jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Don't ask me why I'm asking this, but if you had POTS when you were giving birth, was your baby's weight lower than normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliegee Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 OK Jangle- hard to trust you on this one, w/o knowing WHY you are asking the question , BUT my son was a very normal weight, 7lbs, 7oz. That being said, when he was delivered the nurses gasped and said, "OMG, I have never seen such a small umbilical cord!" I never quite knew what to make of that. I did miscarry my first, early second trimester AND gained a whopping 40lbs with Mack. I was quite underweight to start with...so that little umbilical cord had plenty of opportunity to carry nutrients over to my son Hope it helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firewatcher Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Nope, my first was 9 lbs and my second was 8 lbs 12 oz at two weeks early. No gestational diabetes either...just BIG babies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I had big babies too. 9lbs 8oz for my son who was born at 41 weeks. My daughter was born at 39 weeks, and she was 10lbs 1oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Oh, I had a hypothesis that the thing causing our POTS was an ACE2 deficiency. ACE2 converts angiotensin II to angiotensin (1-7). In this study it was shown that POTS patients had an altered response to angiotensin II infusionhttp://circep.ahajou...11.965343.shortand it was shown in this study that ACE2 is heavily involved in the renin-angiotensin systemhttp://www.sciencedi...043276004000566And then it was shown in this study that people who had ACE2 deficiency had lower weight babieshttp://hyper.ahajour...ontent/58/5/852So I was making a pseudo test to see if it was low ACE2 levels we were suffering from.HOWEVER!In that last study I cited, it did show that mommies have an increase in ACE2 levels upon getting pregnant. So presumably, if we have low levels of ACE2, then upon getting pregnant, it should alleviate the symptoms of POTS somewhat. Depending on whether or not the ACE2 levels increased enough. I do remember some moms saying their POTS symptoms decreased upon getting pregnant, and some didn't. Now I'm wondering if for those whose symptoms did not decrease if they had lower than average weight babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puppylove Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I, myself was a tiny baby. Only four pounds, but I was premature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I found this article, about autoantibodies that can target the angiotensin II enzyme. http://arthritis-res...ontent/12/3/R85It kind of all makes sense. Our symptoms have always mimicked connective tissue autoimmune disorders. Difficulty swallowing, Raynauds, Shortness of Breath, Nausea/Gastroparesis, also people with the connective tissue disease EDS have an increased risk of POTS.This could be our autoimmune disorder. We have antibodies that target our ACE2 enzyme, thus limiting the conversion of angiotensin II to angiotensin (1-7). Thus making us have a blunted effect to angiotensin II infusion (as cited in the previous study). Also explains why people who are pregnant have reduced POTS symptoms (It increases their ACE2 enzyme levels). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissy Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 All 5 of my children were between 6-7.5 lbs.POTS got worse with every one towards end and after, recovered up until the last child born. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lieze Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 8 lb. 10 oz.7 lb. 14. oz - this one I'm worried about he is too thin8 lb, 10 oz.7 lb. I think 7 oz. Also a string beanI did not necessarily have POTS during pregnancy or not to a level I noticed.I felt pretty good pregnant till the last 3 months and then I had difficulty with some swelling in legs.Feet would turn bright red in evenings when standing.Had to be careful how I laid in bed or I felt too much strain on heart.I was concerned enough about weight gain with last baby that I cut out all desserts as soon as I found out I was pregnant because I feared getting so big and miserable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieph85 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Mine were low birth weight but that's cause they are twins. They were both 5.5 pounds but healthy. Your theory is interesting. Are you referring to ace or angiotensin in regards to the antibodies? Something interesting to go with your theory - I had pre-eclampsia come on at the exact same time as the pots at about 34 weeks pregnant. I have read research that pre-eclampsia is thought to be related to the baby releasing large amounts of angiotensin and it effecting the mothers blood pressure. Maybe that is somehow related in my case. I have always thought this pots is somehow related to ang 2 because I get days of extreme thirst and elevated Bp for no reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'm referring to the enzyme ACE2 which I guess is involved in dealing with angiotensin 2. The paper is recent (2010) in their discovery of autoantibodies targeting ACE2 enzyme.I wonder if there is a way we can get our ACE2 levels