aclexis

Hi, I'm in Hampshire and currently trying to be patient (ha!) with the waiting times of the UCLH autonomic unit.

Hi all! Thank you so much for putting this poll up, it's a topic that's been on my mind since I was dx'd just over two years ago. (Just after the doc told me he asked me not to have children anytime soon!) I've wanted kids ever since I can remember and due to some strange family circumstances I pretty much reared my younger brother for a period of years. Even then I knew that I would find happiness in having my own some day. Before I was dx'd my vague plan was to wait til I have a career sorted (and maybe a man!), now I'm 24 just finishing a masters and in a relationship that seems to be heading in the serious direction and my younger sister is due with her first child in a month's time. I can't stop having debates in my head about having children. I adore them and think that my future without them would seem like a shell of what I have dreamed of since I was young BUT as previous posters have outlined, it's the responsible rearing of a child that makes all the difference. I fear being an absent or faraway mother simply because I can't get myself up outta bed and it would be the greatest cross in the world to bear if I was responsible for my child having pots or similar. So I voted 'No and not planning' but I desperately wish my circumstances would change so that adoption would become a possibility.

Thanks to every one who replied to my post!! In response to some of your questions here are some of my answers: My location is varied, I'm originally from Tipperary, spent 5 years in Cork in college and this year I'm studying medical physics in NUI Galway. I try to get home every second weekend cos (a) it's good to see the parents & extended family and ( my parents know that when I'm tired, it's time to leave me alone to rest. Unfortunately my friends in Galway are still new and getting used to my bizarre list of symptoms. It's hard for them to understand that when I have a few good days I go all mad & actually see them all week in college and at the weekly seisuin (class get-together). They think I'm normal & then another day my legs go all wobbly & the world goes grey & they don't see me for a few days or when they do, they see me nibbling salt & drinking pints of water. I love the fact that people here know what that feels like. As for compression hose I'm seriously considering them especially since so many posters have good things to say about them. As my life stands (pardon the pun!) at the mo, I'm fairly flexible with college and I can take life at my own pace most days. I worry about the future and coping with a job but that's at least 6 months away and I have a few doctor's appointments between then and now. DancingLight: Thanks for the info regarding Kathy Ireland. Persephone: Thanks for the details you gave me - I look forward to doing a bit of research! Hope everyone is doing ok & thanks again! CJ.

Hello everyone! I thought it was about time I posted I've been so busy with college & ye all know how hard it is to concentrate after a long day (of oh bout 5 hours!). My story is that I'm 24 year old woman diagnosed with POTS in November. It was first mentioned in March but my cardiologist didn't seem happy with the dx so I thought he was still looking around but he confirmed it there a few months ago with a TTT. I've been symptomatic since the July 2004 after waking up from a GA for a gynae operation. Besides the pre-existing gynae stuff and the new cardio stuff I also have the joy of suffering from IBS, nausea (that particular workhorse really needs to take a holiday but alas it seems to like me) and thermoregulation problems. Today is a good day so I thought I'd post and say hi in a positive way. It's a good day cos I'm having one of those "I CAN live with this" periods even though right now I'm tachy as heck after sweeping the kitchen floor and typing is fun cos my hands are kinda shaking. Today I can smile but tomorrow might be different so please understand that I really appreciate this forum and everyone who posts and shows so much compassion and empathy for the days when things don't seem possible or when they just simply are impossible. I live in Ireland and would love to hear from anyone who knows of a doctor who has an interest in POTS or general weirdness that accompanies a POTS patient. As I mentioned previously, I don't think my doc is happy dealing with me as he just gave me some betablockers and told me to get on my way (but in a nice and decent way of course). Oh dear this is a long post, my apologies! I look forward to posting more frequently in the future and hope everyone is having a not-so-bad day . - CJ