edriscoll

It is great to hear that Jodi's daughter was helped and is feeling so much better. However, members should be aware that this center makes claims to "heal what other doctors cannot" as well as other claims to be the "only" treatment center offering cures for POTS. DINET cautions members to seek out physicians offering evidence-based medical treatments and practices. There are many causes for POTS and many that are still being investigated. Because of this there are cases of people with POTS whose symptoms resolve over time, sometimes with no clear explanation. In younger patients, particularly patients under 30 who become ill after a virus or infection, remissions can occur and hopefully last a lifetime. But remission and symptom resolution is very different from doctors offering a "cure". There is no known research based cure for POTS or dysautonomia. and frequently recovery includes an individual mix of medical responses. Please be sure to do your own investigations, consult organizations and foundations who are supported by medical advisers involved in dysautonomia research. And please be very careful when putting your health or the health of your family in the hands of people promising results that are not supported anywhere else. Hearing about recovery is a very powerful message and we are so happy to read about Jodi's daughter. We wish everyone the relief from symptoms and good health.

Sorry for the delay in my response, I was out of town last week. I'm glad that my post gave you some things to think about and discuss with your surgeon. To answer your questions, the best guess my surgeon could give is that the dysautonomia was caused from a combination of trauma to the spine itself (specifically the thoracic spine) and the general trauma of the surgery itself. The surgery was 13 hours long and it required posterior and anterior fusions, blood transfusions and I was intubated for 3 days in ICU following the surgery. My neurologist, who treats me for dysautonomia, has said that that that surgery caused a disruption to all of the major systems in the body. And given my age at the time, it is no wonder that all of my systems did not return to "normal" The specific reason for the first fusion failing is that the surgeon did not use pelvic bone for the fusion. Instead he took a "short cut" and used rib bone for the fusion. To reach the spine to insert the rods and cages, they deflate the lungs. To deflate the lungs, they removed a rib on the left side of my body. To save time, the surgeon used that rib for the fusion instead of making an additional cut to retrieve pelvic bone. The problem with that is that rib bone is very porous - so it doesn't offer the best chance of fusion. Also, fusion surgeries now use bio-medical materials to promote fusion and help the bone grafts take. None of this was used for me. Bottom line, I didn't have a good outcome for the 1st fusion because I wasn't given the best start unfortunately. I learned from that experience not to be intimidated into not asking the questions I need to ask. Since then, if I feel intimidated into silence, I get a new doctor. I wish you the very best in making your decision. Please feel free to contact me again if I can help in any way. All the best, Ellen

