POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)
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- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2024
- An overview of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (a.k.a. POTS).
This video is part of Strong Medicine's Underappreciated Diseases series. It is meant for educational purposes only, and is not intended to direct the diagnosis or management of any specific patient. I do not claim any notable expertise in this specific disease, and unfortunately, I am unable to provide individualized medical advice in response to comments posted here.
#POTS #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #AutonomicDisorders
I am a 31 year old woman who is just realizing that I have POTS. These symptoms have been blown over by every doctor to the point where I just accepted them and mask through. Blacking out, feeling dizzy, becoming weak while having to balance yourself against an object or wall every time you stand is NOT normal. I have to sit on top of my counter when I cook because I can’t stand the entire time. I’ve been suffering for over a decade with this. I also have Raynauds.
Hi am 28 and i feel the same. I can't stand in the kitchen for long. I get nauseous and weak.
That sounds really bad. Have you found the right treatment after all this time
This should have a million views.
Many doctors really do think they know it all.
Hi 🥰🥰!! I have Ehlers-danlos syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis and more ! We have no EDS specialists in Ireland so I set up my RUclips channel Lisa's zebra life to raise awareness and spread a bit of joy and positive vibes! It would mean the absolute world to me if any of you would subscribe!!! All my love, Lisa xxxxx
well said!!
ON HOOD
Should have millions
okay...
I (22) just got diagnosed with POTS yesterday, this video helped me learn more about it thanks. I was getting upset when my doctors would think it was just my anxiety, I felt like no one was listening to me. After I changed my doctor one time, I was able to get the help I needed.
How did you manage to get diagnosed, did you mention the disorder or did your new doctor figure it out? I have been to soo many doctors and specialists.
@@morganjansevanrensburg7569 My new doctor saw how low my blood pressure was when I first visited her. She then saw all of the records of my previous visits showing it. She then recommended me to a cardiologist to just check it out. My cardiologist did a sitting standing test to see if my blood pressure changes and other tests. After the tests I wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks and after they analyzed the data (which took another week) they confidently said I had pots. After that, I’ve been on blood pressure meds, drinking lots of water, extra salt intake, and exercise and I’m feinting less. Also have been able to get back to work which is great. A tilt table test is one way to test (strap ya On a table that tilts to see how your blood pressure drops and stuff). So i definitely would talk to a cardiologist for sure. They recommended me to a neurologist (For a sleep study) next because they also suspect narcolepsy (which is not all that uncommon to have with pots) hope this helps!
@@morganjansevanrensburg7569 another note is that my cardiologist says the problem is that a lot of doctors tend to be afraid to diagnose someone with pots. She said that many times symptoms align with other “simpler” problems like someone being dehydrated and etc etc. By using the heart monitor data they were able to see that it was an ongoing problem and with my previous doctor records of me visiting with extremely low blood pressure. Idk if this helps sorry for the late reply! Good luck and I pray for your recovery with whatever you’re going through!
I also feel dizzy a lightheaded and sometimes get headaches, I've passed out multiple times already, I've also passed out while I was sleepy I really need to take a test to if I either have vasovagal syncope or pots
@@pat-9169 how many days u have symptoms
The annoyance of people thinking you are lazy for wanting to sit because you are young is infuriating. Life is pain.
Thanks for the video by the way, I have been searching for information on this for a while and I found your video. Thank you.
Which medication is there ?
@@RobdeKlerk-qg6lc I am not sure, I just barely fell short of the diagnosis.
@@amberstails One more question..I have that table test soon ..have all symptoms but my blood pressure drops a little bit...can I get diagnosed that way..?
@@RobdeKlerk-qg6lc I am not really sure about that, it would be best to bring this up to your doctor and go from there.
It's so difficult to exercise without feeling like you're going to faint. My resting HR will be 89 to 101. When I stand it can jump up to 120 to 140. Sometimes 160. Sometimes my HR will drop to 70, and I'll get extremely tired, and I pass out in my bed. I was diagnosed with tachycardia in my early twenties, and it sucks that medical staff will say it's just my anxiety. I wish healthcare workers weren't so dismissive when it comes to what a patient is experiencing. I always try to get a second opinion, because some doctors will lead you astray.
I went to 3 different doctors finally was told i have left ventricular hypertrophy after bein told it was anxiety for two years
I've been told for 5 years by 3 doctors that my symptoms are just part of pregnancy/postpartum or depression. Now that I'm nearly 2 years postpartum with my 3rd I finally have a doctor that's willing to find a diagnosis. My table test is tomorrow and I am frankly terrified. Of throwing up, of fainting, and of not getting any definitive diagnosis
Do you have GERD? Mine started right after an injury that caused a hiatal hernia. It was like day and night. My quality of life changed overnight
@@YasuTaniina best of luck to you with your diagnosis. Everything will be okay
Start prone, in bed. Do resistance training there. Do it upright when you get better. i was there. I coulnd't sit up without my HR doubling or worse. Forget walking to the bathroom. I was about to blow 180, by then. I couldn't hold a full size bath towel, or my electric toothbrush the whole 2mins, I was so weak, at one point. Couldn't feed/care for myself, so I got down below 90lbs. Now, back up to my normal set point, I can do a FREAKING PULL-UP. You can do this. Challenge yourself daily, but without stressing your body. ASAP learn to be able to judge that day's ideal challenge-but-don't-stress effort is and NAIL IT. EVERY. FREAKING. DAY. You can absolutely do this. It just might take a year, or a decade. But you can do it.
I've had POTS for 28 years. And it is miserable. I get so sick of getting IV's, forcing salt and fluids, passing out weekly and headaches. Please listen to your patients! 💖
Hey Tandi, what about now? Are you free from POTS?
@@dsdcp Unfortunately, no. It's actually worse as I get older, and it's always worse in the summer! It was 107 in Louisiana today, and all I did was drive to pick up some meds from the pharmacy and ended up having to get an IV today. Some days are better than others though, and I'm taking Corlanor which helps a lot! (Salt tablets, Corlanor, Midodrine, Florinef, Toprol XL, and fluids).
@@DandyBeingTandi I'm in the same place as you. I got 125. I'm gonna pray for you Tonight.
@@dsdcp Thanks Daniel, I really appreciate that! I'll pray for you as well! ❤️
@@DandyBeingTandi Can you walk or stand up ? Me i cannot .. i getting very dizzy and my heart beating so fast.. my cardiologist told me this will pass in few months, but i think she lied to me..
