Tilt Table Test After Effects.

[GN1978]

Hello All,

I'm a suspected POTS patient, had my TTT yesterday to get a final diagnosis.

I came off my Beta Blockers on Friday, so approx 3 days without meds before the TTT. I didn't pass out during the test, but got quite symptomatic and found it a less than comfortable experience. It lasted 45 minutes and my symptoms kicked in relatively quickly, but really took hold after 5 minutes, and included:

- feeling spaced out (rather than dizzy)
- chest pain/pressure/discomfort
- feeling short of breath

- feeling very hot and clammy, but also cold sweats
- numbness and tingling in the limbs

- soreness in the limbs

- even small bodily movements, like a small movement of the arm, made me feel very shaky and jittery in the area moved

- shaky "jelly" legs.

The crux of this message is the shaky "jelly" legs. I got these after 5 minutes and they lasted throughout the test. And, today, I literally feel like I've ran a marathon and been hit by a bus. My limbs are achey. My legs hurt from my calves, right up to my buttocks. My arms and shoulders are sore. I'm walking around like a 70 year old who is ravage by arthritis, but I'm only 34.

It's just over 24 hours after my test. Has anybody else who's had a TTT felt like this 24 hours after the test? I'm guessing that it's just muscle fatigue/achy limbs due to experiencing the shaky legs for a prolonged period of time?

The nurse warned me that I might feel symptomatic and tired for a few hours after the test, but it's now 24 hours and I'm in agony!

[SarahA33]

GN,

I'm sorry, I actually passed out during mine but it sounds like you were pretty close! did they diagnose you with pots?

If it makes you feel any better, I was down for the count after. My legs felt like gumby.. like you could bend them or something, they were so weak. I was taken from cardiovascular lab to the ER and when I finally left there with decent numbers 140's/100's and HR 120, they finally let me go.. I can totally sympathize with you

[GN1978]

I think the legs are sore for standing for that period of time, and because they got quite throbby, achy and stiff during the test itself.

I haven't been diagnosed yet, as the nurses who were present for the test said they couldn't give me any information and that it was down to the cardiologist to look at the results first, and see what he thinks.

However, when doing the test, they asked me to tell them when I was experiencing any symptoms and they would mark these on the test itself. They were in the process of doing that when I was resting after the test, and I got a little peak and noticed some quite high heart rate readings. Unmedicated, and after standing for about 5-10 mins, mine peaks at about 130bpm (compared to a resting heart rate of 65bpm). However, on the readings from the TTT I noticed a record high of 153bpm. So, I think a POTS diagnosis is likely to follow, and my cardiologist said prior to the TTT that he suspected POTS, based on my poor man's TTT results, and that he was doing an actual TTT to rule it in, to make a definite diagnosis, rather than to rule out POTS.

[SarahA33]

GN,

they really need to come up with a better test, lol..

Your cardiologist is familiar with POTS it sounds like which is awesome. Do you mind sharing what medications he has you on now?

[GN1978]

I'm on 5mg of Bisoprolol, once a day. That's slowed the heart rate down to 55-60bpm resting (which is a bit slow, but he's not concerned) and 85 bpm standing. I feel a lot more confident and happier on my feet now the heart rate is down.

However, I'm still getting chest pain and terribly sore and red hands and feet (blood pooling?), so may check if there's anything he can prescribe for that.

[SarahA33]

Im not a doctor but it sounds like blood pooling to me.

What kind of chest pain are you experiencing? I frequently get feelings like someone is "squeezing" my heart

[GN1978]

It's a weird pain. It feels like a burning, muscular type pain, but also get a lot of pressure on the chest with it too. Like having a small animal/child sitting on your chest.

Just walked to my local corner shop (I'm in the UK) and my legs are sore from that. Heart rate stayed nice and low though, so looks like the beta blockers are kicking back in.

[SarahA33]

GN,

have you thought about giving your cardiologist/neuro/whomever completed the test a call this morning to explain your symptoms? I didn't have any muscular pain but then again I couldn't stand up without my heart rate shooting up. I had a squeezing/tightening in the chest probably due to the extreme tachycardia. Glad to hear the beta blockers have kicked back in but maybe you should think of giving them a call just for your own reassurance.

