puppylove Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Everytime I get a horrible POTS day my mind just goes off thinking- POTS can't make me feel this bad, something else must be wrong, maybe it's the flu, what if it's worse... And I can't even tell if the anxiety is making me feel worse or the fact that I'm having a bad POTS day makes my atomic nervous system go all crazy. So would this be something a therapist would help? Because I have tried lots of those to no avail. And my mom really does not want me to go anxiety meds due to side effects. Oh, and on a side note- when I have been trying to exercise I want to push myself harder but I'm too afraid I will faint etc. if I do that- especially in public. I hope I have made since. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgtaylor100 Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Puppy - You absolutely make sense. I wonder the same things. Is it anxiety about the illness or is it the autonomic nervous system going wild. I actually was a therapist when I was able to work and I have to admit that it is hard for someone not living with the illness to understand what we are going through.PM me if you would like.Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 I'm of the opinion that POTS is largely parasympathetic dysfunction. As such, stressors that normally don't have much affect on normal people have exaggerated effects on us. These stress responses lead to large releases of anxiety hormones such as epinephrine and/or norepinephrine which contribute to physical symptoms of presyncope and anxiety.I've found exercise to help me, especially resistance training which is known to boost the parasympathetic outflow. However, it's important that you pace your body correctly. If you feel like you're going to faint you need to listen to your body and stop. The next time exercise at a reduced intensity but try to go longer. Always listen to your body. I too would get those sensations that I was about to faint, I would stop and make sure to get rehydrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relax86 Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Puppylove ~ you're post makes me tear up. I keep searching this forum for answers as to whether I'm sick or crazy. In my heart I know I'm sick even though I have very few who I know don't believe me. Why that's important, I don't know. As I have an entire forum full of people who know how I feel...also, I am much luckier than most in that I can drive, and work and function. At work yesterday I had to approach a confrontational situation and I felt my body go into serious overdrive....physically way more symptoms than was necessary for the circumstances. I was remembering my past life in a high stress, high dollar management position and realized that I could not perform that job today. My POTS just takes control. I spend time making every attempt to control the anxiety vs POTS issues that I have. I feel fearful many days of symptoms, public fainting, etc....I watch the forums for info on SSRI vs SSNI's to see which direction I could go. And I'm afraid to sleep. I sometimes feel like I won't wake up. And I sometimes feel like I don't know what I'll wake up to and I never know which is worse. I'm way off topic but your post hit a nerve tonight. As my friends are all in Atlantic City NJ starting their holiday party and I could not do it. I often wonder if there is something medically easy that's being missed or something terrible that's being missed. I find strength in the people here - like yourself - and hope that we all find answers. Good luck to you. I know that exercise has helped me as well as pushing myself into some low levels of discomfort. I never feel like me anymore and I miss her. But I believe we have a true awareness of quality of life as those few moments of normalcy that some of us experience just feel so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondcut Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 I have to second that last comment you just made there Relax, We really are grateful to those hours or even minutes when we feel half normal. I think if nothing else POTs makes us better people because we can empathise with others far better as we have to battle through each day, and yet we look like there is nothing wrong with us physically.Does anyone know the number for the Samaritans please having a self pitty moment .....lol Im just kidding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Florinef has COMPLETELY reduced by sympathetic/postural anxiety/adrenalin surges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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