issie

I just did a little research on licorice. It does work similar to Florenif. It is the adrenals that it can affect. It can affect the cortisol levels - these can increase. Also, as brought out earlier, by another post, it can lower your potassium. But, so can Florenif. It helps your body retain salt and water in the kidney. This is what Florenif does. One other bad side effect of licorice is it lowers your testerone levels, (in men). It is supposed to help with IBS and Crohn's disease, ulcers. It is used in some auto-immune conditions. It can cause hypertension (as Florenif) and be toxic to the liver. But, I think the side effects are not any worse than the Florenif. I got all the info from Wikipedia.

I read some where that Licorice could be subsituted for Floreneff? Does anyone use this? Has it helped? Doesn't it have some effect on you thyroid?

It sounds like you found a precious gem. You are right about not wanting to stop him from traveling. If you try to be too clingey, he will get resentful. Also, it shows that you trust him in your relationship to be away from you. Marriage is based on trust and mutual understanding of each others needs. LOVE is the main ingredient in a long lasting and happy marriage.

Guilty! I shake my legs. I fidget all the time. It appears to be a nerveous habit, but I think it's to get the blood to circulate in my legs. Never really thought about it until now.

I think that the messeage is clear to us with POTS, but I don't really think that people who have no idea what POTS is will get it. Maybe explaining a little more. People are more likely to read what you have on the back of your shirt. They will stare at your back, but avoid eye contact on your front. Especially, if it's something they have to concentrate on to understand. The front maybe should just have the name of the illness, and the back be the complete explanation. (Hey, for what that's worth.)

Well, here's my two bits---Yes, have the same problem. I notice that sometimes it comes on when I'm hungry. I can't seem to make a decision of what to eat. Feel sick, know I need to eat. But, have an aversion to it. Can't decide what to order or even get out of the fridge. My husband thankfully takes over and I make myself eat ---something. Eventually, it passes. I think it's some type of blood sugar issue. But I get the hot flashes too. I was getting the flashes when I did my TTT. They told me that when I was having the flashes my pulse and BP was doing odd things. Don't know what, but it was indicative of POTs. I have the "spacyes" allot of the time. Just seem out of it. Talking becomes too much, too much energy, thinking etc. So, then comes the quietness and starring. Hope we figure this one out!!!!!

A BIG ----HA!HA! You wonder if they even listen to you.

I had this once when out of town and rushed to the eye doctor. I thought I was having a retina detachment. He said it was a silent miagraine. A miagraine without the headache. I have since had the miagraines with the headache. This time though, it was silver stars - sparkles. No pain.

They gave me a nerve block when they did my surgery. It only lasted 2 days. Since I already have nerve damage, they were even afraid to do it the first time. They said there was a chance of permanant problems with them. Thanks for the suggestions though. If you have any other ideas, I'll be here. Seems like I'm on this site allot now that all I can do is sit or lie. You get tired of TV and reading. So, I'm trying to educate myself on the POTS issues a little more. Still haven't found a doctor for that yet, with just moving here. Now this break is going to slow down progress on that. I'm just trying to take the tramadol when I can't take it any more. So far, I'm down to 2 a day. That's as low as I can go. It's still too much for the POTS. Any suggestions gratefully appreciated.

It's probably the decongestant that's messing up your POTS. It will mess me up too. Since we have to stay well hydrated, it interferes with the uptake. I recently tried something that was advertised on "The Doctors" show. It''s called Sinus Buster. It burned like mad and my eyes watered, it was really uncomfortable. Then-----awh, relief. It really seemed to work and help the pain of it all. It has pepper in it. Hope you feel better soon.

There are quite a few people allergic the psyllium. It will bloat you and what you describe are allergy symptoms. I can't take it either. It makes me sickkkkk. I can use Benefiber. It has no taste and you can put it in your coffee, tea, food -whatever and you don't know it's there. I've found when I have a bad food allergy reaction, taking a vitamin B complex and a Vit C - together help counteract it within about 30 minutes. I also cant use flax. Same reaction.

