Is it hard to convince docs to give IV saline?

[900monsta]

Have you tried drinking large amounts of salt water (as in 1-2 liters of water mixed with 1-2 teaspoons of salt, preferably sea salt). This is a popular POTS home treatment and has helped quite a few CFS/ME patients as well.

Yes, of course, That is the first thing anyone tries.

 

[Chelby]

IME, slowly infused saline is most effective. Giving 1-2L as a gravity fed bolus gets peed out. However the same amount over 3 hours provided increased orthostatic tolerance for ~24hrs. When I had constant saline when in hospital, my orthostatic tolerance was fantastic.

Last week, I had lack of feeling in my lips and fingers tips for 3 days which resolved after 500mL of saline. It is no miracle cure, but provides a tangible boost.

Unfortunately IV saline is a poor long-term solution due to infection risk and the impracticalities of accessing.

Often drinking a large amount of water can make the dysautonomia worse initially as your blood diverts to your stomach, also, many people report nausea from drinking plain water. I think it is because sugar is needed to help absorb the water. I for one find it impossible to drink over 2L as I have has gastric sleeve surgery.

 

[Alexi]

Does anyone here have regular iv saline ? If so, how to convince a doctor it’s worth trying as a therapy ?

 

[SGR]

When I crashed into mast cell heck, I made multiple trips to the ER because it felt like I was having a heart attack. High blood pressure, loss of vision one time, loss of hearing a few days later with insane blood pressure readings. They refuse to treat high blood pressure, but usually gave a saline drip which would bring the numbers down.. One time they left me In the room and forgot about me because the doctor went home. Nice. I asked for an IV when someone finally woke up to the fact that I had been there for hours with no help. The dr who came in said it would make things worse and sent me home with the typical information of what to look for in a stroke and or heart attack - I lose track, I have print outs of both. Did a round trip a few days later with a HR of 156, they plugged me right into the saline after running blood tests which did show elevating Tropinin levels, and as usual, my vitals went back down to a more normal range. I was sent home to spend more time with dr. google to try to figure out what next level of Hell I had arrived at - then got an appointment to see an allergist, then Dr. Afrin and the antihistamine blockade has kept me out of the ER at least for heart attack symptoms. So my experience would indicate that it helps me even when drs diagnose me with being chronically female (vapors, hysteria while watching Stephen Colbert). Admittedly, when my mast cells are triggered I spend a lot of time running to the toilet - so probably quite dehydrated - don't know if that would cause chest pain, however.

 

[frozenborderline]

IME, slowly infused saline is most effective. Giving 1-2L as a gravity fed bolus gets peed out. However the same amount over 3 hours provided increased orthostatic tolerance for ~24hrs. When I had constant saline when in hospital, my orthostatic tolerance was fantastic.

Last week, I had lack of feeling in my lips and fingers tips for 3 days which resolved after 500mL of saline. It is no miracle cure, but provides a tangible boost.

Unfortunately IV saline is a poor long-term solution due to infection risk and the impracticalities of accessing.

Often drinking a large amount of water can make the dysautonomia worse initially as your blood diverts to your stomach, also, many people report nausea from drinking plain water. I think it is because sugar is needed to help absorb the water. I for one find it impossible to drink over 2L as I have has gastric sleeve surgery.

Interesting! I get saline run fast, pumped on the maximum speed. feel surprisingly good when on it, the effect ranges from when the IV comes out to lasting 3 hours tops