joyagh

my last holter showed 2500 PVC's per day, and my TTT was inconclusive b/c I had constant palps. it was b/c I was lying down. For me, I get more lying down - constantly. When I increase my HR (simply by standing or moving around - it goes up to 110-120 and I get breathless) my palps stop. I've been on 50 MG of BB's for a couple months now, and it helps the palps. I still get them but far fewer. I personally think my heart is used to working harder when I'm upright, so when I lie down, it's pumping too hard for the demand and I get PVC's. also I think I have an adrenalyn problem. I can feel the rushing of it to my heart. maybe for you the palps start when your heart starts pumping harder when you stand? BB's do help.

interesting. it's got to have something to do with the increased blood volume. I though maybe the reduced atmospheric pressure opened my veins more allowing for easier circulation. I've heard high alt is good for high BP - it relaxes the veins and makes more room for the blood, thus reducing the pressure in the veins/arteries. hmmm.

I'm sure this has been covered, but I went to 7500 feet in the rockies yesterday and felt great! no tachy, minimal dypsnea, and no pulse/BP problems. Is that weird? I thought altitute would exacerbate symptoms, but I felt better! feeling like crap now back at 5000 ft.

I have just moved from Seattle to Fort Collins, CO with my almost-3 year old and my husband who has a new job here. The exhaustion of pushing myself with the packing, moving and caring for my DD gets to the point where I wake up in the middle of the night puking. this has happened twice during this process, after particulary tiring and stressful days. Is this a common thing with POTS if you push yourself too hard?

obviously they produce different results. with the stand test you are using your own muscles and their response to gravity, as well as determining how well your skeletal muscle pump is working. I have also read it can take 30 minutes to produce the tachycardia with the TTT. My tachycardia is worse with stand test than TTT.

I saw my PCP today. My HR went from 60 to 85 on the TTT. When I do the stand up test I go from 60 to 99. When I do any activity it goes to 120-130. So, it's not "no sign of POTS" as the tests were interpreted, it's more like we're thinking mild POTS. I also have constant PCV's. My BP is also all over the place - anywhere from 90/50 to 135/89. I just started extended release Toprol today, 12.5 mg per day. any advice on what to expect from that particular BB's?

interesting conclusion - "Given the right clinical setting, checking cortisol level should be a consideration in evaluation for an etiology for POTS." http://registration.akm.ch/einsicht.php?XNABSTRACT_ID=130475&XNSPRACHE_ID=2&XNKONGRESS_ID=140&XNMASKEN_ID=900

I finally saw my ND today. She said I have POTS based on my stand up test numbers and my symptoms, and based on my onset situation, since my PCP has ruled out other serious underlying conditions. She's having me do an adrenal test and suggested I eat protein every 3 hours to keep BG up and prevent an adrenaline surge due to low BG. Maybe that with the beta blockers, abdominal binder and treatment for adrenal fatigue will help. I feel hopeful. It was great to hear her explain it from a holistic point of view about stress on the body and its effect on the ANS. after having my cardio tell me I'm "just out of shape", this was a very validating and helpful experience.

yes - symptoms totally relieved lying down. @ Tinks - heart rate rises by 30 bpm *OR* goes to at least 120 (if resting rate is more than 90) to classify POTS. sustained standing increase is not necessary to be POTS.

Oh yes, I have a whole host of symptoms, which are relieved somewhat with the abdominal binder; extreme fatigue & sleepiness; very fast heart rate & pounding pulse when doing anything; constant palpitations; shortness of breath/feeling winded after the simplest of chores; dizzy; frazzled; scattered; spaced out; exercise intolerance; stressed; uncoordinated; muscle aches and burning, etc...

Did you stand up on your own or was it a TTT? I don't think I got the 30 BPM increase on the TTT although I never saw the results, but I do when I stand up on my own. Also, my HR seems to stabilize somewhat lower after being up for a few minutes, although if I start to do anything it goes back up again. Do you know if the HR is supposed to stay 30 BPM+ over resting for a POTS DX? thanks.

