Pots Symptoms

[plaster89]

I am currently awaiting for a doctor's appointment about POTS/dysautonomia. I surfed on the net trying to gain informations but there is a lot of confusing things. I'm complaining of lightheadedness, headaches, blurry vision, nauseous and fatigued especially in the morning, severe polydipsia, hair lost, anhidrosis, dry skin, dilated pupils, sometimes anxious, heat intolerance. I know it's a long list but wanted to be precise. I never measured HR and blood pressure despite occasional palpitations. I'm suffering since developming autoimmune disease in May 2009 and the symptoms are slowly but gradually worsening, I am feeling really bad since mid-2013, not able to do much. My resting HR is in high 50s, standing for some time reaches 90. Don't know if I made that test correctly. And I have some questions:
1) Why the heart speeds up while standing and I started to feel dizzy and has blurry vision and cold hands? Low blood flow?
2) Is it possible to do some tests at home?
3) Why am I feeling worse in the mornings?
4) I prefer colder temperatures, in warmer weather I overheat so easily and then must recover for many hours if not days. Is it normal in dysautonomia?
5) Can dysautonomia be an explanation for elevated adrenal hormones, hair loss, cold hands, anhidrosis, morning nauseous, often headaches, lymphocytosis and blurry vision? For it all?
6) I'm male in late teens but from I heard POTS/dysautonomia is usually female disease, so as a male can I have it?

[Praxxtor]

I am currently awaiting for a doctor's appointment about POTS/dysautonomia. I surfed on the net trying to gain informations but there is a lot of confusing things. I'm complaining of lightheadedness, headaches, blurry vision, nauseous and fatigued especially in the morning, severe polydipsia, hair lost, anhidrosis, dry skin, dilated pupils, sometimes anxious, heat intolerance. I know it's a long list but wanted to be precise. I never measured HR and blood pressure despite occasional palpitations. I'm suffering since developming autoimmune disease in May 2009 and the symptoms are slowly but gradually worsening, I am feeling really bad since mid-2013, not able to do much. My resting HR is in high 50s, standing for some time reaches 90. Don't know if I made that test correctly. And I have some questions:

1) Why the heart speeds up while standing and I started to feel dizzy and has blurry vision and cold hands? Low blood flow?

Due to a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system. Your brain is deprived of blood and so symptoms occur.

2) Is it possible to do some tests at home?

Yes! Try the Poor man tilt test. Lie down 5-10 minutes then take a reading. Stand up and take readings at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 minutes or 2, 5, and 10. Stop if you feel as if you'll faint!

3) Why am I feeling worse in the mornings?

Seems to be a given for most patients with Dysautonomia. Perhaps it's because it takes time for the body to adjust to upright position after laying down several hours.

4) I prefer colder temperatures, in warmer weather I overheat so easily and then must recover for many hours if not days. Is it normal in dysautonomia?

Heat dilates blood vessels and cold constricts them. This is something you'll hear every dysautonomia patient mention!

5) Can dysautonomia be an explanation for elevated adrenal hormones, hair loss, cold hands, anhidrosis, morning nauseous, often headaches, lymphocytosis and blurry vision? For it all?

I believe so! The body has to work harder to maintain homeostasis! Most of those are common to Dysautonomia.

6) I'm male in late teens but from I heard POTS/dysautonomia is usually female disease, so as a male can I have it?

Of course.

[corina]

I think Praxxtor covered your questions pretty well, so all I will add is welcome to our forums!

[Katybug]

This is the 3rd teen gentleman who has somehow been given the impression that this is a "female" disease. Where is this information coming from? I hope there aren't guys out there not pursuing a diagnosis because of this misconception.

[plaster89]

On the site from which I learned about this illness there was a story about beautiful Italian girl who became ill after Gardasil. I had no heard about that vaccine before but there were other stories all including girls. Only later on I learned that it is only-girl vaccine so logically there were no male stories there Don't know about two other teen males though.

I did that test proposed by Praxxtor after waking up and my heart reached 95bpm after five or so minutes. Normally my resting HR is in high 50s. The blood pressure stayed stable, actually even increased a bit and had goosebumps immediately after concluding that test. Tried not to move but a did a little, the body was shaking all the time. Also discovered much faster heart rate (well over 100) during deep breathing.

Thanks very much for replies. It looks more clear now. Also happy to understand that cold weather preference.

[Praxxtor]

Well the goosebumps you experienced were probably due to sympathetic activation. The fight or flight response system the one pots patients normally have on most of the time heh. As a teen the heart rate increase criteria is 40. High 50s to 95 is just shy of the criteria. Did you feel excessively symptomatic at the 5 min mark? I wouldn't worry though as your muscoskeletal pumps were aiding you in return most probably keeping the heart rate under better control. On the tilt test it'll be different as you'll be leaning.

[Praxxtor]

With Pots blood pressure can remain stable, drop or increase and even fluctuate.

[Katybug]

Plaster89,

Thanks for helping me understand how you made the assumption that this is a female disease.

I'm glad you are getting a better understanding of how this illness works. At home "tilt tests" are a good indicator, but aren't quite as accurate as an in hospital true tilt test will be, because even moving around a little bit affects the numbers. You can't move around too much on the tilt table at the hospital, but given your at home results, you seem to be on the right track with your upcoming appointment.

[plaster89]

Praxxtor, I shortened the test because body was shaking more and more and knew that effects the reading so probably yes. Now I woke up and am yet to get of out bed and have normal body temp and normal pupils, it will surely change shortly after standing. Normal story for me. Didnt mentioned that before but elevated body temp (mid 37s) is normal in pots? Sorry if I am asking too much questions

I am actually just shy of 20 when that threshold is 30 for pots