What does anyone take for chronic pain? What can you take for severe pain --like a broken foot leg? I have tried Demoral with Phenagan and Tramadol. Both make my POTS symptoms allot worse. The tramadol is the least offensive but still is messing me up. I broke all the bones and ankles off, tore all the ligaments and tendons loose. Basically broke my foot off my leg. I have 10 screws and a plate. The blood vessels and nerves have to regenerate themselves. When I put my foot down, it fills up with blood and it wont go back up my leg until I elevate my foot. I already had real bad circulation and compression stockings were my friend. I don't know how long it will take for the blood vessels to regenerate. I tried to not take any medicine, but couldn't take the pain. I'm wrapping the bad leg and foot with ace bandages, but it's not helping very much. Anyone have any suggestions?

arizona girl, Hey, wrote you two PM's. Take a look! Talk to you later. Thanks for sharing you'r symptoms. It helps us all make sense of something so complex!

So sorry for your loss. It's so nice to know that Jehovah God (Ps.83:18) promised us a time when "he will wipe out every tear from their eyes and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away." (Rev. 21:4 ) He also promised us in John 5:28,29 "......the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life." Also, Ps 37:10,11 shows that the righteous will posses the earth and live forever upon it. Jesus gave his life for us as a redeemption for the sins we were born into in order for us to have the opportunity to live again in perfect conditions, in a perfect body. What a WONDERFUL hope for the future, and a reason to continue on. We just need to find out how Jehovah God wants us to serve him and we, to, can live in this Paradise he promised to us.

Very nice. We all need to recognize our spiritual side. Jehovah God (Ps. 83:18) is there for anyone who searches for him. He has promised us a time when crying, pain, and even death will be no more. Rev. 21:4 I love this scripture. He also promised us that the righteous will inherit the earth and wickedness and wicked ones will be done away with. Ps 37:29, Ps 37:10,11 What a wonderful hope for the future--a reason to keep going. I loved the picture of Jesus and the little girl. It's so wonderful to think of him giving his life for us, so that we could be redeemed and continue on living ourselves. What a wonderful example of love he displayed for us and his father Jehovah. We can get strength from Jehovah God, if we serve him and follow his guidelines from the Bible. Good JOB!!!! Appreciated your thanking the people who are there for you. We all need acknowledgement of the good things we do in life. Beautiful example.

Had it!!!! Complete hysterectomy after 8 abdominal surgeries. Kept getting clean ups trying to prevent the enevitable. Wish I'd had it sooner. At least I'm out of pain and no longer worry about planning my life around my horribly painful periods. As far as POTS goes--mine has gotten worse with age. I had the hysterectomy at age 36 and I'm now 50. Sorry, for this to be the outcome for the POTS. Wish the answer were different. It does seem that the hard and difficult things go along with the POTS. I wonder if estrogen plays a key in this. With endo, they think that too much of the bad type of estrogens is the problem. It is recommended to use a transdermal natural progestrone cream to balance out the hormones. This could apply to men also. We get estrogens in plastic, canned goods, chicken and other ways. If our estrogens are too high and our hormones out of balance, it can cause a whole lot of issues. My doctor had me stop eating chicken because he said I'd never balance out because of the high estrogens in it. How many of us think we're eating healthy? Finally, I just using RED CLOVER and seem to be doing okay, since my hysterectomy. I tried to stay off hormones 6 months after my surgery, so the endo wouldn't come back, if they missed any, Of course, menopause brings it's own set of problems. But, for the most part, it was the right decision--for me.

I was told that I had significant mitral valve prolapse -- While on a beta blocker. Now, that I'm off the beta blocker, not near as severe. Wonder if there is a connection. I also have Ehlers Danlos and POTS (of course). I think the beta blockers made everything worse for me.

So how do you take the over the counter antihistimines? I'm sure I have a connection to this. Worth a try and see if it helps.

