HHairmanic

Thanks to all who replied, I really appreciated the support. This diagnosis, on top of everything else, has been horrible for me. I keep trying to remind myself that it could always be worse, and I need to be thankful that it is not. I just wanted to go back to work and finish my schooling (I'm in classes working towards a bachelors degree in nursing. And it seems that all of that has come to a halt. In a way I feel as if I brought this on myself to an extent. I couldn't control my sisters death nor the health of my brother, but I could have controlled the pace at which I was working 40-50hr per week and going to school full time(wouldn't settle for anything less than perfect grades), then raising my two kids ages 4yo and 7yo and trying to be a good wife and mother all the while trying to make everybody happy. I think I put my body into overdrive!!!! It said"if you won't stop this , then I will" and boy did it ever! Anyway I think I'm just really getting depressed over this and I appreciate the encouragement. Maybe I'll try the meds. I'll probably be asking you all alot of questions so please bear with me. Thanks again, Terri Lynn

Hi everybody, I've only posted once on here before, after my initial diagnosis of POTS. I explained about the recent death of my sister, and how that shortly thereafter, I began waking up at night with racing heart. I recently wore a cardiac event monitor, and did a stress echo test. The stress echo was normal with only one PVC prior to excercise and normal sinus tach at 180bpm while on treadmill for 8 mins. I do at times feel light headed after bending over to pick something up, and I also am dizzy ALL THE TIME! My normal B/P is usually 100/60. and sometimes 90/50 while lying down, 100/60 or 110/60 when standing. When I have the tachy episodes at night I feel like a sudden surge of adrenaline from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet, and then bam !! it's off to the races. with HR of up to 198 bpm. The event monitor showed this as normal sinus tachycardia. My B/P goes up to about 150/90. I do feel really shaky the next day, just like now, It happened again at 4am this morn, and needless to say Its been a really bad day. It also seems worse in the am after sleeping, which lately has been very interrupted, I awake afraid of a racing heart even when It's not happening. I've wondered about sleep apnea because when I lie on my back it seems I wake more often with SOB, and fast heart, sometimes gasping for air. I also , at times, get tachy after a full meal, sometimes about 100-115 for about 30 min. I'am soooo confused about what is going on with me. I haven't had a TTT or anything, because my cardio doc said not necessary, He was 99% sure it was POTS. He wants me to take Proamitine and Toprol XL 25mg, but I'am really scared of meds, (always have been). Should I take a BB with a low B/P like mine with at times, a resting HR of 55-60? Has anyone taken Proamitine? Thanks for any advice you can give, I know you cannot diagnose me, but it sure would help knowing if others suffer with these same symptoms, and is this anxiety related to the death of my sister, not to mention the recent diagnosis of my brother, with lung CA, and given 6mos-1yr to live. I come from a very close nit family so this is HUGE for us. Thanks Again, Terri Lynn

Hi everyone, my name is Terri and I'am a 35yo mom of two beautiful children 7and 4 yo and I'm a nurse.I recently have been having some really weird symptoms after alot of stressful events have occured in my life (first of all I was injured on the job helping to assist in lifting a patient, herniated a disk with protrusion on my sciatic nerve, very painful!! Still having problems, second my brother was diagnosed with lung cancer and given 6-12 mos to live , then unexpectedly my precious sister passed away without any signs of illness, not to mention the same day we buried her my 4yo broke two bones in his leg while jumping on the trampoline and was put in a cast up to his thigh and had to be carried everywhere he went for 2 weeks. This has all happened since the end of august. I've also been going to school full time to get my BS degree in nursing and working full time, WHEW!! So needless to say the stress levels are through the roof. Then one day I just woke up DIZZY and couldn't hardly walk across the floor. I've had some dizziness every since the birth of my last and was extreme for about 6mos post partum. Never could diagnose what was wrong they blamed it on menieres disease even though the tests never really confirmed. Lately especially first thing in the morning or when I get up throughout the night to use the bathroom( which I do alot) My heart rate will go up to 160-180 bpm, just while standing for a few seconds. My b/p has always been low but after pregnancy runs about 100/60 or 90/50. I've seen a cardiologist because I also have had problems with heart skipping, fluttering, etc. I wore a cardiac event monitor which showed runs of Pat's and and some PVC'S , and PAC'S. But what also bothers me so much is the weakness I feel and wobbly legs. My left leg shakes when I stand and I just feel horrible in general. My cardiologist diagnosed me with POTS. I haven't really noticed a significant drop in B/P when standing (THANK GOD!) and I had never heard of POTS until he mentioned it . We never learned about it in nursing school. I've also been having panic attacks as a result of the heart palpitations. I tried taking anti-anxiety meds, but I am so sensitive to medications that they make me feel really spaced out even in low doses, which then makes me panic because I feel so weird. My GP says that he thought I have panic disorder due to Post Traumatic Stress. I'm really not sure what is happening , all I know is I WANT MY LIFE BACK !!!!!! Sorry to be so long winded, but does any of this sound familiar to anyone out there with POTS? If so does it get better? Please reply ASAP because mentally I'm a wreck and I have a family who is counting on me to be well. Thank you so much for listening, Terri Lynn