Update and want feedback on how to feel better

[IAMERROR94]

Hey guys, its me again.

So, basically I went to the hospital (yet again) and they said I was fine. I had all the classic tests done. (EKG, blood, xray, etc.) 

I got a job at a chicken plant and was doing ok (other than feeling light headed and nauseous from standing for so long) but then my symptoms and feelings I had been holding in finally pushed me to my wits end and I ended up at a mental hospital for week. Fast forward to today I've come to my own conclusion that I have pots and i was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder not too long ago. 

My symptoms have been getting worse. I feel like crap all the time, even to the point of wanting to give up on life (that's how I ended up at the mental hospital). Are there any tips you can give me on how to not feel as ****** all the time? Thanks in advance. I hope you're all doing well.

[Clb75]

I remember you were trying to get to the doctor but had insurance issues. Were you able to go? If not, you really need a diagnosis and good treatment plan. Pots will not likely go away on its own, and it’s possible with the right treatment that some of your symptoms could improve. The ER will not diagnose you with Pots, they are there to treat any life threatening problems. Pots is annoying but not fatal. If you really think you have Pots, you need a tilt table test from an electrophysiologist (cardiologist) or a neurologist who specializes in autonomic disorders.  You can keep track of your heart rate, lying, sitting and standing and record the numbers. This is data to give to the doctor and can help show a pattern of symptoms. 

As far as the health anxiety, it sounds like you’re in a big loop of having symptoms that cause worry, then going to the ER to make sure you’re ok. This is not going to change anything unfortunately. Getting a treatment plan tailored to your symptoms is the only way you will know if any improvement is possible. Even though your symptoms are bothering you, it sounds like you’re able to make it through a day at work which points to a milder case if it is Pots. Hopefully improvements will be possible for you.

Some people benefit from ssri’s...not sure what they prescribed you at the hospital but if it’s an Ssri, that may be helpful too. 

[MomtoGiuliana]

I agree with Clb75

It would be best to obtain a diagnosis and if POTS is your diagnosis, start a treatment plan, working with a specialist.  SSRI's help about 50% of patients with POTS according to studies I have seen, so I agree too that if you have started an SSRI this may help.

Every case is a little different.  For me, and many of us with POTS, we feel better if we are well-hydrated; many also increase salt intake.  IV fluids also tend to be helpful.

If you are able to work, and in a chicken plant, it sounds like your symptoms may be mild or intermittent.  If you are standing all day, that can be challenging for many POTS patients.  Without a diagnosis it would be difficult to request an adjustment to your work setting to accommodate your medical needs.

Here is a list of specialists DINET maintains:

https://www.dinet.org/physicians/

Going to the ER is expensive typically.  So even if you don't have insurance, seeking out a specialist may be cost effective, over repeated visits to the ER where you are not likely to get diagnosis or treatment (as Clb75 also pointed out).