Using The Computer While Lying Down

[Guest danielvasel]

as i wrote in another topic, my heart rate goes up when i go from a supine position to sitting down....(about 30bpm)

and I know that?s also the case for many in this very forum...

most of people in here must/should know that having tachycardia(or semi tachycardia) is really bad for your heart, and could lead to many things(like a heart attack for example)

so, as I?m a genius , I?ve concluded that if I could choose between sitting and lying down I?d stick with the second option(you see, only a genius would conclude that )

i spend hours and hours on the internet... so it?s obvious to me that i should try to use the computer lying down.... notebooks are great for that, but there?s no way my mom would buy a notebook for me, just for this reason... and besides, i hate notebooks...

so im thinking about how I could do that with my standard computer.... I?ve actually never seen anybody doing it, but im sure it?s been done before (specially for bed ridden people who have problems sitting down...)

so I welcome all kinds of suggestions....

take care girls

daniel

[Tanzanite]

Connect your pc to your tv, use a cordless keyboard and mouse. If you are laying flat maybe some of those glasses that lets you see things when you're lying flat so you can see the screen.

Any good?

[JacobyD]

I bought a standard hospital side table that I can slide in front of me while propped up on pillows. The main computer unit is on the floor and the mouse (trackball), flat screen display, and keyboard are on the table. It works great and is much better than a laptop any day!

http://www.google.com/search?q=hospital%20...sa=N&tab=iw

[Dizzy Dame]

Daniel be careful. If you can possibly tolerate sitting up, you should continue to try to stay upright as much as possible. I was bedridden for the first 6 months I was sick, and all that time lying down made everything worse. It took over a month of physical therapy 5x a week to get me to a place where I could walk again after all that time in bed. So only lay down when you have to, and only for as short a time as possible when you're awake. This way you can keep the inactivity from exaccerbating your POTS. I know it may be a bit less comfortable to sit up, but you have to try as long as it's not too uncomfortable, and as long as your HR and BP can take it.

[marnian]

A wireless mouse/keyboard really helps (and not nearly as expensive as a laptop).

But I'll restate the advice about trying to sit up when you can. My doctors said that tachycardia is only dangerous if there are other problems with your heart or it's really, really, fast. Anything in the "this heart rate would be okay if I was jogging, but it feels horrible now that I'm just standing here" range is okay on and off. Their advice was to limit the time >150bpm to the time I was exercising a day before all this started. And to lay down if it ever hit 200bpm to bring it back down. I'd try to get your doctors to give you guidance like this. I'm sure it depends on a lot of different factors.

Although I should add that I need anti-nausea medicine to be able to tolerate following this advice. Laying down feels better! (At least without medicine to control it)

[Guest danielvasel]

Daniel be careful. If you can possibly tolerate sitting up, you should continue to try to stay upright as much as possible. I was bedridden for the first 6 months I was sick, and all that time lying down made everything worse. It took over a month of physical therapy 5x a week to get me to a place where I could walk again after all that time in bed. So only lay down when you have to, and only for as short a time as possible when you're awake. This way you can keep the inactivity from exaccerbating your POTS. I know it may be a bit less comfortable to sit up, but you have to try as long as it's not too uncomfortable, and as long as your HR and BP can take it.

thanks for the advise...

but im actually pretty active(for a potsy), the least I do is walking an hour a day... that?s actually more active than most of the "healthy" people!!

so it?s not like im going to lay down for the whole day... i too think that that would only make things worse...

Connect your pc to your tv, use a cordless keyboard and mouse. If you are laying flat maybe some of those glasses that lets you see things when you're lying flat so you can see the screen.

Any good?

girl, you?re swell

it?s a great ideia!

now all i gotta do is convince my mom to buy it for me(is it too expensive? - the cordless keyboard/mouse?)

and what kind of glasses are you talking about? i?ve never heard of it... does it have a special name(so i can look for it)?

thank you very much tanzanite!!!

take care

daniel

I bought a standard hospital side table that I can slide in front of me while propped up on pillows. The main computer unit is on the floor and the mouse (trackball), flat screen display, and keyboard are on the table. It works great and is much better than a laptop any day!

http://www.google.com/search?q=hospital%20...sa=N&tab=iw

thanks jacoby!! if "tanzanite?s ideia" doesn?t work, ill try yours:)

take care...

daniel

[Lulu]

hi, daniel,

i would just add a few pieces of advice about computers and laptop usage that I hope you'll find helpful?

