Which Do I Pick?

[gwen]

Hi all. I have been struggling with extreme sleepiness tiredness no umph! I have been taking all the meds but while the bp is better I can still feel it drop, just not low to start our with..

My GP who is wonderful and has worked with me on this for three years. She is also a cardiologist. Ive been with her for ten years so she has seen me healthy and not.

She thought perhaps iwas experinceing depression since all the lbood work was fine and bp was up The anti depressnats etc she was prescribing weren't doing anything so she suggested I see a shrink I saw several years ago. Also extreme braing fog. extreme.

I see the dr. p and she is great as ever and was not familiar with pots but was interested in learning. Her husband is a well known cardiologist and surgeon here. She mentioned at the next visit he suggested I see an electophisiologist, who he knew and is also well known. So I mentioned this to my GP who said she thought that all her tests were conclusive and he would just be re -doing costly tests. We have tried all sorts of drug combos and right now the bp is better although no long time standing etc. I thought that was fair enough. Why go thru all sorts of tests that would just bring us back to POTS.

I went see dr. p and she has put me on adderall and they have to keep upping the amounts. Still tired and sleepy. I told my husband I thought adderal was speed and so far it hasn't done much. At evey visit she would gently suggest the other dr. but I thought my GP made alot of sense. So last week I decided whatever, I can't go on like this I'm going to see the electrop. what did I have to lose. I'm at a deadend.

well Gp really didn't understand why the dr,p was pushing the elec. so much and what else she thought he would find. Then she mentioned a shrink at a different hosp who could do a PET scan and see what parts of the brain were firing or not, maybe that was an idea to consider. Plus she is going to conference with dr. p on what ever.

So I'm back to my original problem of just wanting to find an answer that works and I will deal with it. so I'm asking not for medical advice, just your thoughts since I'm sure you have gone thru some of this yourselves. I trust both drs. I just don't know what to do. Obviously the final decison is mine but your input is very welcomed. Thanks. Just tired of being tired and dumb.:-)

[Jacquie802]

Personally, I would see the EP because in my case he is the one who has helped me the most! Goodluck whichever you decide to do!

Let us know how things move along for you!

Jacquie

[jkapache]

Hi! I am sorry to hear that you dont have alot of umph- that is how i feel! I jsut saw my EP and he is TRYing to help me with Midrodrine- but that isnt the point. I replied to say that I think that if I where in your position that I would try the EP, what do you have to lose? Another appt and more money yes. But who knows- fresh eyes are sometimes the best. My EP has helped me quite a bit when my neuro has been bull headed and straight- sometimes ya just need to try something else from SOMEONE else! Good luck with your decision, but what do you have to lose at the end of the day? Maybe this dr could help a bit.

[jenwclark]

I would go see the EP, too. Going to see a new doctor does not mean you're committed to doing everything he suggests. You can find out what his approach would be, and if he wants to redo tests you can find out why and decide for yourself whether it sounds sensible. Getting a new perspective never hurts.

[stephanieogan]

I would also go to see an EP. The EPs are the only doctors that I have seen that even begin to understand POTS. Good Luck and don't let the doctors get you down.

[masumeh]

Doctors have egos too...they don't necessarily like being second-guessed by another person in their own specialty. I wouldn't necessarily tell the first doctor about the second one unless new results are discovered.

For the depression, there are so many treatments, other than chemical therapy. For example, there is a sleep program, they avoid REM sleep by making the person sleep early and wake up in the last part of the night (last part is high rate of REM). There is shock therapy. There is cognitive therapy. They all have about equal statistics for recovery rates. Don't ignore the social factor too...social therapy is the funest....go out with your friends and keep smiling at them!!

Hope you feel better soon.

[JenniferInOhio]

I agree. See an EP.

[Sunfish]

i think the toughest thing you're dealing with (in terms of doctors) is the fact that a doctor that you have been with for a long time and who has been supportive of you is now not supportive of you seeing another doctor. i know that i would have a tough time with this too.

still, as others have said, if i were you i would go to the new EP. it may not accomplish anything, but if you don't go you won't know. within reason, that's been my approach for years and while it hasn't always resulted in wonderful improvements, it has never really hurt anything.

one other thing i wanted to mention is re: the depression diagnosis as a result of your bloodwork & BP being okay. i am obviously NOT in a position to diagnose one way or the other but if the only reason for the depression diagnoses is that you have okay lab values then it may or may not even be valid. it is possible to still be physically ill in various ways without anything abnormal showing up on labwork, BP readings, etc. there have been several discussions on the board about this. one way that it has been explained to me at times is that my body has to work SO hard to keep my BP in an okay place that it can appear to be okay but i can still feel cruddy.

another slant is that you could be depressed BECAUSE you're feeling so fatigued/ill/etc rather than the other way around. this is something i've definitely dealt with and am fairly open about with my doctors.

i hope you are able to feel okay about whatever decision you make & that it brings you some answers,

melissa