andybonse Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Hi,I came across the cardaic AN and was wondering how it differs from POTS,My blood pressure will be say 107/65 relaxed, then ill sit up and it will go to 124/80 and then when I stand up it will be the same or a little lower or go up and also my HR goes up too.Is this mainly related to diabetes? I've tried to research but its all diabetes articles.Just scares me to think if we could get this,Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E Soskis Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 The major cause of autonomic malfunction is diabetes - it fries the nervous system from chronically elevated blood sugar- therefore, the major cause of "cardiac autonomic neuropathy" is diabetes. It is not a disease of the heart but, of the nervous system that innervates the heart. Whenever nerves to the heart are damaged, then there can be all sort of problems like irregular heart beat and rhythms. There are other causes - I have AAG which is an autoimmune disorder. The antibodies produced by my whacky immune system are destroying and shutting down the nervous system - my heart is involved. I lost my intrinsic heart rate a few years ago due to the damage from the antibodies. Different areas of the heart take over when normal pathways are damaged. The lower chamber of my heart began to set my new heart rate which was 20-40 beats/minute. This required a pacemaker or a new "electrical" system to stimulate a normal heart beat. Unfortunately, once the heart is involved, the damage cannot be reversed - apparently these nerves just don't regenerate or recover. The progression is unstoppable at this time but, it has been slowed down by different treatments (IV IG and Plasmapheresis) - my cardiologist says to just keep on going - we treat the symptoms that crop up and continue to attempt to slow the progression....I wouldn't dwell on whether or not you "might" get this. The best offense is a good defense. If you are diabetic, keep your blood sugars under control. Exercise and strengthen your heart muscle as much as possible. Manage whatever disease you have as much as you can and just....live.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybonse Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 I see, so its not pots you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E Soskis Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 no - different type of dysautonomia than POTS - autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy - still a type of autonomic failure but, is autoimmune in origin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybonse Posted July 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 What was your first symptoms?Would a blood test diagnose this?Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E Soskis Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Actually, it was when my heart rate began to fail that my cardiologist recognized I had some type of autonomic failure.(in 2006) The blood test performed was after my neurologist remembered reading about AAG and he ordered the antibody test to see if I had it (in 2010) - the test was so positive, it was off the charts. So, yes, there is a blood test HOWEVER...a negative blood test does not rule out AAG - I have read that there are patients who test negative for the antibodies but still have the disease. I have been battling symptoms of dysautonomia for at least 14 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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