Brwneyedchica Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Hello everyone, i'm Alicia and I was diagnosed in 2000 with POTS. All of the symptoms of POTS hit me full force right before I started 10th grade, I was 15 at the time. I've been living with it for years now, and am so relieved to know that there are other's out there like me. At one point I was told that it was psychosomatic or all in my head, I was an A student all through school and I never missed school, but anyway, I know how frustrating that can be. Like everyone else, I have good days and bad. I currently work full time in a hospital, and will (hopefully) start my nursing clinicals in the fall. It seems like my symptoms get worse like once a month or once every few months. Worse to the point where I miss work, and school. Life is miserably depressing at those times, even after all of this time my family and friends don't really understand. They think I am, "faking it" or "being a wimp." For the past few years i've woken up almost daily being nauseated. I have always been thin, but in the past few years I noticed that my hands and feet are always freezing, sometimes when my heart is beating so fast I have chest pain. I just "deal with it," I take deep breaths and hope for it to go away. Most recently, this week and last month actually, I have had "Attacks" where i'll be out doing something and start to feel a sort of burning in the pit of my stomach and I end up vomiting for hours. I've missed this whole week of work because of it this week and a week last month. I actually haven't seen the specialist that diagnosed me with POTS in several years. He put me on a beta-blocker, Inderal and that worked ok for quite awhile. I just feel that it's not working anymore and i made an appt to see my specialist. I haven't been able to pinpoint foods that make me sicker than others. After eating I always have this heavy feeling in my stomach that takes forever to go away. Last June i moved out and got an apartment with my boyfriend of 4 years. Long story short, I found out he was not who I thought he was, he suddenly couldn't keep a job, among other things, and that left the bulk of the bills to me. About that same time I got really sick and had to miss 2 weeks of a job that I had only started several months before. I had to move back home because I was to sick to live alone or even work at the time. Now i'm stuck with a lawyer and a lease i'm trying to break with no success. Is it just me, or does stress make anyone else feel worse?It seemed like the added stress of trying to pay all of my bills alone and of fighting with my ex made me much sicker. I seem to pick up colds alot more frequently than I ever did as a child, and I get sicker for longer than a normal person, does anyone else have this problem? So i'm just living a day at a time now. I've missed quite a bit of work and am trying to get FMLA papers filled out, so at least it's covered. My appt with the specialist isn't until the end of July, so i'm hoping I feel better before then and can get back to work. I'm supposed to start nursing clinicals at the end of august, i'm not sure how that will go. I hope that my meds can be changed and that we can figure out what foods if any, that i should avoid. I'm just still trying to adapt, even after all this time, to not being "normal" and not being able to keep up with things the way I used to.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aprilmarie52 Posted June 5, 2004 Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 welcome, Im sure that most of us have been in your shoes at one time or another. I was diagnosed at age 17 in 2001, but I had had minor symptoms for a few years before that. Some people find it impossible to work, but I work full time and am a full time student. I recently had to take a leave of abscence from work because of POTS but I am back now. Just hang in there. This is a great place to get info and support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethansmom Posted June 5, 2004 Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 Welcome to the boards! Here you will find endless support and lots of people who understand what you are going through! It sounds like you've been doing pretty well considering all you have been through with your illness and ex-boyfriend. It's awesome that you've been able to work full time, for the most part. I was diagnosed when I was 19, just out of high school and working my first full time job/going to school full time and it was ****. Over the past 2.5 years I have learned to adapt for the most part, but I don't think you ever really get used to it completely, because you always want to do things that you can't do- and everyone else has trouble understanding. I haven't been able to work at all since being diagnosed, other than working from home part time and working for my doctor briefly. But we make it work- and now that my boyfriend and I have a son together, I feel more validated not working than I used to- he keeps me soooo busy.Anyhow, I hope we'll see you here often, on your bad days AND the good ones. Take care and feel well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted June 5, 2004 Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 Welcome to the forum. We're here to help, and are glad you have found us. There are a lot of really great, supportive people here. There is another group that may be able to help you as well: www.dynakids.org They have a group for people under 25 or so. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Welcome to the board! I second Michelle's suggestion about dynakids. Certainly, you're ALWAYS welcome to post here, but if you're ever feeling like you want some folks who are closer in age, it's nice to know they have that there for you.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Welcome I'm glad you found this great website, it has been a lifesaver for many of us! People are very supportive here and you get lots of information. I always suggest going back over other peoples posts, I find it incredibly helpful. Good luck on your FMLA paperwork, I know that it saved my job.Good luck on your clinicals.Steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brwneyedchica Posted June 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Wow, i'm so grateful to have stumbled upon this website. It's nice to know there are others who have been through the same things as I have. This does seem like a really great place to get support and information. I'm waiting now to see if my specialist will fill out my FMLA papers, having not seen me in quite a long time (my fault). Somedays just going to work is ****, my worst complaint is the nausea. I should've seen my specialist (Dr.Chelimsky) quite awhile ago, but I just "dealt" with my bad days. I do have good news though, I was able to up my appt with Dr.Chelimsky from July 26 to June 28! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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