• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

PrettyIll

Header Right

Dr. Diana, both a doctor (therapeutic optometrist), and a recovered POTS and ME/CFS patient, offers help and hope for POTS, Dysautonomia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Lyme, vascular abnormalities, Fibromyalgia, and Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Diana is now working full time at POTS Care.

  • Home
  • The Driscoll Theory®
  • Videos
  • Meet Dr. Diana
  • Forum
  • Store

Connecting the brain & body….

NEW STUDY! Parasym Plus™ for Multiple Sclerosis › Forums › PrettyIll.com Discussion › POTS › Connecting the brain & body….

  • This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by Barbara.
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • January 8, 2015 at 11:02 am #768
    LeahAndrea
    Participant

    I was diagnosed with pots last year. I was having severe anxiety and put in the hospital when my blood pressure was very erratic and i had the orthostatic hypotension, and they discovered pots. I was put on florinef, propanolol, and citalopram which is an antidepressabt and I was almost back at 100%. Well less than a year later the pots has come back worse than ever! I’ve currently had to stop working and can’t drive much because I’ll panic thinking something terrible will happen and the erratic blood pressure. I was put back on citalopram but this time it didn’t work and my blood pressure and heart rate went really high and I was in the ER with a hypertensive crisis. Now my brain and body are totally out of sync! I am looking for any hints to get them back In sync. I am back on florinef and I take propanolol but it does nothing to slow my heart rate down anymore. The main times my heart speeds up is of course excercise, after eating, and when im anxious (which is a lot lately and is not helping my body get back in sync). I take klonopin sometimes which is anti anxuety medicine but I’ve read it can make pots worse so I have no clue what to do. Thankfully I have an appt with my cardiologist monday! I am so open to any suggestions or comments anyone may Have when it comes to getting the body & brain together!! Is rest the answer or is it better to stay active? I need to be working and living life as im only 32. Thank you!!

    Leah

    January 9, 2015 at 11:10 am #5207
    Dr. Diana
    Keymaster

    Hi Leah, You likely know that I had the hyperadrenergic form of POTS, so I can certainly relate! My resting heart rate on a tilt table was 164 when I was last tested! Mercy… It took peeling back the layers to get my resting heart rate back to normal (under 70), but it DID happen. One way to tell what is going on is with a close examination of your other symptoms and your triggers (what caused POTS to begin with). For me, I had symptoms of high intracranial pressure and Diamox was a huge help, as was an abdominal binder. When POTS was at its worst, Xanax was a huge help, as was Zyrtec. Do you respond to antihistamines? My kids did not have the adrenergic form of POTS, but their heart rates have returned to normal and they no longer have POTS, thank Heavens. I think it is critical to look at all possibilities before thinking about an ablation. In most cases (but not all), an ablation is contraindicated. A cardiologist can advise you about exercise. I exercised hard (but it had no effect on my POTS). I felt better when I was strong, but some of us have such incredibly high heart rates, I do wonder about the safety of exercise if heart rates spike. Yikes… Hang in, Leah! 😉

    January 9, 2015 at 6:47 pm #5208
    LeahAndrea
    Participant

    Thani you for your response Dr Diana! What exactly does the abdominal binder do? Did you ever feel sick after eating meals and did it help with that? I’m just searching for clues on feeling better and trying to hang in there!

    January 9, 2015 at 8:25 pm #5209
    LeahAndrea
    Participant

    Also Dr Diane,

    Do you take a beta blocker for the heart rate?

    January 10, 2015 at 11:55 am #5210
    Dr. Diana
    Keymaster

    Leah, I think the book will answer many of your questions (I hope!). I think of the abdominal binder as helping to push oxygenated blood into the brain — immediately helpful. I believe that is why beta-blockers made me feel worse — they slow the heart rate with no consideration for oxygen perfusion of the brain. Most doctors are used to heart problems being the cause of tachycardia, and beta-blockers slow the heart rate (great). If we have tachycardia as the body’s attempt to improve blood circulation, slowing the heart rate artificially is bad. That is why I say that beta-blockers make the doctors feel better, but can make us feel worse. 🙂 Yes, when I had POTS, eating a large meal made me feel worse, and increased tachycardia. Ugh…

    January 10, 2015 at 9:44 pm #5212
    kfelty
    Participant

    Dr Diana,
    Which type of abdominal binder helped you? Because I know the doctor instructed me to get compression stockings that had a compression of 20-30. So my question is, are all abdominal binders made similarly or should I look for a anything specific?
    Thank you!!!

    January 14, 2015 at 6:34 pm #5219
    Barbara
    Participant

    Leah, I think the book will answer many of your questions (I hope!). I think of the abdominal binder as helping to push oxygenated blood into the brain — immediately helpful. I believe that is why beta-blockers made me feel worse — they slow the heart rate with no consideration for oxygen perfusion of the brain. Most doctors are used to heart problems being the cause of tachycardia, and beta-blockers slow the heart rate (great). If we have tachycardia as the body’s attempt to improve blood circulation, slowing the heart rate artificially is bad. That is why I say that beta-blockers make the doctors feel better, but can make us feel worse. 🙂 Yes, when I had POTS, eating a large meal made me feel worse, and increased tachycardia. Ugh…

    Hi Leah,
    Beta blockers didn’t help me at all, made my arms hurt worse. I didn’t find the abdominal binder helpful either, it worsened slow gut motility but some people find them helpful. Here in the uk, we can get them on the NHS.
    Regards
    Barbara
    (UK)

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Log In

Footer

PrettyIll.com

This website was created to inform, educate and brainstorm with fellow patients and doctors. The content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Readers are encouraged to confirm all information with other sources and their physicians. The creator of this site will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages arising from the use of this website.

Twitter: @prettyill

What others say

“Dr. Diana will always hold a very special place in my heart for her selfless devotion to helping everyone, not just the Ehlers-Danlos community. I hate to think what my life would be without her insight and guidance.”

-- Chris Gross

Listings by topic

  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Consult
  • Contact
  • Coping
  • Ehlers-Danlos
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Mast Cell Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Orthopedic Issues
  • Pain Control
  • POTS
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Store
  • Uncategorized
  • Vascular abnormalities

This work may not be reproduced, copied or used in anyway without the express permission of the author -- that's me © Dr. Diana Driscoll 2020