How Do We Tell If There's Ever Something Else Wrong?

[imapumpkin]

So I've been wondering this at various points over the last two years since my POTS flared up...How exactly are we supposed to be able to tell if something besides our POTS is going on with us when so many symptoms are indicative of other illnesses?

I ask this specifically because I can never tell if I should be concerned I might be anemic (I have a history of anemia) because most of the tell tale signs of anemia (fast HR, lightheaded, severe fatigue, paleness, weakness) are all things I experience ALL the time. My fatigue has been particularly horrendous the past few weeks since I attended a wedding and was more or less forced to overexert myself...but at what point should I be thinking this isn't just POTS, it could be something else?

Because my POTS has been all over the place the past two years and my symptoms and progress were intertwined with my MVP and then recovering from surgery, I really don't know what is "normal for me" in terms of my POTS. I guess I'm asking at what point do we stop assuming it's just POTS being awful and check in with the ol' GP to see if it could be something else as well that might be making it worse?

Any thoughts?

[Katybug]

I don't think there's a really scientific answer to this. I've pondered the same question myself many times. I think you have to be very aware (almost in a meditative sort of way) of your body and trust your instincts. If you think your anemia might be returning, what's the worst that can happen if you ask the doc to have bloodwork to check it out?

[sue1234]

I've often thought of seeing a good NEW internist and just walking in and explaining my general symptoms and letting them work me up for whatever pops up in their mind. I would not mention POTS at all.

[misstraci]

oh man, I think this all the time. I am so scared of having something terrible happen; heart attack, stroke, you name it, and not getting help soon enough or at all because I write it off as just my 'normal symptoms'. I wish there were a way to get definative answers and fix the root of our individual problems. This PoTs thing is so hard, both mentally and physically.

[imapumpkin]

exactly misstraci! i always feel like the little girl who cried POTS when something else could actually be going on.

katybug- i could just suck it up and go to my PCP but i feel like he kind of already thinks i'm a bit of a whistle-blower because I'm always going in thinking i have a UTI when really it's just my POTS causing inflammation in the bladder making me have to constantly run to the bathroom.

[Bigskyfam]

Yup. Plain and simple. Sigh

[statesof]

I find myself in the same boat, I do have POTS but feel very strong that I have something else going on, however it seems very difficult to find a doctor who can definatively say which symptoms are clearly POTS and which aren't as typical of this disorder. I've either run into neurologists who just don't really have a clue what is going on with my symptoms and aren't very knowledgable about ans disorders, or docts who are POTS specialists and either clump all the symptoms into that diagnosis because the disorder can be so varied, or are able to tell me what symptoms aren't indicative of POTS but also don't have a clue of what could be causing the other symptoms because my tests were normal. Its a bit of a viscous cyle.