sandymbme Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 I feel myself succumbing to the infection my husband has been fighting off all week. I have an extensive history of pneumonia, so developing severe complications of an upper respiratory infection is very likely for me. My POTS doc is 2 & 1/2 hours away from where I live and my next appointment isn't until March.Where I live it seems that I usually have to explain my condition to the doctors, so I'm afraid of what sort of complications my POTS can cause. To top it all off, my POTS symptoms have been flaring wildly, despite the introduction of a beta-blocker to lower my heart rate. I"m already developing breathing difficulties, but I know that decongestants are right out! I don't know if I should even use my inhaler, but if it comes down to it, I have to breathe!EeeeeeeeeeK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkoven Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 I hear you. I'm wrapping up a ten day upper respiratory thingy. I took mucinex to thin out secretions, dextromethorphan at night so I wasn't constantly waking myself up coughing, and I used a neti pot with saline to irrigate my sinuses at least twice a day. Lots of hot mint tea (no caffeine). Lots of broth. Lots of tissues. No decongestants-- which I desperately wanted. I was more tachy than usual, felt yucky, but seem to have emerged. I work with lots of college-age students who live in close quarters and have plenty of germs to share. I think I'll go back to keeping hand sanitizer on my desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxine Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Sandyshell, I'm sorry your having to deal with a virus on top of your POTS. I always have more problems with my POTS when I get a virus or infection.I found that pushing the extra fluids helped with keeping congestion out of my chest. It still usually gets into my chest, but stays loose, and coughs up easily. I know it's hard to drink extra fluids when you feel like your drowning in your own, but it does help your body flush out better. Robitussin helped things from gettiing extreme in my chest, and I could tolerate that well. I can not tolerate meds used for colds and congestion other then robitussin. This last virus I had really screwed up my POTs symptoms, but after 48 hours, my POTS smptoms returned more to baseline, and I kept pushing the fluids.I found hot spicy foods to aid in clearing congestion----IF YOU CAN TOLERATE SPICY FOODS... (also could aggravate tachy, but doesn't for me). I have digestion issues, but it's the texture of foods and that mess me up----------and has noting to do with being spicy or not. I have to eat small meals too. I heard neti pots were great in avoiding sinus infection, and helping with congestion also. I haven't tried it yet, but I should when I get my next cold. This was is just clearing up. Our whole family had it, and my poor little 2 week old granddaughter has it now-----------that poor tiny, tiny nose.I get more tachy also in the first couple days, and it makes it hard to calm our body for the rest we so desperately need when a virus hits.I hope you can avoid your virus from getting out of hand--------------wishing you a speedy recovery.Maxine :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandymbme Posted February 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Thanks for the well wishes! Unfortunately I seem to be getting worse by the moment. My lungs are getting really congested and I am already staring to produce gunk when I cough. I am wheezing quite a bit, but my BP is 109/64 and my HR is up to 98. I go to the cleveland clinic for an appointment on friday to see my headache specialist, and that's where I am treated for my POTS.Maybe I can storm the syncope clinic while I am there! This is just a little scary because I don't know how my POTS is going to effect my ability to recover from an illness I tend to fare really poorly with. And of course, being a sunday, I can't call any of my Docs to discuss my concerns. So keep your fingers crossed for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Hi Sandyshell,you mentioned an inhaler - do you have asthma? Did your chest get bad soon after starting beta-blockers? I ask this because you have to be careful mixing asthma and beta-blockers - they can make asthmatics very wheezy as they have the exact opposite effect of salbutamol. I know about this because my cardiologist and respiratory doctors had a long debate before I was allowed to start beta-blockers and they chose one that was less beta-2 active because of my asthma.Sounds like you need to see your PCP incase you need other meds or even steroids to treat your wheeze. If you get very breathless please get checked out at the ER.POTS usually flares up whenever your body is stressed such as fighting an infection. It can make you feel very dizzy/tachy/weak/blackout but POTS itself should not mean that your chest is worse that it would be if you didn't have POTS.Take care and hope you're feeling better soon!Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 pneumonia is serious, isn't it? I'm with flop call your PCP.good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandymbme Posted February 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I definitely plan to contact my PCP in the morning, just trying to get through tonight....I'm having icepick headaches all over my head, but instead of only lasting a few seconds, they are pulsing for several minutes at a time in one location. Then, within a few moments the pain relocates to another part of my head. The body aches are pretty awful at this point as well. I want off this ride!!!! I'll write more tomorrow, I'm going to try for some sleep. Thank you so much for the kind words, it is an amazing comfort to know I'm not alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 hi..few things that hopefully will not bother your pots or interact with medications.. dont use decongestion with sudafed.. that could cause you to feel worse...viruses really knock you thru a loop.. I just got over a bad bug of some sort here a few wks back...try making a cup of decaf tea... and put a honey and lemon cough drop int ehtea while it is HOT.. and let it start to disolve for a minute...inhale the vapors of the steam it will help loosen and open things up.. and also you know drink the tea while its still hot/warm.. it will help loosen the junk in your chest up...I swear by these tea drinks!!!!!!! its not cure all but they sure help...!also if you can handle nose sprays try just normal saline or afrin no drip nasal.... Im a goof ball and i have trouble with normal saline nose spray.. so i used afrin when i get sick.. works nicely..also kinda goof.. but KLEENEX makes puffs vicks tissues.. and it give your nose a litttle whiff of vicks...Uhm.. run a humidifryer....Oh and if you can tolerate this.. try gettting a netti pot.. those things are neat for cleaning the old sinus out.. there is a sinus rinse that you can get to help clean the gunk out of your nose/sinus...uhm if you can get a potpurri pot... and get some eucoliptus oil... and pour it in the top portion of the pot and then alittle tea light candle.. the vapor from the oil.. it helps open things up as well....drink lots of fluids to keep from getting dehydrated.. warm fluids too.. it you use decaf tea bags and sugar free cough drops.. hopefully you wont get sick of tea real fast! its my gramma's little rememdy...hope that you feel better soon and that you dont have pneumonia!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I can't think of any tips that others haven't already mentioned, but I wanted you to know that you're in my thoughts and I'm hoping that things start to get better for you. A humidifier definitely helps me, especially when I'm sick in the winter. I hope you figure out what's going on and the doctor can help you fix things up!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iheartcats Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 I've been suffering from a bad flu virus all week and my POTS has been bad...my primary care physician said virus/fever will often raise normal people's heart rates so for POTS patients it's even worse. I've been trying to push fluids/salts, as advised, but it's not easy when you don't feel like drinking/eating! Has anyone on here tried Nasacort AQ? It's a nasal spray for allergies, but it also supposed to help congestion. My doctor gave me samples so I'm thinking of trying it because the congestion is unbearable.Sandy - Did they give you any additional advice dealing with virus/infection and POTS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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