Pots Flare After 2 Years Of Good Health. What Can I Expect?

[bizbiz]

Hi All,

I haven't been on the forum for a while as I have been fortunate enough to experience a couple of years of perfectly good health.

I can't seem to pinpoint a reason as to why, but I seem to have crashed and all of my old symptoms have returned.

I'd just like to know, from those of you who's POTS takes the remission / relapse pattern, what can I expect from this current flare? As in, will this relapse be as bad and last as long as the original / initial crash that I had? It took me almost 2 years to feel back to normal from when I first became sick and I am hoping that it wont take me that long to recover again this time!

Thanks.

[jangle]

I'm not sure as I haven't really experienced a remission since I've gotten this. I find this oscillatory pattern in others most interesting and it does give me hope for an eventual recovery.

I think any answer to your question is going to be highly individualistic. Has there been anything recent happen in terms of stress or other significant events that could have triggered this relapse? How has your sleep pattern been lately? Possibly eliminating any excess stress and/or correcting your sleep pattern could be all it takes.

My guess would be to begin an aerobic exercise program, from what I've read this has helped speed recovery.

[Relax86]

With my subsequent flare I went medical crazed - testing and bloodwork, lots and lots of bloodwork. Then I couldn't get up and for a little while I didn't. But I realized early that my body was fading and I set small, daily goals for movement, was medically cleared for exercise and slowly started to incorporate (some days was just 5 minute bouts), got some outside time (even though I wanted to stay in) and used HC for inflammation. I also succumbed to the use of midrodine as I am a low BP Pots and later was able to wean from the meds. I had 2 years of decent health b/t flares. Made a job change and with that change had new hours, different diet, forgetting iron pills, no tanning/sunshine. Passed out and ended up in the hospital and they crushed me with bloodwork which I was approving so they could find something. Later the pieces came together for me that the bloodwork significantly increased my flare therefore my recovery. I am about 80- 85% recovered; it's been a year; I do feel a little plateaued. Hoping this flare didn't cost me in terms of full recovery because I did make a full recovery b/t 2009 and 2011. Water, meditation, positive thoughts, this forum to keep anxiety low (because at some point we all think we might be a little crazy), and some faith. You can feel better again. Good luck

[MomtoGiuliana]

I am mostly well but still get crashes like you describe. For me they typically last less than one week. I hope you feel much better soon.

[bizbiz]

Thankyou for your replies.

This crash did not come on suddenly. It started with me feeling extremely tired for a week or two, followed by the arrival of all the usual other POTS symptoms. This all started early November, so it has been almost 2 months now.

I was actually exercising quite a lot when this happened. I was also very busy and quite stressed, so it is possible that it is a combination of the two. Although I have always been told that exercise was good for POTS...

I've been med free for a couple of years now, so it's kind of annoying to have to go back to taking my beta blocker again.

[Elenapap11]

Perhaps instead of going back to the beta blocker you could allow yourself sometime to rest and do stuff that will reprogram your body back to normal functions.You could take a leave from work or find someone to do the housework for you for a while and just focus on relaxing your body and soul.I have had remissions and they always came along with a stressful event or flu or just being same old me(being a multitasker and trying to be perfect in everything).If you can't make some temporary changes to relax and get rid of pots symptoms,i suppose beta-blockers are a solution. But in the long term it's all about how you use your energy so if you overdo it,remissions are inevitable.I've learned this the hard way.

Anyway,discuss it with your doctor and decide what is best for you.I hope you get rid of the symptoms very soon.Just remember that if you are back to this it means that you need to give yourself a break from anything that tires you or stesses you.That will determine how long it will last.

[Tuesday]

The only thing I have learned about crashes/flares is that there is no way to really know what to expect. Sorry

[ramakentesh]

I experience exactly the same - interestingly i tend to crash every three years or so and the crash can last between 3-4 months to 12 months unfortunately depending on how I respond to meds. In between I experience pretty good health really - although sometimes i recover better than other crashes.

I always crash between October to December which is weird and Ive wondered whether allergies might play a role (although im not sure I even have them?) - no idea really but that period of the year is the 'danger zone' for me LOL. My first crash was at 1am on 18 October 2003, second on 5 November 2005, third on 6 October 2008 and last was 18 December 2011. For me its just like that - fine one minute, dizzy and spaced out the next.

My crashes start and then build up to peak at around 1 1/2 months before improving after 3 months gradually. The initial 3 months is the killer...

My advice - hydration - saline can be a godsend for a bit of relief. Also try the doctor I PM'd you about. He is great.