I got diagnosed a week ago and I am 14. My resting heart rate is 90-120 and when I stand it spikes up to about 130-200. I always feel dizzy after getting up and when I feel better when sitting down no one beloved I was ill. My mum took me to hospital last week as it started getting serious and then we found out I had PoTS. I am thankful that it has finally been registered as an actual condition and people can get help now!
same! i just turned 14 but i got diagnosed when i was 12
What is the treatment given please tell me !! Iam also facing same issue !!
As someone who was just diagnosed after 27 years I love seeing these, I need to know what’s happening inside my body and most doctors haven’t been able to tell me. Thank you. 💖
Oh and some context for information, started showing symptoms at 7 years old, so around third grade while in school. No answers for a solid twenty years. I finally got diagnosed and we tried Propanolol first but unfortunately that caused my heart rate to drop too low too fast and put me on the floor with a 40bpm. I now take Fludrocortisone at .1 mg every morning which has helped me retain fluids amazingly. Next appointment is in fifteen minutes. Haha. Hoping I can get some community support.
@@jaimemacintyre8545 I wish you a long life & a full recovery💙
I was only diagnosed with POTS because the hospital I was in wanted me to do sit/stand BP tests to check my BP nothing much happened to my BP but upon standing every single time my HR would rise 30-50bpm, I always told drs that I felt dizzy standing up and I could see weird stars in the shower and on really hot days but I continuously got iron tested and my iron was fine everytime, thank goodness for that sit/Stand test otherwise it would have gone unnoticed and undiagnosed. Now I know how to manage it I can live life a little better even though I’ve had a few fainting spells that have been pretty dangerous. I wish more people and more medical professionals knew about POTS
Best lecture on POTS.
THE first thing doctors should do is to suspect the diagnosis of POTS.
"A diagnosis never considered is never made."__WILLIAM OSLER. Thanks for the video.
This underappreciated diseases series is pure gold!
Great video!!! I love how descriptive it is. I've been having symptoms of POTS for 4 years and my doctors kept gaslighting me into thinking it was anxiety. I did my own research and persisted and just now finally got in to see a cardiologist to get a tilt table test. I hope one day they teach about this condition in medical schools and programs. Especially since it is becoming so common now.
Same with me. I'm pretty sure I have pots. I started having symptoms after I had covid 4 months ago. My doctor told me it was my thyroid but then later after my levels normalized I am still having the same problems. Then I was told it was anxiety. My doctors(yes plural) all told me I was fine and healthy and yet 4 months later I'm supposedly to be taking 5 different medications a day. Doesn't sound healthy to me. I have appointment next week with a different doctor in a different city. If I get help someplace else I will be moving if God allows me to do so.
And now that you know have it, how is it cured/fixed?
I wonder what is causing the increase in prevalence of this disease
@@blydnhvghn covid
I (20) just got diagnosed with this today, after a few years now of dealing with it and going to many doctors for other illnesses and to find out what’s all wrong with me. But this helped a lot to listen and get better knowledge of it. It’s been a wild ride. ❤
Thank you Dr Eric Strong. I like these series, I have watched others already, I hate to face something , made me wonder did I miss a class or lecture in school:). Therefor these under appreciative conditions are so interesting. I thank that you take time to this for the love of medicine and teaching.
Thank you so much for this ACCURATE and informative video. As someone with pots I appreciate you spreading awareness!
i think i might have it.
That was an insanely informative, concise, engaging presentation. Love it. Thank you!
Great info for a less understood syndrome. Thank you for the effort. The Ddx and the treatment are better explained than the textbook.
Everytime you mention "Strong Medicine" I immediately smile and feel proud of having a professor like you at anytime
I was an EMT for 23 years and never heard of POTS until I was diagnosed with it two years ago at age 50.
Are you able to continue working?
@@maryqcarnes4482 I had to quit as an EMT. It was my volunteer job. I'm also a 911 dispatcher and I still am able to do that, but it has been a struggle at times. In the first 6 months, I burned through 400 hours of sick and vacation time.
Wow. Your struggle is appreciated by Christ. A blessing that you found a niche. You may be one of God's chosen? A victim soul ... suffering here for others. Our mother would say, "Your reward will be in Heaven".
Thank you for sharing. I'll be praying for you from now on. Agape ~ MT
Hi 🥰🥰!! I have Ehlers-danlos syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis and more ! We have no EDS specialists in Ireland so I set up my RUclips channel Lisa's zebra life to raise awareness and spread a bit of joy and positive vibes! It would mean the absolute world to me if any of you would subscribe!!! All my love, Lisa xxxxx
hello, how are you now? what is your heart rate and how do you manage yourself? please give me details😢
I am a grown man and I have been dealing with so many of these symptoms. I was treated for anxiety by one doctor, another wanted to treat me for heart related issues and yet all my test come back great. I am going to suggest this to my doctor as I am scheduled to have a Tilt-test.
Thank you for such an informative video I wish one day people will find my videos as helpful as yours ❤️ 😊
This is what's called unwanted self promotion. Just Stop at thank you. Or mention something in the video.....
As someone with pots. You did a great job explaining it!
After dealing with fainting spells for almost 25 years I was finally diagnosed with POTS syndrome today. I can't tell you the relief I feel to finally have an answer
I’m dealing with something for 7 years after having 2 30 days halter monitors within those 7 years, had 2 echocardiograms, brain scan, brain waves testing for seizures, and I’m finally getting a tilt test to figure out what’s going, I’m hoping to get answers since my heart rate spikes 175 beats per-minute and drops to 45 beats per minute. And doctors say it’s normal and that it’s just my age group.
@@Brotaterchip00 Oh yeah, I went ot the doctors twice because when I stood up, my heartrate went to 180 and when I sat down, it was 90. I told them about it, and then they only took my blood pressure while I was sitting down, then told me it's probably dehydration and then sent me on my way. I think that was when I was 16 or so. I've given up on doctors, and since it's been slowly going away after the treatment of my ulcerative colitis, I just don't even bother caring anymore. It was at its worse when I was in middle school and half my vision would be gone but I was still forced to stand for hours.
