10 years POTS and......

[heidiangel]

I am 47 and got pots 10 years ago.It hit me like a mac truck. I was bedridden for 5 years and housebound another 4. I had a severe case of pots and in a wheelchair. I can not take beta blockers or Florenf as they and many drugs trigger my pots. I started a low carb diet a year ago and it made a huge change in me.I am no longer in a wheelchair.I can drive. I can handle noise and light now.My temors are no longer 24/7. However, I daily have to physically push myself and I got shopping...I sweat ALOT. If I eat sugar or flour I get very potsy.

I still am dealing with a weak immune system,even though low-carb diet has helped that. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem of a weak immune system and what you do about it.

Thanks,

Heidi

[EarthMother]

I'm still trying to find my immune system! I have chronic epstein barr and it also seems to make me very fragile when it comes to building myself back up. Sometimes I try echinacia, though I can't say for sure that helps or not. What I do like is ZICAM (over the counter zinc based gel.) It goes in the base of the nostril (you don't inhale it) and studies show that it kills the cold virus. So if I am around lots of sneezing, wheezing, coughing people I use some at night before I go to bed. I figure if my immune system isn't up to snuff, I'll try and tackle the germs before they set up shop.

Wonderful to hear about you being able to walk again. I also noticed a dramatic improvement a few years back with diet modifications. I don't do a low carb diet but I am pretty much wheat free. (I have spelt about once a week.) I also cut out sugar and most sweets altogether. As long as I rotate my carbs (had millet and garbonzo bean flour pancakes this morning!) then I seem to do much better. Takes a lot of creativity, plus terrific kids and husband to tolerate all the new foods. But they say having Mom feel better is priceless.

Good thoughts,

EM

[justin]

my immunity is terrible. ways i try to deal with it:

no animal products. supplements. avoid sugar/simple carbs. sunlight (when i feel up to it/can get it). moderate exercise (when i can get it/feel up to it). as many raw foods as possible. sleep.

[heidiangel]

Thanks for your response.

How do you eat low-carb and no animal products? I would love to try that.

thanks for the zinc info...I will try it. It does that alot of creativity and adjustments.

Today is a potsy day for me....but still a heck alot better then in the past.

Do you find that others don't understand the rest you need at times? For me it seems that because I don't look sick that people expect me to not be sick.

[MightyMouse]

My immune system has been very overactive for at least 10 years now. Prior, it was the opposite. The doc who originally dx'd my POTS had me taking a whole bunch of dietary supplements to help with fighting infection: CoQ10, Magnesium & B6, and a bunch of other things. This was when I was before she concluded I had POTS and not just chronic fatigue.

Nina

[MightyMouse]

Oh, as far as low carb and no animal products, you would have to rely on other protien sources for your primary intake, such as nuts and legumes. If you're not fully vegan, you can also have things like dairy and eggs, which are low carb and high protein.

Nina

[EarthMother]

Low carbs and no animal protien? No problem.

I was a happy vegetarian for years, but when I had my food sensitivity test I become a relluctant wheat-free vegan. I consultant a nutritionist who told me it was no problem. For instance Lentils have more protien that steak (ahh, I still miss steak:-). And lentils are quick to cook and need no pre-soaking. Other beans/legumes we rotate in the house include split peas, garbonzo beans, pinto beans, and of course there are zillions of soy products on the market now. There are also some veggies that are relatively high in protein such as broccoli and avacado. And there is a whole new world (or actually old world) of grains like amaranth that is high in protien and is a complete amino acid.

When I do baking I use things like garbanzo bean flour or almond meal in place of wheat flour. I have lots of free recipes on my web site:

http://www.coolkarma.com/Foods/index.html

Bon appetite.

EM

[futurehope]

EM,

When I was very careful and ate only healthy foods and stayed away from the common food allergens, I found the alternative diet did help me feel better but it was rather pricey. I was working full-time at the time I was eating that way, but I still felt like I was spending quite a bit of money on the alternative foods. Since I no longer work, I have the motivation to try and go on my "healthy" diet again, but I would need to know ways to keep the cost down. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Also, what tests were used on you to determine your food sensitivities/allergies?

[EarthMother]

Things like organic produce and speciality items can stretch the bankbook, but making things from scratch may help. I bake breads or more often flatcakes on the weekends and use them as sandwich bread during the week. I am fortunate that where I live many stores are beginning to carry the wheat alternative flours like oat flour and almond meal. But if need by you can make them yourself with a good food mill.

There are also sites on the web that you can buy in bulk the ones that I have ordered from include:

http://www.edenfoods.com/flash/index_flash.html

http://authenticfoods.com/

http://www.purityfoods.com/

Instead of some of the prepared frozen food (like the boca riblets, MorningStar sausages which we love) you can begin to make some of these from scratch using textured vegetable protien, or bean patties like I have on my site. It takes quiet a bit of testing (and patience from everyone elese in the house!) but after trial and lots of error I came up with foods that are quick, easy and won't brake the bank.

The food testing lab my doctor used was immunolabs.com and my insurance reimbursed me for all the work I had done. But I think many standard labs are beginning to these tests as well.

Good luck to you on your new food adventure.

EM