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Hi Jess, I agree with the others...talk to your doctor and get a better explanation. The additional test you're describing sounds like a FEES study...flexible endoscopy...it's often used to check peoples vocal cords but CAN be used to look at swallowing function. IF this is the test the doctor wants to do and IF it's simply to check your swallowing function (which includes the head of the esophagus) then you might want to ask for a Modified Barium Swallow Study instead. I say this b/c the swallow study is considered the "gold standard" for examining swallowing function. It is a non-invasive test typically done by a radiologist and a Speech Pathologist. If it comes to that and you want more info. just PM or e-mail me. In the mean time I hope the Nexium helps and you won't need anymore tests done!

Thanks guys! I'm going to stay gluten free for awhile and see how it goes...like you said it can't hurt anything. It's been kinda' fun looking at different foods and finding new recipes. So far everything still tastes good so I think I'll stick with it! Em, I still haven't e-mailed my friend back...I know..I'm being a weenie!! I plan on doing it this week though so I'll let you all know how it goes. Love to you all!!

Hi Dean..welcome aboard!! Just wanted to make a suggestion regarding your vocal issue. See if your doctor will refer you to a Speech Language Pathologist...since you've been to an ENT and they found nothing structural that would explain your horseness I think a Speech Path. would be a good next step (yes, I am a SLP). There are many things that could be causing your horseness that therapy could help you with. We also work with swallowing disorders as well so if that is or becomes a problem it can be address too. If you want more info. on vocal disorders you can go to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) website. Not saying that this isn't related to your other medical issues..it quite possibily could be..but at leaste this is another avenue you can look into regarding a diagnosis. I hope you find some relief soon!

Hi guys...well I finally broke down and had the blood testing done for gluten intolerance and apparently everything came back "normal". I'm actually surprised and kinda' disapointed by the results. I have several symptoms that can't really be explained by POTS (B 12 deficiancy, gall bladder disfunction, reoccuring hive on my left wrist, white specks on my finger nails, etc.) and the more I researched Celiac the more I thought that might be the answer. After I had my blood drawn I decided to go ahead and stop consuming gluten "just in case" and even though my tests were negative I think I'm going to continue with the diet. I know a lot of follks here avoid gluten b/c they HAVE to...but I was wondering if a gluten free diet has been beneficial to anyone who ISN'T gluten intolerant? Is it still realistic for me to expect some improvement from this diet or am I just grasping at straws?

OUCH!! That doesn't sound fun! I hope that your ears start to calm down a bit as they heal...hopefully the tubes will bring you lots of relief. Sorry you're having to fend for yourself at such a tough time...I can't imagine what I'd do without my Mom here...definately would be living on cereal. Like you said..it just makes you realize how lucky we are to have loving people in our lives. Take care and I hope you feel better soon!

Oh Nina...my heart goes out to you! It's never easy to lose someone you love..what a courageous thing you did for your kitty...I know that it can be so hard to make that decision but you did and now she is at peace. Sending gentle hugs your way...

Thanks for the help guys! Well, I decided to do the "I'm fine" response and basically just mentioned that I moved back to the gulf coast a few years ago and since then I've just been taking it easy..which IS true. But then I got another reponse back from him and evidently he now thinks I'm living a care free life here on the coast...OOPS!! So now I've decided to go ahead and let him know what's "really" been going on. I'll just keep it simple and hopefully he'll understand that although I have this disorder I'm still ME. We've both said we'd like to keep in touch and if I'm going to do that then I'll need to be honest about where I am in life. I'll let ya'll know how it goes....thanks again for all your advise!!

Could it be something as "simple" as an allergy? Some type of histamine response to the foods or meds. she's taking? I have no idea on any doctors to recommend...wish I could be more helpful! Please let her know that I'm thinking of her and hope that she gets some relief very soon.

I'll be thinking of you Lisa and hoping these treatments start to help you!!

Hey guys...I've come across a situation that I thought ya'll might be able to help me with. Last week I got an e-mail from a guy I knew way back in high school...we haven't seen each other since graduation (12 yrs. ago) so needless to say I was very surprised to hear from him. I actually lost contact with all of my friends from back then after I moved to AL for college. At first I was really excited to reconnect with someone from that time in my life..it brought back so many great memories..but then I realized I had no idea how to answer the dreaded question "How are you?". I decided that I would respond with a "glossed over" version of life since high school...(ie. I didn't really say anything specific and simply turned to neutral topics like congratulating him on getting married etc. and asking about other class mates). I figured that would be the whole of our correspondence...but then he e-mailed me again...and again the loaded question "how are you?". I have no idea how to answer. I mean what am I supposed to say..."Well, things were going great...got my degrees...had lots of fun in college...started a wonderful career...then 3 yrs. ago I was knocked down by some mysterious disorder and now I live at home with my mom, am on disability, and only leave my home on special occasions (doctor apts.). No, I'm not married...nope..no children...nada on the career...what do I do all day? Well, most days I use up all my energy attempting to fool myself into believing that SOME day I'll be better and distracting myself from the reality of my life." I know that I didn't ask for POTS and I know that there's nothing I can do to change the fact that I have POTS...but sometimes I'm really ashamed that I'm so sick. It's almost as if I'm being defined by this illness and I hate it! I just feel so pathetic sometimes...and I guess I'm embarrassed that I don't have any acheivements to speak of. Everyone's going forward with their careers and creating families. It's like someone pushed pause on my life and forgot to restart it. And while I'm sitting here...patiently waiting...others are out there living the life I was "supposed" to have. I feel like I'm being left behind and pretty soon I won't be able to relate to my peers anymore. So, what do I say to my old friend? I guess I could lie...or be vague again..but I feel he deserves more than that after reaching out to me after all these years...but does he REALLY want to know "how I'm doing"? I could really use some advise on this one guys...it's really stirred up a lot of stuff for me and I just can't seem to come up with an appropriate response. Thanks for listening...love to you all.