I am weighing in here on spinal fusion surgery in general. My cervical spine is not fused, however, I am fused from T1 to L5 with 2 6" screws holding my pelvic bones stable along with a spinal cage in the front of my spine and 4 rods in the back. My surgery was originally done to treat scoliosis, with 2 additional surgeries to correct what was done the first time. I woke up from fusion surgery with dysautonomia. They believe that disruption to the thoracic spine and nervous system caused a type of dysautonomia similar to dysreflexia. I also have an autoimmune component in addition to other health issues. But what I really want to share with you are some of the things that I did not realize or think about before agreeing to have my spine fused. This is not advice or an attempt to talk you out of or into the surgery. These are just some things that I wish someone had told me before my decision. 1. Not being able to turn or twist is a very big deal and limits your mobility and quality of life in ways that are difficult to imagine before you do it. In my case, I didn't realize that I would need to take only small steps for the rest of my life. It sounds funny and hard to imagine, but because of the pelvis being stationary, if I try to take a wide stride, I would end up going around in circles. Like I said, sounds silly and maybe minor - but not being able to just ....walk...without thinking about it is very limiting, especially when you add all the factors created by dysautonomia that impact just getting up and walking. That's just one example, but there are many. Not being able to turn or twist freely makes things like showering and washing your hair now require assistance tools. Getting dressed needs to be relearned. My point is if you can possibly wear something in advance to give you a similar experience to the limitations you will have after fusion, please consider doing it. Speak with your surgeon and ask for a way to duplicate the limitations so you can make a good decision. You want all the information you can have. 2. It is very difficult, if not impossible, for surgeons to predict what effect or disruption the surgery can have on nerve endings and muscle. In my case, I had the surgery in the hope of eliminating pain caused by the scoliosis. What I was not told and did not investigate myself, was the negative effect that was possible after cutting through nerves connected to the spine along with the muscles and ligaments. I did wake up with the original pain from scoliosis gone, but it was replaced with horrific nerve pain that continues to this day and could not be predicted. In your case, your goal is much different, but the point is the same - talk to your doctor (or preferably more than one) about what nerves or major muscles will be disrupted by the surgery and what, if any, effect it could have on your overall health. The top spine surgeon in Boston's Orthopedic hospital who did my final spine surgery told me this "A surgeon's answer to problems is always surgical. It's the patients job to weigh what you can gain or lose from the surgical response" Wise words from the horse's mouth. 3. When a part of your spine is fused, it no longer works the way it was meant to work. That can cause additional stress and strain on the next group of vertebrae in line. The additional stress over time can cause problems to those vertebrae. Ask what impact fusion may have on the health of the rest of your spine over time. 4. Fusions don't always take. I did not know how common it is for fusions not to hold. Granted, the more fusion done, the more likely a break or failure in parts of the fusion are likely. But still, I had no idea. Asking what steps will be taken to ensure you have a solid fusion (there are treatments and medications that can help), also asking what can be done if the fusion does not take as it was meant to (another surgery?). Ask if they are planning to check your Vitamin D levels and your ability to absorb calcium. If your levels are low, ask about being treated to raise your levels before the surgery. 5. Ask a lot of questions about post-op care and recovery. Take advantage of every rehab option given to you. Recovery from spine surgery requires knowledgeable assistance. It's not something you can just do by exercising at home. Also ask about diet. There are a lot of things regarding nutrition (food and supplements) that can help your odds of a successful fusion. I'm not trying to be scary but knowledge is a good thing, especially when it comes to surgery. Thinking positively is a great thing, but asking hard questions isn't negative, it's empowering. I realize that having 2/3 of your spine fused carries impacts that aren't as likely when just a few vertebrae are fused, however, anything done to your spine requires a lot of investigation. Clearly you are doing your homework just by asking these questions. I wish you the very best in making your decision and good luck in whatever you decide.

I am one of those people with the "strange" symptoms. I have tachycardia but I also have bradycardia quite often, usually within the same episode. At first I was diagnosed with POTS, but I think that was because it was the only dysautonomia disorder they could name. After more testing and observations, the neurologist and cardiologist agree that I have "General" dysautonomia - meaning I have autonomic dysfunction and many of the symptoms of dysreflexia (I have thoracic spine damage) - but my symptoms really don't fit into any one classification. I believe there are many more people out there with a similar situation to mine who never get diagnosed because we don't easily provide checks on the list of symptoms to fit with any one disorder. Interestingly, treatment is the same in that it is all hit and miss, trial and error until you find what works for you.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear your daughter is ill. Our physician database has the information for 2 specialists in Australia. We are working on adding more international listings. In the meantime, we have one in Melbourne and one in Heidelberg. I don't know the distance or how far you can travel, but if they are too far away, you can call and ask for a referral to someone in your area. Specialists treating rare disorders like dysautonomia usually know other specialists. Here is their information: Dr. Murray Esler 75 Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3004, Australia 61 (0)3 8532 1111 reception@bakeridi.edu.au Dr Chris O'Callaghan 455 Lower Heidelber Rd, Heidelberg, 3084, Australia 61 (0)3 9459 2699 There was no email included in the listing. Good luck with finding a doctor and I hope your daughter finds treatment and relief soon. For future reference, the Find a Physician database can be found at https://www.dinet.org/physicians/

There is a page of our site called "Open Recruitment Studies" This list doesn't include every study out there, but it does include many of the studies specific to POTS and other Dysautonomia Disorders. You can visit the page here:

There is no evidence that POTS or other dysautonomia disorders resolve because of age. And it is absolutely possible to develop POTS and other dysautonomia disorders at any age, even though POTS is more common with women during the "child-bearing" years. That being said, as DINET has been hearing from many women over the age of 50 who are newly diagnosed or in the process of being diagnosed, we have begun questioning whether the diagnosis is being complicated by age and whether the number of women with these disorders is under-reported. DINET conducted an informal survey of our members and Facebook followers who are living with different forms of dysautonomia. The survey was about diagnosis and treatment in postmenopausal women. Based on that survey, we are moving to the next step with an analysis of a questionnaire that we did over some months in 2018. We hope to explore the topic for the purpose of answering some important questions - Should treatment change as women age? How do patients and doctors track symptoms of dysautonomia vs the normal aging process? For example, with normal aging, some people develop some memory deficits, vascular issues, GI changes, etc. Will other illnesses be missed because all symptoms will be "blamed" on dysautonomia? And conversely, will dysautonomia be missed in older women because the symptoms will be attributed to older age? There are many other questions that we hope to answer over time. In the meantime, you can view the results of the 1st survey of members at this link. I believe the answers are very interesting. You can find the pdf with the results of the survey at this link:

April is National Volunteer Month. DINET is 100% staffed by volunteers; volunteers who generously give some of their precious spoons to DINET so we have this community here when we need it most. Please take a moment to join me in thanking these amazing volunteers. DINET's volunteer staff: (They are listed by their member names to respect their privacy but also so that you can reach out to them on the forum if you would like to) Forum Volunteers: MomtoGuiliana Clb75 Missy M Pistol Board of Directors & Newsletter WinterSown Goldstec Edriscoll Hallie Amy Keys reannamathis Mona Social Media LaurenMlack Thank you all from all of us!

I also have temperature swings so radical that I am frequently walking around the house in a sleeveless shirt with a zippered hoodie on but pulled down around my elbows. This gives me the option of getting warm quickly but cooling down quickly as well. Some days are fine but I always need to be aware of overheating and be able to respond quickly. If you are not sweating, you need to discuss that with your doctor right away. Also, remember that when you do sweat you are losing a lot of fluid and sodium, so electrolyte-rich drinks are important. One item that I discovered that has been a life saver for me, especially in the summer months, are cooling towels. They are available online or in most sporting goods stores. They are lightweight towels that come in different sizes. They stay cool and can be worn around your neck (my fave), wrapped around your head like a bandana or just used to cool your face and wrists (pressure points). There are also cooling vests that keep your core cool. I haven't used one myself, but I have heard from several people that they work quite well. But again, if you are not sweating, please consult with your doctor. Dressing in layers and taking precautions is important. Temperature dysregulation is a common symptom and can be a distressful one. But there are ways to handle it and it will get better.

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through all of that. Medical issues can be so overwhelming and especially so when there are multiple issues going on at the same time. I hope you get some relief soon and some answers. Hospitals all have social work departments that have patient advocates that can really help you speak to the doctors and sort out what the priorities should be for your care. They can also help with things like rides to appointments. If you haven't done so, you may want to call the hospital where you are having your testing done or where the majority of your doctors are and explain that you don't have family available and you need help. Telling them the story you have shared with us, may help you get the assistance you need. I hope you get help soon and find some relief from your pain. Take care.

I'm sorry about that. The post was supposed to expire, that was my error. The questionnaire ended 8/31. But we do expect to have a few other phases to this project over time, so please check back with us. Again, I apologize for the error.

Hi all, thank you so much for all you are doing to help with raising awareness for dysautonomia. It truly takes all of us bringing it to the forefront of people's minds - including and most importantly, the minds of the medical community. Please check back to the site and our Facebook page to see DINET's latest announcements and the efforts from other members to raise awareness for dysautonomia. I will include the info listed here on our Member Awareness page launching this week. If you know of any other members who would like to share their efforts with us, please ask that they email the info to webmaster@dinet.org with the subject line "Member Awareness" Thanks again and best of health! Ellen Driscoll

Please note: Thank you to all who took the time to answer our questionnaire. This phase of the pilot survey ended 8/31/2018. The data is being studied by Chelsea Goldstein and Miami University. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and interest in helping us understand the DINET community and your experiences living with dysautonomia. DINET is asking members to take a few minutes to answer a questionnaire aimed at investigating how age affects our diagnosis and possibly treatment of dysautonomia. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PRXLZ7L The questionnaire is a follow up to the informal survey we conducted last summer. To read more about this project, what we hope to find out and how we hope it will benefit dysautonomia patients, read the article by Chelsea Goldstein in this edition of Dysautonomia News, "Dysautonomia through the ages". This edition is full of articles written by members for members, answered member questions by our Medical Advisors and the latest research and open studies. Check it out - Dysautonomia News

Another alternative to the cooling vest are the cooling towels. You wet them with cool water and use them around your neck. You can stretch them out when they start to get warm and they cool down again. They aren't great if you are out in public because they do leave the front of your clothes damp, but if you are at home, then it is is a good way to stay cool.

