iheartcats

Yeah! Do enjoy yourself! I adore milk, too, and drink it instead of G2 sometimes. I can't give up dairy!

I've had this happen (scared kitty, chomp)...and it was a small puncture wound. I kept it clean and dry and it was red at first (and sore). It calmed down after a couple of days. If it got worse, I would've made myself go to the doctor for an antibiotic just in case (and probably should have) but...you know how it is. If you can call your doctor in the AM for advice, I would (as you can get an infection from puncture wounds...bacteria likes warm, deep places and from what I understand puncture wounds are ideal for that). Just to be safe. I was OK, but I remember it was sore!

Interesting about activity and keeping going (which sometimes feels like the last thing you want to do!) sometimes helps you along. I have to keep reminding myself of this...it's rough some days. I like stories like this, though. Others are coping. I feel less alone. Thanks for sharing!

I hate this feeling...and mine comes and goes, too, and I have not been able to pinpoint anything. I have to pay attention to big weather fluctuation as that and my seasonal allergies seem to affect how bad my flares are. But they can be short or last a day. I, like some of you, try to plow through them as best as I can because it can be worse and longer if I don't try to keep active. It's really an unfair thing, isn't it? You forget other people don't have to push through this type of stuff it gets so normal.

This makes me feel better. That's what I was thinking and it's only a month over...they are so costly just to dump if they are working.

I just noticed my bottle of Midodrine (I just dish out my weekly supply into my pill holders) said "Discard After 5/20/10" - it was filled 5/20/09. Well, I am fairly certain that is just the label the online pharmacy throws on everything because there is no way medicine can expire exactly one year after you purchase it! And the online pharmacy doesn't have records of when it 'Officially Expires." Frustrating! Does Midodrine just lose strength when it gets old? It seems to be working and I haven't noticed a change so I'm fairly certain it is OK. It's such an expensive medication (and I like this particular generic more than my newer bottle).

I usually take 10mg in the AM when I get up, 5mg at lunch, and 5mg at dinner. It helps keep my blood pressure up enough (especially since I'm on a Beta Blocker).

I somehow feel much better about my weird middle of the night sweaty chest now, so thank you everyone. POTS. The weird things it can do. Simmy - I am on Midodrine and Mestinon and they seem to be helping so I guess I have to deal if they make me sweat more. I have been 'flaring' due to some yucky stress that isn't calming down yet, so I must've kicked myself out of balance even more! It seems like these sweats are common enough amongst POTS folk, though. I just thought I'd not have to deal with stuff like this until Menopause. Wishful thinking!

I've woken up a few times recently in the middle of the night sweaty - like a build up on chest and a bit on the face etc., and this isn't a normal for me. I don't think it is anything to do with menopause (I'm early to middling 30s) and I don't notice a racing heart or anything that would be totally POTSY. It's yucky and uncomfortable, but I cannot pinpoint what it could be. I've not changed medication, eating habits, etc. I am dealing with a few stressful situations that are beyond my normal stresses right now, but I've been stressed before and not had this. Anyone ever experience something like this?

It's all interesting! I used to have Endometriosis. I think, someone, it has taken care of itself. I stayed on the pill for many years and it seemed to improve. Although if I'm not on the pill my hormones go out of control and I can't stand the monthly cycle. Mirena is supposed to be localized progesterone - but I think it affected me different. The way everything was acting it felt like my testosterone was too high on it. Now the cystic acne is gone and I'm less bloated, so I'm feeling more normal 3 months after its removal. Sandy: I'm glad your ablation worked! I was thinking about that at one point...and I guess if I got that bad again (on top of POTS now!) I might have to reconsider. But it's good to know there's an option that CAN be successful. Maybe I should get a basic hormone panel? I assume those are fairly easy to do?

Have any of you had PCOS before or with POTS? I had my Mirena out a couple of months ago and I am fairly certain I did not have PCOS before it was put in. I had no related symptoms and my (great) Gyno at the time would likely have noticed anything out of the ordinary. A few months into Mirena my cycles stopped. This usually happens to a certain percent of women after about a year on it. I also gained a lot of weight (40+ pounds, mostly in my middle and some in my behind and I never really gain weight in my middle), had cystic acne bad enough to send me to the Dermatologist, and weird facial hair here and there. Yuck! It's been almost three months since the Mirena removal and I'm back on the pill, and my cystic acne has stopped cold turkey, my crazy hairs have significantly designed, and, while I've only lost a few pounds, I look less bloated. I read about PCOS and it affects up to 10% of women and the usual first treatment is the pill, which I am now on. I assume if it was a POTS thing, I would've had it act up before Mirena...that's why I'm wondering if it's Mirena and NOT POTS that caused it. I hate the weight gain and am working on that, but at this point I don't know if I really want to deal with going to my Gyno until I see if the pill helps more and I start losing weight. Does anyone know how they 'look 'for PCOS? Is there something obvious, if that makes sense? POTS does seem to cause a lot of hormonal issues, though, and I want to try to keep things under control.

It seems like it is so varied amongst us. I appreciate everyone sharing. The joint aches and pains are not fun and, even if you learn to tolerate them, are still 'there' and make on irritable and uncomfortable! I do not have the Ankylosing Spondylitis gene so I assume that can mostly be ruled out? I did get results back today for a Celiac genetic thing I had done and I'm low-risk. I just didn't feel much different GF and it was hard to stay on and expensive. If I had to I would...but nothing really changed for me. Now I wonder about my mast cells. Pollen count has been very high lately so maybe they are very active? I just wish we could know!

