yogini Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 There was a thread recently (which I can't seem to find!) about whether or not tilting the head of the bed upward is helpful for POTS. I think someone mentioned that recent articles said that it only helped some POTS patients? My bed has been raised for more than 4 years, but I was away for a couple of months months where I couldn't tilt my bed. I felt better when away and I actually couldn't sleep for a month after getting home. So I'm thinking that tilting the bed may not be the best thing for me! My bed is now flat again, so we'll see if that makes a difference. I'm wondering whether anyone felt better after lowering back down the head of their bed? Would love to see any articles that mention this. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenna Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 There was a thread recently (which I can't seem to find!) about whether or not tilting the head of the bed upward is helpful for POTS. I think someone mentioned that recent articles said that it only helped some POTS patients? My bed has been raised for more than 4 years, but I was away for a couple of months months where I couldn't tilt my bed. I felt better when away and I actually couldn't sleep for a month after getting home. So I'm thinking that tilting the bed may not be the best thing for me! My bed is now flat again, so we'll see if that makes a difference. I'm wondering whether anyone felt better after lowering back down the head of their bed? Would love to see any articles that mention this. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenna Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 My son had a similar experience. He slept on a tilted bed for a year, and always had insomnia (along with a myriad of other POTS symptoms). The insomnia cleared up a bit during the summer after a trying a couple of strategies (melantonin and not eating any later than 9PM). Then we spent 2 weeks away from home and his bed was flat. He slept fine, but the insomnia returned when we got home. When we finally flattened out his home bed after a couple of months of struggling with sleep, he began to sleep well again. And he really never noticed a correlation between other POTS symptoms and a tilted (or flat) bed. By the way, we ruined his very expensive mattress and box spring by keeping it tilted for a year. It now sags in the middle!I recently read something that suggested that the foot of the bed, not the head, should be elevated. ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 There was an article recently that suggested lifting the FOOT of the bed and not the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 I'd love to see the articles if anyone has them. I think it's ok to raise your feet for an hr or so, but I'd be afraid to sleep and have blood going to my head all night. It could cause a headache or even a stroke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaCrystal Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=11459Was on the front page of the discussion---I believe it's in the treatment section.Raising the foot of the bed at night can increase blood volume.There's also some iphone applications that have recent articles and studies that are worth looking into if you have an ipod touch or iphone (can they open on the computer?) I was going to make a thread about them, but I haven't had time. I'm sure there's some kind of website that you can pull up all the articles available on POTS though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 The Dinet treatment page says raising the head of the bed increases blood volume:Elevating the head of the bed 4-12 inches has helped some POTS patients become less symptomatic. It has been reported that elevating the head of the bed generates mechanisms that expand plasma volume (Low, 2000). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Well Id go with the newer reference - my understanding was that elevatingn the bed head is used for Astronauts and I would imagine it would be liking sleeping on a tilt table all night! Elevating the foot of the bed would limit blood pooling in the lower part of the body, resulting in a reduction of symptoms. And from my reading Dr.J.Stewart is on the money about most other issues relating to POTS, although Dr.Low was one of the first to describe the disorder(s) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 Interesting. I respect Dr. Stewart. I remember reading one of the articles about elevating the head of the bed, and the theory is that while you sleep, tilting the head causes the blood to floow to your feet, and your body creates more blood volume to get blood to your brain. Raising the foot of the bed does the opposite - increases blood flow to the brain and so I didn't think it would stimulate blood volume. My non-medical theory, but who knows. Keeping my bed flat for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaM Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Now I'm totally confused! I came on here to see how people go about raising the head of the bed. I was about to buy a wedge. The thinnest I could find was seven inches. My husband said it would be a waste, don't bother. He said the pillow would do the same. That sounds about right to me. But being everyone always talks about elevation, I'd assume the pillow isn't enough. I'm still confused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsgirl Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 My specialist at Mayo told me that the entire body had to be at an even tilt, and that is why just using pillows won't work. It won't allow a smooth flow down your body. I tilted the head of my bed 4 inches.Cheers,Jana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 I have not tried tilting my bed yet, but my doc has brought it up several times.It has to be the ENTIRE body (not using a wedge or pillows) like potsgirl said and it is the HEAD of the bed. It can also help with not having to get up to pee so much at night as it sort of 'tricks' the kidneys a bit.I haven't done it b/c I have a tempur-pedic adjustable bed and I'm afraid I will ruin the bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Circulation is two parts...I think. Blood is supplying the vital goods we need to all our cells and Lymph is taking away all the waste products after that happens.I think we speak of tilting "From the head" to help POTS if we have excessive splanchnic blood pooling during sleep.I think this type of pooling can be not-predictable, sporadic, and non-nightly. It is important to remember that Lymphatic Fluid can also pool! This is what makes for edema or lymphedema. If this is happening often specialists recommend that elevation is done "from the feet". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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