You said it best "POTS is so much more than tachycardia" and I would add that dysautonomia is still so misunderstood. What you are experiencing is not unheard of - sometimes symptoms of autonomic dysfunction are lumped into the POTS classification because that is the dysautonomia most familiar to the doctor. But it is also important to remember that the symptoms for POTS are a guideline and not everyone experiences things the same way. I was originally diagnosed with POTS even though I didn't have the classic reactions when standing. I also didn't have the POTS classic reaction to the tilt table test. Yet, I clearly had autonomic dysfunction. I rarely have spikes in BP, yet frequently have alarming bradycardia. I have extreme exercise intolerance - I laugh at that description because I wouldn't think that raising my arms to shampoo is exercise - but it sure can cause symptoms. Constant fatigue, neuropathy, and the worse for me - shortness of breath, just to name a few. But I have never been the classic POTS patient with symptoms upon standing or within 10 minutes of standing. When I found a specialist who was experienced with autonomic disorders, and began my own research, I found out about the many types of dysautonomias and the different presentations they can take. The symptoms listed as hallmarks of the disorder are the ways symptoms present for the majority of the population. They are by no means the only way people can experience symptoms with the disorder. Also, and this is hard to keep in mind, but our bodies are changing constantly - blood flow, HR, BP, lung capacity, exposure to virus and infection, barometer, sleep, pain - the list goes on. These are all things that impact how we feel and changing states our bodies experience depending on what we are exposed to. It is a sort of domino effect in the body - but when you look at a list of symptoms or descriptions of disorders, none of that is taken into account. It would be impossible to do. So, it's tough to keep in mind the ways these other things are intersecting with your illness and your treatment. It's tough for you and your doctors. So what you experience for weeks, may not be how it presents weeks from now. I hope you find symptom relief soon. Keep asking questions with your doctors and reaching out to other patients. It is truly the best way to find what works for you. It's a process....Best of luck!

Become a DINET Featured Member. We are again taking applications for the Featured Member program. The program is open to DINET members who are patients or caregivers living with dysautonomia. The only criteria are that you are willing to share something about yourself & your life that brings you joy. It can be something that helps you cope with your illness or ways you have adapted to be able to continue a hobby or interest or simply something you enjoy doing. This can be something you create for yourself or others, it can be gardening, creating artworks, crafts, playing with your dog, reading a good book, enjoying your family, anything. This project was started after hearing from so many members and Facebook followers, about the very real depression and loss of identity that can happen when you live with chronic illness, especially illness that can be as life-changing and debilitating as dysautonomia can be. We heard from many people, all ages, many disabled, many struggling to continue work - but many people working to find a way to adapt and to remind themselves that they are more than this disorder or illness. Most importantly, to find joy in their world, wherever it may be found. If you would like to share your story, we would love to hear from you. You will be featured on our homepage, our facebook page and included in a post sent to friends and followers of our page. If you would like to apply, contact webmaster@dinet.org We will send you a few questions to get you started. Members are featured in date order from when they complete the application process. If you have further questions about the project, please contact the webmaster address.

How about in the middle of an executive management meeting with my boss and the entire management staff of the company seated and staring at me as I slid to the floor. By the way, I was in the middle of a presentation I had worked on for months! It started with a full temperature spike, so profuse sweating, my heart pounding so hard that I couldn't hear anything. But I could tell by the expression on their faces that I must have looked pretty rough. I remember thinking "please no! Not now! Not now!" Yeah.... that didn't work. I slid to my knees (I was in a dress and terrified of where it would end up if I fell) before I became completely incapacitated. I came to with all of them still seated and staring at me. I sat up. My boss offered to help me back to my desk. I refused, wiped the sweat off my face and proceeded to do the worst presentation of my entire working life because of the pounding headache, horrible brain fog and shaking that I couldn't stop. My stubborn need to prove to myself that nothing had changed, led me to do a lot of regrettable things back then. But acceptance was hard for me. It was most definitely the worst episode that I can remember clearly.

