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Wow I don't know if it's causing his symptoms or not anything is possible. The BP looks super in fact in the short time I took it I do remember that it caused my bp to increase and heart rate to come down. I just got too afraid to take it. I was in that mode where I was still trying to be normal. I took it and tried to take the kids to a skateboard park. I was at a stop light and all of a sudden it felt like my heart shot down to my ankles. Then I became kind of a limp noodle and realized I needed to head home gripping the wheel all the way I made it home had to take a crisis bathroom break-then knocked out on the couch for an hour or two. I was afraid to take it after that.

: ) I know I am a chronic worrier. I really wish it was sooner than the end of the month. I really do better to go and get things over with.

Okay Dani-good luck tomorrow! I hope it goes really well for you.

I struggle with obligations such as picking up the kids from school. I start to anticipate and sometimes get my self worked up and start to imagine I am feeling things...where as if there were no obligations I might be perfectly fine.

Did you take his blood pressure? That was the first thing I picked up at the pharmacy along with the Atenolol was a bp monitor. Make sure he's not dipping down too low after his atenolol dose or check when he is symptomatic. If I am repeating something you are already doing please disregard.

Steven- the anxiety is something that is not your fault. It just comes with this. It's at a level of peel me off the ceiling vibrate the whole couch shaking out of control. I still shake uncontrollably when I get my IV iron even though it is helping and my teeth chatter. I think my body physically reacts to it because I try with all my might to relax and accept-ugh!!! It literally takes me hours of staring at a wall with no noise no interruptions to regroup and calm myself down at times and when my body was like yours that wasn't even possible. Time made the difference for me and I find distraction helps. Although it's very hard to concentrate if you can even get 10 minute blocks of peace go for it. Then start trying to increase that time. I'm now trying to practice this while being active. To try to consciously relax my body. And it just isn't normal-we should be able to get up and do and not think twice about it. I felt very alone and just puzzled when I went through what you are going through so I understand. I think it's a normal response.

You know prior to my POTS exacerbation I always had trouble with that now that you mention it. I tried to exercise and do aerobics for years whenever it was the hands above the head for any length of time my hands and fingers got really tingly.

I understand your trepidation. I had the same type of relentless thoughts prior to my cardiac ablation and my iron treatment. Something about this "thing" I have whether it is POTS or whatever seemed to intensify that in me at an unbelievable level to the point where I become totally illogical. I was convinced on both these incidents that the results would be fatal or damaging. I have basically avoided things for that reason-there were just certain things I knew I could not avoid so I entered into them with both a horrible terror level of fear ( unnecessary ) and also incredible hope that if I did live through it I would be restored to my previous health. Well for me I saw improvement but not a miracle. I hope as I get more experience I regain some confidence and let go of the fear and worry. I long to feel comfortable in my own skin again.

I hope this works for you. Let us know how you're doing.

Well I received my appt in the mail from disability and it's with a psychologist. I can hardly wait... What kind of questions do they ask?

That's fantastic. Can I ask where on your body she places the needles?

Me. Besides my weekly iron treatment I am not on anything.

You can drive yourself crazy trying to be a fixer and trying to make everything right for everyone and to put everyone before yourself. These are the traps I've fallen into in my own life. Some things are just out of our control and I think it can be a strength to recognize when this is the case. I have found the most peace just surrendering and letting go and trying to accept-even though it is very very painful.

This is going to be an odd response I think compared to the rest perhaps but it's based on where I've been in my own relationship that we have both hung onto and neither one of us understand why. Take care of yourself...that is my answer. I know that it is painful to think of losing the relationship but just try to accept where you are... Have hope that you will not always be in the place that you are now but take care of yourself, love yourself enough to do what needs to be done and accept it. And I almost feel like I need to add that no I'm not trying to be cold hearted. I have just been through emotional/pscyhological trauma that I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. You have to love yourself first and take care of yourself-you are what matters.

I've noticed this my whole life. I think the movement may provide a distraction for nerve impulses so as you move you don't feel things the same. I have the feeling that as crappy as I feel at times some of it is my brain lying to me. False sensations.

Oh also I know you've had symptoms for a while now but in the beginning my head was a mess...I was seeing halos around lights...everything DID feel swollen-I remember. I couldn't handle driving because it was like everything was coming at me too fast. I had dizziness, migraines, strange sensations in the head. It would feel like my head was separating into layers and extending way beyond my body. Really strange I tell you. I was afraid to know what was going on in there. I would get sensations that I was going to fall as I would walk and that my body was going to be thrown to the ground. A lot of buzzing especially as it got late at night I'd feel as if I was coming unglued. Weird like I was just going to lose consciousness. So a lot of the head stuff I went through but improved in time.

