afternoon attacks

[yogini]

I haven't been on the board for the past week or so, and I hope everyone is well (or as well as can be expected given that we all have POTS)! I have noticed lately that I have been getting HR attacks in the afternoons. I sometimes feel like I have a headache/fever or feel like I am very dizzy. I try to keep my pulse monitor off these days because all it does is freak me out. But when I turn it on in the afternoon when I am not feeling well, it seems my pulse is in the uppper 90's sitting down, sometimes as high as 120. With the beta blocker, it is usually only that high when I walk. I have been told that a HR of 120 isn't dangerous for me, but it is really uncomfortable.

I switched to taking my beta blocker in the morning, but this doesn't seem to have helped with the tachy. I usually eat a 1/2 sandwich, chips and carrots for lunch. It's not a very big lunch, but I am wondering whether eating 2 smaller meals may help the tachy. How long after eating carbs do people typically get symptoms? The funny thing is, I don't think I get symptoms after breakfast or dinner and I eat carbs then too.

It may also be because I am sitting for most of the day. I have to wear my higher compression hose tomorrow to see if that helps too. Does anyone else have this or have any suggestions on what may help?

Thanks!

[MightyMouse]

This is common with POTS--it's called postprandial hypotension. Here's an explanation:

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch023/ch02...23d.html?alt=pf

[MomtoGiuliana]

ugh--I get this symptom too. Not much these days, though, but I used to have it really badly. Mine was always the WORST after breakfast. Before I was diagnosed, I kept complaining about this--it was my worst symptom for awhile (until other things took over ). At one point a doctor measured my sugar on an empty stomach and then again right after eating, and my sugar leapt up from a normal fasting level to pretty high (can't remember the values now). I don't know if this also played a role. But I think it is also caused by so much blood rushing to the abdomen inappropriately.

The only thing that helped me was SMALL protein-rich breakfasts and lots of fluids in the AM (when I got this symptom the worst).

Katherine

[ramakentesh]

i too get this but only after breakfast - straight after to an hour or two later - its mainly dizziness, cold extremities, short bursts of palps, sapced out feeling, and my blood gets low.

I find eating more actually seems to help, but im not sure why.

[yogini]

Thanks for the responses. I actually ate my lunch in portions today, and I am wearing the highest compression hose, and I seem to be doing much better this afternoon than I have in a few weeks. Hope it lasts!

It could definitely be related to the food. I have been complaining about a "strange feeling in my stomach" which I posted about before. It could be all of the blood rushing to my intestines. I have read that many of you eat smaller meals, and I feel silly for not making the connection earlier! I've even come home early from work several times because my heart was beating too fast, and it was probably related to food...Now how am I going to make it through Thanksgiving??