one is make sure, if you are able, that you get up every so often and move around; it's good for your eyes and your circulation to do this. and do it slowly so you don't get orthostatic hypotension and fall out if that's an issue for ya. there is a freeware program available for download that pops up with a reminder to take a stretch. (I'll look for it and post it; can't find it now...argh! )

two, elevate your legs if you're going to be sitting for awhile to prevent blood pooling in the legs, because that can make you tachy and POTSy.

and three, my laptop has saved my butt (in school and by being able to get on to here and the internet) especially when really sick, but everyday by being able to get in a comfortable position that won't get me tachy or POTSy... but I've learned, the hard way of course , to put a great big book under the laptop (PDR works great!) too absorb the heat it puts off! otherwise i start vasodilating and fall out! i'm embarrassed to say how long it took me to figure out why i was getting POTSy at the 'puter! i have found that even sitting at the desktop computer i need to have a fan running to draw off the heat, or down I go!

good luck!!

peace,

lulu

[Guest danielvasel]

But I'll restate the advice about trying to sit up when you can. My doctors said that tachycardia is only dangerous if there are other problems with your heart or it's really, really, fast.

well, that?s partially true... yes, "short term wise" it?s really no biggie

but the long term effects are at least worrisome... there?s one thing that will happen for sure: you will live much less... that?s an incontestable fact

thanks a lot for replying:)

take care

[Guest danielvasel]

one is make sure, if you are able, that you get up every so often and move around; it's good for your eyes and your circulation to do this. and do it slowly so you don't get orthostatic hypotension and fall out if that's an issue for ya. there is a freeware program available for download that pops up with a reminder to take a stretch. (I'll look for it and post it; can't find it now...argh! )

ok thanks:) and if you can find this software, please let me know...

two, elevate your legs if you're going to be sitting for awhile to prevent blood pooling in the legs, because that can make you tachy and POTSy.

uow , what a coincidence... I realized this yesterday!!!... i had my two legs elevated on the computer table and my bpm started going down(it wasnt planned at all)... but it?s still high, it went from 90 to 84... ill be much better off laying down...

and three, my laptop has saved my butt (in school and by being able to get on to here and the internet) especially when really sick, but everyday by being able to get in a comfortable position that won't get me tachy or POTSy... but I've learned, the hard way of course , to put a great big book under the laptop (PDR works great!) too absorb the heat it puts off! otherwise i start vasodilating and fall out! i'm embarrassed to say how long it took me to figure out why i was getting POTSy at the 'puter! i have found that even sitting at the desktop computer i need to have a fan running to draw off the heat, or down I go!

uow, really? i actually had a notebook a couple years ago, and I never noticed it... ill keep it in mind...

thanks a lot for your reply lulu

take care

daniel

[goldicedance]

Daniel,

I second and third everything my fellow Potsies said.

My doctor strongly urges me not to stay in bed in a flat position. As he says, paradoxically, it may feel better but it is actually worse for you--circulation, further deconditioning, lower blood pressure, etc.

Are you on any medication to help with your heart rate?

Lois

[Guest danielvasel]

Are you on any medication to help with your heart rate?

no, im actually med free... i can?t take any meds for lowering my heart rate, cuz I have bradycardia at evening/night while lying down...

thanks for the reply lois...

[Sophia3]

DanJ

How STABLE is that hospital stand and computer screen?

The reason I ask is I have two cats and they are big cats, about 13 and 15 pounds...could they trip this table over or knock off the screen? Like is the table top heavy?

I have a laptop but it's getting older and your idea sounds good if you don't have little kids or cats around.

[Lulu]

well, that?s partially true... yes, "short term wise" it?s really no biggie

but the long term effects are at least worrisome... there?s one thing that will happen for sure: you will live much less... that?s an incontestable fact

heya daniel,

um, where do you find that information, and specifically what are you referring to?

bear with me, here, i feel like i just got to pitch in 2 cents here

human beings are designed to move. activity on whatever level you can tolerate is ESSENTIAL. bedrest will not help you live longer, as for the tachycardia, those who have it generally benefit from staying in condition, not bedrest. My EP cardio (Dr. Grubb) said although it's hard to do, especially for those of us who have difficulty exercising (I'm one of them!) that is even more important to really push yourself each day to stay in condition as much as you can. Get this:

From my nursing text, Fundamentals of Nursing by Potter and Perry (both RN's and PhD and EdD, respectively), 2005, p. 1427: " The effects of muscular deconditioning associated with lack of physical activity may be apparent in a matter of days. The normal individual on bedrest loses muscular strength from baseline levels at a rate of 3% per day. Bed rest is also associated with cardiovascular, skeletal and other organ changes." Even if you're down for a few days, you still have to recondition yourself. Easier said than done, lemme tell ya!

