Hello From Austria

[kiltedharry]

Hello you all POTS People!

My Name is Harry and i am from Austria (Europe)

I am Diagnosed with POTS 3 Years ago, but suffering from this disease my whole life. (now i am 36)

Before I write my story i have to tell, that i am not so good in english writing, so i hope you can understand me.

In German there are not much Informations about POTS, so i didn?t realized that there are so much with this Disease, until i came across this Forum. I read so many posts here until now, and i have to say i?m equal of so much of you. I got so many symptoms that is talking here about, on my own.

The biggest trouble i got from POTS is overheating. Since i was a child, i can remember of having this problem. In the past year?s i get over this problem with drinking a lot of Cola and Coffee. Of course, I tried to live without coffee, but than i feel realy bad, and these days i know coffee is much important for me.

But as i grow older, i can?t drink everytime so much Cola, and i began to attempt to find out why i?m so much overheating.

I realized that a big part of this overheating comes from my Pants. As every man in the western world i wear the same pants, especially Jeans. First i try to change in shorts. But like every time before, i got so much undefinably broblems with short?s. Than i try pants that have a more "loose fit". But with this pants my trouble get also realy worse. So i try the opposite: thigt Pants. With this pants my overheating get?s a little bit better, but it isn?t that what live shoud be.

Than i read, that Compressing hose are recommended for POTS. So i get a pair of this. And for watching TV and sleeping they are realy fine. But when i must my normal pant wear over the compression?s to go out, i can?t bear this, because it get?s to hot.

And so i lived with this overwhelming trouble over the year?s. I was so much near Fainting, and i felt so bad

I was and i am so much jealous about the big range of clothe women have. Woman can wear tigth pants like leggins or capri?s, they can even wear the most comfortable garment i know: skirt?s . Nothing one of this garments are common for a man. But than i came across Website?s they promote "Casual Kilt?s". Kilt?s are a costume of scotish culture, and in Scotland very commen. Kilt?s are like skirt?s, but the Kilt is reserved for man. The Casual Kilt is like the real Kilt, but in one color, and is made for everyday wear, for every man.

So i ordered one of these Casual Kilt?s from a Company named UnionKilts. ( In the USA there is a big Company of Casual Kilt?s named Utilikilts) And that was a big change in my Live! Now in these days my symptoms are so much better, i didnt?know a comfortable live like this for so long time. It realy helped me so so much.

I hope you didn?t take this the wrong way, because this is not a common way, to get a big bit better of overheating.

Harry

[mjan]

Hello Harry~~!!!

Welcome to this forum. And I am impressed with you WRITING in English. Do not ever feel bad about language as most of us cannot speak nor write in any other language.

So you want to wear a kilt? Wonderful..glad its helping you with the heat problem. Do others in your country wear kilts too? What do they think?

Do you get support from anyone there about your disease? And how is your medical care?

Please write and stay in touch. I would like to know how you are doing.

Best to you..

Warmly, Jan

[janiedelite]

That's great Harry! I'm glad you found a way to avoid overheating. I'm also glad you found this forum and realized that you are not alone!

[carinara]

Hello neighbour,

a very warm welcome to this wonderful forum. I live in germany and like you already mentioned, there are not many useful POTS information and articles around in the german language. I hope that you will benefit from this forum as much as i do. By the way, the next time i will be in austria i will loook around for a man with a kilt on :-).

Have a nice week und servus :-)

carinara

[kiltedharry]

Hi!

First of all: Danke Carinara f?r den Tip f?r dieses Forum, ein herzliches Servus zur?ck nach Deutschland

Than i must say i?m a little bit suprised that you answered to my post, because a men in a kilt in the western world seems for many people weird.

Well, actually my first meeting with Kilt?s was weird for me too. Before i realized Kilt?s help me for my Disease, i think myself this is a sexual Disorder or something like that. But than i saw many other men are talking in forum?s about wearing kilt?s, and from that point i began to think about to go out in a kilt.

The first time, i was very nervous, i thinked to myself what may the other people think of me, and thing?s like that. But the most people didn?t realized that i?m wearing a kilt! Some people look suprised or odd, but there are also some who say something like "hey men that looks good on you"!

These day?s, It dosen?t bother me what the people may think, this is my life, not somebody?s else. There are so much problems around the world - a men in a kilt is not a problem.

About my POTS: I?m not suffering so much of this Desease, like so many here in this forum. I can moderate exercise, I can go to work, but without to long standing. But the other problem beside my overheating is my to fast overreacting autonomic nervous system. That means in my case, I can?t take to much of water, salt or medications. And these day?s i don?t take any medication.

After i realized that, i began to change my lifestyle. First of all i reduced the "speed of Live" to my "speed of life". That means, it dosen?t bother me, if i can?t be so good in things like Job, Sport or getting ahead like other?s. And this helps me so much. Actually i find so many other things who i?m interested. Kilt wearing is a big part of that lifestyle changing.

Well, these day?s i feel fine, not healty people fine, but "pots" people fine. I hope and pray you all feel fine!

Harry

[firewatcher]

Hello Harry, welcome to the forums!