So how do you take the over the counter antihistimines? I'm sure I have a connection to this. Worth a try and see if it helps.

spaceorca, Just a little note for your son's Crohn's. I have a friend who has this and had part of his instestines out. He initially took steroids. Then he went to a naturapath. They have him on Symbiotics Brand Colostrum and Coconut Oil. He has to be religious about it, but rarely has any problems with a flare-up. It has allowed him to live a near normal life. He swears by it.

Interesting subject. I've felt that I have an inablitiy to break down calcium properly. I have yet to find one that I feel agrees with me. If you're deficient in Vit. D you don't keep the calcium in your bones as well. I too was deficient in Vit D. But I also have osteoporous. I know it's important to use magnesium, but too much isn't good either. That will imbalance your calcium. But contrary to most combinations, you do need more magnesium than calcium. So if anyone comes up with a brand of calcium that could be better assimulated and go into the bones and not the tissue. I'd love to know about it. I've tried even the plant form, that made sick. So, right now I use mag. with amino chelates and Vit D; and hope that I get enough calcium in my food to keep my bones somewhat strong. (although they aren't as good as they should be) So I'll stay tuned on this subject.

A lot of the amino acids work on brain chemicals. You can use different ones to affect different brain functions. Like L-Tryptophan works on serotonin. GABA works on GABA. etc. I'd have to get some of my books out to find out which one Taurine works on. You do however, have to be CAREFUL. If you tend to have brain imbalances, you can imbalance yourself more. Everyone is different and what will work for one, won't work for another. You can throw yourself into a mania if you don't mix things right. Some people don't process protein correctly and you may not react the way you want to. Amino Acids are broken down components of protein. Only one way to find out. Some health stores will allow returns if you have an adverse reaction.

Garrett, Fish oil is good for sooooooo many things. Some people don't convert the plant sorces into the correct type of EPA and DHA. I've found that the only brand of fish oil I can use is Nordiac Natural. I DON'T BURP IT!!! The ones with borage or soy oil, is not good for me. I burp them and they give me a headache. My husband really feels that guys should NOT USE SOY OR FLAX. They will convert to estrogens. This is contrary to allot of the promotion of these two substances, but he feels that IT MATTERS. I too am allergic to shrimp and won't take the chance with krill. Too similiar and I don't want to die. The B's are good for everyone as long as you take them as a complex. You can't take individual B's without taking them all. You can add more of one, but you must take them all or you will really imbalance yourself. Vitamin c is real important too. In fact there are some studies suggesting recently that this may help MS. Symptoms so similiar to POTS, might help us too. I use Emergen C, this helps me get the extra salt and less sugar than Gatorade and no corn syrup. Works for me. Hoping for you to feel better!

Issie, how long until things improve after a fright induced flare for you? That depends on how badly the situation is. I recently broke my foot off my leg and am having lots of problems right now. The pain meds are messing me up. That would have thrown anyone for a loop. People don't realize how sensitive a persons nerveous system is when their autonomic one is messed up. I feel that most people with POTS are on the sensitive side anyway. I read a good book , title something like "the canary syndrome". Like the miners carry a bird into the mine to see if the air is good or bad. If the bird dies, it's bad air. Well, some peoples systems are that sensitive. I don't know if we're just more "perfect" (Ha!Ha!) or we're just more tuned in to differences. It will depend on her ability to recover and for her adrenals to settle down. We all need reassurance and to feel safe. Time really does help. Sorry about the incidence, but you know "kids will be kids". It's what we do with our siblings. She may need a little something for anxiety. When I was in the hospital for this break, they gave me Ativan. Recently I had a discussion with TXPOTS, who is an x pharmicist. It was recommended to use Klonipin. I guess allot of POTS people find that helpful. Look back at that discussion. Keep me posted.

Yes! Anything that causes an adrenal surge or stress can bring mine on. You can't totally avoid either. But the calmer life can be the better.