Since I haven't received an official DX yet, and my tilt table test showed "no sign of POTS" (not sure if it's b/c I didn't faint - don't know what my HR went up to), I've been measuring my own HR & BP when I'm symptomatic with an Omron wrist BP & HR monitor. I finally did a couple proper "stand up" tests and got a HR increase of 39 and 35 BPM, but they stabilize around 80 BPM after standing a few minutes. Resting rate was 60 BPM in each test. Is this typical of POTS? My HR goes to 110-130 and I get dypsnea with minimal exertion . Thanks for any interpretations. Here are the numbers: first stand up test resting: 60 BPM, BP 108/60 stand up; 99 BPM, BP 124/76 2nd stand up test resting: 60 BPM, BP 108/61 stand up: 95 BPM, BP 110/76 2 minutes still standing: 80 BPM, BP 129/76 3 minutes still standing: 76 BPM, BP 119/81 then I tested my HR/BP when I bend forward horizontally, because after I stand up from such a position I usually get tachy of around 110+ but when I bend forward again to rest and catch my breath my HR goes down immediately. bent forward: 68 BPM, BP 151/89 (high) upright from bending: 82 BPM, BP 115/71 bent forward again: 65 BPM, BP 115/83 upright from bending: 80 BPM, BP 116/76

I wonder about this too. I mainly have tachycardia (120-130) with minimal exertion. Just standing my HR is about 80-95, which is about 25-32 above resting. I am symptomatic by 90 BPM, and my symptoms increase with my HR. I wonder about "ortho-kinetic" tachycardia symdrome or intolerance. I can't stand still and I never do b/c it's just uncomfortable so I dunno if my HR would go up a lot if I stood still for a while, but I should try it and check my HR. I have to be moving around or sitting down. But when I do any minor exertion (chores, etc) I get symptomatic. I seem to only be ok when I'm just walking and puttering or sitting.

I live in the pacific northwest and I notice that I feel much worse with the lower pressure weather systems (which we have most of the time) and in humidity. When we have high pressure I feel so much better, though still symptomatic I find it's much milder. I'm moving to Colorado so I wonder if my symptoms will improve there with the dry conditions. I felt better when I was there visiting even in the heat. I even get a temporary chest cough in the low pressure and/or humidity. Has anyone else noticed this connection between weather & symptoms?

oh, thanks for the info and link. I also think it has to do with increased cranial pressure. the nerves that affect the head, neck, arms & torso are in the cervical spine, so it has to be some sort of pressure in the cranium or neck.

thanks for your relies. seems like they are definitely worth a try.

I'm wondering if parasthesia if a symptom for any of you. When I was pregnant and edema'd, I had severe and frequent tingling of my face, head, neck, shoudlers, hands, arms and torso. Also my arms tingle and would go numb after I've been sleeping. I've noticed this happening lately too, although much milder. It's very disconcerting. I don't have lower extremity tingling, just torso & head & arms. is this a common symptom for anyone else?

Thanks for the compassion! Apparently I didn't get a BPM increase with the TTT, but often I do when I stand up on my own. but not always. I do feel uncomfortable standing. posturally. It's hard to explain. I can't breathe right and I feel physically uncomfortable. I get breathless, and frequently I do get a 30+ BPM increase. With the abdominal binder I feel 80-90% better. I may never get an accurate DX, but at least with the binder and maybe BB's I'll get some relief.

I get back, hip & leg pain when I overdo it or am ovulating or premenstrual. I stretch a lot and do self massage on my calves, use a rolling pin on my quads, and take a lot of advil. rest and soaking in a 101 degree tub helps too.

same here. I am currently a SAHM so I have to "work" I have to do chores, errands, shopping, lift a toddler, etc and can manage most of the time but with symptoms and discomfort, but if I do too much I get really out of whack. If I were teaching dance still I think I'd have a lot of trouble. I did one massage shift where I only did 2 massages and it took me a full week to get over the exhaustion and exarcerbation of symptoms.

My Dr. wants to put me on beta blockers b/c of my constant PCV's. I've heard it can also help POTS but I've also heard it can make you tired. Any advice on if it's worth trying? btw - I've noticed my PCV's are less frequent since I started wearing the abdominal binder.

If I lose any sleep of have been sick, get overly hot or dehydrated, or don't eat enough I get exhausted, my HR goes to 130 and I get out of breath to the point of panting doing barely anything, my leg muscles ache and burn, I get lightheaded and uncoordinated, and basicaly all my symptoms get exacerbated by about 10X. Plus the headache. Takes a few days of taking really good care of myself to feel better usually.

I don't know if Spanx would be enough compression. I have one and an abdominal binder and the spanx doesn't do it for me but the binder sure does.

My BP and pulse pressure vary greatly. Sometimes I get 90/50, sometimes 126/82. Then sometimes I'll be 120/60, and other times I'll be 90/75. It's bizzarre. I'm trying to start a log where I note the BP, pulse pressure, as well as what I'm doing and symptoms.

I believe I also developed POTS during my pregnancy. After delivery, I dropped all my baby weight plus a few pounds within 6 weeks. But about 2 years later, I gained 20 lbs in 3 months although no change in diet or lifestyle, and my belly looks like I'm 5-6 months pregnant again. I have found the abdominal binder helps my symptoms, so I'm wondering if I have 20 lbs of blood pooling in my belly.