Possible POTS postpartum--what meds have helped you?

[Angel]

I’m assuming I’ve had POTS or dysautonomia for years and just didn’t know it .. 38 years old and just had my 4th child 3 months ago , I noticed symptoms during pregnancy but chalked it up to just that … pregnancy … but I still felt something was wrong, fast forward to after giving birth I was weak with a constant heaviness in my whole body, tachycardia upon standing ( though I realized through my Apple Watch data that I’d had it before and just didn’t know as I had no symptoms really out of the norm.  Numerous visits to ERs and many tests and no answers… they just kept diagnosing me with anxiety and postpartum depression 😞😒 I’ve felt like death over the last few months , when I’m sleeping it feels like I can’t breathe, also my chest on the left& left arm are heavier and hurt almost like stroke/heart attack wise,  one cardiologist prescribed metoprolol and midodrine , now if I just had the high heart rate I could deal with it but with my veins not constricting like they’re supposed to the heaviness is constant , anyone else take these two meds together? Or something similar? I’m miserable and don’t know what to do as my trust in doctors is none , I just want to feel somewhat normal again 

[MomtoGiuliana]

I developed severe POTS during pregnancy and it became actually worse post partum.  It took months to get a diagnosis.

What helped me was IV fluids, drinking a lot of fluids, salt, compression, and a low dose beta blocker.  In addition, smaller meals higher in protein.  Showering at night as my symptoms were worse in the AM and a warm shower would trigger even worse symptoms.  Also I suggest that you try not to spend a lot of time during the day lying down as that can end up exacerbating symptoms (if it is POTS).  Even sitting up would be better.  I found I became a bit deconditioned and have learned that from subsequent flare ups.

Hope you feel better soon.

[bizbiz]

My experience is very similar to yours, in that I also had symptoms most of my life which got worse during pregnancy, then severely flared immediately postpartum.

I was given Metoprolol, which helped to keep my heart rate down, and also IV fluids while still in hospital. Once home, I increased fluids and salt, and tried to keep upright and / or walking around as much as possible. My worst symptoms lasted a few weeks, then residual symptoms slowly disappeared over time. I also had the same symptoms that you describe - trouble breathing at night, pins and needles (mainly left side), and many more.

I'm sorry you are experiencing a flare up in symptoms. I hope you feel better soon.

[DADofPotsSon]

Though not officially diagnosed my Paternal Grandmother had post partum POTS in 1928 at age 41, this is when my Dad was born.  The information to support this was given to us by my Dad's sister who was about 15 years older than my Dad.  It lasted about 3.5 years and then she became pregnant again and the POTS never returned.  She did have life long EDS-H and lived to age 96.  Grandma died of Leukemia.  My aunt also said that her grandmother had EDS-H related problems too!  My Dad also had EDS-H problems and lived to age 86.  EDS-H shows up in the family but is random and infrequent.