The Tricks I Have Learned To Help Rehab Me From Pots

[Lemons2lemonade]

Hi All!

I am doing great! I got so lucky and scored a work from home job that is legit and right on path with my career goals. Working 8 hrs. upright, even in the shape i am in now, is really tough. It was random and fate finally turned my way. As for pots, it no longer controls my life. It is more of just a nuisance now than anything (wow, i never thought i would have been saying that a few years ago). I can do what i want when i want and that feeling is so empowering. I remember each and every day how lucky i am. The trick to me overcoming this disease was medication ( i take florinef, citalopram, and potassium.. this cocktail was formed upon a trial and error basis and finding the right medication is challenging and is going to be a rough time--i will not lie--but it is a necessary evil--IMHO benzos are not a reliable part of that cocktail) and also a challenge towards my mind. I took to heart patience, persistence, and courage--and those things have carried me to unbelieveable places. It is almost weird for me to read this post and remember feeling that way because i eat in restaurants and walk wherever i please all the time with no qualms. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that this post has inspired others. With my pots, every day is a push. And the moment i stop pushing, i fall back. But just remember the best things come with time. I remember a day when walking 15 feet was like running 5 miles. Yesterday, i walked around the block twice with my boyfriend, rode for 20 minutes on the bike, and ran a ton of errands.I am trying to do more on the bike to make my sympotms even better, but am working on the discipline. The best advice i can give from my experience is push when you can in small amounts til you become stronger and when your symptoms come in hard, give your body a break. The reality is, that it is not functioning properly and sometimes needs to rest--and rest is relaxation or sleep...not freaking out about the maybes and possiblys while your heart is beating through the roof. It is small steps to recovery and requires a lot of discipline and patience. But man oh man, has it paid off for me in the end.

[ramakentesh]

Work is hard. Im in an office all day after a 1 hour train ride both ways - 8 hours with meetings and lots of stuff. its hard. I wonder if Id be better with a mild outdoor physical job because I always feel better when im moving around a lot.

[Altruism]

I admire you both. I used to have a very successful career at Microsoft before I gave birth and my world changed. I truly hope I can return someday to my life. I miss my team, my meetings and conf calls.. I'm not the crochet on the sofa type...

Thanks for the inspiration! One of the very few posts that I've printed out and read occasionally.

[Relax86]

I work in outpatient physical therapy job. I have 50 minute commute. The commute works for me. I turn on the radio and try to engage my senses. I'm up most of the day but can sit in my stool periodically b't pt's to document. Once the weekend comes I can't wait to veg a little. What I have experienced is that I feel actually a little worse on Sat/Sun by not getting myself moving by the morning. I like to take my time on the weekends - read newspaper, catch up on forum, facebook, call my Mom...etc. I also have a my hubby and daughters (18, and 14) who looooove to sleep in - which I hate. I have recently been getting up and out to do a few little errands that they don't want to do so I can get my blood moving (???). I don't have the daily grind of the job but I do have to keep active. It's weird how this thing keeps me guessing. But yes, the tricks we all learn.

[Lemons2lemonade]

I am bumping this to go along with my update post for new members So glad to hear it helps others!!

[Nymph]

What a great post and so helpful!

I am not on any medication yet, just salt, H2O and compression. My case is mild. I also have some other health issues that I have to consider when making choices for my body. But not freaking out and obsessing - making everything worse - is such good advice. I had a minor freak-out this week related to my autoimmune issues, and it made me feel so much worse! I need to learn not to do that.

It is so helpful to connect with people who have already worked through these things!

Thanks, Lemonade!

[navyblue]

I'm so glad I found this...thank you, thank you, thank you...in my experience with health forums in general a lot more negative than positive gets posted, and that makes sense: people are looking for support/answers, but there is great positivity here!

[StephanieF]

Wow--this was great to read! (Newbie here) My whole life I thought it was only me who got anxiety related to POTS. That's how I've always explained the story of my panic disorder--that it started with POTS and fainting and being so afraid I'd faint as a child. I still have an anxiety disorder and I still have POTS. It's hard not to be anxious when you are always afraid you're going to faint! You don't want to be alone if you're going to faint. Also you don't want to make a scene in a public place if you're going to faint or feel faint and want to do something to take care of your symtoms like elevate your feet. How am I going to do that in public?? Anyway, it's just so good to finally not feel alone with the anxiety/POTS struggle. I am always pushing through anxious situations for exposure. It's a lifetime battle. I make slow progress every day. The whole thing about the "fake" symptoms and the real symptoms really resonates with me. Sometimes it's hard to tell. But the really real warning signs are loud and clear so need to just focus on those. It's a hard balance since we don't want to faint. Fainting to me is horrifyingly scary. Not the actualy fainting but the way I feel and the way my senses go haywire going into the faint and waking up I just think is about the worst thing in the world. Waking up I can hear before I can see and everything seems to be like a strobe light. Just awful. But no, not going to die from it!