A Study on Bed Rest from the American Academy of Family Physicians warns doctors to be absolutely sure it is in the patient's benefit to have bedrest because it is more often than not detrimental.

This re-emphasizes what marnian posted from her doc & what lois and dizzy dame said. The danger in tachycardia really depends on the cause, from everything i can find (if you want a list of sites, PM me) and if the tachy is relatively short in duration or (mostly) controlled by meds, the long term danger drops significantly and is much less a danger (provided it's in the above mentioned parameters) than bedrest everyday....There are meds that can regulate your heart rhythm & help your tachy stuff, even w/the bradycardia. It's delicate balance tho. I had those same issues before dx'd and took awhile to get the right balance.

Those of us who have been bedridden or who have decreased mobility can probably attest that is WAY more difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to get back to the former level of fuctioning. I cannot speak for all us, and am not trying to, but i would guess that most of us have been told it's good to exercise on whatever level by a medical professional and that even if we aren't up to snuff, so to speak, we still know we're at least supposed to be trying. (?anyone?) I know that for myself, it has been a continuous up and down (mostly down) struggle to become re-conditioned after numerous down spells.

Just wanted to put this out there in case you are thinking that bedrest is a better idea than the occasional tachy episode. Those tachy episodes are SCARY! I've been there--they are NOT FUN but what happens when you do bedrest and don't need it is even worse for you in the long run, it seems. From what I've read and been told, it is good advice to move as much as you are able to comfortably and to push yourself as much as you are able to, but NOT overdo it. It's a difficult balance to strike, as MANY MANY here can attest to.

Sorry this ran long, but it's so dear to me that all of us be as well as we can be. And it's so hard for me to exercise AT ALL ; sometimes with the least exertion i feel like i'll DIE....this is as much a self-pep-talk as it is a warning for us to move those bodies as much as we can. But please, for goshsakes, don't start an exercise plan without consulting your doc! and do take care of your tachy issues if they are long term. best wishes to all, lulu

[Lulu]

Break Reminder Freeware

this is an older version, so it's now freeware. newer versions (w/more bells & whistles) cost like $30 or something. but this version is A-OK.

Hope it's helpful!!

[Guest danielvasel]

heya daniel,

um, where do you find that information, and specifically what are you referring to?

well, in books, on the internet, wherever... im not referring to anything in particular...(although what worries me the most is that it could lead to a heart attack, or a stroke)

human beings are designed to move. activity on whatever level you can tolerate is ESSENTIAL. bedrest will not help you live longer, as for the tachycardia, those who have it generally benefit from staying in condition, not bedrest. My EP cardio (Dr. Grubb) said although it's hard to do, especially for those of us who have difficulty exercising (I'm one of them!) that is even more important to really push yourself each day to stay in condition as much as you can. Get this:

yes, human beings are designed to move, no doubt, any sane person will agree with that... i never said bedrest will help you live longer... it may, but not necessarily... saying that a person who stays in bed 24/7 will live longer is nonsense...what i said is that Im SURE that im much better off lying down while using the computer, cuz when i sit i have tachy... it DOES NOT mean I?ll lie down the whole day

oh, and about the long term effects of tachycardia, it?s really easy to find it on the internet, if you can?t I?ll search it for ya

just to give ya an example, it?s been proven that people with tachycardia are much more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes, that?s a fact... and that?s even more worrisome if you combine that with bad genes(my case, my father just had a heart attack)

some normal(healthy) people even try to lower their heart rate to the 60's or 50's(through breathing or exercises) specially to improve their cardiovascular system... and any good doctor is very much FOR it

i just had a quick look on wikipedia for "tachycardia"(that?s what I do when I don?t feel like making a vast research on something, wikipedia is awesome for that:)

"It can have harmful effects in two ways. First, when the heart beats too rapidly, it performs inefficiently (since there is not enough time for the ventricles to fill completely), causing cardiac output to diminish. Second, it increases the work of the heart, causing it to require more oxygen while also reducing the blood flow to the cardiac muscle tissue, increasing the risk of ischemia and resultant infarction"

i read the texts you posted, thanks for that... i actually agree with that... i can?t spend a day without exercising... when i was in a psychiatric instituition(after my first/hopefully llast psychotic episode) last year, I couldn?t stand doing nothing the whole day... it was horrible... almost two months without taking a walk...

