Super Confused, Heart Rate + Blood Pressure Both Increase

[Nauthiz]

I went to my dr and he did a poor mans tilt table test for me. Laying down my blood pressure was 98/68 and my heart rate was in the 70ths. I stand up my blood pressure goes up to 140/something and my heart rate to 110, but then starts droping fairly fast. My dr said this doesn't make sense for dysautonomia for both increasing. He told me to go to acupuncturist now that he can't figure out whats wrong with me. Does anyone have any suggestions for me ??

[delphicdragon]

Which starts dropping fairly fast, the BP or the heart-rate. If it's the BP, that makes sense. Mine does the same thing, it jumps initially then drops out. If it's the heart-rate, then I'm not sure. I would find another doctor who specializes in autonomic diseases.

Sara

[Nauthiz]

ok this is wierd. I just watched TLC mystery diagnosis and it was orthostatic intolerance! This show just diagnosed me ! LOL. Said blood pressure and heart rate increasing on standing up during tilt table = othostatic intolerance.

[arizona girl]

I went to my dr and he did a poor mans tilt table test for me. Laying down my blood pressure was 98/68 and my heart rate was in the 70ths. I stand up my blood pressure goes up to 140/something and my heart rate to 110, but then starts droping fairly fast. My dr said this doesn't make sense for dysautonomia for both increasing. He told me to go to acupuncturist now that he can't figure out whats wrong with me. Does anyone have any suggestions for me ??

Suggestion 1:

That's not true, there are several types where both the heart rate and the BP go up. Dysautonomia is the name for the group of conditions that cause autonomic dysfunction. Pots is just the heart rate increasing at least 30 points on tilt. Orthostatic Hypotension is when it drops after standing. They are separate autonomic dysfunctions that sometimes happen together. You don't need the hypotension to have Pots. Though 140 is not really that high. Heart rate 110 could be pots. Drops to what? You need to get a copy of the report. So you can look at the numbers yourself.

Suggestion 2:

Go buy a blood pressure cuff and do the poor man's test yourself. That's what my doc at UCLA had me do. After three months it was obvious there was a pattern. Take it as soon as you wake up before you move around, then 1 minute after standing up, then at 5 and 10 minutes. Make a log and keep track of date, time, position, HR and BP. If you see an abnormal pattern then you have your evidence. You could also check after you've been on your feet longer, mine tends to go higher the longer I'm on my feet, especially if I'm not moving. Also check when you think your symptomatic. Note the symptoms and document your vitals.

Suggestion 3: Get a proper tilt table test, once you have your evidence.

I have pots with standing hypertension, hypotension lying down, with slow heart rate, syncope, caused by standing hypertension and tachy, which shoots up and then suddenly drops(hypotension). It took about 30 minutes for that to happen on tilt table. A proper tilt table is the test of choice.

Suggestion 4:

May be time for a new doc? Find one who will run the right tests.

Hope this helps!

[Poohbear]

There are plenty of dysautonomia patients who have increase in both bp and heart rate.

I would clarify with the Dr what his thoughts are. Maybe he thinks that because your heart rate starts coming down fairly quickly that doesn't fit the diagnostic criteria and/or that if your heart rate starts coming down right away that there's really no symptom he could treat.

You don't say what your symptoms are or what led you to seek the help of the Dr. It could be that you have OI but it could also be that you are dehydrated or on medication that is causing a SYMPTOM (or hundreds of other reasons you could present with these symptoms). Just because you have some symptoms doesn't necessarily mean you have a DIAGNOSIS of OI. You might...but you might not.

Certainly keep looking for answers and ask lots of questions until you understand things yourself.

You might get better direction from folks here if you explain more about your situation--what your symptoms are, how long you've had them etc etc.

Good luck to you!

[jump]

If there is no change in BP or if BP increases, and the heart rate increases 30+ bmp or goes above 120, that is usually considered POTS.

If the BP drops and the hr increases, that is usually indicative of NCS.

In fact, many doctors believe that if the BP drops when the heart increases that rules out POTS and must be another form of dysautonomia.