I know very well what it's like to feel so rotten. I do think you may get some answers at some point so hang in there. I am on probably the strangest diet I'm wondering if you've experimented with food at all to see if certain foods might be causing some of this. It wouldn't explain the low dopamine or serotonin. Maybe an elimination diet or many do well on a paleo diet....I know this may seem out there and like the least of your worries at this point but for me this was huge.

The way anxiety manifests in me is very peculiar (in my mind) I don't so much get nervous-not all the time at least. I can feel perfectly find and relaxed and start experiencing physical symptoms. Driving and especially that interstate action is a typical trigger it seems for people with anxiety. I took a test online recently to score my anxiety. The results were very interesting. I scored in all 90's for physical effects and rate in the severe category. As far as emotional psychological my pie was much smaller-so this is very interesting. I can tell you that I've been naturally anxious since I was a child so maybe somehow I've adapted to just view this as normal and maybe I try to cope as much as possible to the point where it just comes out physically. I have no other explanation except that it may not all be anxiety...and maybe it never was all anxiety...if I have orthostatic issues and always have to some degree potentially perhaps the physical issues bring out the anxiety. I really have no clue. I will tell you though if you feel badly pull over don't push it. Even if it would be anxiety-people having panic attacks can pass out...have seizures...lose control basically so be safe always...it's nice to think you can tell yourself this will pass but we just don't know you really have to find a comfort level with your own body. I want you to be safe and feel good especially while driving.

Sounds like an adrenaline surge. I can't handle the interstate. I can handle driving fast out in the country but I think I feel trapped on the interstate and I can't handle watching the cars from the other direction coming at me and going by one by one. It's too much stimulation and sets off my anxiety. The last time I tried I felt fine pulling on about 2/3 of the way through my route I started feeling shaky and as if the car was going to spin out of control. I also got butterflies in my stomach and was really shaky like you describe.

I've never tried those meds but your doctor seems great. I'm wondering where he is located? I feel the same way about the IV iron. What if this gives me at least partial life back. It could be this was a big part of my problem and that I may find some restoration. The drawback is it's expensive I'm paying out of pocket and it makes me feel very ill and with my weird reactions I worry that I will react to it one day and then I'll just end up in a mess needing my "cure" and unable to take it. Oh I can't let my mind go there. Either way this is a process that takes some time kind of like taking an antibiotic for an infection. It's been a very difficult thing for me to have to practice patience and it's also a balancing act because no you don't want to just be passive and not do anything to help yourself but even with the iron it just takes time to make a difference for those levels to rise and for me to make healthier blood cells. With POTS I think if you can eliminate the surges for the most part I think your body starts to get back on that alignment better and meds can help that process. For me I think time and just slowing way down helped. Keep that in mind also if the meds don't do exactly what you think they will you might give it some time. I have been encouraged to try one med at a time that way you can tell what is doing what-you seem to handle meds well so maybe in your case it isn't necessary? I hope this really helps you-let us know.

That is a long time-it helps to know that ahead of time I think. Everything I've read here has been very helpful. The lawyer's office I'm working with indicated that I did not need a formal diagnosis-that I should have no problem ( had a case ) based on symptoms alone. We'll just see how it goes and whether that changes. I've filled out all the paperwork they've sent so far and based on when the lawyer's office called about a week ago they said I should be getting my decision any week now-so I was expecting to get my denial this week-instead I got the call but maybe seeing the doctor is just a part of them being able to justify that decision. I'll just keep plugging along here and see how things go. My plan is to contact the lawyer and get their help as soon as I get my denial.

Oh my golly a gas station? Okay so I shouldn't get surprised then if I get a bizarre response. Well let us know how your appt goes Dani. It sounds as if I shouldn't worry too much about seeing the disability physician. Sounds very routine.

My advice is don't give up. If you managed to function with the high heart rates and work maybe there is something that you can do to make a good wage with your online schooling. Many people improve so don't give up hope yet that you can't achieve your dreams or a modified version.

I don't know if my family doctor ever officially diagnosed me with POTS or not. She suspected it but I'm not sure-and then at one point she told me it was stabilized. I do have my list ( somewhere ) of allergies but I'm not sure that those would be just cause to prevent me from working-it just makes life more challenging.

Bless your heart that has to be exhausting to never get a break from the high heart rates. Have you tried a benzo like Xanax? An older lady told me that if you can't take heart meds Xanax is pretty effective in slowing down the heart. I do hope you find some answers.