Sunlight

[POTLUCK]

http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2010/03/09/eurheartj.ehq069.full

Sunlight makes me feel better and decreases my symptoms. At least there is research to support this idea.

[puppylove]

It really makes me feel better too- I go sit in the sun whenever I can. The only thing is when i'm on midodrine the sun gives me a rash for some reason. But I have less other symptoms- and it makes me happy. Good article.

[issie]

Interesting that sunlight increase NO levels and speaking of just myself and a person with more high blood pressures rather than low ones and finding out that nitro glycerin helps me - which also increases NO - maybe - knowing this about the sun and how it affects our bodies - (increases NO, Vit D, melatonin, vasodilates, lowers blood pressure) gives us with this subset type of POTS more answers as to what's going on with us. Thanks for this link.

However, there are some people that already have too high levels of NO and low blood pressure - if the sun ups NO and lowers blood pressure - that would explain why some react so badly to the sun. It also is a vasodilator and some don't need to vasodilate but vasoconstrict.

Potluck, thanks for the link. Have you found out any thing more about what is causing your high NE levels?

Issie

[McBlonde]

I know what you mean. I crave sunlight. I attributed it to my Vit D levels being so low. My endo told me that the non-pharmacy prescription to get your Vit D levels back up to normal is 15 minutes in direct sunlight every day.

[Christy_D]

Sunlight shining directly on m son makes him feel sick. When we are in the car he tries to move to the side of the car that is shady. He also covers himself with a throw blanket to stay out of it.

[Annaliese]

Thanks for this potluck

[Tammy]

Bright sunlight that hits my eyes makes me super exhausted/lightheaded. I can tolerate cloudy days much better, however, I miss that my body doesn't like sunny days, because my heart & soul loves them

[Dizzysillyak]

I couldn't stand being out in the sun until I changed my diet. Now I crave it. I typically stay out 2 hours at a time. I seem to feel even better if I get in the ocean too. I was never like this before though. The ocean water used to make me itch ... tc ... d

[Jacquie802]

The sun is good for me for a few minutes. Once I begin to feel hot, symptoms kick in!

[POTLUCK]

It does seem like maybe the reason some do better and some worse has to do with the opposing types of vasodilation or vasoconstriction in different types of POTS and the sun may help the low flow type by vasodilating via nitric oxide etc. at the surface and also a direct eye effect by speeding the heart up via NE and Epi.

I do not have the mast cell stuff. ( I do not think ) but there may be some other effect of sunlight on that, explaining the effect of sun on your sun ChristyD ( it's a possibility ), that might even have to do with the differing effect on a different diet?

Anyways, just because the medicine books do not have the answer does not mean I do not believe it is having an effect on me I will tell you that much. The main thing I have learned being sick is how little is known in medicine.

[LindaJoy]

Sunlight never used to bother me. I used to crave it, like many of you here. I was always tan. But, last summer, I began to have symptoms in the sun, heat and humidity. The last few weeks, I've been able to be out in the sun for a few minutes at a time, but then I start to have symptoms. I just can't take it like I used to. Don't know why. Maybe a med I'm on? I don't know.

I hope my body will change again some day and I'll be able to be in the sun like I used to be able to be. I used to really like the feel of it, too.

Lindajoy

[POTLUCK]

The sun is like charging a battery for me. I feel better, more energetic in it, often within minutes, and it has a lasting effect of hours or days, during this time I have far fewer symptoms ( not as much dizziness, cognitive problems/brainfog, temperature regulation control issues, GI problems etc. ) It realize that this is not a normal published characteristic of POTS. The POTS specialist just puts down that he has no knowledge in this area in his dictation, thus skipping over it.

Also, my lying HR is now at ~ 70 on 10% less propranolol ( LA 80AM & 60PM) than when it was ~110 resting in the winter. I do not know if the sun is helping but it sure seems like it. ( Other possibilities include exercise, combination etc., but no additional new medication. ) That is a decrease of 40 points in lying HR on slightly less medicine!!

[issie]

Could it be the up in Vitamin D - that you are getting from the sun? Were your levels low? Maybe, it has something to do with serotonin too. Like with SAD problems in the winter time with less sunlight.

Issie