sjprice23

I have worked myself up in cardio for the last 6 months and have been able to do some HIIT routines. I started with just regular cardio, mostly on a treadmill (the only exercise equipment I had access to at the time...recumbant bike is so much better and I have one now finally!). Then I discovered two FREE FULL LENGTH exercise websites that I was able to do a lot of the LOW IMPACT cardio workouts (look for videos with no jumping type exercises or you will die!): FitnessBlender.com and JessicaSmithTV.com After about 4/5 months of doing regular cardio for 4-6 days/week, I started adding in high intensity intervals on the treadmill (you can do this on the recumbant bike too obviously). Up the speed until you feel like your're heart rate is working at 80-85% for 20 second to 1-3 minute intervals (time interval depends on how you are feeling and what intensity/speed you put into it; i.e. the higher the intensity/the harder you work, the less time you're going to be able to hold on with good form). Lately I've been incorporating some of the shorter HIIT routines that the 2 websites above have, but I have to modify the exercises by never jumping, using a bit less intensity and usually doing them for less time ("rest" periods between the high intensity exercises are usually twice as long for me). Sometimes I even need to pause the video to slow down my heart far enough to do the next exercise. Some HIIT, some cardio, etc. is better than none, ya know? But, since our heart rates rise so much faster than the "average" person's, listening to YOUR heart is very important. As I have been learing these past 6 months I've been able to exercise regularly, doing Strength Training is very important to upping your metabolism by making more lean muscle, allowing your calorie burn to last longer afterwards. I've just started incorporating strength training into my weekly routine (not sure why I waited so long...always thought cardio was what made you lose weight the quickest, but it's just not true). All in all, short and sweet for HIIT is the key with the average person, but shorter and sweeter is key for us POTS people! P.S. I haven't lost lbs yet (just been maintaining on the scale), BUT I feel more energized, have lost inches around my mid-section, and just overall feel so much better about myself. The lbs will follow soon, I'm sure. P.P.S. If you want to know any specifics of my favorite exercise routines from these sites, I have a YouTube channel with some exercise videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/sjprice23sp/playlists (I haven't tested all the HIIT and Cardio in some of these playlists because I just added a bunch this past week.)

The way it has been explained to me by my doctors is that I must have neurally-transmitted AND cardio-transmitted POTS. The Cymbalta would have helped your neurotransmitters while not affecting you BP/Heart Rate (cardio). I had to ask this same sort of question because WHY would the Lorazepam I take help take the dizziness and overall 'yucky' feeling away sometimes, but my heart is still racing like crazy! And that's because the Lorazepam helps one side of the story, but since it doesn't help the MAIN cause, nor does it ALWAYS take away the symptoms, other medications and lifestyle changes have to be in play as well. Does that make sense?

I take Lorazepam 2x daily. It has been the ONLY medication that helps with the dizziness, and for awhile, the brainfog. It does not give any improvement to me for the gastrointestinal symptoms I have. BUT, for a good 6-months when I began using Lorazepam, I was able to drive when the medication was active in my system. Over time, however, that has changed (can't feel safe while driving), and that's, I believe, because my body got used to the dosage amount and no longer takes those extra steps to allow the actual "anxiety" I feel when driving to calm down, etc. And no doctor feels comfortable upping the dosage just so I can drive again...they'd all rather ween me off of it, but realize that is the only thing that keeps the dizziness at bay most of the time. Hope my experience helps a bit. Sarah

Hello, I have been on Ativan (Lorazepam) for almost a year now, and we've had to up the dosage once the weather became hotter (WI). It is the only medication that has given me any relief, but it is only relief from the dizziness...my HR is still really high, fatigued, etc. etc., but the benzodiazepams somehow "trick" your brain into thinking none of that is there just so the dizziness isn't as severe. This medication was only tried on me after EVERY cardiac medication was tried and they all either made me worse, I was allergic, or just didn't do a darn thing to change my HR or symptoms. Diazepam (Valium) didn't help at all for me...the doc had hoped that switching back and forth between the two so my addiction and tolerance levels didn't sky-rocket, but valium just didn't trigger the same response in my brain as Lorazepam does. I don't like the fact that I have been on it for so long because of the addiction rate of it, however, if I can drive because of it, I am thankful for it. Hope this helps a little, Sarah.