@@ArielEarthyorder yea doctors make me angry but I can’t work until I get answers Since my doctor says I’m a liability, I just want to get answers and finally put a name to what I have and go back to having a life, it sticks cause I’ll Pass out not just from standing but sitting and laying down too
I have been to the ER like 8 times in the last month thinking I was going to have a heart attack. Found out today I have this shit. Biggest relief of my life in a lot of ways. Now I just have to figure out how to live with this crazy thing
it’s been 3 ish years for me and my doctor is just waiting to find someone to do the tilt table test on me. i can’t imagine 25 years, i’m frustrated with the few i’ve dealt with. my doctor is almost 100% i have pots but we need the test to be sure. i honestly hope it comes back positive because i would love to have an answer.
I am a 31 year old mother of two that was diagnosed at the mayo with POTS over a year ago. I became sick with these symptoms two days after going on a high estrogen birth control pill. I am very disappointed with the lack of understanding the mayo has with what is causing this condition. As soon as I was stamped with the condition of POTS the mayo was DONE with me, they do not take anytime to try and figure out each individual cause. The biggest thing I have noticed since developing this condition is that it is happening mostly to women and often times after they start puberty or when they have a pregnancy and their hormones change. A lot of women had prolonged gut issues before developing pots. A lot women I talked to developed POTS after a vaccine, birth control, or virus. What is going on with their immune system? When I was at the mayo I was not very symptomatic until I had an internal ultrasound which caused two cysts to burst on my ovaries. I was then diagnosed as possible pcos. The next morning my heart was racing like crazy, I was nauseated, dizzy etc and they put me on the tilt table. I was diagnosed with pots by a faster heart rate but not by blood pressure shift. I asked for further testing to figure out the cause so that we could possibly treat the problem and fix me.
They did not care to further help me. They said no further testing necessary.
Since then I have been through a variety of testing with different medical doctors that I found locally and I found a functional medicine doctor. We discovered issues with methylation and some nutritional deficiencies, low ferritin (iron storage) high ige levels, intestinal metaplasia/leaky gut, and low hormones/low cortisol. I ended up with a hysterectomy because of uncontrolled heavy bleeding and since then my heart rate is more regulated. I could have avoided the hysterectomy if my issues had been found sooner and better controller. I still have the other symptoms but my Ige is so high we are looking into the cause and if I’m having some type of mast cell activation response to things that is causing the pots symptoms. I also am working with a functional neurologist that used to work at an institute in MN for treating pots patients by finding the root cause. We believe that my pots is being caused by the high ige levels, low cortisol, hormone/gut issues and are attempting to find the underlying cause to the high IGE levels now. Everything is connected within the body. If you cannot properly methylate you don’t detox like the average person. When the body becomes overtaxed it affects other parts in the body, gut, hormones, ability to absorb nutrients. I am still sick but am still fighting. Perhaps we need to get away from the textbook definition concerning what is normal or not. The ranges for hormones and ferritin and other nutritional levels are very broad. Every human is different. One level may be normal for one but not the other. The first year of being sick all of the medical doctors said my hormones were normal when the functional side said they were not. I had all of the symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Medical doctors are what are causing anxiety and ptsd in pots patients, not the symptoms, because most of them are constantly undermining you. The first year of my illness I was told that I had a panic disorder..even though I had no history of anxiety before and no reason to develop it. I was told my gut issues were mentally induced and there was nothing wrong..while I continued to have bleeding in my stools and severe stomach pain and bloating and passing out during my periods. When I went to the er the only thing they looked at was hemoglobin and since that was in range “everything looks normal” I was told I needed to see a psychiatric doctor and the mayo would find nothing..well I was diagnosed with pots and pcos at the mayo. The last endocrinologist I spoke with basically told me maybe the medical field just doesn’t understand my condition enough yet to help me..well then work with the functional medicine doctors! Learn from each other! The best doctors I have had were ones that were willing to work with the “quacks”
It’s very upsetting and no one deserves to live this way, be unheard, and end up worse because of trauma and ptsd.
The mayo pretends like they want to get you better but no one is actually following stories like mine they just send you home with no suggestions other than symptoms management abs living with this horrible condition.
If we can step outside of the box and work together better and not be laughed at when you have a suggestion from the functional medicine side that would be great. I know that I would be better a long time ago if I could just find a doctor that can think outside the box and textbook and be willing to work together with others ideas.
I am apart of groups where people recovered from pots by finding their underlying cause. What I have found out is that there are many different causes.
Ferritin deficiency
Candida overgrowth
Sibo
Hormone imbalances (treated by functional medicine doctors)
B12 deficiency that goes unnoticed because of mtfhr methylation disorder
Vitamin D deficiency
Heavy metal toxicity
Mold sickness
Mast cell activation syndrome
Parasite
Lymes disease that was false negative
Epstein Barr virus/weakened immune system
Adrenal or pituitary disorder
Injury to the neck or spine
Maybe this sounds laughable but these people have gotten better.
I hear you. So many, well, too many "doctors" are clueless and careless. If they can't come up with a diagnosis, they think you are just crazy and prescribe antidepressants.
Hey Whitney , do you suffer from joint problems / dislocations as well as your other conditions above? If so look at Ehlers danlos syndrome. It’s so misdiagnosed. My partner has a lot of your health issues too. Hope you get to the bottom of your health difficulties . Take care.
Hi what are the groups you are part of
It is so interesting that you say that. I’m 22 on my third pregnancy and suspecting POTS. When I was younger I had to have a surgery to correct intentional problems, and I have also developed a cyst that caused me to have surgery for an ovarian torsion. The similarities are weird !! I was recently hospitalized due to a severe pain in my chest that I realized could be increased heart rate. Im young so no one really took me seriously, and I also waited for hours before even getting put on any type of monitor so clearly my symptoms subsided due to sitting/ laying in the hospital bed. I’m hoping someone can help diagnose me and get me some type of treatment plan. A lot of the stories I’ve heard are similar to yours and I’m sorry you have had to go through that. It’s such a pain sometimes when people don’t take you seriously, and we must rely on them for any type of help. It’s not like we can prescribe our own meds 😂 anyways, I hope you’re doing well! Wishing you the best ❤️
Wanted to add that bleeding in my stools was exactly why I had to have a surgery and it is just so odd that we have the same symptoms I really wonder where it could be coming from
Is it strange I look forward to these? 🙃 Great vid, thanks Eric! For teaching us about all the things that simply weren't mentioned in the first 2 years of an md!
