Wufflebear Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 So I was told I have vasovagal syncope a year ago, I have had it all my life (first fainting episode was when I was five, but it was never diagnosed...dispite going to every 'ologist in the book and numerous hospitalizations as a kid) but my heart races (increases from 60 to 110 or 120) when I start to feel those horrible pre-syncope feelings upon standing or after standing a while, or in a hot shower, or after taking cold medicine etc..... I am confused as to the differences betwen NCS and POTS, in NCS does the heart slow vs speed up with POTS?Or am I confused?? I get the whole presyncope leadup (grey out, loose vision, nausia, heavy tummy and legs, heart racing, hearing loss etc). I have gone down a few times in my life but thanks to the advanced warning it does not happen much. Normally I just have to lay down, sometimes everytime I stand in the morning it will happen. Most the time now (ever since my daughter was born) I just have days where i have that "it is gunna happen today' feeling when I wake up but I can manage to stop it from overpowering me by taking it slow, sitting or laying down periodically, drinking lots of water, fidgeting etc. So most days I have symptoms like that, but lately I had bronchitis and it has gotten worse. That is normal for me, especially if I have to take any cold medicines. I think having had it for so long I just have gotten use to the day in day out adjustments I have to make, and besides docs for years could not find anything really wrong..They called it Chronic fatigue, migranes (from the post attack headaches), hypoclycemia etc...Anyway, I am confused. I do work but it makes it so darn hard to work full time, and I am often late to work cause I just cant get moving as fast as others and I have to compensate my body thru the day. I have a call center/trouble shooting job and sometimes I am just worthless at it. I wish I could get it all nailed down. thoughts?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 Here are the definitions of NCS/POTShttp://www.potsplace.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted December 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 I think I am still confused. So POTS is tachicardia upon standing or after prolonged standing and NCS is everything else. Can someone clear up my confusion?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylortotmom Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 Neurocardiogenic syncope is the passing out like you described which is also referred by as vasovagal syncope. Causes can include low bloodpressure, bradycardia, dehydration, low blood volume, among others. POTS is a syndrome in which the pulse accelerates rapidly upon standing and has a myriad of sxs associated with it. Both of these fall under the umbrella of dysautonomia which is described on the Dinet homepage. POTS is a form of dysautonomia but certainly not the only type. NCS is the actual act of fainting. There are many terms that are used interchageably in dysautonomias so it is quite confusing. Hopefully, the information on DINET's home page can help clarify for you. Good luck and welcome.CarmenPS Not all people with POTS get NCS and NCS is not only caused by POTS! So, two differrent things going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted December 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 cool. Ok I think I have it straight now. Yea, when I wake up I often have that 'it is gunna happen today' feeling and sometimes when that feeling is strong, when I stand up my pulse goes from 60 bpm to 120, one time I managed to clock it at 150 and then it must go back down cause when I can manage to check it again it is back down at 70 or so! I have been lucky in that I always know it is coming, and that I have always managed to go to the floor in a somewhat conscious fashion....then I must go out cause I can loose 10 minutes..It is like having my own personal time warp. I dont know what happens when I am out but if I am in a public space people move away (like in bus stops or buses etc.) I am so glad I found this place! For years (since I have had this since I was five at least....it has been 30 years...) I thought everyone did this and I just failed to cope somehow, so I just have muddled along the best I could... I wish it was like having a broken arm, ya know? then it would be obvious... I am just now trying to sort thru and straighten out all my years of feeling like a failure in the coping with being alive department... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwen Posted December 29, 2005 Report Share Posted December 29, 2005 Hi! I have Neurally Mediatted Hypotension (NCS is another way of saying it) which is the fainting part. I belive it is referred to as NMH because that means the brain is sending the wrong electrical messages.It's confused. But there is a lot of other types of hypotension so this just brands it. I also have POTS. When my BPdrops so low then I guess my brain says to my heart to speed up to make up the difference, unfortunately it speeds up too much. It also somtimes just speeds up for no reason. I am not a dr. this is just how I translate it to friends. I too have had this all my life just didn't know what it was and the drs. responded similiarly. The last two years it really took a turn and i'm on a number of meds that do help some what. They don't cure this!! I hope your dr. understands these symptoms and perhaps can prescribe something that would help. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2005 thank you everyone for the posts. I think I am just now coming to terms with how horrible it was to have had this from 5 years old and having been treated like I was by docs. Sure there were some nice ones who really did try to help but I guess the science and know how was not there yet...Then there were others who were just trying to buy more toys for their yachts. (-; I finally put my story, in my words on my web site. For too long I have been silent about it or let family members talk for me. My story, in my words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 I got some tapes from a conference in 2001, where I saw Dr. Robertson, Dr. Grubb, Dr. Goldstein, Dr. Streeten, and Mathias from England.They all agreed that it's pretty much semantics. One calls it POTS and another Oi, etc. It's their preference. They gave a whole list of names and then said it all boils down to the same thing. Orthostatic Intolerance.There are various mechanisms at work for various things, but regardless all the names fit under the same umbrella. And every one is different and their symptoms are different. So I just say pots or oi.I believe Dr Grubb or Goldstein said they picked pots, just cause they like the way it sounds when you say it...they are a great investment for curious minds....morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted December 31, 2005 Report Share Posted December 31, 2005 Dysautonomia'sPOTS is with TachycardiaNCS is Syncope, usually caused by drop in blood pressure and sometimes a plumment in heart rate.OI is Orthostatic Intolerance, change in position causes symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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