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lindauerin

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  1. Thanks for the reply - that's kind of my inclination, too. All of the BP readings seemed a little off... will see what the doc thinks next week!
  2. So, today I was sent for a treadmill stress test due to random short runs of PSVT and an increase in PVCs lately, which were captured on a 2 week event monitor. Typically, I have sinus tachy when I'm having POTS symptoms; PVCs mixed in during severe episodes. Cardiac tech said there were no abnormal rhythms or ectopic beats during or after the test, but my BP was LOW after 7-9 minutes on the treadmill - 40/20!! I did not feel faint, just out of shape (I'm 35, but haven't been exercising) and a little short of breath. But my BP kept dropping throughout the test. This is weird for me because my BP during my tilt was higher than or equal to my normal BP, which is around 100/60. I do take a small dose of Propranolol 3x per day (7.5mg), but that small of a dose doesn't lower my bp much at all. I'm not sure how accurate the BP readings were, but even if they were off somewhat, my BP still decreased very significantly. So now I'm worried...anyone else run into this?! Severe hypotension with exercise, but not on tilt or standing? Any idea what this means? I have an appt on Tuesday with an EP doc, but need to survive the weekend
  3. Thanks - I wear compression stockings, drink lots and do calf raises and squats throughout the day to try to keep the blood moving. As far as symptoms, I sometimes feel sluggish and slow when my b/p is low, but not always. So the symptoms don't always correlate with the pressure. I tried taking a slightly lower amount of propranolol this morning (I cut the tabs in half and chip away at them)...will see where I'm at in an hour. Thank you all for the advice!
  4. Thanks so much to both of you - all great suggestions, some of which I haven't yet tried! I've been hesitant about midodrine because I can easily get an intractable migraine that lasts for a week or longer ( and have heard many say it makes migraines worse). And I also have generalized swelling, so electrolyte drinks tend to make me retain more...kind of a vicious cycle!
  5. So, I'm still uncovering what exactly is causing my POTS or POTS-like symptoms. I suspect adrenal fatigue / pituitary / thyroid or something along those lines. Aside from the typical POTS stuff, I have hyperpigmentation and swelling (both generalized), flushing in my hands and some other odd symptoms. Endo ruled out Addisons; rheumatologist didn't have much to say. In the meantime, while my test results come back "mostly normal," I'm taking a beta blocker (propranolol 5-10 mg three times a day) to help control my heart rate. The problem is that I have pretty low blood pressure to begin with - 100/60 and prior to all of this, my resting pulse was around 60. I was feeling ok this morning, but checked my blood pressue about an hour after I got up anyway and it was 88/47 while working at the computer. Despite a large cup of coffee, I couldn't get it higher than around 95/50 all morning. Seeing 80s and 40s makes me kind of nervous. My pulse drops to 50 and probably goes much lower when I'm asleep. When I started the beta blocker a year ago, my blood pressure wasn't dropping so low. I know others have pretty low resting bp - what are your thoughts? Anything to worry about? I don't really want to start any new drugs until one of my docs can figure out the root cause (based on the other symptoms, I'm guessing it's not just POTS, but I think maybe we all feel that way!!)
  6. bebe127 - Wow - that is exactly how I feel - borderline agoraphobic! Thanks for sharing your experience - I'll ask my dr. if I can increase my Klonopin dose (very similar to Xanax, but longer acting (I think..). My dr.'s latest suggestion was Adderall, but it's been nearly impossible to get my insurance to cover it. Also very curious about Clonidine...
  7. Hi everyone. I'm hoping you can help with this debilitating symptom. I started having major POTS symtoms while pregnant in 2011 (confirmed by a ttt last October). I have typical POTS symptoms while standing / walking (heart racing, nausea, lightheadedness), but also many of the same symptoms while siting. The worst are these panic attack-like symptoms - adrenaline rush, tachycardia, faintness, anxious feeling, shaking. This happens predominantly after lunch, around 3-4pm, after dinner and around 9pm. Almost like clockwork!! I take Propranolol and Klonopin 3x per day, but these "attacks" still occur. They seem to come out of nowhere and aside from the anxiety they produce, I don't feel anxious and would think the Propranolol and Klonopin would prevent panic attacks, if they were anxiety-driven. I'm so confused! For those of you that experience this, is this part of POTS? Do you get symptoms while sittig? Does anyone have this happen daily? Has anything helped you? I've cut down on carbs and sugar, which definitely seem to be triggers for me, and eat frequent small meals. Sorry for all of the questions, but these attacks are really preventing me from doing so much
  8. So sorry you're going through this - know that you're not alone!! Is working from home on a regular basis an option for you? I was having horrible symptoms at work - adrenaline rushes almost every day that would last for over an hour at times and were not only scary, but embarrassing and incapacitating. Working from home has been a lifesaver for me - not having to worry about when I will feel good enough to shower, if I can drive, meetings during a mealtime, etc, etc. I'm convinced this will all get better for all of us with time. Try to take joy in small accomplishments...doing a load of laundry, taking a short walk, having a good conversation with a friend. I know it's easier said than done.. Hang in there!
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