How Can You Tell The Difference Between Mito And Pots?

[ana_22]

hi everyone,

ive been trying to figure out what is causing my pots (as most of you!) so ive been going down the list dinet provides and trying to rule things out.

now with mito ive been researching it on the net and looking up past post on the forum. a few things have struck me, and i have a few questions that i hope you guys can help out with!

when looking up mito most of the symptoms correlate with pots, fatigue, muscle weakness, GI stuff especially, losing ability to sweat or sweating too much, brain fog. so why dont drs suspect mito? i guess what my question is is why and when do they suspect it?

are there any blood test results that may arouse their suspiscions? and if so what are the tests? (i know that muscle biopsy is the standard test)

i guess im kinda freaking myself out abit. but as you all know you can help but freak out sometimes.....especially when all your dr does when you tell them your new and exsisting symptoms is write them down and try and normalise them. im sorry but blood pooling is not normal, neither is feeling like you cannot hold your head up, neither is not having an appetite or having nausea for months!

its like ever since i got this pots diagnoses any symptom i have is ' yes that may be pots and it should subside' (this is from a dr who only thought pots caused tachycardia before she saw me) i guess thats a little off topic and should be left for another post!!!!

thanks for your relpies guys!!!

[Jordan5815]

Where did you get the information on mito and ive been googling what is mito's real name I know mito is an acronym......

I'll take a looksy

[Maxine]

Information on Mitochondrial disease:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/mi...al_disease.aspx

http://www.umdf.org/site/c.dnJEKLNqFoG/b.3041929/

http://www.mitoresearch.org/

Maxine :0)

[Rachel]

Hi Ana,

There is a lot of helpful information on the UMDF site. The bottom of the Symptoms page says:

Rules of Thumb - Think mitochondria when

• A "common disease" has atypical features that set it apart from the pack
  
• Three or more organ systems are involved
  
• Recurrent setbacks or flare ups in a chronic disease occur with infections
  

If your symptoms are consistent with POTS, then a mitochondrial disease is not likely. Testing for mito is an extensive process, so it is not something that is tested for unless a specialist believes you have mito based on your sypmtoms, severity, and progression of the disease. There are blood tests that may arouse suspiscions, but to my knowledge they aren't all run unless mito is suspected in the first place.

Don't freak out. I hope you can find the treatments you need for your POTS.

Rachel

[ana_22]

thanks for your replies!

i guess im just really worried because i have a dizziness that does not seem to be related to bp, that just wont go away. it is almost always there, its been 6 months. and ive read about other people on the forum that have had this and then go on to have a form of mito. most times my head just feels so heavy but light headed at the same time. i also havent had an appetite for 6 months and have had extreme nausea which has subsided a little in the last few months, but still there on some level most days.

im wondering whether its worth mentioning to my dr and asking whether i can do the blood tests (lactic acid etc.) ?

[yogini]

I had that same annoying, horrible dizziness for years. It could be related to heart rate, heart rhythm or BP, even though your numbers are showing up normal. It was my worst symptom. It comes back every now and then, but is mostly gone. I wouldn't worry about mito just because of the dizziness. I think mito is pretty rare and gets tested when people keep getting worse over many years or don't respond to any POTS treatments. You may want to get inner ear testing, though, because that can be a cause of dizziness.