villen

Hi! Just a little nagging....after doing pretty well last week, I now feel worse than ever.....argh!!!I am so tired of my constant pounding heart. Anyobdy else who suffers from this? Can any of you explain why the POTS symptoms (extreme reacing and pounding only when switching position in bed) are much more severe after little sleep and taking sleeping medications (like zopiclone)? is it due to more adreanline? Sorry for all the questions....I don`t know how to cope with this anymore....I feel so horrible at the moment...I feel like my body is in total mess, and I have lost all my muscles it feels like.... I never faint though, although I feel like I will. I guess the high adrenaline is preventing that. The worst is the feeling of dying every time I turn around, stretch, stand up.... Also, when people say you should start exercising slowly...what is meant by that? Like walking 2 x per week, strength work-out etc? I guess some may say "listen to your body" but my body is symptomathic almost 24/7... Its hard to deal with my anxiety issues when the POTSy symptoms are at their worst...And I really feel like I have to bulid up my stamina and cardiovascular shape...anyone has suceeded in this? Wish you all a good weekend Villen

Hi:) I was wondering....even if many of us feel bad during and after exercise, do we still get the beneficials from working out? Like better condition, stronger heart, lower risk to get heart disease, diabetes etc? Villen

I am so thankful to all of you for giving such good answers. Its very reassuring!!I am amazed how well you guys cope. I guess my anxiety makes it just sooo much worse. thanks again!! Villen

Ok,its just me nagging again Hope you don`t mind... I just wondered; how do all of you who doesn`t have anxiety at all, deal with the symptoms? For me, it has almost become autonomic (I have suffered with anxiety for a long time!) that when I stand up, move position etc, and my heart starts pounding and I am out of breath, I immidiately think I am in danger, and I often get full blown panic attacks....How do you manage to stay calm and don`t freak out? When my heart pounds like that, is it due to adrenaline/stress hormones, that makes the heart to pump harder? Like the glands have to produce extra stresshormones to just stand upright?Or is it just my heart that goes "bananas" without any stress hormones? sorry if I am bothering you with all my questions take care, everybody

hi Jump! I had the eariler question about straining the heart....so I guess I could try to answer you questions. Cause, yes, it doesn`t seem very logic that it isn`t dangerous to the heart to keep racing for hours....But, as everybody here says, our heart are very strong and can endure alot, and if you don`t have a serious heart disease or other risk factors, your heart can withstand alot! If your echo shows a structurally normal heart and that you "only" have sinus tach, thats very reasurring too!!! I will quote the great Dr. Weekes (her books have help me very much with my anxiety)who says: "a healthy heart can tolerate a rate of over 200 bpm for days, even weeks without any damage" So let your heart race until it chooses to slow down...remember that its a good heart, beating like this because of nervous stimulation and that such stimulation will not harm it" I do understand your concern, as I have the same issues as well. But my heart is strong and fine, they say. So try not the be overfocused about it...I have developed severe anxiety about my heart, and its making it all so much worse...I guess its not "super" for our hearts to beat like crazy for a long period of time, but as said, our heart can take alot!! And also; try to do whats beneficial for your heart, like exercise (easier said than done for us), stress reduction, good diet, no smoke etc Stay strong! Villen

Thanks so much everybody. I am so grateful for all the supprot I get here. I have had lots of Ekgs and worn a holter 24 hours and echo a couple of motnhs ago-everything was normal (except sinus tachy during the day) The cardio didn`t even say the word pots, and just said that my heart is fine and strong. Thanks again guys- you reassured me alot!! I am an very anxious person as well, and as my anxiety has increased, so has the pounding heart. I guess I am very aware of it, and also have a lot of adrenaline flowing in my body.

Hi all I just need some reassurence again...can I be sure that my pounding heart wont kill me or be straining to my heart? I had an echo couple of months agao-everything was fine. I just feel like my heart is wokring so hard everytime....Could it be that I am more sensitized to my heartbeat, so that I feel every beat? Also, anyone who has gotten better or improved alot after starting exercising? thanks! Villlen:)

Hi:) Is there anybody who suffer from weak legs, especially when walking up stairs? Its like I have a lot of "lactic acid", especially in the front of my thighs...Is this only because of th lack of strenght and exercise, or is it due to the blood pooling in the legs or betablockers? This is also worse after eating-could that be bacause of blood to the gut? Villen:)

thanks to everybody. Really appreciate your comments. I have read many places that stress and anxiety is the same thing. Anxiety and the reactions (adrenaline, poudning heart, weak legs etc) is just symptoms of an overstressed body like mine. I am not saying you are anxious/have anxiety, I am just saying that most anxiety sufferers are just upset and worry about their symptoms, and keep them self in a sensitized state (its not the acutal cause, fex something happening in childhood, etc) but worrying about their symptoms that keep their anxiety living. I know that my anxiety symptoms came first (racing heart, panic feeling (not pots symptoms) but after a long period of no workout and being too exhausted to move alot, I developed POTS symptoms. I guess treating my anxiety will help my dysautonomia. I don`t often feel faint, I just have the extreme pounding heart (eith panic)when moving, changing positions, exercise etc. thanks again. Villen

