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Concussion And Pots


Smallmom

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My daughter is 17 and was diagnosed with POTS in August 2011. Her most significant symptom is fatigue. She drinks a lot, eats a salty diet, and takes Florinef and Adderall. Over the summer she seemed to be doing well and even held a part-time job.

In mid-October she went to her school's Homecoming Dance and was elbowed hard on the top of the head. She was diagnosed with a concussion (her fifth). She has been experiencing headaches, dizziness and extreme fatigue. The headaches and dizziness are getting better, but the fatigue is not. I took her to a concussion clinic in the major metropolitan area where we live, and the neuropsychologist recommended rest.

We're wondering what the overlay of concussion and POTS is, or where concussion ends and POTS takes over. Has anyone here experienced anything similar? If so, what did you do?

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.

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My daughter is 17 and was diagnosed with POTS in August 2011. Her most significant symptom is fatigue. She drinks a lot, eats a salty diet, and takes Florinef and Adderall. Over the summer she seemed to be doing well and even held a part-time job.

In mid-October she went to her school's Homecoming Dance and was elbowed hard on the top of the head. She was diagnosed with a concussion (her fifth). She has been experiencing headaches, dizziness and extreme fatigue. The headaches and dizziness are getting better, but the fatigue is not. I took her to a concussion clinic in the major metropolitan area where we live, and the neuropsychologist recommended rest.

We're wondering what the overlay of concussion and POTS is, or where concussion ends and POTS takes over. Has anyone here experienced anything similar? If so, what did you do?

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.

I haven't had a concussion, but I have read about using EEG's to diagnose post concussion symptoms. If the symptoms are new it would be more likely attributed to the concussion. Did they discuss using a prolonged EEG or EEG in general?

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No, the concussion clinic never mentioned an EEG. The neuropsychologist did cognitive testing and said her cognitive functioning is fine, although she should have reduced homework because concentrated work gives her headaches and fatigues her.

Her cardiologist, who treats her for POTS, mentioned that sometimes kids who suffer concussions have a disruption in the autonomic system. I'm just trying to understand the connection, if any, and whether we wait this out or treat her in some way.

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It has been shown in some studies that patients with TBI (traumatic brain injury) can develop POTS. It has also been shown that patients with multiple sclerosis have a high incidence of POTS. Whether that's attributed to a triggered inflammatory response or a central disruption in autonomic control is uncertain. Interesting to note that in the reported incidences of TBI induced POTS, the onset was insidious arguing against a central nervous system origin and more towards a triggered inflammatory response. (If brain damage to the autonomic region of the brain was the cause of the POTS, one would expect the POTS to be nearly instantaneously produced.)

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I got a mild concussion once. It took me a really long time to recover, mainly for me it was dizziness and a weird spacey feeling--it lasted for weeks way longer than the dr said it should have. But no lasting problems were ever identified. I do think that POTS may have played a role in my slowed recovery--I was not diagnosed at the time, with POTS. From what I understand if she is feeling poorly after a concussion, rest is the best thing.

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sometimes i suspect that i had an untreated concussion that caused my pots. I fell 30 feet from a chair lift and was knocked unconscious...pots showed up one night within the week. Sat dormant for 2 years, took over my life, and currently is quieting down.

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