Hi 🥰🥰!! I have Ehlers-danlos syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis and more ! We have no EDS specialists in Ireland so I set up my RUclips channel Lisa's zebra life to raise awareness and spread a bit of joy and positive vibes! It would mean the absolute world to me if any of you would subscribe!!! All my love, Lisa xxxxx
Gonna put this link in my notes for my doctors, this should be taught more as it's more common then people beleive it to be.
You’re awesome thank you. That was some great information
This was excellent.
I wish Google and RUclips were a thing when I was 14 yrs old. I’m 42 now and have been living with it ever since but it was never addressed after being diagnosed and now it’s really bad.
I found about this today. I been needing to visit doctor, but this is so relatable of how I been feeling it is crazy.
I’m so glad I saw this I’ve had these symptoms as long as I can remember. Just did the ECG thing on my Apple Watch and yeh consistant increase of 30-50 bmp when I stand up. I shall book an appointment ❤
I was just diagnosed with POTS. I’m only 22 I’ve felt like I’ve had heart issues since my sophomore year of highschool my mom never took me seriously. POTS is hell I feel like an 80 year old woman in the prime of my life. I can’t function like a normal girl my age it’s the most exhausting thing to go to work let alone even think about going out with friends half the time. it feels like your in prison in your own body.
It’s crazy because I’m going through the same thing right now. I just turned 22 and I should be living my life but now I could barely even move around let alone shower. All of this triggered because of COVID. Hang in there we got this 🙏🏾
Same here. 22 years old and suddenly can't even go to a mall without getting loghtheaded anymore.
It’s not Covid it’s the tests you are using
@@jamesmargo1875 what do you mean?
@@Neea121 yes i too have so many symptoms after i caught covid
Was diagnosed at 24 I’m 31 I have just been living with it since. When I was 15 I experienced immediately equilibrium and heart issues after my second dose of Gardasil I was out of school for 3 months I thought I was dying. I have never felt normal since I just got used to living unstable. The anxiety that comes with it is crippling it took me a long time to not freak out at public places when I felt the dizziness coming on. I developed food anxiety and needed to eat constantly out of fear of feeling dizzy or my blood pressure dropping luckily I have a fast metabolism that prevented me from gaining excessive weight. It’s so scary to agree to a medication that is just not known it’s always a maybe. I try to just live as healthy as I can but this video definitely made me rethink how I workout. Adding this tip. I have now just started to push my body a little bit more and experiment with length of food intake. It’s sad honestly that this is my and so many people’s normal and no one understands and we are judged constantly!
I'm very sorry to hear about what you've experienced. POTS can be very debilitating. However, for other viewers/readers, there is no evidence that Gardasil (an HPV vaccine that prevents cervical cancer) causes POTS: www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/review-concludes-evidence-does-not-support-hpv-vaccines-cause-crps-pots
Wow. I relate to you more than anyone I've ever meet in my life.
When I go to any event I have to bring a purse full of high sodium snacks. I started fainting as an infant if I were put in too much of a supine position and sometimes when loud noises startled me. Then fainted in so many public and private situations through life. So embarrassing. I was diagnosed with POTS while in the hospital...after 10 years of wondering why I was so ill and no doctor could wrap their head around it.
I was also diagnosed in my mid 20s and am now 30 yrs old. I work in Healthcare and the amount of maintenance it takes to keep my body functioning is so expensive and obnoxious. BUT we are only human. Obviously our heart needs to be treated with care and nutrition. And I found that 10 mins of easy level yoga every morning prevents me from fainting as often ❤️
Thank you so much for this. I think I have POTS (my mom probably has it too but she just never had a name for it) and this is a really helpful resource!
(28) Have had symptoms since early middle school. Working on getting all my ridiculous issues diagnosed. I have Chronic Fatigue. Most likely lupus. But today, along this journey I was told I have this. I feel every bit of this video constantly.. I i have every single symptom in this video but hadnt fainted yet. Almost have many times. I feel a bit better just laying around. 😢
But I'm always up, so always sick.
What an excellent and informative video!!! 👏🏼
It helped a lot!!! 🙏🏼
Currently wearing a heart monitor. POTS has been thrown up as a possible condition. I came here to learn and did. Thank you!
This is very helpful! I go for my TTT next month (July) and I’ve been waiting since December! But I’ve been treated for pots for almost a year now. Even on meds it’s common for me to go from a resting of 60 to 120-140 just by getting up to use the bathroom or get some water. It’s really miserable! I’ve had the signs since I was a child but I was treated like I was crazy or a hypochondriac since my blood work was always normal. I got covid feb 22 and things got so much worse so I sought out a second opinion. So glad I did!
I have pots and this was extremely helpful in me learning and understanding it
I’ve been suffering for almost 2 months now. I got the tachycardia after recovering from a cold a few days later. I get tachycardia sitting or standing I’ve fainted twice according to my husband and dizziness. I can go for walks or anything. I have the tilt table test Monday. All other test including echocardiogram and blood work are all normal. I hate when people think it’s anxiety! I had one er doctor tell me it wasn’t anxiety and thought it was inappropriate sinus tachycardia and he said anxiety is a system of it. I pray that I get some resolve and be able to be active again 😢
I had to come across POTs myself while researching my other chronic symptoms that were always brushed off and then seek out a cardiologist that offered tilt table testing. Having to advocate for yourself when it's really difficult to communicate effectively and not be misunderstood is really really hard. Getting a tilt table test soon. ❤
Excellent video
Great video, helped me realize that I just might have pots after all and at least I don't have a form of IST. Hopefully I can get a proper diagnosis next week and treatment for it as well.
I am suffer from pots. Thanks for your perspective.
Hi 🥰🥰!! I have Ehlers-danlos syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis and more ! We have no EDS specialists in Ireland so I set up my RUclips channel Lisa's zebra life to raise awareness and spread a bit of joy and positive vibes! It would mean the absolute world to me if any of you would subscribe!!! All my love, Lisa xxxxx
My son has POTS. His case must be considered severe. He cannot to anything- trouble sleeping, barely leave the house. He is anxious and depressed. Even though it is more common than one thinks, the drs here don’t know how to help him.
I’m so sorry to hear that your son is diagnosed with POTS. I recommend (if able to) seeing someone who specializes in dysautonomia. I’ve been having the same symptoms as your son for years and only now are they beginning to speculate a malfunction within my autonomic nervous system.
Thank you for replying. He is getting an echocardiogram this week. Everything is happening at a snail pace partially due to covid but also HMOs. Take care!
