Klonopin and slept for 2+ hrs then felt better. My hormones seem to be the main trigger for m y POTS - even though I am very fertile and very regular and only 33. Sometimes wonder if my progesterone is unusually high. I second the response that no wonder we are all searching for a cause other than POTS since our symptoms are so different. I felt earlier on there had to be another cause, but whatever the cause for all of us, realize now that all these vaguish strange symptoms add up to POTS. Also, Tammy, I really identify with your symptoms, except I have a few other minor ones like chest pain and palps (separately), and my weakness episodes are not quite as severe but always seem like they're about to get a lot worse.

[jump]

Like others, I have too many symptoms to really keep track of, but these are the ones that BOTHER me the most:

tachycardia when standing, sometimes with slightly elevated bp

bradycardia

irregular heartbeat

excessive thirst

polyuria

stomach cramping and bloating, and extreme cold after eating

IBS-like symptoms

cold intolerance

fatigue from all of the above

difficulty sleeping (which I'm sure doesn't help the fatigue!)

Most of the time, though, I can live with these things, as long as I don't expect too much from myself. Before I knew what was going on, I was constantly pushing myself to do more even when i felt sick -- and this in turn would trigger a period of serious unwellness. Now that I know to take my meds and not push myself, I can go along my day-to-day life in a relatively normal way, albeit modified.

jump

[turtlefairy5]

yes! sweet validation! ya'll have all this crap too! I'm not just a walking anxiety disorder!

Here are mine, which I've put into a neat little handy-dandy MicrosoftWord document, updated regularly and ready to disperse to my doctors.

- tachycardia upon standing/palpitations throughout the day

- episodes of extreme fatigue, weakness, trembling

- gastrointestinal problems - nausea, stomach pain and fullness, bloating, diarrhea, constipation

- insomnia - trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, waking up repeatedly throughout the night

- muscle/joint pain - severe lower back pain, knee pain, sometimes neck and upper back pain

- tinnitus, pulsing sound and sensation in left ear, sometimes a high-pitched ringing or beep

- sensitivity to smells, cleaners, perfumes and colognes - causes nausea, headache, anxiety and fatigue

- temperature deregulation, sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures

- severe pre-menstrual symptoms- swollen, sore breast tissue, lower back pain, worsened fatigue, low-grade fever, cramps, headache, food cravings, increased anxiety, irritability, hypomania-like symptoms

- anxiety, depression, sensitivity to emotional stress and light/sound, panic attacks

- difficulty concentrating, short term memory difficulty, word-finding difficulty in casual conversation

Amber

[Carly87]

Here are my "Everyday Symptoms." Depending on if I'm having a good or bad day, these symptoms can range from mildly life-altering to extremely debilitating:

-Tachycardia upon standing. Especially severe in the AM and when I am late on my beta blocker.

-Exercise Intolerance.

-Blackout/pre-syncope when I stand up from laying down.

-Sensitivity to Heat/Cold

-Reactive Hypoglycemia

-Costochrondritis (worse on some days, better on others.)

-Lightheadedness

-Fatigue

-Adrenaline rushes

I also deal with these symptoms but not every day. Many of these accompany PMS along with an increase in severity of my everday symptoms:

-Vertigo

-IBS-type stuff

-Horrible PMS: bloating, nausea, severe breast swelling, increased tachy, anxiety.

-Migraines lasting anywhere from a few hours to a week or more.

-Brain fog

-Chest Pains (both sharp and achy.)

-Random Pains in my body

[sheba]

I have most of these including:

Lost of sweat

floaters (seeing black dots)

dry eyes

This is very intresting to know and also somewhat comforting to know that Im not alone.