minimising brain fog with POTS?

[mobyjoby]

I'm finding it hard to think about options for treating/managing my POTS and a big part is because my brain fog seems really bad at the moment. I feel like my brain hurts and aches all the time making it hard to think straight. my husband thought that thinking about measures/ treatment most likely to help with that may be a good start to make it easier to get my head round things.
I'm not sure its quite so straight forward but said I'd ask around if others felt anything particualr seemed to help with that?
IV saline was one thing I remember reading that people felt helped their cognitive symptoms. are there other things?
Thanks
Jo x

 

[taniaaust1]

Unlike ME where as you find something to help with one symptom of it and you dont find it helps the other symptoms (so frustrating!!), with POTS thou if you find something to help it.. from my experience it generally usuallly helps all the the symptoms the POTS causes some.

So just take a look at ALL THE THINGS which generally help POTS and trial those and the POTS brain issues should improve too as the POTS does. (note brain symptoms not being caused by POTS of cause wont be helped by POTS treatments).

POTS treatments.. medical compression stockings, more fluids, more salt, medications for POTS.. and POTS management techniques eg sitting with legs up etc. Most will need to be doing a combo of things.

 

[Allyson]

also try lying down more - even when you don t need to

then the blood gets to your brain for a while with no effort and gives your body a holiday

i find if i stay in bed on hte first day i feel well enough to get up then the next day i am MUCH better

also stay cool

 

[xchocoholic]

I notice that if I still have brain fog after laying down to correct my POTS (HR rise of 30 pts after 10 minutes which results in petite mals for me) it's from eating unhealthy foods, taking the wrong supplement or med or getting too much rest. I need a lot of rest but if I get too much my brain turns to jello ... Taking even a short walk helps.

I don't follow the pots specialists info. Saline IVs don't work for me and I suspect part of the good reputation these get is for financial reasons. I keep my sodium up to a minimal level (2500 - 3000 daily) because I need it but don't take the excessive amount they recommend. I suspect one day they'll be telling patients it was a huge mistake to take in so much sodium. I use fresh fruits and veggies to get my electrolytes, esp oranges. I can't stand the way compression hose feel. Compression is a mast cell degranulator too.

It's been tough avoiding unhealthy foods during the holidays. Why is it that eating junk food is associated with having a good time during the holidays ?

For the most part, NAC and a little green tea clear my head most of the time unless I've taken too many meds, like Klonopin, Benadryl, etc.

Mast cell meds don't make my brain fog any better but they do help my oi most of the time. I've read that mc meds can help brain fog but most of my brain fog was already gone before I started taking these. Thats because I was already on a healthy diet which eliminated most of my triggers.

tc ... x

 

[Allyson]

I can't stand the way compression hose feel.

hey I find i dont need to wear medical compression hose - in fact those don t help me at all

what helps me is lightly clingy clothes like lycra singlet tops that compress the abdomen - where all the major veins are after all

also in lymphatic massage the pressure is very light - even that used for lymphoedema due to cancer etc

if you press too hard it is not lymphatic massage

so whether the compression is working to return fluid from the lymphatic sytem to venous and thus boosting blood volume or putting pressure on "stretchy" (ie not elastic enough to constrict adequately) veins to minimise blood pooling it does not need to be too tight
and it works best if it includes - or only covers - the abdominal area

 

[xchocoholic]

Thanks. I'm going to look for a top like that. I googled it and found women's wrestling singlets too. ; )
I learn something new everytime I google.

The tight waistband in hoseiry and gerdles (sp?) always made my stomach hurt worse. A top like this
would eliminate that problem.

Tc ... X

 

[Allyson]

Thanks. I'm going to look for a top like that. I googled it and found women's wrestling singlets too. ; )
I learn something new everytime I google.

The tight waistband in hoseiry and gerdles (sp?) always made my stomach hurt worse. A top like this
would eliminate that problem.

Tc ... X

He he yes that kind of lycra singlet or t-shirt that is mildly clingy will usually pull me out of a crash pretty quickly.

Ow ....the mention of thight waist bands reminds me that women used to wear girdles and supender belts and stockings nearly all the time - my mother did most of her life - may be this ameliorated their symptoms a bit?? (No I am NOT suggesting a come-back.)

 

[charlie1]

Ttt'ing confirmed POTS last week and neurologist suggested I wear an abdominal binder and or wear clothes with lyrca (Spanx / Lulu Lemon ). Bought the binder today and happy to say the tightness didn't bother me at all! Neuro said he wasn't going to bother prescribing medical compression hose b/c too many of his patients won't comply...just too uncomfortable.