This re-emphasizes what marnian posted from her doc & what lois and dizzy dame said. The danger in tachycardia really depends on the cause, from everything i can find (if you want a list of sites, PM me) and if the tachy is relatively short in duration or (mostly) controlled by meds, the long term danger drops significantly and is much less a danger (provided it's in the above mentioned parameters) than bedrest everyday....There are meds that can regulate your heart rhythm & help your tachy stuff, even w/the bradycardia. It's delicate balance tho. I had those same issues before dx'd and took awhile to get the right balance.

oh yes, sinus tachycardia is not so dangerous (short term wise), i agree...

if I was to choose between having sinus tachycardia my whole life or being bedridden, i?d definitely stick with the first option

Those of us who have been bedridden or who have decreased mobility can probably attest that is WAY more difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to get back to the former level of fuctioning. I cannot speak for all us, and am not trying to, but i would guess that most of us have been told it's good to exercise on whatever level by a medical professional and that even if we aren't up to snuff, so to speak, we still know we're at least supposed to be trying. (?anyone?) I know that for myself, it has been a continuous up and down (mostly down) struggle to become re-conditioned after numerous down spells.

i agree... and i see what you are saying...

it?s just so sad that people like you(i can tell you are a nice girl) have to go through it... life is so unfair

Just wanted to put this out there in case you are thinking that bedrest is a better idea than the occasional tachy episode.

nope, im not thinking that... and I never said I had "occasional tachy episodes", unless you consider orthostatic tachycardia as "occasional"

Those tachy episodes are SCARY! I've been there--they are NOT FUN but what happens when you do bedrest and don't need it is even worse for you in the long run, it seems.

i?ve actually never had a "classical tachy episode"... it?s always( more or less) the same thing... when i sit my heart goes to 80-90... when i stand it goes to 100-120... the only time it got to 150, was when i stopped taking geodon...

From what I've read and been told, it is good advice to move as much as you are able to comfortably and to push yourself as much as you are able to, but NOT overdo it. It's a difficult balance to strike, as MANY MANY here can attest to.

yes, im thinking about taking more walks during the day... but one thing I know for sure, the more a walk, the less I sleep at night... this is not cool at all!!!

Sorry this ran long,

hehe, actually love to read long posts on this forum, specially when it?s something im interested in

but it's so dear to me that all of us be as well as we can be.

yes, that?s the point of the forum , right? to let people know what?s working for us, ask what?s working for them, etc.....and I must say you are doing a great job lulu, you?re really helpful

And it's so hard for me to exercise AT ALL ;

hmm, im sorry to hear that... i can?t imagine not being able to exercise...

so thanks a bunch for you reply lulu!!

the best for ya

daniel

[Sophia3]

ok color me STUPID but where are THESE QUOTES coming from?? Dr. Grubb?

Fellow posters? This is way too long a post for me to follow. But for what it's worth, unless a hidden cardiac problem lurks undiscovered, this illness will not KILL people but GREATLY ALTER OUT QUALITY OF LIFE.

i.e. can't work, can't socialize, can't leave the house on some days.

I do NOT want anybody reading this thinking they are lying around waiting to die. ALso YES PUSHING and exerting yourself on good days IS MANDATORY to stay out of wheelchairs and beds, permanently.

But for fainters, they have to be much more careful due to cracking of skull repeatedly.

Again, can somebody tell me where all this alleged quoting is coming from..putting things in different colors is not helping. Like "medical sources" or fellow posters. Sorry for being the class dunce.

Thanks

p.s. I have been disabled 16 years with this stuff so it can progress in folks..but you still have to fight back..and my doc agrees...as did Grubb when I saw him in August 2001. I have the NON fainting kind.

[JacobyD]

DanJ

How STABLE is that hospital stand and computer screen?

The reason I ask is I have two cats and they are big cats, about 13 and 15 pounds...could they trip this table over or knock off the screen? Like is the table top heavy?

I have a laptop but it's getting older and your idea sounds good if you don't have little kids or cats around.

Its very stabile. Its not top-heavy at all. Just make sure you by hospital-grade and you will be fine. Mine has been a life saver. When I'm really too wiped out to use a computer, I use an iPAQ Pocket PC like this one:

Hope this helps!

Dan

[Sophia3]

Thanks JacobyD!!

I would have no idea how to use a pocket gizmo! LOL.

