rgny

During my waking hours, I am usually in bigeminy or trigeminy. When I had surgery last year, I remained in bigeminy even under anesthesia (when I came to in Recovery, I could hear the anesthetist and the nurses discussing me!) As far as I know, I have no symptoms from the arrhythmia, it's just an everyday annoyance. I've had echo, stress test, etc and my cardiologist isn't concerned at all with the rhythm.

I'm not sure where you're located, but the weather in Missouri this summer is kicking my butt. Hard. I don't know what factors are causing such a significant flare but I haven't felt this bad since the summer of 2007. Today it's in the 70s with low humidity and I was actually able to get out and run a few short errands. You are definitely not alone.

Let us know how you feel with the change! I'm seeing my cardiologist on Thursday. I've only tried beta blockers before with less than happy results.

I started having abdominal pain in May and my GP put me on 300 mg of ranitidine daily for what he suspected was GERD or an ulcer. I took it for about two weeks with improvement in the pain, but it caused horrendous brain fog and fatigue during the day even though I took my dose at bedtime. I stopped it and within 24 hours, I was flat out with a flare of POTS. It can't be a coincidence. I went from almost normal functioning (driving, doing all errands independently, gardening, housework, etc.) to being almost completely bedbound. I tried taking ranitidine again with some improvement in my POTS symptoms but the nearly unbearable fatigue and palpitations from the medication were affecting me as badly as the POTS symptoms so I stopped it again. I tried a reduced dose of 75 mg with no success. I've been off the medication now for a week and my POTS symptoms are as bad as they've ever been. I can be up and moving around for 10 minutes at the most. When I stand, my heart rate immediately rockets into the 140s and 150s when before it was hanging in there around the 90s to 100s. I fainted yesterday for the first time in my life while sitting up and eating lunch. This stinks. I've parted ways with my GP because he became very angry at the idea that I was having side effects or withdrawal from the ranitidine. It's a well-tolerated drug, apparently, so I shouldn't be having any problems, and if I am, I'm imagining them. Whatever. I know many people with mastocytosis, etc. take ranitidine and see improvement in their symptoms. Has anyone ever had a bad reaction like I have? I'm actually beginning to question myself even though I have a long history of drug intolerance.

I can drive when I choose to. I have never fainted although I've come close several times. It's more the fear of POTS symptoms that keeps me close to home. Nothing I hate more than being in a store and getting that head rush/panicky feeling and knowing I have to get back to the car and get myself back home feeling so horrid. Luckily we live in town and I never have to drive more than 5 or 10 minutes in any direction. I haven't driven outside of the city limits for a few years.

Thanks! I think I need to try the ice pack trick. I was flat out yesterday after a ten-minute shower and only feeling a bit better today. My cardiologist has tried me on so many beta blockers and I had a terrible reaction to labetalol. For now, I'm unmedicated but I see my cardio on Friday so hopefully he will have some suggestions.

I've been in a serious flare since May and my usual measures aren't helping much. I end up sitting on the floor of the shower (hurray for detachable shower heads) and getting in and out quickly. I try to shower every other day and use dry shampoo in between. Might have to consider a shower chair.

I had a shower this morning, three hours ago, and I feel completely wiped out for the day. It was lukewarm and I was in and out in under 10 minutes. I'm having trouble getting my BP up and my heart rate down, even with extra fluid. Flares are so frustrating!

Well, thank you! You have idea how encouraging it is to hear that. My son's summer went from lots of fun activities planned to hanging out at home with me, poor guy. I've had POTS for seven years and this is only my third major flare. I wish I had more advice on what I did each time to make myself feel better, but I just saw gradual improvement over a period of months until I was back to "my" normal. For me, seasonal changes have a lot to do with it and my flares have always been in the summer. I hate summer! And I am with you on the no appetite thing, for sure. I've lost six pounds in the past month because I either can't be arsed to make food for myself, or if I have the energy, nothing looks or sounds good. I'm keeping my family fed but as far as I'm concerned, I've been making do with canned soup for the sodium, a homemade electrolyte drink and fresh fruit.

My first post here, although I have been lurking and reading every day. I'm finding myself in the same situation as you. I had reached a good baseline, was able to get around town, run errands, take my son places and then in April of this year, was hit with one life stressor after another. I was still handling things well until the week of my son's day camp where I had to be up at 6 am every day and drive him back and forth. By the end of that week, I crashed hard and I am back where I was at the beginning of this whole journey: Blood pressure is stable at about 100/70 but my heart rate is crazy, I am dizzy and fuzzy-headed, can't remain upright for more than 15 minutes and everything is going to pot including my personal care, the house, laundry, etc. I don't know if this crash is going to end, how long it's going to last and what to do to help myself. I'm doing my usual self-care and I keep waiting to feel better but I don't and it's getting me down. Hope there are better times ahead for both of us.