It's been a week since last crash

[MTRJ75]

I feel terrible. Every part of the day is some kind of physical/mental struggle and I can't do anything physically exerting without severe consequences, but it's now been a week since my last crash at least. 

I've been having quite frequent total nervous system crashes/flare ups over the last month. As many of you unfortunately know, when the body goes super fight or flight, it feels like you might die, so even though I'm sitting here drenched in sweat as I write this, I'm incredibly to have gone a full week without one of those episodes. 

While I can't point out a definitive pattern, I feel they seem to coincide with either: 

Food - the more I eat in a day, the higher the risk seems for a crash. 

Physical Activity - the aftermath seems to leave my body over-heated and unable to calm and cool down efficiently. 

They both make a lot of sense and I know diet has been talked about before here, but it could be a large plate of non-starchy vegetables and still the same effect. I can't just sit on the couch all day and obviously need to eat. The neurologist's latest approach is a muscle relaxer (Tizanidine) to be used as needed during attacks. However, I still need to be occasionally functional when these attacks occur (( missed an important work assignment that is probably going to prevent me from getting future opportunities) and this certainly isn't a solution to stop the attacks from occurring in the first place. 

The last attack was so bad that I would have welcomed a coma for the next few months until this rough patch was over. Every time I thought it was over for the night, it would flare back up a half hour later. Hopeful to be able to avoid these permanently somehow, though I know that's unlikely. Appreciative of this unexpected reprieve just when I was at my wits end though.  . 

[Pistol]

Hello @MTRJ75 - I am so sorry you are having a rough time. I too am experiencing a flare right now, and I have found out that for many of us Fall and Spring are really bad seasons due to the change in weather and barometric pressure changes. Top that with allergens in the air ( currently leaves etc ) and VOILA - POTSies everywhere are flaring!

You mention food and exercise are really hard for you right now and from my own experience there is only one way to stop that: stop exercising and avoid large meals. Whenever POTS makes exercise difficult we have to listen to our bodies and give in. Although exercise is an essential necessity to combat POTS - in a flare it can worsen symptoms. I have found that stopping exercise completely and then slowly re-introducing it when the flare is over shortens the episode. Unfortunately this is like taking a step forward and 2 steps back - every flare requires slow reconditioning after it's over, however well we could tolerate exercise before!!! When in a flare ample rest is usually recommended, interrupted with mild activity between. This regimen helps me get through it. 

Eating small, nutritional snacks ( like protein bars, a boiled egg, cereal or fruit/veggies ) every 2 hours and avoiding large meals cuts down the symptoms of a flare for me. Large meals in general are not recommended for POTS patients. 

I hope you get to feeling better again soon!

 

[MTRJ75]

Yes, the neurologist even mentioned barometric pressure, although saying that the allergies aren't the reason for the POTS flare. I've since noticed that the severity of the "flooding" in my head on any given morning, doesn't necessarily determine how I'm going to feel that whole day. 

The other side to it though, is that I'm often nauseous for large chunks of the day this time of year, but then I'm starving for about an hour or two when it finally passes. So that's when all the eating happens. It's also difficult for me to eat smaller throughout the day while I'm working. 

I know that would help though. Thank you.