Same... 😞😔
Hoping he can find the treatment that works best for him. If it's hyperadrenergic POTS, they'll often prescribe nightly Guanfacine or Clonidine - which are also commonly prescribed off-label to treat pediatric insomnia and anxiety. This type of medication signals the body not to dump so much adrenaline and norepinephrine into circulation, which in turn calms the "fight or flight" panic and anxiety response.
@@Dulcimerist also for adhd
Thank you Eric
I have anemia and kept thinking it was my Anemia but my hemoglobin was great.
Pots is horrible. My heart rate shot up from 86 to 149.
Hi! Did your symptoms come and go at periods? I thought i had anemia in December but everything was ok then symptoms went away and now they're back. Sometimes when i stand up everything goes black and my heart hurts because of how fast it beats and i feel really dizzy and out of breath when i walk
Any update? My heart rate jumps up insane too I have not been able to do anything for the last two weeks I stay laying down in bed I’m to scared
I’ve had POTS for 7 years now I was diagnosed in 2015. I now take 40mg propranolol for it and my symptoms have been good. Sometimes if I get up to quickly or bend down I get dizzy.
I (29) was diagnosed with POTS and Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia at 28. Grew up with these symptoms since childhood
According to my mini Holter monitor results which I wore for a whole week, my resting HR would be between 103-169 BPM. I could be calm cool and collected but still suffer. In this day and age, it is difficult to find work that is easier on my condition where I could sit down a lot, and take breaks. I don’t want to be reliant on government assistance for the rest of my life. I have been recommended a lot of liquid, electrolytes and salty stuff along with compressions and Nadalol. I have a cardiologist and I will soon have a dysautonomia doctor this fall
I started fainting as an infant. Loud noises would cause sycope, my lips would turn blue, then I would wake about 60secs later. My father was playing with me and flipped me upside down hanging by my ankles, I fainted. Ive literally felt exhausted the majority of my life. I was diagnosed with POTS 5 years ago, I'm now 30 and have to plan a very particular diet for my work week. Working in Healthcare myself can be challenging when my heart rate is always changing and even 2 hours after lunch break, again I'm shaking and getting a headache.
My mans shirt is mad tight but he delivers the information well 👍
Thanks for video
👏👏👏👏. Well done sir.
Thank you! 😊
Fantastic video! my other half has this due to Ehlers danlos syndrome she was in her 30’s . oh boy trying to get a diagnosis for EDS was a mine field can’t understand why it’s so complex to diagnose.. 🙌
Thanks for the comment, and I'm glad you liked the video. I think the reason EDS is diagnostically challenging is because it is *relatively* rare and has 13 different subtypes - each of which has its own genetics, presentation, and diagnostic criteria. In my experience, most physicians' knowledge of EDS is limited to joint hypermobility and skin hyperextensibility +/- mitral valve prolapse. Many of the other manifestations of EDS (e.g. autonomic dysfunction, scoliosis, chronic pain, vascular problems) are largely unknown by most non-specialists. EDS itself is on my list of diseases to cover in the future in this series on underappreciated diseases!
I have EDS, POTS ,MCAS, Gastroparesis and more so if you ever want to talk to a patient who has EDS I'd be more than happy happy help! X
In addition to what Stong Medicine mentioned, the diagnostic criteria for the most common type of Ehlers Danlos syndrome (hypermobile type) were completely revised in 2017. Most doctors have obsolete or inaccurate knowledge about EDS. Additionally, the major case studies that make the medical journals are often the rarer types with the very exaggerated presentations - these give doctors a false sense of what all EDS patents should look like.
Said to my doctor yesterday I think I have POTS, initial reply was "what?"
My daughter is 16 and was just diagnosed with POTS. Ty first this video
Big picture, POTS and OH are related io a group of orthostatic intolerance OI, and OI is in the spectrum of Dysautonomia
I've actually helped a few people with diagnosed POTS through my work as a licensed massage therapist. It certainly doesn't replace expert medical care, but those with POTS who have come to me have all said that the symptoms noticeably lessen for about 2 to 4 weeks with just a 60min session.
I think I've had this my entire life and no Dr has ever known what it was.
Yeah it might be something to bring up to my doctor. I’ve noticed recently that I often nearly black out when I go from supine to standing, and I checked my hr…it can be hovering mid 50’s or lower while laying down and suddenly spike to over 100 when I stand up…I’ll need to check my BPs…
I was diagnosed with POTS when I was only 17… they told me it wasn’t a big deal and I would grow out of it.
I never grew out of it and it took over my whole life except I was ignoring the diagnosis thinking that something else was wrong with me…
I just started learning how to deal with the symptoms super recently. I’m now 34.
How do you manage it?
When I was a child I loved bathing in the tub, but suddenly I developed an issue with it. I would start to feel unwell, my eyes would blink hysterically, I felt dizzy and warm and like I was losing all control on my body. I instantly reached for the sink and put my hands in cold water this would be my trigger every time. Slowly I grabes hold on anything and lowered myself to the floor and screamed for my mom. She would find me and take me out from the warm bathroom to the living room. She always tried to keep my awake and I would normally puke everything in my stomach and release gas , I felt so sick. Of course all of this led to fainting here and there if my mom couldn’t stop it. Since I’ve stopped taking baths or to long showers. And exercising too hard would make me feel the same way. I’m 19 now I know to put my feet up and take a rest whenever I feel the signs. I can take long showers and can bath if there’s movement but exercising and warm rooms still trigger me a lot.
Maybe the water is too hot.
Omg, this is crazy! I had covid in November and my doctor was of no help so I’ve been trying to research my symptoms on my own in order to request a referral.
Anyways, I suffer from really bad heat flashes, waves of nausea and feeling light headed. Simple tasks like going up the stairs gets my heart rate very accelerated and it takes me a while to catch my breath and calm down after doing so. I feel shakey, anxious and have the worst insomnia.
I just finished telling my mom that I feel the worst in the morning and that taking showers really triggers my temperature fluctuations it’s the combination of cold morning tempatures, hot showers and getting up in the morning after lying down for a long period of time decreases blood flow!
