[Hydrophobic1212]

I have yet to be diagnosed (and I don't know if they WILL diagnose me as this), but about over a month ago, I was totally fine and totally healthy, but then driving to work I suddenly fainted at a stoplight thankfully, and continued on my way to work. I looked horrible, pale, shakey, and just dizzy. Everything was weird, and I got sent home. Jump ahead a few weeks later, I am STILL sick with the same issues, constant headache and all this other stuff. Went to the doctor, took my heart rate right after I sat down and it was at 107 which was really high for me and my blood pressure has started changing now.

She said everything was normal and wanted to give me metoprolol to help with the heart rate, so I started that but the episodes got worse and I blacked out again.

We did a holter monitor and it was normal, we did adrenaline testing (after I went to the doctor and we did sitting and standing vitals. Sitting I was at 84 bpm, standing I jumped all the way to 120 bpm) and it was normal and she dismissed it as anxiety, so I had to go to my psych of ten+ years and he said that it was not anxiety. He did the testing himself, and he saw how my heart rate jumped as well, so he started wondering to himself if it was something and told me to wait.

He looked it up and told me I fit everything for POTS and wanted me to talk to my doctor about it. So, I'm set to see a Cardiologist in March (though I don't know if they work with POTS? I'm not sure).

Anyways! I've been reading and it says you need to exhibit the symptoms for 6 months (which honestly, I MIGHT have without realizing it. I do remember getting occasional headaches and I'd get dizzy a lot with weird heart rates) but also that you need your heart to jump 20 bpm within ten minutes of standing. It doesn't always happen like that, but my heart rate does jump up.

So, does anyone have this? What can I expect if I do have it? I thought it was something that could be treated but now I'm seeing it's a chronic illness and honestly, I'm scared.

[wish_I_was]

Private message me. I have well managed POTS...it CAN go away in some people over time. Mine is related to Ehler's-Danlos Syndrome, which is a genetic connective tissue disorder. I also have Orthostatic Hypotension at times.

[wish_I_was]

You need to get a tilt table test done for confirmation. Ask your doc for a referral to a hospital that does that type of testing.

[Hydrophobic1212]

I sent you a PM. I'm a bit versed in EDS and some conditions surrounding this. I saw the doctor on April 28th, and got a diagnosis. (:

[SnakeCharmer]

If you haven't had your thyroid checked -- T3, T4, and TSH -- it would be worth asking to have it done. Hyper-thyroid can cause those symptoms. It would be important to rule it either in or out, just to be on the safe side.

[(JD)]

Hope they figure it out.

I have fainting when my potassium is low (vitamin K) and that drops when I have salt... but it shows fine and within range on all testing. (It took a doctor friend camping out with me to diagnose it---and taking vitamin k keeps me from fainting.)