cardiactec Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 there seems to be a lot of people with anxiety who also have the diagnosis of POTS. now i know that anxiety can be a symptom of pots due to prolonged standing or just upright position, but all of you who have been diagnosed with POTS, is your anxiety posturally related or are you just "anxious". i mean i guess i could see why psychologists would think panic/psychosomatic/etc because anxiety could both be either a symptom of POTS (meaning occuring while upright cuz of the abnormal surge in catecholamine from auto dys) or just flat out anxiety whether lying down, standing up (meaning not posturally related) . low gave me some handouts when i was out at mayo that said that there is an overlap btwn anxiety and POTS.........so i guess the question is, you who have anxiety, is it posture related or do you always "feel" anxious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I don't experience anxiety--I've had this all my life, so my body seems to have adjusted to the ups and downs of my bp and hr. While Mayo may say there is an overlap, for some there isn't.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 When my POTS was full-blown, I would best descibe my experience as bouts of anxiety--usually accompanied by other symptoms. It did not seem to coincide with particular postures, but did seem to be more likely to come on shortly after larger meals. I still have a problem with POTS symptoms after large meals, especially in the AM. I don't experience anxiety as a symptom these days.Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I developed panic attacks well before I ever had any POTS symptoms. I started to have episodes of panic (forceful palpitations, weird feelings of unreality, dizziness and numbness) when I was 18. I was treated successfully with a tricyclic antidepressant and clonazepam. I switched to a very low dose of Zoloft after gaining 20 pounds with the tricyclics and stayed on tiny doses of the Zoloft and clonazepam for eight years with virtually no symptoms. Then I got pregnant, had my daughter and bam -- the POTS came on within days after childbirth, and it felt nothing like anxiety. I have not responded to any anxiety treatments, even though over the last 2-1/2 years (since I got POTS) I have felt anxious. I find it odd that if I had no problem treating my anxiety in the past, that the "anxious" feelings I have are true anxiety. I think my problems are more related to adrenaline and other hormone rushes associated with POTS. So I still take a tiny dose of clonazepam and am weaning off that and my beta blocker -- I take 12.5 mg Toprol XL, which is the smallest amount I can take of that drug. Next week I will be completely med-free. After experimenting with many, many antidepressants and anxiety medications, I find that none of them work even slightly for my POTS issues.I seriously would rather have true anxiety, because that's a lot easier to treat and control than whatever comes with the POTS. I have found the most success in calming my body with yoga, breathing exercises, guided meditation and keeping my stress level down. I do not take on more than I feel I can handle. I sleep a minimum of six or seven hours, and preferably eight or nine. And I try to exercise daily, even if it's for a little while. I also feel better when I do some core strengthening exercises five times a week, for whatever reason.Good luck to you. I hope the anxiety is a phase and passes. I go through periods where it's full blown and others where it's mild.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I never get anxiety...I do on extreme stressful experiences feel my body is "overspeeding" but I don't "feel" anxious or anxiety. It took me a long time to understand but I think a recent article mentioned by ithomas has taught me how to...I clearly have peripheral neuropathy and blood pooling and on testing showed small fibre deficits anyway, it seems that those with anxiety are possibly deficient in some Central Nervous System way and those without anxiety have deficits in some Peripheral System.hope that helps...I'm still learningtearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyamby1981 Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I have not been dx yet, but I find that I'm sensitive. I do think I have anxiety, but more so of the social kind. I guess I just get overwhelmed easily. Amber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiactec Posted July 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 i dont i have anxiety. i was just curious because it seems like a lot of people who pots here have anxiety written on their signature, so i was curious if the anxiety was linked to position change (not true anxiety) or if people had true anxiety (which i then would hesitate in diagnosing someone with POTS, or if i was a psychologist would consider a psychological problem more so than a physiological problem).....but once again, some people think there's an overlap, so i am not really one to say what is "True" or "untrue" and what may or may not be related or unrelated to POTS symptoms..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellen Posted July 21, 2006 Report Share Posted July 21, 2006 I have never had anxiety that I would talk to a doctor about, but I have a funny reaction whenever someone enters the room unexpectedly- I jump and scream. I am SO sensitive, it's ridiculous. My son walks noisily into the room so as not to scare me, but I still jump. I assume this is part of the POTS, since I don't have any fear mentally, it's just my automatic reflex to yell- it's completely unreasonable, I admit, but I have no contol over itl. I just laugh at myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquie802 Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 POTS symptoms cause my anxiety! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I get episodes of anxiety in any positon and under any circumstance. I don't refer to it as anxiety but as an adrenaline surge. A low dose of Celexa has helped me kind of even out. When I awaken in the morning I'm always filled with the adrenaline surge. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4cem Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I guess I have two types. I have had panic attacks and some anxiety years b/4 being diagnosed with dysautonomia. Those I can usually ride out.I also get trembling, feel my stomach drop, sweat, and generally feel anxious, my heart races and I consider those adrenaline surges. They nowhere near feel like the panic attacks I used to experience. I wake up in the a.m. with my heart starting to race and feeling anxious etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalalisa Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Since my sickness I've had a fairly constant level of anxiety. (I doesn't change with posture but does get worse when I'm extremely fatigued) I take a low dose of Paxil CR which helps keep the anxiety levels to a minimum.Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 I never had a problem with anxiety before having the problems with NCS/POTS.... but, as months went by with doctors telling me it was all in my head - I began to be anxious that I would just DIE of this "psychosomatic" condition. One doctor told me I was a "princess on a pea".... and charged me $386 for that diagnosis...So, all in all, I think my anxiety has been doctor induced! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clairefmartin Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 POTS symptoms cause my anxiety!Me too! Never had anxiety before my heart rate started doing crazy things at the age of 24, and since then dealing with all the health stuff that has followod has increased my anxiety big time. I NEVER had anxiety or depresion before the onset of POTS, and I have had other stressful events in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Gayla! OMG!I would have loved to see you pick up your pretty frilly princess dress and PEA on his shoes!!!that is one lousy doctor!tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 It was a she..... I never went back to her! But yes, I WOULD have loved to pick up my princess dress and pea on her shoes!I was in a state of shock - I thought at first it was my imagination - I mean, NO doctor would say that to a patient - would they????? But she repeated it several times. I am so glad Rick went with me - he heard it too!So, I feel that doctors are a source of anxiety for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dionna Posted July 23, 2006 Report Share Posted July 23, 2006 i pass out standing, sitting, and lying. i think i get pretty much all of the symptoms in all the positions. i know i get euphoric even when i am laying down- thats a big one when laying. anxiety... i think basically just sitting and standing though. i can't recall right now. i know for sure the sitting and standing! i do know i was never anxious until i started passing out. never once did i have any problems at USMC boot camp or mct. when i go to my job school (MOS school) that is when all my problems started. i definately believe that my POTS causes my anxiety.dionna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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