heart rate with eating

[cbhowell]

My heart rate goes up dramatically following a meal. Is this just a symptom of POTS, or can IST cause this too?

[Aprilmarie52]

I have that too, it has to do with the blood going to your intestines to aid in digestion. If you already have low blood volume like me, it causes your heart rate to increase because your heart is trying to supply your entire body with a limited amount of blood and your intestines are taking away from its supply. You can help ease your heart rate by eating small meals instead of larger ones.

[Sak]

I have that too, it has to do with the blood going to your intestines to aid in digestion. If you already have low blood volume like me, it causes your heart rate to increase because your heart is trying to supply your entire body with a limited amount of blood and your intestines are taking away from its supply. You can help ease your heart rate by eating small meals instead of larger ones.

And you can try vasconstrictors to prevent dilation of the bloodways in the gut. Several kinds are used, like Ritalin; it has the bonus effect of getting rid of fatigue.

[MightyMouse]

The medical term for what you describe is "postprandial hypotension"--yes, the others here are correct. Bloodflow is shunted to the digestive organs and may cause your pressure to drop in the same way going out in the heat would (except in the heat, the blood is brought to the skin surface to aid in cooling the body, and is compounded by loss of fluid with sweating).

Increased HR with IST would likely be caused by eating things you're not supposed to have, like caffeine. However, it's pretty common with POTS.

Nina

[MomtoGiuliana]

YES, I have postprandial tachycardia(?) too. I think it is one of the worst of my POTS symptoms. My blood pressure go UP, not down, along with the heart rate increase, after eating. It's most noticeable/worse in the AM. Drinking fluids helps, also, small meals. In the AM is when I take my beta blocker too, which also helps.