I am very thin and have been for years!!! And I always, always get comments about it! So, I can definately relate to it with you! For me, it depends on who makes the comment and what they say whether I let it bother me or not. Usually, I end up making jokes about it right back with them until I can tell that they realize how USED to it I am and that they are not original by any means...I've heard it all. If it's someone I know, for example, my boyfriend's father, I had enough of hearing about it from him, so I took the time to explain to him exactly why it is VERY difficult for me to gain weight, let alone hang onto the little bit of weight I have, with great conviction, and he's left me alone ever since. Hang in there! Sarah.

Hi Desiree, I was taking Zoloft for a good six months (can't afford it anymore) with my Lorazepam and it definately had an added relief with the POTS symptoms. If I could afford it (no health insurance right now), I would definately still be taking it. However, no cardiac medicines helped in my situation, only made me worse, so that is why I had to resort to these kinds of meds. Sarah.

If any of you remember I posted over a week ago that I was going into the hospital to be monitored and then started on Norpace while in the hospital. Well, I was started on it, had no major side effects like my doc was afraid I would, but it did absolutely nothing for my numbers (bp or heart rate), nor for any of the symptoms. Then, I ended up being in the hospital three extra days for extra monitoring and nuerology consultation because my doc has no other cardiac meds she wants to try on me. So, basically, I got released tonight awaiting the call from my doc monday morning to see whether she wants to try me on any anti-anxiety med to at least lesson the adrenaline rushes/anxiety to slow my heart down at least a bit (what the nuerologist suggested). Otherwise, I am supposed to put on weight, which will take quite some time, and just deal with it, or go to other doctors... Glad to have the heart monitor off, showered, and home Sarah

That's okay to me that you screwed up because I don't have any meds that help me yet! So, my rates are the same no matter what.

This might be the link you are looking for: http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/ Hopefully anyway, and good luck. ~Sarah

I've been to two different ENT's and that is one of the feelings/symptoms I get as well (it's really bad if I drive). But every test they ran was completely normal. And then they put me on medication, just to make sure ~ didn't help. And physical therapy for my inner ear, just in case ~ didn't help. So, I have no idea if it's separate from POTS, etc. because I still have no real relief by treatment/medication for any of my symptoms. Good luck finding out all your answers! ~Sarah

I get this a lot too...describing it like you're going to have a seizure is what caught me. Do your eyes feel like they jump back and forth real quick sometimes as well? I don't know exactly what it is because it usually doesn't happen at the same time as a bad POTS episode. But I think I do know what you mean. This happens to me all the time...and same with me, all tests came back normal except the TTT. So, I'm thinking its just a part of this whole POTS thing, but I'm no doctor! You're not alone on this one though, that's for sure. ~Sarah

My doctor is going to be putting me in the hospital for a couple of days to monitor my heart during symptomatic times (which won't be difficult because I'm symptomatic many, many times throughout each and every day), and then, depending on the results from that, she wants to start me on Norpace, but I will have to stay in the hospital another couple of days to be monitored on the drug. Has anyone ever had this type of experience or take/have taken Norpace? Thanks, Sarah

I spent a few hours in the ER yesterday from a bad allergic reaction to Visken, the newest med my POTS doc wanted me to try. I took the first dose (2.5mg) and not even an hour later I was about ready to pass out, my chest was hurting, my throat closing up, trouble breathing. Then by the time I got to the ER, my tongue had started swelling up/getting numb only on the left side, my left hand starting tingling, and my left foot toes were tingling and curling under! Definately not a good med for me!!! I'm better now after IV saline and IV benedryl, and the ER doc knew all about POTS and that I definately needed to be rehydrated, etc. So, it was a nice ER visit, and now we're on to drug five! Sarah

Does anyone here know specific details about child support? Namely what income is usually used to take a percentage out of? Is it supposed to be a forty-hour work week, or is over-time supposed to be added in? I know it depends somewhat where you live, but any info, or any links would help. Thank you.

I am by no means an expert, or a doctor, the pattern seems to be that pots can lead into other things being wrong health/mentally/emotionally wrong with patients. Anytime you have to change your lifestyle, put all different kinds of meds into your system over a period of time, other things can start to go wrong, I would imagine. Other times, it seems as if pots was discovered "first," then they can sometimes find things that are an underlying cause of getting pots, but that might not be as common. I've only been diagnosed for a couple of months and all of a sudden, all my docs are saying I have this, or that, lets test you for this or that, or taking this medication will cause this or that, so we need to treat you for that as well, and I was in almost perfect health condition before getting symptoms of this. Like I said though, I am not an expert on the topic by all means, this is just what I've observed. ~Sarah~