POTS problems

Just a light-hearted meme for those of us who suffer from Dysautonomia: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Sometimes laughter is the only thing to keep us going! BEFORE SUBMITTING PLEASE READ THE FAQ this blog is run by kittje WHAT IS POTS? Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is defined by excessive heart rate increments upon upright posture. A person with POTS will experience heart rates that increase 30 beats or more per minute upon standing and/or increase to 120 beats or more per minute upon standing. Many POTS patients also suffer from Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) upon standing, meaning the blood pressure becomes very low upon standing. Many POTS symptoms seem to be caused by an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system's control over blood flow. POTS is a condition caused by Dysautonomia (a failure of the autonomic nervous system). Some of the messages coming from the autonomic nervous system tell the blood vessels to relax or tighten. In people with POTS, the system seems to be out of balance and blood is not going to the right place at the right time to do what the body needs. POTS can be categorized as primary, meaning it is idiopathic and not associated with other diseases, or secondary, meaning it is associated with a known disease or disorder. People generally develop POTS after becoming sick with a severe virus, giving birth, or being exposed to great bodily stressors (i.e. surgery, trauma or chemotherapy). The symptoms of POTS are life altering and debilitating. POTS patients use about three times more energy to stand than a healthy, able bodied person. Research shows that POTS patients' quality of life is similar to those with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There are a wide array of symptoms with POTS, some of those include: dizziness upon standing, fainting, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), slow heart rate (bradycardia), nausea, headaches, extreme fatigue, weakness, palpitations, shaking, poor temperature regulation, chest tightness, shortness of breath, loss of or excessive sweating, exercise intolerance, and many more. Symptoms vary between individuals. POTS patients are commonly advised to increase their sodium intake, as this helps increase low blood volume. Treatment may inclue Beta Blockers, Drugs to increase blood pressure or sodium retention, Anti-Depressants, IV fluids, Calcium channel blockers, Compression stockings, and a few others. There is no cure for POTS.