Do you have a project, a craft/art, hobby or service that you do regularly, that brings you joy? What do you do that you feel passionate about? For many of us, being diagnosed is just the first step of many at the beginning of our adaptation to life with dysautonomia. To celebrate the resourcefulness, the creativity and the tenacity of our members, beginning this month, DINET will be selecting a member to feature on our site & our Facebook page. The feature member page will include your photo, links to your site, storefront (if you have one), your contact info and 2 photos of your work. We will also include a one paragraph intro about what you do, and what it means to you. If you would like to be considered, please email your full name, your DINET member name (the name you use to login), the city/state/country where you live, your diagnosis and a link to your work or at least one photo (for now) so we can see what you do. The descriptive paragraph & other photos can be submitted once you are selected. Please email all required information to webmaster@dinet.org Only one member will be featured at a time and the length of time on the site is dependent on how many submissions we receive. We will do our best to give each member a chance to be featured. Our goal is to share the joy your project brings you with the DINET community and to let your spirit be an inspiration to others. Thank you so much for your interest and for being a part of the DINET. community.

Big guy, you are far from being a baby and I am far from brave. You show your bravery by being able to admit you need help & asking for it. And I want to put my journey in perspective for you so you don't feel like you should be further along or not strong enough with where you are now. It took me a total of 3 years to go through the onset of symptoms to leaving work and another 3 years at home struggling before I got a handle on things and adapted to the "new me". It was far from a short trip! And I have 3 granddaughters that motivated me. In particular a 4 year old that spends a lot of time with me. She has developed an amazing empathetic side of herself & helps me on bad days. She has adapted to the way life is for me & she will say " you look tired, how about we paint?" I think being honest with her about what I can & can't do has been a blessing for us both. You will find d your way & your daughter will be by your side whether you can play sports or not, good days & not so good ones. Find your own "normal" & enjoy.

Hello and welcome! I fought leaving work for a very long time. I reported directly to the owner of the company who was wonderful about making concessions for me to do some of my work from home, as well as never giving me a hard time for all of the time I had to take off. However, my illness grew to the point where I could only function with resting periodically throughout the day. I tried working mornings, returning home for a 2 hr rest, and then going back to work in the afternoon and staying late to make up the time. That worked for a short time period but after a while, I couldn't last long enough in the afternoon to fulfill my time obligations. My boss graciously reminded me that he didn't care as long as I was still achieving my goals. But that became difficult too. My staff were unbelievably supportive and watched out for me many times when I became ill at work. They did what they could to help me retain my dignity - not easy to do when you crash to the floor in a dress! Throughout this time period, my doctors kept telling me that I was not doing the best for myself medically by continuing to work. But I loved my job and didn't want to leave. I should say that not everyone that I worked with was so understanding and wonderful. There were many other managers & staff that expressed doubts about how "really" sick I was since I looked so good. They were resentful at the extra help I was getting, even though before becoming ill, I was the employee skipping vacations while they were at the beach but some people just like to think the worst of other people and I find there is little you can do to change that. As my dysautonomia progressed, I was having "episodes" everywhere! I worked in an old historic building with a long staircase to the 2nd floor where all of our meetings took place. I can't count the number of times the management staff had to wait uncomfortably while I had to lay down at the top of the stairs outside the conference room, until I could sit up enough to get to the chair. While I would seem okay afterward, I was far from ok. My head would be pounding and I was usually so disoriented that I gained nothing from being there. Not to be too graphic here, but during the worst episodes I would lose all control of myself - sometimes making it necessary that I return home afterwards - making it even more difficult to try again the next day. A part of my job involved doing presentations for clients at their businesses. That really was the thing that pushed me over the edge toward leaving work. Unlike being at the office, I had no one helping me maneuver when with a client. I clearly didn't discuss my medical situation with them, so I couldn't ask them to slow down their pace or avoid the stairs up to their office or refuse when they wanted me to take a tour of their facilities, etc. So I started avoiding this part of my job also. Finally, I realized that I wasn't doing the best for anyone by staying. I will tell you that it was the best thing that I could do. Since leaving, I have been able to focus on my health and find new ways of doing things that have helped me find my way back to feeling like a productive, valuable person. While working, I felt like a failure everyday towards the end. I am so, so much better at avoiding episodes by resting, slowing down when I need to, moving or not moving depending on how I feel, etc. I was able to adapt to my new life at my own pace. I never would have been able to do that while working. I wrote an article for our newsletter about things to check into and consider about whether to continue working or not. You might find it helpful. https://www.dinet.org/content/information-resources/newsletters/the-challenge-of-working-with-dysautonomia-r141 Whatever you decide, it's not easy, but it all does get better. I found that trying to go through life as though I wasn't ill was far more stressful than adapting to a new way of going through life. I wish you the very best in whatever you decide.