This is all starting to make sense
Nicola, I have a neurological disorder called neurally mediated hypotension which sounds very similar to what you experience. It’s an abnormal communication/feedback between the brain and the heart so that under conditions where one’s blood pressure should increase, instead it drops to fainting level. When I have a BP drop, I immediately feel very sick, faint and weak and my mood changes dramatically. I must immediately lay down or will pass out. And the sick feeling lasts for 3-4 days, sometimes longer. There are many triggers- standing and warm water being two of them. I can no longer take warm showers or handle warm water, not to mention a whole host of other things. NMH is also diagnosed using a Tilt Table Test. If I understood it correctly, with POTS heart rate increases but blood pressure does not decrease. With NMH, blood pressure drops dramatically. Hope ive represented this accurately. Sorry you’re going through this. Sounds terrible.
Hi, how are u , how dou you feel now, could you find treatment
@@SimonSays0414 blood pressure dropping is a common thing that can happen with pots i personal dont have the dropping blood pressure luckily
i've been struggling with a bunch of physical symptoms for a while, but always blamed it on side effects of psychiatric meds. I'm thinking of POTS now...
I recommend discussing your symptoms with your psychiatrist +/- your primary care provider.
pots can be a result of coming off psychiatric medicine
@@dawnbrown8329 is this true?? Bc i was on antidepressants last year and ever since i came off them i have had all these symptoms and i cannot stand for long after sitting bc my heart rate goes thru the roof
@@StrongMed ...I want to first apologize, i am in no way verse in the medical field and i find your covering of "POT" to be evasive; hence my fore-right introduction with which i do employ your forgiveness. your generalization of the concept was not clear. [POT] is it "psychometric" impart and physiological...Could it be some sort of "root-triggered" or is it some sort of hereditary abnormally; can it be an issues that define purported effects on the equilibrium through ENT(eyes-ears-nose and throat) ?...can anyone simply wake up one morning to having [POT] and finally is it related to the toxicity - concentration in the body...?
I'm convinced pots is a symptom of microbiome imbalance.... when my autoimmune conditions were super bad... it would go from 70 when sitting to 124 when standing... I would be out of breath... I started making home made saurkraut and eating anti and non inflammatory foods... fixed my issue
I have these symptoms and my cardiologist said “pots is over diagnosed”. Then said I did not have it and never checked my heart rate. Checked my blood pressure when I stand and it dropped. But my primary care doctor said my blood pressure did not drop when he had me stand. Then did a heart monitor and said my heart was fluctuating sometimes from 73-147.
I'm sorry to hear that you are having difficulty getting a diagnosis for your symptoms. Unfortunately, I can't offer specific, individualized medical advice here, however, I do know that a non-negligible number of docs (anecdotally, this is particularly emergency medicine) who feel that POTS is being overdiagnosed - patients who believe they have POTS and report it in their medical histories despite normal tilt table test results. I hope they were able to provide you an explanation for the heart rate changes.
Can you see a neurologist and get a tilt-table test? That’s what I did. My PCP had no idea what POTS was. I had to seek out a doctor who was a POTS expert. Horrible.
Did you have a tilt table test? They can't argue with that... I would see another doctor though.
I was just diagnosed with pots at 22, feels very stressful, I’m fainting a lot and have dyspnea, And a resting heart rate of 100, I hope to soon have relief
i think i was broadly diagnosed with POTS by a neurologist but who am i to argue with a professional. my symptoms are like nobody’s i’ve ever heard. sitting to standing, standing to walking, walking to running, laying to sitting, turning over, these things flare up some feeling in my body that doesn’t fall behind the “fainting” i have to tense my legs up in all cases in order to avoid a total 10 second seizure like feeling where i have limited use of my body i can lock my knees i can fake tie my shoe all i want i hide it well i think. and people close to me that have seen me injure myself and literally look so stupid in the most stressful situations it’s exhausting explaining and it’s hard explaining. i also have tourette’s syndrome, motor tics that are much better as i’ve gotten older. still winking here and there still falling into facial patterns. idk if that is related. i could understand my blood pressure and heart rate rising and falling and that affecting my body, when i don’t tense my legs up in time or “miss it” it spreads to my whole body sometimes my legs whale out if i was laughing i make a horrifying sound that i cannot control it does happen a lot out of stress and i have a window period between “missing it” and being able to prepare for how hard of a spasm it will be this time sometimes it’s really bad sometimes it’s okay it seems like seasonall for the past 10 years it flares up incredibly intensely i work on my diet but i still can’t pinpoint exactly what’s going on i intake extra salt i always have a gatorade in my hand. i stopped seeing my neurologist not soon after i was diagnosed at the age of literally 15 but the lady seemed so sure and now being 24 it’s just as it was then i’ve just learned to deal with it. i’m trying to get recommended somewhere like i’ve been trying for years it feels like maybe i don’t habe the drive maybe my body starts functioning again before i can follow through ive tried to get set up i just get lost in this medical tunnel idk
Ok was not expecting that badass intro😂
I've had my symptoms overlooked so much, it's infuriating. There's this way your legs can look due to POTS if you stand up for too long and my legs ALWAYS look like that when I take a shower! I'm able to stand up for 20-30 minutes at a time before getting really dizzy/lightheaded (up to 2 hours if I drink an energy drink first and eat salty food), but I have to sit down for most of my shower because I just get too damn lightheaded and my legs look purple and pink.
As I have pots thanks for the heavy metal intro that made my heart skip a beat lol but a helpful resource
And my whole life I was told I'm anemic; then I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and assumed it was just a symptom of MS.
Awesome.
Hi 🥰🥰!! I have Ehlers-danlos syndrome, POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis and more ! We have no EDS specialists in Ireland so I set up my RUclips channel Lisa's zebra life to raise awareness and spread a bit of joy and positive vibes! It would mean the absolute world to me if any of you would subscribe!!! All my love, Lisa xxxxx
OMG....this video gave me the light at the end of the tunnel. I have been suffering from post health challenges since having Covid Pneumonia in December-January. This video diagnosed me. The symptoms have gotten worse due to anxiety and extreme worry of dying. Thank you Lord for leading me to this video. Now the battles continue to get doctors to get to the bottom of this.
After taking the Covid vaccine a month later I have POTS symptoms I’m tilt table testa Monday.I been off work since 10/19/21 started with high blood pressure.
Hope you are improving, I'm dealing with the same after being "hit by the CV" back in October 2021, I was just in the ER today with a rapid heart rate
@@mzphat748 hope u are improving
@@mzphat748 how are you now? Same happening with me. People said they recover in 3 months to a year sometimes
@@ladyvirgo9514 how are you ? What’s your walking hr without meds?
