handmadebyemy

I think "running out of gas" explains it well. I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a doctor before I was diagnosed with or ever heard of POTS and saying how I just needed to lie down. He was asking all sorts of questions (a very good doc!) about this and I couldn't explain my need to be lying down. Now I know that it wasn't that I needed the rest, it was that I just couldn't stand up any longer!

i know that too much vitamin D makes you sleepy - thats why we get sleepy after a long day at the beach even if we're just laying there. maybe your vitamin d levels aren't low? you can check them with a simple blood test.

interesting. is there an easy way to test serotonin levels?

hmm I haven't tried using my heart monitor as much at night. i put it on in the morning though and i'm in the 150s just getting up and walking around. maybe its better at night? i'm taking amitriptaline for my migraines which makes me drowsy so i generally don't feel better or worse morning or evening.

Hi Sarah,

I use the jobst brand stockings (the ultra sheer line, not the relief line) ... I'm not sure of the fabric content but they work for me. 30-40mmHg compression; waist high.

I am prone to UTIs so I thought they would make things worse but I haven't had a problem with them at all.

I think they run around $100 per pair but my insurance covers them

Hope this helps!

Emy

I was anemic in 2005 but my levels came up within 6 months on an iron supplement. I guess its pretty common for women to be anemic, esp if they have heavy periods.

I have joint pain and all-over sore/achy feeling a lot of the time, especially around my period. I've only been able to attribute it to hypothyroidism. Maybe its pots related too?

I also just saw on Dr Oz - treat your husband with the antifungal creams ... he could be the host

I'd recommend taking a probiotic daily as well - look for one with "billions" not "millions" of healthy bacteria,

Also, the homeopathic remedy "vaginitis" is very helpful when you have flare ups

Thanks for all the comments & suggestions. I've been using my netipot everyday and it seems to help. I also took a few doses of the homeopathic remedy Sepia and it helped a lot! I needed a higher potency, I used 10M.

I do have a neti pot. Do you use it everyday or just when you're experiencing symptoms?

I know a lot of us have chronic sinus troubles, does anyone have any effective remedies or treatments for sinus infections? I just took an antibiotic last month for one and this morning woke up with that same sinus pain. I don't really want to take another antibiotic so soon, any suggestions?

I lost 30 pounds with my illness (parasite) which brought on POTS. I was unable to regain the wait for 4 years until I was diagnosed and started wearing compression stockings and doing a high water, high salt diet. I'm glad to be back to a normal weight!

I got the bottle in the mail today - I'm impressed by the 2 day shipping. Unfortunately, I'm planning on returning it. The way you have to drink out of the bottle to get an accurate reading is difficult and you end up sucking in a good amount of air. Drinking more water is supposed to make us feel better - not give me a stomach ache!

I have some sleeveless compression shirts from Under Armor which offer light compression. They are only $15 on sale and can be worn under clothing pretty easily. But I absolutely have to wear my hose with them still. I tried the toe-less version of the compression hose and my toes turned purple instantly - didn't help too much.

Yay! Good news, I hope it continues for you.

I never found out my pots subtype. I go to Lahey Clinic in Boston which I believe may have some financial aid programs - its worth checking out www.lahey.org They are fantastic

I was hoping that I could get an abdominal binder to wear instead of the compression stockings on super hot days. I was thinking it would be great if I could get by with just the abdominal binder so I could wear shorts and flip flops instead of waist high stockings, jeans, socks, and sneakers when its 95 degrees and humid.

For those of you who may have tried abdominal binders:

Which one do you have?

Where did you get it?

Was it covered by your insurance?

Does it work?

Do you wear it with compression hose?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks!

Emy

I do. I realized that subconsciously I started tilting my head down whenever I stood up - because I get that dizzy/tachycardia/headache feeling in my head immediately. Its crazy how our bodies automatically compensate for stuff like that.

I'm glad you're seeing good results! My doctor strongly recommended swimming - is it possible for her to go into a pool for any length of time? Even 5-10 minutes is good because of the water pressure, and its therapeutic.

Yea I'll let you know how I like it. I read some reviews on amazon.com and it looks pretty good! And its dishwasher safe

I saw this on the Today Show this morning, its a water bottle that keeps track of how much water you drink each day. You can adjust it to a specific quantity or it will pick one for you based on your height & weight. I'm supposed to be drinking 3 L daily so I just bought one to keep me on track:

http://www.sportline.com/hydracoach.php

Sounds like a migraine with an aura. Thats exactly the way I describe it - like a camera flash or when you look at the sun, but those spots don't go away in seconds, its more like 20-30 minutes. Usually followed by intense headache, nausea/vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, etc.

I have the Polar F6 & I love it too. I sat down with the manual when I first bought it to put in all my stats and it customzies it for me. I have it set to beep if I go over 176 bpm or under 76 bpm (just because thats the lowest I've ever seen my heart rate. The highest I've seen is in the 190s. My average is 107.