I'm back on Gluten hoping I can have a definitive biopsy in the next few months - I want to know if I have Celiac or not. Some signs point to no, and a few things are a maybe right now. But...I have to eat Gluten for the next few months and go from there.

I'm back on Gluten for a few reasons. One, being off Gluten didn't really help with my symptoms and it was hard on me (and cooking for the spouse) completely GF. Two, my Rheum will run a blood test after three months back on to see what my levels are. Three, if my levels are still elevated I have to be eating Gluten steadily for a biopsy anyway (which I prefer to have as it is more definitive than anything else) so I have to eat Gluten for that. Sometimes I can eat a bunch of Gluten and seem fine. Others, I'll notice I have some body/joint aches afterward. But - I have no idea if it's the Gluten, something else, or just POTS! My Rheum can't, of course, pin-point it either and we may never know and it's annoying. What type of body aches does everyone get with POTS? Do you notice random body aches/joint pain sometimes? I believe I do get these from weather changes and over-exertion and tiredness. But do I get more from Gluten? I don't know. It's only sometimes!

I just came here annoyed because, while picking up some socks, I 'fell forward' and bonked my forehead on the bed frame. Ouch. I'm OK (no more dizzy than usual), but it still hurts. And is annoying. It didn't feel like clumsiness so I'm glad I'm not alone. I'll have to be more careful bending (not 'lean over' but squat, I guess?).

Lieze, I've done this for the last year. It is helping mentally for me. I still have my symptoms, I still have POTS, I still have good days, bad days, and OK days. But I know what I have now...and that I'll make it through. It's so daunting at first. I had to remind myself POTS wouldn't make me drop over dead. I still get anxious about doing things (like overdoing it on an outing, going away on a mini-break now and then, taking on too much, etc.) but I try to push on as best I can and keep the negative thoughts at bay. It is not easy. The anxiety and stress of the illness is something that lurks at the back of my mind. But I figure I do myself or my family no good if I don't try to fight it. I hope this makes sense. I know you can't 'cure' yourself with thoughts. But it's more control over how the illness is going to make you treat life and not letting it completely limit you. I do hope this works for you this summer - I'm glad you are thinking positive. We have control of that at least, right?

I have these odd joint/muscle pains that must be like what people with Autoimmune/CFS feel from what I understand. They wax and wane (no matter if I exercise or not, or eat Gluten or not, etc). So I think it is POTS! Anyway, the Mestinon relieves some of this. They vary over my body (legs/arms/side mostly)...but they are less with Mestinon. Let's hope it helps your daughter. Even a 50% improvement is great!

I am on Mestinon 30mg two times a day; I think it helps me a bit with brain fog and muscle pain. I've tried 60mg two times a day and it works sometimes, but recently it was too much so I'm back to 30mg. My worst side effect was...I had to go to the bathroom a lot for the first week. But, it did subside thank goodness and now I think helps somewhat with 'regulation.'

Nina - Just wanted to say you are in my thoughts and I do hope things improve (they have to is what I always tell myself!). I know how difficult it is to have bad sleep - you really do notice how much better you feel WITH quality sleep so good luck with the RX.

I'm looking for work - it's a hard market right now. And add that to having a 'disability' and it is so stressful. I will continue trying to get a position, do my best, and hope I can work full-time without issues for the first year. FMLA kicks in after one year in the USA so, even if you don't need it, it is there to protect you. Mentally I know the first year will be hard as that protection isn't there (even though one hopes one doesn't need it) if that makes sense. I've always had a 'desk job' so that's what I'm seeking. I'm fortunate in that my career wasn't a standing/running around one like young childhood education or nursing. But...some people still manage those jobs on here. It's the you won't know until you try thing, I guess.

We moved to Northern California and climate out here was a factor in choosing it. It still gets warm, but not the 'extremes' from Chicago. The severe cold and a few months later severe heat/humidity really played havoc with me. -30 windchill in January and 105 heat index in July is a huge variation. I'm able to do more out here so the weather does make a difference. I think the stability is a big plus (no extreme weather variations). I think winters were worse for me because of cold extremities/breathing in the cold air.

I still get them randomly sometimes and it's not really tied to the same thing. I'll eat something, get hives, eat it again and not have hives from the next few times eating. I get them if I'm hot. Or from the shower. Also - I had a bad 'cry' the other day (I know, I know...it was one of those days, really)...and when I went in the bathroom I was covered with bright red hives all over my chest area. Then I laughed. And tried not to itch. I've been to a couple allergists and take a Zyrtec and Zantac daily, and a Benadryl if things totally get out of control. Still no idea why these happen. So I can feel for everyone.

I'm so happy for you, Ernie. Such wonderful news.

Hello! I'm a cranky one, on the gluten free diet. My favorite things include croissants, pizza and cupcakes. I just don't know. I want to know definitively if I have Celiac or not so I'm seeing my Rheum later this week. I think the only thing to do it try to push through the GF another week or two to make it the 3 months, then go back on Gluten and see what happens. I think a biopsy might be the way to find out if I get intestinal damage. But...as for symptoms. I think I have less aches/pains. POTS symptoms are about the same. Fatigue...that one is hard to pinpoint. I suppose the big test is going back on Gluten, seeing what goes down, then making the decision. It's hard because it's not easy to be GF. It's quite expensive, too! And Gluten is in so much. I'll update after I talk to my Rheum. I'm all on a mission to see if I really have to be GF or not!

I did have it - it is one my records from 10+ years ago. I was put on the pill to help take care of it and have mostly been on the pill since. I think it has really improved. I was on Mirena a year but gained a ton of weight my first six months on the thing so it's out. Of course weight gain is a 'rare' side effect for that...otherwise I would've really liked it!