How Can You Tell The Difference?

[cardiactec]

I had to cancel my whole work schedule out today, teaching and at the hospital, because I am severely nauseated. this drives me crazy because when my POTS/gastroparesis symptoms flare-up, the only way I can tell the difference between my stomach acting up because of THAT or a stomach bug is that in about 4 hours or so the nausea starts to subside -- and if it were a stomach bug, it usually lasts longer........either way it is a pain, because i have to call out of work since i wont know until like 5 hours passes if it is a stomach bug that is going to stick around for 24-48 hours or if it is gastroparesis/POTS that'll eventually subside after a few hours........

right now I am pretty miserable feeling, but not as bad as i felt before my class was supposed to start (i ended up telling my students that i couldnt teach today because i felt too sick -- i guess i didnt even have to tell them that though because they all said i looked as white as a ghost)...........

does anyone else have this problem?? I CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE until 4-5 hours pass and it really destroys many days for me.............since the stomach bug is going around, I didnt want to take the chance, stay out, and continue to get worse, so i just came home and got into my PJ's.................

[MightyMouse]

Sorry to answer your question with a response you may not like...but after 20+ years of debilitating symptoms, and a lifetime of POTS/NCS/EDS, I've never been able to figure it out except as you described: in hindsight. Wish it were a more decisive answer of how to differentiate, but like you, I have the bouts of GI issues, with mine gastroparesis alternating with bouts of the runs...

I do get some relief from the pain component with levsin sublingual. Nina

[cardiactec]

Thanks Nina for your post..I'm glad you can relate, even though it's not the answer I wanted to hear!

This certainly is tough..........I think that this is a flareup of the gastroparesis as the nausea is starting to slowly die off. it always boggles me how much i can tolerate. i know for certain that if anyone else (those with just an acute onset of stomach flu who dont deal with chronic nausea) felt as nauseous as i did, they would have hurled everywhere! I think, fortunately AND unfortunately, i have somewhat grown accustomed to the terrible nausea sensation over the past six years in that, even though it ISNT very tolerable by no means and very uncomfortable, i can somewhat prevent any vomiting episodes. my body has adapted a little to the sensation, so it/i have some control over it.....

[corina]

when i am nauseated i always think whether i want coffee or not. when i can drink a cup of coffee (which in that case is a tremendous help against the nausea but please don't ask me why), i am okay (that means: it's just my usual and daily pots . when i can't even think of coffee it might be a bug or virus.

take care,

corina

[Wufflebear]

I can never tell till either my husband or daughter catch the bug... Then I know it is a bug... But that can be days later, sometimes...

[PattiL]

I'm so glad you wrote this post! There have been numerous times when Chrissy's been 'sick' and we didn't know what it was. We thought we were crazy! At least now since she's had her sinus surgery she hasn't been getting any type of sinus infections (knock on wood). Nina, it was so nice to hear from you, as I consider you one of the queens of POTS, because of all your knowledge and longevity of having POTS. It'll make Chrissy feel a little less crazy knowing that if YOU can't tell she shouldn't feel so bad about not being able to distinguish her symptoms.

Patti

[MightyMouse]

Okay, Patti, that's a little frightening if Chrissy is looking to me as a role model! OMG!!

That must mean I'm old (um, "longevity"--synonym for "longlived"-- ). Okay, it's true...I'll admit it... I'm 42 and still kicking...

[PattiL]

Dearest Nina,

NOT OLD!!! :o 42, OMG, i wish I were 42 again! Just incredibly knowledgable!! The poor girl's mother (me) has absolutely no memory, which i'd like to blame on being perimenopausal (which would be a whole other forum and topic--hahaha) except it's been going on since she's been born!

OK, longevity might not be the right word--I just meant that you've had it longer than her AND the fact that you know about everything there is to know about POTS!!

ANYWAY, b/f I get myself in anymore trouble glad to hear others have the same questions!

Patti

[MightyMouse]

Okay, okay. I'm not THAT old...

But I do want to say I don't know everything about POTS; I know a good deal, but I learn lots too from folks here, from articles I read, from talking to Michelle (who also keeps up with articles), and so on...

But I do think that's a sweet thought that Chrissy thinks of me that way--I feel honored.

Now, back to topic; Like most of you, I've never really been able to sift out what's a bug and what's my wacky body--and frankly that's one of the things that Teri gets upset about sometimes because she worries that she'll miss a sign or symptom of something serious and I'll end up really ill, in the ER, or worst case, gone. My only words of wisdom here are going to be a repetition of previous similar discussions here and on NDRF--the aggreement between me an my doc who moved away. He and I developed this rubric after me ending up as an inpatient 2x for serious things that I blew off as just my POTS/EDS exhaustion, and daily pains and aches. Here's what we agreed on, for what it's worth:

If the symptoms are 1) not normal for you 2) persist for more than a day or two and/or are causing a major problem like pain, nausea bad enough stop you from doing what's normal activity for you, get to the doctor or at least call in.

Only you know what's normal for your body and what type of aches, pains, sensations are outside your daily experience.

Nina