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Am In For Observation- So Embarrassing.....


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Yesterday and today have really ******. Woke up yesterday with a fever. Other family members have been sick with a tummy bug. Naturally it attacked me. Puked a couple of times, took my Zofran, rested, achy, tired, fever kept going up. Broke during the night. Felt pretty good this am. Took the dog to the groomer. Changed the sheets on the bed. Tried to have some food since it had been a day since I had eaten. Just some chicken noodle. Then.... holy Montezuma's revenge. After the 6th trip in less than two hours, I started feeling really weak and bad. Called my husband to come home immediately (while I was on the toilet....) then, everything went black. Came to, on the bathroom floor to my dog licking my face. Don't know how long I was out. I stayed prone, grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around me and just waited. Hubby got home, I tried to get up and almost fell over again. He loaded me up to Mayo hospital and they checked me in, took an EKG and then took me back first in front of the packed waiting room. They were all glaring at me.

Turns out when you pass out on the toilet, onto your tile floor and you have changes on your EKG, they really check you over and then even though I told the doctor I was sure I passed out just from being dehydrated and my potassium was low, they refused to let me go. Kept me for observation. I've been informing the staff on the floor about POTS. Although I was pretty happy, this ER rotation and shift had people who knew what it was!!!!

I must have landed on my arm, because it's starting to hurt. They x-rayed it, nothing broken, but I bet I bruise up pretty good. I'm hopefully going home tomorrow. I had two bags of fluids in the ER and I feel like a million bucks. They are running another bag in right now upstairs, just slowly. I'm not allowed to get up without assistance. Trying to eat here and there... my stomach is still really gurgling.

Here's hoping you all have an "easy POTS day" Sending you lots of fluids/salt and hugs from the 3rd floor of the Mayo Hospital!

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Never feel embarassed. You have a medical condition and its going to affect you and youre going to need medical

attention.

Syncope is a serious issue because hitting the floor can be dangerous. Ask any MS patient.

The doctors know what theyre doing even if theyre not pots experts. Ive found most neurologist know something

about dysautonomia, expecially NEUROLOGISTS.

I had a similar situation as you and was admitted to carolinas medical center in charlotte about six months ago.

It was there that I learned a great deal more about staying hydrated, and that i had severe adrenal insuffficiency.


That was valuable information.

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Don't be embarrassed. A couple of months ago I had to leave work by ambulance and spent several hours in the emergency room. I was so embarrassed and was apologizing over and over for wasting their time. I thought I was just having another "panic attack" which is what everyone always told me was my problem. There was a super great EMT that told me to stop apologizing because nobody causes this on their own. Hope you feel better!

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It's more "embarrassing" because I've lived with POTS for so long (15+ yrs) and for the most part I don't pass out because I have learned what I can and can't do and I do a really great job keeping up on my fluids. And, fainting off the toilet just is embarrassing but kind of humorous today. I am sure this will be a story among friends and we will all laugh about it.

I'm almost done with my 4th bag. I'm starting to use the bathroom with a little more frequency. My labs look a ton better and the doctor said I can go home tomorrow most likely. They told me today in the ER. Jerks. LOL. They still have not done my EKG for today. It was ordered last night for this morning.

This tummy bug is no joke. Doc today said people are getting it two and three times, just passing it around in families. And it's both ends.... no fun. Wash hands well and stay home if you don't feel good! Fluids fluids fluids.

Wishing I was home, watching basketball with my husband on the couch and cuddling with my dachshunds!

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Don't be embarrassed. A couple of months ago I had to leave work by ambulance and spent several hours in the emergency room. I was so embarrassed and was apologizing over and over for wasting their time. I thought I was just having another "panic attack" which is what everyone always told me was my problem. There was a super great EMT that told me to stop apologizing because nobody causes this on their own. Hope you feel better!

I'm so glad you had a great EMT. I can recall a number of times that it was treated as "just a panic attack" I'm still surprised when I am treated like I have a legitimate medical condition, after 15 years. How sad is that??? Still kind of in shock that yesterday I was seen so promptly and they didn't blow off the POTS stuff and some knew about it and they looked it up and looked through my Mayo records. I am working on feeling better! Thanks!!

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Aww! Your last few days really have been ******! But I totally get what you mean about embarrassing. On bad days, I'll see stars when I use the toilet, and I've always giggled/been horrified at the thought of passing out in that position.

I passed out for the first time a month ago in the bathroom, but while getting my dog some water. (the combo of it being 3am and squatting/standing didn't work out too well for me) Woke up smooshed against the toilet and my dog staring at me like 'Uh, where's my water?". She's not exactly Lassie, haha.

But I'm glad you're feeling better! And even more glad that you're getting treatment from people who have bothered to educated themselves about POTS.

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Im pretty careful when I feel a vertigo flare coming on. Especially getting into the shower.

Keep the water cooler and my clothes ready.

Lol, worst fear would be passing out and taking a ER ride naked.

"Panic" is real, but WHY is your system panicking is the question.

An autoimmune response could mimic panic but it would be caused physiologically, not mentally.

Has noting to do with mental illness. You can even have attacks in your sleep.

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Katybug, I am so so sorry that you got the tummy bug too, and your mom. 3 of my family- myself, my daughter who is 3 with medical issues and my grandpa who also has medical issues all ended up either admitted or seen for fluids with this bug. The doctor told me to be very careful as this bug does not seem to have the one and done effect- you can get it again. Families passing it around over and over... I'm sorry that you met your bathroom floor too. Feel better soon!

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