checked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Bingo: http://www.heartrhythmjournal.com/article/S1547-5271%2810%2901204-X/abstract Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 This would be the point where I would experiment on myself with this medication: http://circres.ahajournals.org/content/97/9/946.shortThat medicine seems to increase ACE2 enzyme activity twice its original level. Unfortunately, the day and age we live in, I don't think I'll get to be doing any experimenting on myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieph85 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I know you can get your ace level checked with a simple blood test. I'm not sure if that is the same ace you are referring to. Look up ace and sarcoidosis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anna Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Baby No. 1 6lbs 14oz Major POTs flare after she was born, plus post part um haemorrhage Twins baby 2&3 8lbs 4oz & 7lb 14oz Big POTS flare & major post partum haemorrhage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frugalmama Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 I started having acute symptoms during my second pregnancy. My symptoms didn't get better with pregnancy, and my second and third children (both boys) were 8 lbs 13oz and 8lbs 10 oz. Except for the general misery caused by crazy POTS symptoms, my pregnancies were all very healthy and normal with non-eventful births. As well, my BP stayed at 90/60 (or sometimes 80/50) throughout all of my pregnancies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 10 lb 2 oz and POTS came on during pregnancy, symptoms way worse as the pregnancy progressed, not better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerA Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 It seems like most of us had big babies! Mine were 8lbs 10 oz., 8lbs 11oz., and 8 lbs even! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brethor9 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 8lbs 7 ounces 23 inches long......3 epidurals that didnt work....local freezing didnt work....finally general anasthesia birth......sometimes I wonder if all the anasthetic I have undergone in the last 9 years hasnt screwed my nervous system up......but thats another theory I myself was 2 pounds at birth....maybe thats another factor.........Bren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trach Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Although my POTS symptoms were mild at the time, my pregnancies were difficult. First pregnancy - stillbirth at 20 weeks due to blood clots in umbilical cord. Positive test for antiphospholipid syndrome.Second pregnancy - baby girl born 3 weeks early weighing 6 lbs 1 oz. Put on total bed rest at 28 weeks due to preterm labor. Third pregnancy - baby girl born 3 weeks early weighing 7 lbs. Fourth pregnancy - miscarriage at 12 weeks.I never tested positive for antiphospholipid syndrome again so my doctors believe the first test was a false positive. I recently found out a family member has a homozygous genetic mutation for a clotting disorder that is also related to pregnancy loss, migraines, and cardiovascular disease (mthfr gene). It is probably likely the mutation is the reason for my pregnancy issues and maybe my migraines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubytuesday Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 I was not diagnosed with POTS when pregnant but I weighed 6 lbs and was preemie when I was born. First child born 5 weeks early, weighed 6'1" (35 now and only recently found to have congenital coarctation of aorta and dilated ascending aorta--I have EDS). He went down to 5 lbs 4 oz and had to be fed by tube (couldn't suck) and had blood infection and was in incubator and bili lights. 2nd pregnancy ended in spontaneous abortion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheller Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 I developed pots with my 3rd and smallest baby. She was 3 weeks early, 5lb 9oz and 18 inches. Pots was the worst when I was pregnant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POTSMama Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Again, we are all so different and no apparent pattern here that I can see. FWIW, I was relatively small but healthy at birth (6 lbs 5 oz). I have only had one pregnancy and I felt much better during it (and I'd already had hyper POTS for over 10 years at the time). But I found out later that during pregnancy I'd had gestational diabetes (they tested me twice but I couldn't keep enough of the drink down apparently), and my daughter was probably as a consequence quite chubby at birth (she weighed in at 8 lbs and 10 oz, but was only 20 1/2 inches long so appeared full cheeked/full belly compared to other newborns). She has since slimmmed out and is an average weight at age almost 12 (but not skinny or thin arms/legs like her adopted Chinese sister of about the same age). The only other problem I had during pregnancy was blood pressure tended to go up too much. But despite the BP and diabetes issues, I felt great all 9 months. After giving birth, I felt awful for quite a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybits Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 7.5 and 7.7 pre pots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.