I just want to share with you a ‘Poor Mans Tilt Test’ that I took at home, way back in Feb 2013. I have included my heartrates just to show that I no longer suffer from pure POTS (i.e. my heartrate no longer raises by 30bpm upon standing). Instead my BP goes up, so I think my condition has morphed into Neurally Mediated HyPERtension (i.e. my BP continues to raise upon standing). Anyway, if you look at the readings below, it shows my BP associated to the symptoms I suffered, during the test.
Shortened version of the Tilt Test taken 27th Feb 2013.
As I have said I stand up many times a day (to make sure that I do not loose the ability) but do not stay up for long. I thought I’d have a go at a shortened version of the tilt table test. I skipped the lying down bit because I didn’t feel too clever to start with head uncomfortable (‘brain sore’) and I had to abort the first test, which brought on chest tightness upon standing (157/99).
Here are my results:-
Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CPP = MAP – ICP
Sitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147/90 HR 69 . . . . . 80 = 109 – 29 brain sore
Standing Immediately . . . . . . 157/97 HR 78 . . . . . 80 = 117 – 37 not feeling good
Standing still 3 minutes . . . . .163/105 HR 80 . . . . .80 = 124 – 44 nausea started, eyes watering, red skin, tingling hands, increased breathing
Standing further 3 minutes . . 175/117 HR 82 . . . . .80 = 136 – 56 feet/legs now tingling, feeling worse, increased breathing, cool peripheries
Standing further 3 minutes . . 168/108 HR 82 . . . . .80 = 128 – 48 light headed
Sat down, very unsteady, shaking (inside – not shivering), fingers purple.
After sitting for 5 minutes . . 158/97 HR 63 . . . . 80 = 117 – 37 headache
After sitting for 15 minutes . .150/97 HR 60 . . . . 80 = 115 – 35 still feeling rough
After sitting for 30 minutes . .137/90 HR 63 . . . . 80 = 106 – 26 feeling more normal but have a transient problem getting words out.
I don’t know – the things you do for science! My brain was still sore the next day, from temple to temple and over top of head!
Barbara
(UK)