Lemons2lemonade

Salycilic acid is chemically similar to aspirin and is used in a lot of facial cleansing products. One of my old chem professors said they used it orally before the pill form became available.

One of my friends was discussing using atropine on a patient in the hospital. While researching it I found.this: (not highly academic and could have overstated plant classifications but still an interesting concept nonetheless.) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62

Hmm. I get the good periods but don't necessarily feel wired like I do with the adrenaline. I definitely crash after them too. It like 2-3 days activity 2-3 days sleeping. It is kind of frustrating because the good days let you know what you are missing on the bad ones and that frustration can lead to emotional expression. I usually just cry to get it out.

It's weird, I don't get the typical pots swelling but some people do.

How often do you get high bp's you should look up hyperadrenergic pots. Also, if you are having high bp's you might be able to get away with a beta blocker. They also help anxiety ill definitely let you know. There is a girl on here named Julie who also just saw Dr. G.

Representing the 206! Nice to see another Washingtonian on here. I have had everything up to the shaking many times and the inability to speak once, but it only lasted for about 45 minutes. I figure the brain can do all sorts of bizarre things when it is lacking in oxygen. Have you ever tried promethazine or zofram for the nausea? Also, a probiotic helped with my digestion. There was awhile there where I would only eat soup and saltines.

I started off with a beta blocker. It was metoplerol. It worked really well for me for about 6 months. Then, my body didn't want it anymore and started acting up. Following that, I went on midodrine which constricts your veins. It gave me chest pain but everyone has a different experience which is also true with the beta blocker. I currently take fludrocortisone or florinef which acts on the kidneys to retain fluid in order to increase blood volume thereby reducing pots symptoms. A prerequisite to all of these medications is sodium and inceased water intake if you have pots. I currently take 2 grams+ of sodium per day and drink around at lease 4 liters.of water and gatorade. Be careful only drinking water because it can flush out your electrolytes. I take the fludrocortisone to prevent me.from losing this water through urination. :/

A lot of insurance companies will cover the cost of your visit if they do not have a qualified person in the area, and honestly, the drs at the autonomic labs are really the only ones who know anything about this. If you do have insurance talk to your Dr and their customer service number to see what you need to do to get a referral. If you can get a referral approved it shouldn't cost any more than seeing your regular doctor. So really most of the cost is just getting down there and paying for a place to stay, car etc. To get a referral: 1. Tell your doctor you want a referral to see a specialist in Arizona because they can do testing to determine the cause of my pots through testing that no one in this area is capable of such as qsart and sweat testing. And by finding the cause it can be better treated. 2. Your doc will probably tell you no, at which point you ask him how he plans on solving each of the plethora of symptoms of pots and what he actually knows about the disease such as modern research on it and how he plans on getting you these necessary diagnostic tests. He most likely will not know much. Don't be afraid to argue with him and stand your ground. The squeakiest wheel gets the grease and there are countless stories of clueless drs on here. Don't let him brush you off. Your nervous system isn't working properly and this is serious. And don't be afraid to communicate that. 3. The referral will go through an approval process. If it is denied by the insurance company, you can appeal it. 4. All of my drs threw me to the neurologist who basically threw his hands up wrote the referral, and it was approved without having to he appealed. Best bet is to get a referral from either cardiology or neurology. If they don't know what to do-it.kind of highlights the complexity of the disease in which case mayo appears more necessary.

Ugh clonazepam, I was on it and it didn't do anything except make me feel that my body weighed 500lbs. Another thing to note is that treating pots (I assume this is what you have been diagnosed with?) Can provide some relief through medications such as a beta blocker, fludrocortisone, or midodrine.

Also, just a heads up the nearest autonomic testing center with expert doctors in this area is in Arizona at the mayo clinic with Dr. Goodman, though, word is that they are opening a new one in California. I live in Washington and am going to see Dr. Goodman in 2 weeks.

Stay strong Issie! Sending hugs and prayers your way!

Also celexa is different than an antidepressant, it is an anti anxiety. I took prozac (which is an anti depressant) before celexa and it made me hallucinate and did nothing for pots, so I feel ya there sister.

Kal, I was worried about the personality change too. I kind of wish I wasn't because it caused me to go on longer than needed with these symptoms. Honestly, after taking them I am more like myself than I ever have been since pots started. They took me back to my actual personality and not this person who is freaking out all of the time. Also, I noticed you are new here, welcome! People on here are all very nice and can answer any question about autonomic dysfunction that you might have. Also, if you have any questions you can always message me personally. I know a lot of people on this forum were here for me when I was new and ill never forget how much they helped me. Do you have pots? What are your symptoms? And how were you diagnosed?

Kal, from what I have read many of us do. It is not necessarily a panic attack but a pots attack, feels the same I imagine only potsies have a reason they are feeling this way. I take celexa to deal with this and it has helped tremendously. It is your adrenaline trying to compensate for lack of blood flow to the brain. They are terrifying in fact I don't think there is even an appropriate word to describe the amount of fear associated with them. The best thing you can do is lay down with your feet up, try to stay calm, and realize that you aren't actually dying. Your body just thinks it is because there isn't enough blood flow to the brain. If I had to describe pots attacks, it would be experiencing the most horrifying moments before someone dies over and over again. There is a psychological component but it is not something that you can control entirely in your mind. Worrying about them only makes it worse though. There are also benzos that you can take to calm you down during these, but they can further lower blood pressure and have everlasting addictions which withdrawing from is like the worst panic atttack you could imagine x12+ hours. This is why I opted for the ssri. BTW my knowledge of benzo withdrawals is first hand and it makes pots attacks feel like a day at the spa.

Wow Lily, you are a fighter! I give you infinite props, keep fighting love!

Heis, it could be caused by pressure on a nerve. When I was in the hospital my neck was tilted weird and it created restless leg syndrome type pain. Small fiber neuropathy is diagnosed by a skin puncture. From what I can gather they basically give you a hole punch. Wedont, yes exactly like a phone vibrating. The buzzing is the nerve malfunctioning.

Jen, this has happened to me before verbally. I couldn't speak and was really disoriented. I went to the e.r. and by the time I checked in it had resolved. Also, it could have been a computer problem. What is unusual are the multiple strikings of the same characters. If you were typing gibberish it might look something more like: ky waddes poul do madty. <-- coming up with that was harder than I thought it would be. also, nothing to be embarrassed about, during my 1st pots.attack I thought the er doctor worked for a secret government agency that was trying to kill me. In reality I was hallucinating

I know naomi, i kinda am hoping my pots has another cause, but the buzzing leads me to believe neuropathy.I started getting symptoms after i fell 40 ft from a chairlift ans was knocked unconscious.I am seeing dr. goodman on the 13th of this month and am planning on talking to him about it.

so true, sue

This is awesome, way closer to washington than arizona

wondering?

http://books.google.com/books?id=eogRdpiN4nIC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=orthostatic+intolerance+and+healthcare+workers&source=bl&ots=v23MxbhnlI&sig=Q1sp2vwkub3c5mvBYp6ULF2bDFk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9d4qT_uHHIqyiQLvubGcCg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=orthostatic%20intolerance%20and%20healthcare%20workers&f=false Interesting that someone has written about the prevalence in healthcare workers.

Julie, are you taking any antihistamines or new immunosupressants? When i take claritin, i am dry as a bone.

My vitamin d was 33 low normal.

Anyone know, and are doctors willing to do them, not at vanderbilt and mayo?