kalamazoo

I have a question, do your hands swell at night? I wake up with very very swollen hands, I can't wear rings at night anymore.

I haven't been diagnosed any further than POTS, so I'm not sure which POTS I do have .. I've actually decided to go to the Mayo clinic in december (so far from now) Hopefully I can find a place to stay any everything but if it's only as expensive as a regular doctor, i'd rather spend my money there than waste it here on clueless doctors.

Wow that sounds extremely complicated ... See, the complication here is that my erythromelalgia is just as prominent as my POTS, with weirder symptoms that doctors are confused by. If I eat high salt meals my fingers tingle, my face flushes and my hands get red hot. So I eat a very health low sodium diet, plus sometimes my blood pressure gets really high 150/105 ish. Also, under my skin you can see my veins and the vasoconstriction and dilation. When I'm feeling relatively good my veins are seemingly invisible because they're vasoconstricted, but when I'm feeling bad and the swelling start they bulge out of the skin so bad and you can see blue lines every where. I eat a low salt diet to control my EM (erythromelalgia) with isn't good for my POTS, so it's a lose lose situation I feel like.

I've actually already been given a referral for the Mayo clinic, just have been worried about funds .. I can only go in the winter which I might do THIS winter, I feel like everything is progressing and there's nothing I can do. After you go, you should give me all the details of the tests and what not they conduct and the results, It's always nice to know what you're getting into especially with the type of anxiety this disease brings along ...

I get these too, on my finger tips and on my arms, I was told it's vasculitis.

Have you taken a beta blocker? My cardiologist has recommended this a time or two, I'm to scared to take something like this. Seems like the side effects could be worse than the initial issue .. But that may be my phobia of medications talking.

Very true! I never thought of that, despite it being so obvious lol. And I have trouble doing such little things too, it's sad and very disappointing. I barely blow dry my hair any more because it makes my arms feel extremely heavy and swollen and red. I've contemplating just cutting all my hair off and never washing it again! lol

I used to live in Tucson but I was forced to move back home to Alaska because I cannot be in weather over 60, my legs swell so bad and all of the veins in my body start bulging under my skin, very painful. (erythromelalgia aggravated by POTS) so that commute is rather hard these days. I'm considering going to the Mayo clinic because I need a specialist because I can't find one here. I don't know too much about it but I know it's expensive lol.

I'm not ready to have kids, nor do I already so I was wondering if anyone with POTS would share their experiences with the disease and how it effects pregnancy. I want to one day be a mother but I've become too afraid with all of my sporadic health issues. So id you have kids or are currently pregnant, please do share

I'll have to look into celexa, I was taking clonozepam for quite some time but it didn't help with the pots at all, or really at all in general. And thanks for all the support, I haven't been able to find anyone who understands and then luckily I found this website, such a big help!

No I don't, I'm still on the hunt. (5 years now) I live in Alaska, so my options are limited, most doctors here don't even know what I'm talking about. I worry about taking antidepressants, I've taking prozac and zoloft before with only worsening of symptoms, but that was almost 10 years ago when I didn't have POTS or any other health issues. I'm just so at my wits end now that I'm desperate to try anything.

That's truly how I feel, like I'm dying .. It' comforting to know there are others out there who feel the same way, yet very unfortunate. The way my panic attacks come on can be random, to being hot to being a little anxious. When I have to get up in front of class or do anything that requires the little amount of work from my nerves they just go haywire. It's like my adrenaline doesn't have settings, it's either mildy always on or full blast. I never get a little nervous .. just pure blown fear. I can feel it in my stomach surge through my body then everything starts going into over drive. It's horrible. I've considered anti depressants but I'm worried they'll change my personality. I also have blood sugar issues and when my blood sugar is low, like in the morning my anxious is through the roof and so is my anxious. It's truly a terrible way to start the day.

Racing Heart Flushed skin Palpitations Extreme high blood pressure Panic Attacks Leg swelling Hand swelling Vein swelling Breathlessness Stomach Issues Memory Issues Headaches & the list goes on ...

Please tell me someone else has these horrible crippling 'panic attacks'? I've had them for years but now because of my POTS and other health issues, they're out of control. My heart starts throbbing and racing to about 160 at least, my blood pressure goes crazy and I feel flushed and extremely dizzy. It would be nice to know some one experiences this as I do.