If your husband is driving you to the doctor, maybe you can still stop at the market on your way home. Have you tried using the motorized carts? I went through one winter where I couldn't drive for months and couldn't walk around the market - just too painful. But I was really getting depressed feeling so dependent on my husband. So I started doing my marketing after appointments or other days when he was home to drive me. He would drive me to the market and I did the shopping using the motorized wheelchair cart. Naturally, he still had to help me get things off of high and very low shelves but at least I was out! And, I didn't have to live with the the things my husband would buy when he went by himself - packages of slim jims, sausage and Captain Crunch cereal. So it was a much healthier solution all the way around. Good luck.

Hi SammyJo there is a previous thread on this forum with a number of different experiences with anesthesia and POTS that you might find helpful. Here's the link. I wish you the best of luck with everything. Let us know how you are doing.

KiminOrlando I'm sorry and very confused that you are having that response. I saw a Physiatrist for many years and really found it very helpful. My understanding of physiatry is that it is a physician who specializes in the use of physical therapy and pain management to treat symptoms of illness. That is not an official description, it is the description my physiatrist gave me when I first started with him. I have scoliosis and other central nervous system and nerve damage, so going direct to a physical therapist or pain management clinic didn't really help me because they were either too cautious in treatment because they were afraid of the severity of my particular illness or they gave me the "standard" treatment that they would give anyone with pain and when I couldn't do the things they wanted me to or the treatment didn't help, they would just send me back to the doctor who originally prescribed the treatment. It was very frustrating. But when I was referred to the Physiatrist, I turned a corner in managing pain. The reason is that he was able to prescribe and monitor my treatment very specifically to me. For example - in working on core strengthening, most therapies would include some form of sit up or stomach muscle tightening exercises. I can't do anything like that because of the hardware along my spine. So he put me in a pool with floats and weights, etc. so that my exercise was just keeping my body upright. You'd be shocked at how much that worked! My point is, a physiatrist understands and treats the body holistically with very creative, specialized treatments. I live in NH or I would PM you with the name of my doctor - so the next best thing I can suggest, is to contact a local hospital that has a physical therapy department (I'd shoot for the most advanced hospital in your network) and try and speak to the head of the department. There is NO way a physical therapist wouldn't know about physiatry. They may be able to refer you to one or at the very least, help you find a therapist that operates under the same scope as a physiatrist does. I would be very specific about what you are dealing with and why a generic physical therapy plan won't be the best for you. I know it is incredibly frustrating, but for me, this was a battle worth fighting. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

I will most definitely post whatever I find and thank you so much Kim for continuing the conversation. I think this is another perfect example of the need for awareness. I think that most of the anesthesiologists and medical staff doing the routine exams, tests and outpatient surgeries - have a protocol that they use, in this case Propofol and they don't think past that protocol. I tried to speak with the anesthesiologist and the doctor doing the test. I asked both of them if they were aware of dysautonomia. Of course the answer was no. But what is so dangerous for all of us is that they don't seem the least bit interested in finding out. I would think that if I was a doctor and the patient in front of me said they had an illness I had never heard of, I would at least take the time to find out what it is and if the things I'm about to do to them will hurt them or not. I will NEVER do anything more serious than a simple blood test at any hospital other than the one that my real doctors are associated with and I won't ever go into another anesthetic situation without first clearing what they are planning to use and do with my neurologist, Thanks again for the info. I will post back with what I discover.

Thanks so much KiminOrlando for sharing your story. The info is very helpful. I am most definitely going to have my neurologist look over the records so we can be prepared if I need anesthesia again. Your story about how they pushed you out of the bed because they needed it is so common and so dangerous. I was lucky in that I had my husband with me and he wouldn't leave my side when he saw the reaction I was having. Poor guy looked a little pale himself, lol. But imagine the person who is alone? Or someone who is dropped off at home, unable to get to water or meds? Thanks again for sharing your story. I have to believe it was a reaction to that anesthesia - or maybe any anesthesia....Hopefully neither one of us will need to experiment any time soon. And thanks so much MomtoGiuliana for your good thoughts. I'm definitely not back to normal - even my normal, lol But I'm still working on it. Thanks so much for thinking of me.