So, you might not need to see an acupuncturist so much as a more knowledgeable doctor.

[Nauthiz]

If there is no change in BP or if BP increases, and the heart rate increases 30+ bmp or goes above 120, that is usually considered POTS.

If the BP drops and the hr increases, that is usually indicative of NCS.

In fact, many doctors believe that if the BP drops when the heart increases that rules out POTS and must be another form of dysautonomia.

So, you might not need to see an acupuncturist so much as a more knowledgeable doctor.

im just hoping i don't have degenerative disease so i hop its just pots, my heart is squeezing bad tdoay hope i dont have to go to hospital

[MightyMouse]

My bp goes up first, then the adrenaline well runs dry and it drops, as does my heart rate (my dx's are NCS/NMH and POTS).

Nina

[ramakentesh]

my heart rates goes up, BP remains stable, heart rate continues and then BP starts to climb and that is far as I know. the dizziness in POTS isnt from low BP its from hypoprefusion of the brain cauesd by reduced blood flow through the carotids either because of excessive blood pooling or the vasoconstrictive activities of Norepinephrine.

[Nauthiz]

my heart rates goes up, BP remains stable, heart rate continues and then BP starts to climb and that is far as I know. the dizziness in POTS isnt from low BP its from hypoprefusion of the brain cauesd by reduced blood flow through the carotids either because of excessive blood pooling or the vasoconstrictive activities of Norepinephrine.

thanks def clears up the misconception, i thought the dizzyness was souly part of low bp, but it makes sense how you explained it.

[jump]

Ram, if someone experiences the vasoconstrictive activities of norepinephrine, does that mean their body produces too much NE or too little?

[ramakentesh]

Depends who you ask.

the theory behind the hyperadrenergic version of POTS is that yes there is either too much norepinephrine or too much sympo excitation causing all the symptoms including the carotid artery restriction.

But other theories indicate that the excessive sympo excitation is an appropriate response to reduced blood return to the heart and brain. In some versions they think there might also be too little NE being released in the legs causing blood pooling there.

[janiedelite]

Depends who you ask.

the theory behind the hyperadrenergic version of POTS is that yes there is either too much norepinephrine or too much sympo excitation causing all the symptoms including the carotid artery restriction.

But other theories indicate that the excessive sympo excitation is an appropriate response to reduced blood return to the heart and brain. In some versions they think there might also be too little NE being released in the legs causing blood pooling there.

Wow! That makes sense that norepinephrine can cause vasoconstriction of the carotids. My norepi levels are high on standing, and I regularly experience the adrenaline surge symptoms. But even though I grey-out regularly, I never pass out. I figured the norepinephrine was preventing passing out. But you'd think with the adrenaline that my head would feel better, but it still feels so heavy and my thinking is very muddled. I can also see my pulse, that is my vision "bounces" with every heartbeat. I don't know...this is such a wierd disease.

And Nauthiz, my BP and heartrate go up when I stand too. The Mayo doc said this was actually a good thing because it meant that my sympathetic nervous system wasn't broken, and the excessive adrenaline was a normal response to my abnormal blood pooling.

[Lgamez3]

If there is no change in BP or if BP increases, and the heart rate increases 30+ bmp or goes above 120, that is usually considered POTS.

If the BP drops and the hr increases, that is usually indicative of NCS.

In fact, many doctors believe that if the BP drops when the heart increases that rules out POTS and must be another form of dysautonomia.

So, you might not need to see an acupuncturist so much as a more knowledgeable doctor.

Im confused, what is NCS?

[jjb]

I used to have significant issues with ortho hypotension along w/ POTS. When I got preg with my daughter my BP was very labile. I'd get some pretty high highs.

After my daughter was born my BP dropped to 50 something/30 something and stayed low for a while. Now it is pretty labile again.

We just had a ttt. My BP was labile during the test constantly fluctuating.

My 5 y/o daughter did no have elevated HR but she did have elevated BP which surprised them.

I agree with the others, get a proper TTT. If you think you are at risk for something degenerative ... find out now and do what you can to head off problems.