So...I have written about this before...I just seem to struggle with whether I have POTS second to the anxiety or anxiety second to pOTS. My doc believe the first...I kind of do that my self. And I really don`t know if the betablocker help me with this or what. I have been really bothered with anxiety the last year, "stressed out my body", lost weight, and the good shape I was in. Isn`t it true that severe stress/anxiety causes your nerves in the veins to "get fatigued"? And that stress/anxiety also cause the blood vessels to "open" and blood pooling in them? I sometimes believe I have developed CFS, after lots of Stress, and POTS is one of the symptoms here. Anyone has some reassurence on how to deal with the anxiety and "the freaking out"thing when I get symptoms? thanks:) Hope you are coping.

thanks so much for your replies. Good to hear that there are other who have this as well. Is this only a sign of POTS, or could it be something other?

thanks so much, guys!Comments are appreciated:) But is POTS ever dangerous? As suffering with major anxiety as well, I often get scared when the heart is pounding ( esp. when I move)I have read that its not life threathening, but life altering. My blood pressure is normal most of the time I guess, so I don`t think I have "dangerously"low blood pressure...have never fainted either. just get the pounding and racing heart,like mini-panics all of the time almost.... Have any of you gotten better after being sick for a while? I guess I just need hope and motivation.. Villen:)

thanks, katherine!good and logic answer:) My doc thinks its all anxiety, and always says I have to exercise, my psych.also says I should exercise...so I guess I have the reasurrence (I was very fit and in good shape two years ago, so I know that being deconditoned worsen my symptoms dramatically!but its hard to get in a good shape when you feel worse under and afer exercise) I have also lost a few pounds lately, I guess that its contributing to the lower the blood volume rhing. thanks again take care u 2

Another question; does anyone else get the pounding and racing heart when moving/switching position when lying in bed?I get this esp.in the night when switching positions , and its sooo annoying and scary!Its worse in the periods with alot of stress/anxiety. Is this a "common" POTS symptom?

Hi all I just wondered...the pounding heart thing, is that due to a lower blood pressure (b.c of betablockers)? or lower blood volume? I get this often after eating, exercise...is it like the heart has to compensate?or is it due to stress hormones ? )I suffer from anxiety as well) Just need a reasurrence....is POTS dangerous? I tend to freak out when the symptoms are bad, but my doc tells me not to worry. I don`t have very high rates, ususally my average rate is in the 70-90s, when I stand up after eating a large meal it can go up to 120 and higher when climbing steps ( on a bad day). Had an echo and holter a few months ago, everything normal! Hope you all are coping:) Villen

Hi Can betablocker actually cause POTS? I wonder if this is the case for me...

I was at the cardiologist in october. He didn`t say much about my symptoms (just that it wasn`t harmful and that I have a normal heart with a normal rhythm (with a tendency to sinus tachy) Don`t know if there are many docs who have heard of POTS here in Norway I think the fainting patients are taken more seriously...but I don`t know. My doc and psych.blame it on the betablocker. I know I have anxiety, so many of my symptoms can be due to this. But I also have many POTSy symptoms. And I sure didn`t have any of these symptoms bedore after a very stressful months a year ago...

Hi! I am new here and have some questions. First, I have been suffering from anxiety and stress and a "sensitive" nervous system for five years. Been on 50 mg atenolol this period, which has worked well and I have lived a pretty normal life. I started getting POTS (or IST)symptoms about a year ago after becoming deconditioned and having an injured leg. My symptoms are mainly (and I know many of them are anxiety related): -pounding heart all day long (resting heartrate appr.75-85) -tachycardia -weak legs -tingling -fatigue -pounding heart upon standing -pounding heart and tingling in the body when just moving an arm, leg, turning over in bed -food/alcohol intolerances -pounding heart after a meal -exercise intolerance -dizziness when standing up -heat intolerance -sleep problems -pains -panic attacks -generalized anxiety I have read that betablockers can actualy cause POTS in some patients, and my psychiatrist means this is the case for me. I have lost weight lately, and think that my bloodpressure has become lower than normal. I am only on a low dose atenolol now, but sometimes I have bp readings down to 95/60. My normal pressure is 120/80. When I stand, I usually have a bp on 110/70 in general, but this can vary. It happens more often when I am very tired and had lack of sleep. I am afraid to stop taking the bb, and that my heart will race wildly. But my psychiatrist says that the racing heart is just a compensatory effect from the heart due to low blood pressure. Can he be right? Can the pounding heart be a compesatoric effect? Before this I was able to work out hard 4 times a week, and was in a good shape. I eat healthy, small meals and try to avoid to much carbs. Do you have any good advice for me? Does this have to be a lifelong condition? Is it harmful? Why is the heart pound SO hard every single day?Is it due to adrenaline overflow?? I had a holter and echo a few months ago -everything normal. My doc says its ok for me to taper off the betablocker and see if it helps...I am just afraid my heart will go crazy...Could this help on the constant pounding feeling? I read somewhere here on the board that the pounding comes when the blood pressure is a little to low and the heart tries to compesate with a harder beat....Could POTS appear after a a long stressful period? I get so scared when I have the symptoms, and feel like I am dying every day..I know that many of my symptoms are "normal" in a sensitized body/anxiety state, but many of the symptoms I find it hard to only blame the anxiety. Hope you are doing well. Villen