::hugs:: feel better and let us know how it turns out okay?

[Katybug]

It's normal to remain symptomatic for a while after the test. It took me about 2 days to get back to my normal brand of bad. I was like you, I didn't pass out but was presyncopal from 3 minutes until the end of the 45 minute test.

[Joann]

I was actually worse later that day after my TTTest. Not sure why, but that night my bp and heart rate went sky high every time I tried to stand. This happened for several days afterwards. The doctors didn't really know why.

I have had this happen with other autonomic tests also. I will leave the office okay and within 4 or 5 hours get really ill. I am wondering if it is because for many of these tests we lay flat for a while and at home I never lay down completely.

[SarahA33]

Hi Joann!!!

Hpoe you are well!

I think a lot has to do with the fact that our bodies are constantly changing. Our autonomic nervous sytem fires off whenever it feels like it (has a mind of its own, i like to say) and that when we have a test that is made to produce autonomic responses it probably takes a great deal of time for some of us to return to our normal icky feeling state. Just my opnion though

[rredbuell1203]

I also had the TTT and I must say that is one ride at the amusement park I will skip next time. My legs were sore for a couple days, but got back to an ache after that. I didn't last but only 15 minutes when the doctor ended my torture test. I really hope that things work out for the best of you.

[Guest Hanice]

I think red hands can also be due to MCAS but I'm not sure. I'm looking into MCAS for a possibility for myself..

[kayjay]

I'm going to plus one on Sarah.

Also I felt almost like my legs were bruised from the inside. I think it was that after effect of blood pooling.

I'm sorry that you felt so yucky but it is good to get a diagnosis.

[kayjay]

Also- I had lots of chest pain- I rarely have it now. It was like a squeezing or a pressure. I've been on a beta blocker for a long time and this symptom has resolved quite a bit.

[Guest Alex]

GN

sorry you had to undergo the "torture table" - unfortunately it's probably the "best" (if I can say so) way for your dr to collect a lot of info in order to better address your health issues.

For what it's worth, the first time around (I had the privilege of going through the experience twice - yay me) it took me several days to recover from the experience.

Lots of people rely on compression garments for their blood pooling so you may want run this info by your doctor.

Hopefully your symptoms will subside soon.

Alex

[angelina]

Sorry you had such a bad experience. Hope it is the only TTT you will ever have to have. I have had two TTTs but the first was the worst. I also was honored to have a gaggle of med students watch me as they had never experienced the "show". My bp rose to 165/90 as soon as the table was up and oscilated throughout the test as high as 200/100 to a low of undetectable. My HR went from 50 to 70 thus I don't have POTS. I couldn't feel my legs after the first 5 min and was dizzy, nauseous and had chest pain. It progressed until I vomited at about 15 min and then passed out somewhere around 20 min. I woke up laying flat and was really happy that I didn't make it to 30 min and have to have the nitro pill! I loved the horrified looks on the med students' faces. It was priceless.

I remember feeling like I had run a marathon and every muscle in my body hurt. I also remember I was extremely thirsty and had to urinate a full bladder several times. ( I was a long distance swimmer when I was younger and it reminded me of lactic acid build up in the muscles and having to go to the bathroom frequently during swim team practice.) I slept for several hours after the test and was quite nauseous through the evening. Late that evening I had what I can only describe as a Guillian-Barre esque episode. I had tinggling in my feet and hands, it moved quickly up my legs and down my arms. I was able to call the nurse luckily, but by the time she got there I was already paralyzed and could only say one word answers. The worst thing was I was very aware of everything that was being said but I could not move at all. I thought, "this is it, the next thing to shut down is breathing and heart!" It lasted 20 min. and doctors and nurses kept coming in and lifting my arms and legs and asking me questions and all I could do was lay there freaking out from the inside. What brought me out was this massive explossion in the back of my head, I saw stars (which I think was a big adrenaline push), I got really hot and soaked the sheets with sweat and all my muscles started to shake uncontrolably. The doctors ordered a brain MRI and it showed nothing. I slept for 24 hours straight after that and remained pretty weak for several days after.

I hope no one else had that extreme of a reaction, but I am interested in knowing if anyone had a similar reaction to a very stressful situation.