Pistol Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 I have been trying to figure out why POTS can worsen with weather changes ( as it does in my case ). According to this article found online https://migraineagain.com/feel-4-ways-barometric-pressure-affects-health/ I found that barometric pressure affects migraines, BP, blood sugar levels and joints. It can cause vasoconstriction - and the drop in blood sugar can cause fatigue. Most importantly the article states that when the barometric pressure drops it causes the blood viscosity to increase. That might be the clue - thicker blood will trigger POTS. This would explain why in some of us our symptoms worsen in certain seasons ( spring and fall in my case ). I usually experience a sudden onset of POTS symptoms like severe fatigue, BP fluctuations leading to syncope, increase in orthostatic intolerance … all improved by IV saline. This explains why in many of us IV fluids are so helpful - they improve the blood viscosity!!! I find this very enlightening and an explanation as to the reasons behind seasonal flares. -- I also have found that allergies cause flares in me due to the effects of histamine release ( vasodilation ), this includes seasonal allergies ( spring, fall ) as well as insect bites and rashes ( summer ). does this ring a bell for anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer65 Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 Defiantly ! Stormy weather gives me migraines . I have allergies which induce asthma and facial swelling, rashes etc if I don’t remember to take my antihistamines. Last year I was a bug magnet and their bites lasted weeks , they never use to like me so something has changed in my body I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 7 hours ago, Pistol said: I have been trying to figure out why POTS can worsen with weather changes ( as it does in my case ). According to this article found online Yes, low barometric pressure makes everything worse for me too. This is one reason I moved to the sunny southwest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted June 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 Well - I have found the barometric pressure to definitely be a cause. I have been feeling very well in my home at 2500 feel elevation in the Appalachian mountains. The spring temps helped a lot in being able to get around and feel almost normal. I was doing so well that I agreed to go on short trip to the ocean with my family. Long story short - as soon as I got out of the car after a 7 hour drive POTS came back full force: palpitations, cold hands and feet, inability to be up for long, fatigue, diarrhea … I had to stay in the airconditioned room all day and only could venture out in early mornings and after sun set. Thank god I have a port and brought my IV stuff with me. The second day I gave myself a liter of fluids and felt much better, even able to stroll briefly on the beach. So - this is just simply proof for me that even after a very long good spell we are not really over anything - with the right meds, staying within our limitations and avoiding triggers we can manage - but as soon as we venture off it's back to square one!!!! However - I would like to add that without fluids handy I would not have been able to go at all - and it is very important to my family to make vacation memories with me. So I am grateful for the port and the ability to have fluids available anytime I need them. So sad that IV fluids are still not a known go-to fix for acute flares. A port is not needed unless they are given weekly or daily, so everyone should just be able to walk into a clinic or ER, mention POTS and get a bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 Hello. I seem to have trouble with downward changes rather than absolute pressure. But in general this pattern holds: Rainy weather = feel relaxed or sedated and less able to work. High pressure = more energy, sometimes too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecipeForDisaster Posted June 11, 2020 Report Share Posted June 11, 2020 5 hours ago, Pistol said: Well - I have found the barometric pressure to definitely be a cause. I have been feeling very well in my home at 2500 feel elevation in the Appalachian mountains. The spring temps helped a lot in being able to get around and feel almost normal. I was doing so well that I agreed to go on short trip to the ocean with my family. Long story short - as soon as I got out of the car after a 7 hour drive POTS came back full force: palpitations, cold hands and feet, inability to be up for long, fatigue, diarrhea … I had to stay in the airconditioned room all day and only could venture out in early mornings and after sun set. Thank god I have a port and brought my IV stuff with me. The second day I gave myself a liter of fluids and felt much better, even able to stroll briefly on the beach. So - this is just simply proof for me that even after a very long good spell we are not really over anything - with the right meds, staying within our limitations and avoiding triggers we can manage - but as soon as we venture off it's back to square one!!!! However - I would like to add that without fluids handy I would not have been able to go at all - and