I have seen several men in my area wearing kilts--no kidding. They were in the grocery store. I think as long as you act like you are wearing shorts it isn't a big deal. I'm glad you found something that works. If anyone asks, just tell them you are getting in touch with your inner Scott or that a wee little man with red hair and a green suit told you to do it! Be well

Be well and stay cool!

[Maxine]

Hello to you, and welcome to the forum.

One thing I DO know is the drinking caffeine can be dehydrating, and won't help with over heating. However, caffeine can help vaso-constrict vessels to prevent some of the blood pooling that comes with POTS, though sometimes it aggravates the tachycardia (fast heart rate), or irregular heart rates that come with POTs too.

I'm another one who becomes overheated very easily, and I find using an ice pack or wrap on the back of my neck helps out as well. Most of the time I have to avoid being out on HOT days, but if I can't I try the ice wrap, and try to find shaded areas.

We went to a choir reunion the other day and I ran into a German friend who belonged to the German American Turner's Club along with our family.

We don not have much German in our family, as we are mostly Irish/English, and Swiss. My husband is half Swiss, and half Austrian. His grandparents of his father's side came from Switzerland, and Austria on his Mother's side. We have this German American Festival (GAF) every August, and it's a blast. However sice I have had POTS I have not been able to go if it's hot. There's seven different societies in the GAF---)German, Swiss, Bavarians, ect.) We became members of the Turner's Club when a German friend came to where we live, and my Dad thought it would be nice for him to be able to connect with some German friends. We have been members since 1959, the year I was born.

When you talked about the kilt, I thought about Lederhosen pants the guys wore at the festivals, sometimes different dances, and other events. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lederhosen My brother wore them to the festivals. It brings fond memories of the good times of Turners and GAF. My husband now belongs to the Swiss Singers, and his group went to a saengerfest in Canada, but we couldn't go this time. They have this every three years. His father yodeled, and belonged to thw swiss singers for 50 years, and played multiple instruments. My Husband started singing with his Dad when he was 5 years old, one of the songs being Edelweiss. I love it when he sings this song. With the Swiss singers my husband has to sing many songs in German.

Some day we want to go to Europe if I can ever get over my fear of flying.

My friend from Germany said the weather is simular to the mid west US near the great lakes, and thats why a lot of Germans settled here.

I'm glad the kilt works out for you, and wish you the best in keeping your POTS symptoms under control.

Maxine :0)

[chipper]

Hi there from the the US!!!!! Welcome!!!! I have known two people from Austria and they were so much like you seem. Good with life!!! Going with the flow and happy. You can teach many of us to deal with this disease in a slow patient way of living and thinking. Life is too fast paced and that has brought out many of us dysautonomia suffers. It forces us to take time to smell the roses. In my case, in the beginning, was watch the spring leaves start to bud and grow very slowly over about six weeks. This was my first time with paralyzing nausea and laying and watching the leaves was my entertainment and looking back was a blessing. I hope dinet is a place that you will enjoy being a part of. I am new and love these autonomic sisters and brothers. Take care and bessings to you, Mary

[kiltedharry]

Hi!

Thank you all for you?r wonderfull comments. It means so much for me. This forum here is truly a great place.

With all this weird symptoms, that come?s with POTS, it is really hard to explain other people how you feel. Here in this Forum everyone understand?s these trouble!

Harry!

[Sophia3]

Welcome Harry. Glad you are finding this forum helpful, along with the kilts.

[erik]

Can't argue with that... Kilts Are Cool! I looked in to buying a proper kilt when visiting Scotland (tracking an ancestor from one lineage) but the real deal is expensive. I'll look in to your recommended sources and see if I can summon the stones to wear it in public here in the states. If nothing else, it would be a great "conversation starter". I have a book on "Tartans" too, it is a great tradition.

Back in the 80's, we had a trend of wearing "doctors pants"... the really light, loose fitting, things. That trend lasted about a week... but it is another great way to stay cool. I had some that were white, rather than the traditional blue or green or whatever... so they looked almost like regular pants. Perhaps we could try to start that trend up again internationally?

[tinkerbella]

Looks Good on you HARRY!

ONE OF MY DOCS vacations down there and always says that to me after his return...

welcome and wishing you the best here!

what a beautiful place to live..... hope we can be of some help!

blessings~

bellamia~

[HoudiniCat]

Thanks for the tip Harry - that's a great idea to keep cool. My brother wears them all the time, especially when hiking or working outside when it's hot out. Years ago when he first started wearing them, he would get a few double-takes but they've become more and more popular in the US. Along with Utilikilts, another great company is Amerikilts.com - the kilts look like a pair of Carhartt shorts or cargos - so they don't really stand out, if you're nervous about wearing them. Keep cool everyone!

[kiltedharry]

Hi!

I?m back - back from my Holidays in Switzerland. The whole time there, (10 Days) i wore my kilt?s. And it was really great, especially of the heat. Everyday was a hot day, but not for me, because the kilt worked unbelievable well. I felt so much better than i felt the Year?s before, as i wore pants.

This is really great for me!