Praxxtor Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 HelloDoes anyone here take vasodilators for POTS? I have noticed hot showers help me immensley and the only reason I can think of why it is helping is because the heat dilates my blood vessels. Quite frankly I believe my POTS problem stems from too much/uncontrolled vasoconstriction. This is further reinforced when I visited family abroad and their home is very warm and so I noticed how my light sensitivity was completely gone. It was short-lived when I returned back to the UK. My home is more on the cooler side. So i guess what I'm asking is, does anyone here take vasodilators for POTS? I feel kinda ridiculous going to the docs asking for vasodilators as it's not exactly what a POTS patient would take to feel better hah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I don't have this problem but you are not the only one who has brought this up. For some, and I believe the people who have mentioned it in the past tend to have high BP upon standing, vasodilation has helped. I don't remember how they managed it but you might try doing some searches on here. And, I just wanted you to know it's not unheard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praxxtor Posted February 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Thank you Katie.Ill utilize the search facility and see what pops up. It feels good to know that it is a viable treatment method for POTS patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statesof Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I'm on verapamil which I believe relaxes the muscles of your arteries and causes some vasodilation, but much less so than something like nitro that people take with heart conditions. It doesn't help any of my POTS symptoms other than chest pain/ pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praxxtor Posted February 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I'm on verapamil which I believe relaxes the muscles of your arteries and causes some vasodilation, but much less so than something like nitro that people take with heart conditions. It doesn't help any of my POTS symptoms other than chest pain/ pressure.That's interesting. Do you have high blood pressure? So you have something like local vasoconstriction confined to your chest area? Does the medication solely target your chest area or does it have a much wider effect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I'm on verapamil as well. I don't feel a significant difference in my blood pooling from taking it. I do, however, find it easier to breath from a POTS perspective. I believe verapamil is supposed to help treat coronary vasospasms. Statesof, can you confirm that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statesof Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 Yea they do use it to treat vasospasms and microvascular vasoconstriction, and I think prinzmetals angina (definately spelled that wrong), it is not targeted specifically just to your heart though; in the past I've had it prescribed for migraines. And yea I don't notice any difference in blood pooling either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
statesof Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 I forgot to add the shower thing you mentioned I notice that a shower is the one thing that almost always helps me a bit, I have no clue what is physiological happening that makes me feel better from them, but it almost seems to revitalize my brain a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyGirls Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 I had a doctor recently want to prescribe my daughters pindolol for their POTS. When I noticed that it acts as a vasodilator, I wrote him back and questioned whether or not that would be a good fit for my girls. Everything that has helped them in the past has had a vasocontrictor property. In the end, we did not try that drug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potsticker63 Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 interestingly the act of having pots is antibody mediated dialation in itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Maybe, for some subset of population. We haven't seen the results of the larger study to verify that is the case for all patients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybonse Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Hey man, I'm from the UK and the same with me I think I have too much vasoconstriction in areas. Especially my brain. Since, vitals can be normal and hr and I'm lightheaded and have a tight head feeling when I lay down! I find things that vasodilate me make me feel better, such as eating a big meal really makes me better, its weird lol Oh and Midodrine made the symptoms worse, so it was like a clue to me. and the fact I can stand sometimes with a HR of 60, normal BP but be light headed? Cerebral vasoconstriction! But it changes so much, so if there was med, there would be a point in the day where it could potentially make you worse! Do you drink alcohol? it's a vasodilator and when I drink I feel HERE like not light headed its great if you drink the right amount I feel better the next day too and then it slowly comes back to feeling bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nymph Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 So interesting. I have mild Raynaud's and sometimes it feels really good in the shower. However I have a terrible time blood pooling and I will feel bad later. Same thing for alcohol. Feels good at the time but later on not so much. (And that is just my usual half a drink or so.) But there do seem to be very different types of POTS and what works for one does not work for others. Good luck finding your sweet spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Does drinking alcohol help you? It lowers BP and is a vasodilator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Dr Julian Stewart described a subset of POTS designated low flow that had resting vasoconstriction. However most pots patients have decreased venous return and although some do have (at least according to older studies) cerebral vasospasm. Initially i had a 'hyper' presentation but over time it morphed into a more neuropathic presentation especially once i corrected the low blood volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 For sure I'm one with vasoconstriction. I do better to vasodilate. But only to a certain level or I'm worse. Many ideas as to why there is vasoconstriction issues. One being biofilms due to Chronic Lyme and other protozoa. It attaches to vein walls and interferes with proper vein function. (These can also be passed to unborn children and passed with sex.) There is also some genetic components with easy blood clots and thick blood in my family. (Some have been DXD with Hughes Syndrome.) POTS is in my family and goes back 4 generations, that we know of. Issie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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