it is very important to my family to make vacation memories with me. So I am grateful for the port and the ability to have fluids available anytime I need them. So sad that IV fluids are still not a known go-to fix for acute flares. A port is not needed unless they are given weekly or daily, so everyone should just be able to walk into a clinic or ER, mention POTS and get a bag. I know that weather definitely affects me, too. My major point is about how frowned upon fluids still are in mainstream medicine. It’s like you’re asking for morphine with most doctors. It makes no sense to me - they don’t offer alternatives, and no one ENJOYS getting IV fluids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon M Posted October 22, 2021 Report Share Posted October 22, 2021 On 2/29/2020 at 8:03 AM, Pistol said: I have been trying to figure out why POTS can worsen with weather changes ( as it does in my case ). According to this article found online https://migraineagain.com/feel-4-ways-barometric-pressure-affects-health/ I found that barometric pressure affects migraines, BP, blood sugar levels and joints. It can cause vasoconstriction - and the drop in blood sugar can cause fatigue. Most importantly the article states that when the barometric pressure drops it causes the blood viscosity to increase. That might be the clue - thicker blood will trigger POTS. This would explain why in some of us our symptoms worsen in certain seasons ( spring and fall in my case ). I usually experience a sudden onset of POTS symptoms like severe fatigue, BP fluctuations leading to syncope, increase in orthostatic intolerance … all improved by IV saline. This explains why in many of us IV fluids are so helpful - they improve the blood viscosity!!! I find this very enlightening and an explanation as to the reasons behind seasonal flares. -- I also have found that allergies cause flares in me due to the effects of histamine release ( vasodilation ), this includes seasonal allergies ( spring, fall ) as well as insect bites and rashes ( summer ). does this ring a bell for anyone? Have you figured out how to help this situation? My son does well until there is a drastic change in the seasons and then he is in a big flare for 2 weeks. This happens in the spring and fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexie Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 Pistol wrote: “So sad that IV fluids are still not a known go-to fix for acute flares. A port is not needed unless they are given weekly or daily, so everyone should just be able to walk into a clinic or ER, mention POTS and get a bag.” From what I understand, there are a number of hemodynamic parameters that should be considered in the treatment of POTS patients, blood viscosity being just one of them. Within the POTS crowd, everyone is still unique and the handling of their cases needs to reflect this, IMO. It’s good that IV fluids work for you now but they may not be the right or complete treatment for others at this time in their lives and might explain why you can’t just present with POTS at a clinic or ER and ask for a saline IV. From what I know, one of the goals of keeping the circulatory system in equilibrium is to prevent ischemia and the resultant reduction of oxygen supply to tissues. This is important to all of us whether we have POTS or not. Learning some of the basics about hemodynamic stability helps me make sure I am not inadvertently harming myself with my personal coping tricks but instead doing all I can to self-nurture correctly. This often cite article helps explain some of the basics of hemodynamic stability with charts and graphs (you can skip the tech parts and still get a good grasp of the interplay between different parameters, to which these finding about barometric pressure can be added): Blood viscosity and blood pressure: role of temperature and hyperglycemia, Yildirim Çinar, A. Mete Şenyol, Kamber Duman, American Journal of Hypertension, Vol. 14, Issue 5, pp. 433–438, 2001 https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/14/5/433/205476 Pistol, this post is not a criticism – just an observation. I love your spirit of meeting your challenges head-on and your attitude helps me keep trying with my own challenges. Your post makes me feel a little better about the failure of my vigorous declaration “I am not a human barometer!” to have any effect on worsening symptoms during weather changes before resorting to my bag of tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 @Rexieif i am reading this right my blood let's say on a 95 degree day is thinner than if it were 20 below? I could see how that would be giving me such a hard go on those hot summer days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexie Posted October 31, 2021 Report Share Posted October 31, 2021 @MikeO Not going there, Mike. I have trouble keeping all this up, down, and all around straight in my head for my own case. I have a touch of faulty proprioception, which seems to extend into the mental realm sometimes. Thank goodness we are getting cooler now in Texas; I rejoice to have lived through another summer. Happy Halloween everybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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