But I AM IMPRESSED at your ability to scan things to quickly to let me see things.

hmmm....may have to think about the hospital tray deal....that may be an option for me down the road. I have made myself sit up more during the day in this nasty hot weather to use my room mates computer. Even with AC on the house is a bit warm (due to sky high bills and being conservative) There is an oscillating fan everywhere you look but it helps to STIR the air.....kind of like cooling down a car during a race! Gotta get out of the draft and in the clean air. I don't put duct tape on the fans...I need all the air I can get. Ha.

But I swear this danged humidity affects me even when cool.

Thanks for the idea on table. Great tip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel V

Dont' know if you have had help with insomnia but I have had great luck it low doses of klonopin...have you talked to your doctor about medication? Many are helpful including some of the new stuff. I am NOT telling you to take my drug but just sharing...

Tried melatonin? Just the straight kind not the kind with additives..it can cause VIVID DREAMING so be aware of that. Again, best to see your doc...he may have samples of the newer sleep meds.

Insomnia, on top of horrible fatigue, was my FIRST SYMPTOM back in the late 80's! Been on meds to help control it ever since.

Please be firm with your doc about getting sleep help. It's imperative for chronic illness.

Good luck.

[Guest danielvasel]

ok color me STUPID but where are THESE QUOTES coming from?? Dr. Grubb? Fellow posters?

yes, her nickname is lulu ( one of the nicest "fellow posters" of this forum )

This is way too long a post for me to follow.

i never asked anyone to read it, do whatever you want

But for what it's worth, unless a hidden cardiac problem lurks undiscovered, this illness will not KILL people but GREATLY ALTER OUT QUALITY OF LIFE.

i totally disagree... as i said, it?s been proven that it can lead to many serious/fatal conditions/problems, such as heart attack and stroke....

I do NOT want anybody reading this thinking they are lying around waiting to die. ALso YES PUSHING and exerting yourself on good days IS MANDATORY to stay out of wheelchairs and beds, permanently.

oh yes, i said that i agree with that(but you didn?t read it, because it was "too long"...)

But for fainters, they have to be much more careful due to cracking of skull repeatedly.

hmm, yeah, fainting is definitely a big problem.... i?d be terrified to go out knowing that I could faint at any time, and possibly hurt myself... but as i said in another post, if I was to choose between insomnia and fainting, i?d choose the second option

Again, can somebody tell me where all this alleged quoting is coming from..putting things in different colors is not helping. Like "medical sources" or fellow posters. Sorry for being the class dunce.

well, i don?t think you really looked very hard to find where it was coming from... i think lulu had just posted her message when I replied...

[Sophia3]

Sorry Daniel

you do not understand short term memory problems and brain fog. sorry to be so difficult.

[Guest danielvasel]

[

Dont' know if you have had help with insomnia but I have had great luck it low doses of klonopin...have you talked to your doctor about medication? Many are helpful including some of the new stuff. I am NOT telling you to take my drug but just sharing...

i actually still don?t have a POTS doctor the doctor who did my TTT didn?t seem to know much about POTS... during the test I kept asking him many things(even things i already knew, just to test him) , and I concluded that he only knows the basic things, doesn?t have much experience with that

but yeah, on of my priorities now is to find a specialist...

Tried melatonin? Just the straight kind not the kind with additives..it can cause VIVID DREAMING so be aware of that. Again, best to see your doc...he may have samples of the newer sleep meds.

well, im making a list of the sleeping meds that have worked for some "fellow posters" here in this very forum... klonopin was already in my list... so im writing down this med (melatonin) as well

nope, never tried it... i don?t think I ever took a sleeping med

Insomnia, on top of horrible fatigue, was my FIRST SYMPTOM back in the late 80's! Been on meds to help control it ever since.

Please be firm with your doc about getting sleep help. It's imperative for chronic illness.

did you get better(insomnia wise)? i hope so... cuz it?s really horrible....

do you still take sleeping meds every day?

so thanks for the help sophia!!!

take care

daniel

Sorry Daniel

you do not understand short term memory problems and brain fog. sorry to be so difficult.

hehe , no problem at all...

yes, i do understand short term memory problems and brain fog, cuz it?s one of my worst symptoms!!!!!!!!!!! i can?t concentrate, i can?t understand complex theories, i can?t remember things I just read, etc.etc.etc......

im sorry to hear that you also have this condition... it?s so frustrating

sorry if i was nasty when I replied to you, it wasn?t my intention

Break Reminder Freeware

this is an older version, so it's now freeware. newer versions (w/more bells & whistles) cost like $30 or something. but this version is A-OK.