I'm here because I'm curious about ikenna's illness
This should be taught more
I have a question! I've been diagnosed with this and I want to know to what extent it's affecting my life. Are there any reported cases of it causing muscle twitching, and the brain suddenly not being able to think for a few seconds? And low blood pressure?
Tremor, more so than muscle twitching, is a well described symptom, as is a variety of transient cognitive effects. However, if it is associated with low blood pressure upon standing, it's not technically considered to be POTS - by the current definition, and would be more accurately labeled orthostatic hypotension.
@@StrongMed Thanks so much :)
Thank you for this great video and information, I have recently been diagnosed with POTS and I take fludrocortisone, It really gave my life back, bcz I could not even walk before that, but I really need to know can it ever go away?
I want to feel good again, most of the time I feel sick and dizzy, I can not work out without my medication, I need it everyday or I will faint right away.
I want to ask something to Pots patients. Do you guys get heart palpitations and high heart rate only when you stand up? or there are times that you get this symptoms when you’re sitting/ lying ?
A lot of us covid survivors are dealing with POTS now.
omg i noticed
Me 🙋🏻♀️😥 and my case was very mild.
same
This is anecdotal but having a HIGH sodium intake can help, because it increases blood volume
sam here
I’m 12 and just got diagnosed with POTS, this video was very helpful
OMG at 12😢
May I add that if they also have hypertension we sometimes do a urinary metanephrine so that we don’t start someone with undiagnosed phaeochromocytoma on a beta blocker 🙂
Thank you for picking up this topic 😍
My mothers doctor quickly put her on a beta blocker when noticing only 1 time her heart rate elevated to 184 late at night. Most likely when she got up to go to the bathroom
what happens if the beta blocker is given to someone
Going up or down elevators trigger my high blood pressure. I have SVT and Orthostatic....
It's a real pain to deal with these symptoms. normal rate when laying down S128/D84/70's when I stand it rockets to S155 91 70's/80's. My systolic is not well controlled.(age 47)
I finally got my doctor to do a sit/stand test on me last week (he's been blowing my POTS queries off for over a year now) my resting HR was 76 and my standing HR was 111 but my dr said that because my blood pressure stayed the same everything was fine and I don't have POTS. 🤷♀️
While I can't offer specific, individualized medical advice to viewers here, minimal change of blood pressure with standing while the heart rate increases is precisely what's seen in POTS. This is a "nice" (but unfortunate) example of why POTS was one of the first diseases I included in this video series.
What, your doctor needs to get back to school. Change doctors and ask for a Tilt table test.
How are you now
Pls reply maa'm🙏
Ive been dealing with thee symptoms sincerughly 2010 2011 when i had my pregnancy. Life had a way of making it very difficult to get treated for anything a year or 2 after this. When i was able to get seen by a dr about 5 years later when i was fainting, intense fatigue, heart beating fast and occasionally hard and lightheadedness they just diagnosed my crashing (possibly fainting episodes) as psychogenic non epileptic seizures. Basically a seizure thats caused by emotional distress. They later also diagnosed me with anxiety and asthma. The therapy for the seizures did nothing to help. I just came from a drs office explaining my symptoms and im finally gettng seen by a cardiologist to see whats actually going on.
Guys i need your opinion im 13 ever since i was 10 everytime i got up I've gotten lightheaded, dizzy, my eyes went black, and I have passed out a few times from it and my bpm (heart rate) goes from 50-60 which is my 'normal' to 110, 120 and ive done extensive research since i was about 11-12 and my dad took me to a cardiologist and they recommended me to a neurologist and she said it was in my mind and i cant have stress in my life because i was a kid and all she "diagnosed" me with was vasalvagal syncope. My symptoms match more up with pots but im going to see another doctor soon but can you guys guess which one i actually have? Or why my eyes randomly started going black when i stood up ive done blood tests and that wire test to your head i forgot what it was called
Same thing occasionally happens to me. Have you discovered a way to deal with it? I'm too tired to function. Severe memory problems since I was a teenager.
@@stevenfetzer4911 yeah, my way of dealing with it is just to sit down until its somewhat easy to get up. Sometimes, its hard to get up but you just have to sit down for a moment and not get up so fast and when you have memory loss i usually find tracing my steps back but even sometimes i cant remember my steps. So just think about it. I cant really give you any other advice since im only 13 maybe since you're older it would be easier to see a specialist? I know if you see your regular doctor they can recommend you and it would be cheaper than just going into a clinic. But yeah my biggest advice is to just rest. I get major vertigo when i lay down and i kinda think my way out of it. If that makes sense? I kinda imagine falling because for some reason falling is relaxing to me try and think if you're in a black void and theres nothing but you falling and its a constant speed and you're calm. But just rest. Its the best thing i can think of and i dont think theres any medication but i can look into it for you. Im sorry if it gets worse but this is all i can do ill try and see i hope you feel better steven!
did they ask you to get ECG test or chest xray?
"Kids can't stress" is such bs dear lord...
I have mast cell and POTS is often another thing that comes with mast cell(whatever my doctor is talking about) but everytime I Stand up everything goes black and I have to hold onto something and my doctor I making me go to a cardiologist or whatever
I am 21 and just got diagnosed with POTS last month.
Beginning to think I might have this...
I saw a video about the possibility that POTS might be caused by cervical instability in some patients, if you search for "pots and cervical instability" on youtube it shows up. It's there actual medical evidence that this might be the case?
Is there a documented correlation between patients with POTS and patients with let's say military neck (cervical kyphosis)?
In short, no. While the frequency of POTS and the hypermobile subtype of Ehlers Danlos syndrome (hEDS) coexistng appears to be much higher than would be expected from chance alone, and hEDS can cause cervical spine disease, the nature of this apparent association is not currently understood. While there is some speculation that there might be a POTS cervical spine disease connection outside of patients with hEDS, current evidence of such is predominantly limited to personal testimonials on social media (the veracity of which is about the same as a late night infomercial).
When I do a RUclips search for "POTS and cervical instability", the top 8 results are all from the same clinic that appears to specialize in pseudoscientific therapies that are expensive and unlikely to be covered by most insurance plans.
(The 9th search result is this video.)
Pretty sure I have a mild case of POTS? Ive been feeling weird for years and flew for the first time in years and was near passing out on take off and landing which is very very new and odd for me
POTS has also been described as a post COVID syndrome in some patients.
