Pots Update

[SeattleRain]

I haven't been here in a while and had a few questions for members as well as an update.

I slowly started exercising regularly in August. It was extremely difficult. I started walking around my kitchen. I bought a pedometer and did 1,000 steps for first few days, then 2,500. By end of September I was doing about 10,000 steps a day. At that time I started exercising on my stationary bike and slowly grew in intensity. I also will rotate between doing that as well as walking up and down my stairs.

This has been the most helpful aspect of recovery as my heart feels a lot stronger and can handle things better.

The bad news is I have bad gastric problems -- horrible heartburn and can't eat a lot of foods now. I have an upper endoscopy this Friday -- I think I may have an ulcer.

Questions:

1) For those that take Xanax, what was your starting dose?

2) Has anyone ever had an upper endoscopy and if so, without sedation? I'm terrified of sedation with my heart problems so I opted out of it....

[KareBear]

I had both an upper endoscopy and a colonoscopy, each with sedation, each done at different times and I did perfectly fine both times. I have never had one done without sedation. If I had to do it again, I would chose sedation again....but that's me. I dont know your exact symptoms typically. I have tachycardia and hypotension symptoms with my POTS.

[Faintinggoat]

I have been thinking about working with my doctor on a exercise plan, and seeing stories like yours and having success with exercises encourages me.

I had ulcers and had an endo when I was a teenager, I was under sedation. Like Medicgirl I was completely fine. I wasn't having all the POTS issues then, but I had (and still have) moderate asthma. I did fine, they just kept me in the hospital for a little longer than usual to watch me. Best wishes, I hope that they are able to find out what's going on and take care of it.

[badhbt]

Hi there,

I had an EGD without sedation and it wasn't bad to me at all. I also work in Endoscopy. You might ask them to do a small bowel bx to rule out Celiac while they are there.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[davecom]

I have horrible acid too from nerve damage/POTS. It's actually my worst symptom. Similar exercise has helped strengthen my heart too to help me cope. I'm going for an endoscopy in January for the same thing... my bet is they won't find anything, but ya know might as well. You may want them to test for H. Pyloori and you may also want to get the acid testing in your esophagus (they leave a little device there for a couple days), I'm getting that.