Hope it's helpful!!

thanks !!! yeah, it will be helpful for sure...

[Dizzy Dame]

Daniel,

I'm getting a bit concerned that you've been posting that POTS can kill people. This simply isn't true, and you're going to scare people who read your posts who are looking for answers. Keep in mind that many people who are just diagnosed with POTS come to this forum for answers, so we must take care in everything we say. I'm not trying to yell at you, just reminding you that we all have a responsibility to be careful in our assertions.

I wanted to reitterate that POTS does not kill. There is absolutely no evidence of this anywhere that I've read, and I've done a lot of research, both in medical libraries, and medical journals.

I have read that sustained tachycardia of over ~150bpm for years and years and years can eventually lead to cardiomyopathy, however, if the tachycardia can be controlled, the cardiomyopathy is usually reversible. However, most people with POTS do not suffer from sustained tachycardia, they only have true tachycardia when they stand, which usually subsides once they sit or lay down.

[Guest danielvasel]

Daniel,

I'm getting a bit concerned that you've been posting that POTS can kill people.

i never said that... please show me one single post where I said such thing

I'm not trying to yell at you, just reminding you that we all have a responsibility to be careful in our assertions.

i think im very responsible... i would never say something that is not true...

I wanted to reitterate that POTS does not kill. There is absolutely no evidence of this anywhere that I've read, and I've done a lot of research, both in medical libraries, and medical journals.

I agree... i too haven?t found anything that would indicate such a thing

I have read that sustained tachycardia of over ~150bpm for years and years and years can eventually lead to cardiomyopathy, however, if the tachycardia can be controlled, the cardiomyoptahy is usually reversible. However, most people with POTS do not suffer from sustained tachycardia, they only have true tachycardia when they stand, which usually subsides once they sit or lay down.

oh, ok, now I see what?s going on... you are saying that i?ve stated that POTS kills people because I said that tachycardia can lead to heart attack and stroke(among other things)

well, I actually reiterate that tachycardia can lead to this conditions/problems... that?s a fact.... i made a "vast research" on long term effects of tachycardia... and a number of studies have proven that people who have average heart rate greater than 80bpm are much more susceptible to have serious problems in the future(specially those that were already mentioned before by me)

so if i was to answer you question: does POTS kills people? I?d say NO... but it?s a fact that you?d live much longer if you didn?t have it... it?s also a fact that you are more susceptible to die young due to a heart attack, a stroke, or other things...

so this topic is about a good way of lowering your average heart rate... im very satisfied with the replies I got, I already made a search on cordless keyboards, and it turns out to be really chea

thanks for the reply dizzy dame

i really don?t mind that you critize me... but I don?t think it?s really fair that you label me as irresponsible... you can call me many things(cuz I do happen to have many flaws), but im certainly not irresponsible

you see, the topic was not about long term effects of pots/tachycardia... maybe I?ll open a topic about this subject in the future, when I collect some data...(i actually have it right now, but it?s in portuguese )

take care

daniel

[persephone]

You said:

most of people in here must/should know that having tachycardia(or semi tachycardia) is really bad for your heart, and could lead to many things(like a heart attack for example)

but the long term effects are at least worrisome... there?s one thing that will happen for sure: you will live much less... that?s an incontestable fact

...and people here have rightly ticked you off about the fact that such comments will lead other members to think they could die from POTS, or at least have their life expectancy curtailed. Phrases like "for sure", and declaring it "incontestible" that people will have a shorter life expectancy implies that POTS will kill them, and this really IS NOT TRUE. Sinus tachycardia in anotherwise healthy person does NOT lead to stroke or heart attack, if it did, athletics would be life threatening, and so would climbing stairs for many people! And often, people with POTS have LOW blood pressure- meaniing we are FAR less likely to have a stroke. If you don't believe that POTS kills, then your earlier comments are certainly misleading. I agree with Lauren, you need to be more careful in what you post as youcould really scare people.

[Tanzanite]

I'm off to find those glasses! (Not sure what they're called) You may only be able to get them in the UK but I can always help you out there if you want by posting them over to you.

Cordless keyboards and mice are not that expensive anymore. You should be able to find something. Try ebay!

As for the bed table someone posted (sorry, can't remember who you are) I have something very similar I use my laptop on. Make sure if you get one that it tilts so you can lay down more.