I’ve had it for 5 weeks following dose 1 of Moderna 😪
@@11xkatiex I JUST GOT MY MODERNA VACCINE TOO! and I think I had POTS. Did it just go away?
Which is good news because finally they are starting to investigate more on pots
Correct. Me i get Pots after i had covid…
Yes, I got it Post COVID just recently.
I had neuropathic pain, NSAIDs and opioids aren't working to relieve my head pressure(Not headache), feels like occipital neuralgia, but doctors keep diagnosing me as having "migraine", if so even caffox, tramadol isn't working. Then I kept seeing the emergency for my palpitations but was told is "anxiety", it's kinda pissing me off especially since I quit smoking for almost a month, I have numbness & tingling sensation all over my body.
When I'm rested or seated, my heart rate is about 80 - 125bpm, while standing can go as high as 150 - 210bpm, making me dizzy. I was having vertigo & nausea from the O.N. with double vision. I can't lead my usual normal life. I feel so trapped & hopeless. I wish Singapore's doctors stop claiming it's "anxiety".
I'm sorry to hear about how you've been feeling, and that you don't feel like you've gotten the care you need. I generally don't provide individualized medical advice on here (for a variety of reasons). However, I wanted to respond to one specific thing you mentioned: a pulse as fast as 210 beats/min caused only by standing up would be profoundly unusual, even in POTS. If your heart truly goes that fast sometimes, I would try to capture it on a rhythm monitor of some kind, as it might be a more unusual heart rhythm problem.
@@StrongMed Thank you for the kind advise, now I understand my condition better. I’ll definitely record it as evidence.
I just found out Nortriptyline I was given that helped with my numbness/tingling/nerve pain, could worsen POTS?
I’ve checked my BPM from sitting to standing for the past 2 days, it seems to be around 130-146bpm. Long walks aggravate it.
Months ago, I did a 24hr home holter monitoring but my tachycardia appears randomly, & because I was still smoking the cardiologist think it’s due to it. No further test, as my ECG rhythm taken at the emergency is normal. He just said it was normal to have HR of 100-120bpm. He told me because I was still young he didn’t want to give me meds that slows the heart rate. 😩
They only test ECG while I’m lying down.
Back then working out wasn’t an issue, I could stand/walk for hours while shopping…Till the recent neuropathic pain strikes me, which trigger tachycardia while standing, sometimes also if seated for too long. If it happens, lying down helps. I missed 2 job opportunities because of this. 🥺
I have anaemia but i noticed that my heart rate goes up loads when i stand and my vision goes dark and i get very lightheaded. I dont know whether i should contact the GP about PoTs especially if its just my anaemia but it doesnt seem to change even when my anaemia is better? Any advice?
I think I have mild symptoms of this, but it still has a significant effect on my daily life. I need to get assessed by a medical professional.
4 years ago I heard a doctor doing a ted talk about pots being confused with having a cerebrospinal fluid leak, and that it is much much more common than thought before... Any thoughts?
I am 14 and trying to figure out is I have POTS or something like it. I struggle with an anxiety and panic disorder leading to other symptoms, but these symptoms so not come from anxiety. I've told my doctor about this all and she dismissed it saying to keep exercising and drinking which I do regularly. I have been seeing a lot of videos on POTS and relating to every single one. Whenever I get hot, either in and after a shower, exercise, or just being outside on a hot day, my ears plug, I get really weak, I feel like its hard to breathe as if my throat was being slightly compressed, my heart pounds, my vision gets whiter than usual, I feel pressure in my head and I get extremely lightheaded or heavy headed. These "episodes" usually tend to happen 15 minutes into my intense ballet classes when I start to warm up. My other symptoms are when I stand up, which include vertigo, a slight sort of pressure headache that goes away quickly, loss of vision (sometimes I cant see at all) and feel out of control of my body and have to hold onto something until it goes away after about five seconds. I'm trying to figure out if its my diet or water intake or something but it's come to the point where I am considering this test. Cold ice packs or being outside in spring or fall with a cool breeze always seems to help but that's the only thing that I've found that releives it. Still just trying to figure out what it is and if I should get tested😭
Hello I have the same problem do you found any fix 😢
I have experienced these at my from just being mildly dehydrated. Make sure you are adequately hydrated (no need to over do it) before/during exercise to rule out dehydration. Also, having protein to maintain stable blood sugar before physical activity helps.
I think I have it for years but it is overlooked..I keep fainting even in hospitals..
My son has SMAS… can you do a vid on it? Have the mortality rates gotten better? He is struggling, and any new info to bring to his surgeons would be great
Thank you for the suggestion; I'm sorry to hear about your son. After seeing a patient struggling with SMA syndrome a few months ago and feeling like I didn't know enough about it myself, I've already added it on my list of diseases I want to cover in this series. Unfortunately, I can't offer an estimate of when I will get to it - there are many other requested topics plus local curricular needs at my school. However, it's unlikely I will have information that's not already known to his surgeons.
I’m sorry this may be stupid but why would you not give a cardioseletive bb instead of propranolol? Does it have to do with the crossing of the blood brain barrier?
That's not a stupid question at all! In fact, after you asked it, I went looking for the answer. In short, I couldn't find a satisfying explanation that was more than "we do it because we always have done it that way" (which is all-too-common the primary reason for things in medicine). Metoprolol (which is cardioselective) is sometimes used in POTS rather than propranolol (non-cardioselective), and seems more logical from first principles. Unfortunately, there are no head-to-head comparisons that I'm aware. I also checked in with a cardiologist, and she also had no idea why propranolol is often used rather than metoprolol.
tl;dr: Good question. Answer: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I firmly believe I have POTS. My GP suspects it; my Nephrologist highly suspects it; but my Cardiologist won't do the TTT. (I suspect he might be a bit of a horse's hindquarter.🐎😉)
My BP drops after standing or sitting upright for a bit (not immediately though). Yesterday, it dropped to 79/46 while driving from my doctor's office where it had been 130/80. I took salt, sipped water, etc. Seven hours later it was still only 107/60 (improved, yes, but I feel better at 120/70). I'm only a couple of years into this thing, resulting from 5 months of aggressive chemo. I'm at my wits end. Can't grocery shop, can't even just run into the drug store anymore. I live alone with no family here and no clue how I'll manage. I don't work anymore. Yep, this stuff is rough.