Viruses And Dysautonomia

[Allene]

I know that dysautonomia can develop after a viral infection, but what about an increase in symptoms after one? I've had dysautonomia for several years, and I caught H1N1 a couple years ago. After I had the virus, I noticed my symptoms more. Could this be coincidence (since my symptoms seem to be progressing anyway), or could having a viral infection actually have made things worse for me?

[icesktr189]

I have learned ANYTHING can set off pots. Viruses, pregnancy..ect.

[paona]

Certainly sounds like it from the reading I've done. My now 16 year old had H1N1 over a year ago and her POTS symptoms became severe. She was not diagnosed at the time but we already knew she had tachycardia and very low blood pressure. She needed IV fluids and was in bed over 10 days. She was tested for Addison's soon after this and we also requested her first holter monitor. She currently has a skin staph infection and while it is healing (lab results just came in so a different antibiotic is needed), the readings on her bottom number for blood pressure are 40-46 since this bacterial infection. Two days before the skin showed the infection she started with POTS symptoms again. As the poster above mentioned many factors can make POTS worse. For my daughter it is allergies, bacterial infections and viruses. Fortunately the doctors are watching her very carefully with this infection. The best antibiotic would have been one with sulfa in it but since she had a rash from a sulfa-based drug when little they will try this first. They want to see her again this week to make sure it isn't in her lymph nodes or glands, and to make sure her blood pressure comes back up.

[Chaos]

From what the doctors have told me (both at Cleveland Clinic and at Mayo), it's very common to have a flare of POTS symptoms after a virus or bacterial infection.

[HopeSprings]

This is certainly true for me. I am definitely worse during and after a virus, even just a stupid simple cold can set me back a month. Not only that, but I feel sicker for like a week before I ever start showing cold symptoms. I just went through this recently... I kept tasting like a bug spray taste in my mouth for days and days and was feeling really dizzy and symptomatic- finally came down with a cold. My POTS knows I'm getting sick long before I do. I can only imagine a potent virus like H1N1 would do quite a number on us!

[abnel]

I've just endured 3 weeks of a gastrointestinal bacterial infection and boy can I relate to what you are saying. While I might have had the infection for only 3 weeks, it seems to be taking me an inordinately long time to recover. In fact I am currently in what could only be described as a POTS hole right now and am the most exercise intolerant and housebound I have been since coming down with this condition (although I do have other complications like low potassium presently which in itself is almost as bad as the gastro).

The worst part is that it takes such a long time to build back up to where you were before the illness hit. Does anyone else find this?? For example, last year after having the flu for 3 weeks, it then took me a good 6 weeks to get back to where I was prior to having the flu, possibly even longer.