Oh hon..I'm so sorry things are so tough right now. Dealing with this disorder is hard enough without having your family..the people you love being so unsupportive. I don't have much to add..the others all had some great suggestions. I'm sorry you have to go to DC for med. help but at least Oct. is coming up soon...maybe til' then you could spend more time with your grandpa and less at home? I hope you're feeling better soon...((((hugs))))

Hi Heather...if you'll look on DINET's main page there is a physician's list that actually has 3 docs. in the Dallas area...two in Dallas and one in McKinny which isn't far. I have no experience with any of them but perhaps someone else can give you more info. on them. Good Luck!

Oh Nina...as always you amaze me! I hope that you're ears and everything else are feeling better soon...sounds like those tubes will give you some much needed relief. Congrats on making it through you're first few days at work...I know how trying and rewarding it is to work with autisitc tykes (I was an SLP)..so give yourself a gentle pat on the back and get some much needed rest this weekend!!

I hope that you'll be feeling better soon Morgan!! I'm so glad that the procedure went well for you and hope to see you on the boards again soon...we miss you! ((((Hugs))))

I feel that regardless of how people viewed Steve's public life...whether they supported him or disagreed with his practices...it's important to remember that he was still a human being...a father and a husband. My heart goes out to his family...especially his son and daughter...it makes me so sad that they now have to grow up without their father. May you rest in peace Crocodile Hunter.

Morgan, I'm so happy that the docs. are finally going to be able to DO something for you. I know it's not a "cure" but I do hope that the pacer helps you feel a lot better!! Thinking of you as always!!

Happy Birthday!!!

I was taking penacillian...I'm not on them anymore I finished taking them about 6 days ago...just wondering how long people tend to feel the effects AFTER a round is finished.

Dionna, Wow thay sounds rough!! I was going to suggest it could be a medication you're taking but I see that you are currently med free. I would definately bring it up with your doctor...I think any doc. that you trust should be fine. I would expect that they might order a sleep eval. if you haven't already had one and possibly a psych. eval. I don't say that to scare you or imply in ANY way that this is "all in your head"...but if a sleep study shows nothing unusual a psychologist may be able to figure out what's going on. Psych.'s study sleep and sleep patterns..that's actually where I learned about sleep disorders and the stages of sleep...in psychology class! As far as this effecting your POTS symptoms it sounds like it definately could. Even when people with "normal" ANS function experience sleep problems it can effect their day to day lives. In any case...I hope you find some answers and some much needed relief soon!!

Hey guys..I know this has been discussed a bit before...I went through some of the old posts already...but I still wanted to ask about your experiences with antibiotics. As some of you know I've been having lots of dental work done and my dentist had put me on penacillin for my 3 root canals...at first I thought I was doing fine with them...took them for a week...then several days later started another round for 4 days. Now I've been off of them for 5 days and I feel totally crummy . Actually, I've been feeling pretty bad for a week now and I'm trying to figure out if it could be the antibiotics or if I'm just going into one of my "bad" phases. The thing is I haven't felt this bad in a LONG time..at leaste not consistently...but right now I'm so exausted and queasy..dizzy..heavy...it really *****!! I guess my main question is...have anitbiotics made you feel like pooh...and if so how long after you STOPPED taking them did you return to "normal"...they stay in your system for awhile don't they? I'm planning on calling my "POTS" doc. tomorrow to see if I can talk to him about it but in the mean time I'd appriciate any experiences ya'll can share. Thanks!! *Update on dental work...3 root canals and one crown complete!!! Two crowns to go...I'm hoping I'll be finished by mid Sept.*

Hey Em!! I have NO idea how to help you with this...I'm way impressed that you've gotten this far with your blog...computers and I seem to have a love hate relationship!! I just wanted to stop in and say that I checked out your blog and I LOVE it!! You've done a great job! It really is a great way to keep everyone in the loop so to speak without having to use up your precious energy. I'm sure someone here can help you get the kinks worked out! Take care love!!

Welcome home Diz!! I'm sorry you're feeling so yucky right now...I hope things start to calm down soon!! Congrats on getting some help at home...I know it's a mixed blessing but hopefully it'll help you start to feel a bit better now that you won't have to worry about doing those things around the house. Take care hon...I hope you're feeling better soon!!

Sending good thoughts your way sonotech! I hope that you are feeling better soon. Thanks for posting Morgan..I hope things start to improve for you too..we miss you! ((((Hugs)))) to you both.

Sending good thoughts and prayers for you and Jeff.

Yeah..I've had trouble seeing some of the avatars from time to time too...but this time it's like Corina said...when I'm logged onto the site everything is fine...but when I log off there are not avatars and the emoticons don't work. It's really weird...I wasn't going to mention it at first but it's been like this for several days now so I wanted to make sure I wasn't the only on experiencing it!! No big deal really...at leaste I can still read the posts without having to log on.