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POTS in the New York Times

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
POTS. The disorder was first named in 1993 by two neurologists who were evaluating a series of patients — mostly women — who described feeling lightheaded after standing for a while

I think give POTS another 5-10 years and most doctors will be far more familiar with this. We really are seeing in the media more past couple of years.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
@bel canto

Thanks for this article. Very readable.

While I don't have POTS, I would think this would be a good reference to show other people.

I'm confused why beta blockers are used. I can see why they would be helpful when standing but when lying down could they reduce your heart rate and blood pressure to a dangerous level?

I ask this as I had this happen to me. I was in the hospital for a low pulse and irregular ekg. During the night my pulse dropped to 32 and bp dropped to a dangerous level. When given an IV, both shot up very quickly. It was already decided in the ER not to take this medication.

All I remember is getting out of bed to go to the bathroom, fainted then woke up surrounded by all these people, some were medical students which upped how many people were there, ready to resuscitate me if necessary.

It was quite a scary experience.

Barb
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
@bel canto

Thanks for this article. Very readable.

While I don't have POTS, I would think this would be a good reference to show other people.

I'm confused why beta blockers are used. I can see why they would be helpful when standing but when lying down could they reduce your heart rate and blood pressure to a dangerous level?

I ask this as I had this happen to me. I was in the hospital for a low pulse and irregular ekg. During the night my pulse dropped to 32 and bp dropped to a dangerous level. When given an IV, both shot up very quickly. It was already decided in the ER not to take this medication.

All I remember is getting out of bed to go to the bathroom, fainted then woke up surrounded by all these people, some were medical students which upped how many people were there, ready to resuscitate me if necessary.

It was quite a scary experience.

Barb

Some people with POTS have a mildly elevated supine and sitting heart rates, say around 80, so a beta blocker isn't as bad for them as it was for you.
 

xks201

Senior Member
Messages
740
They claim it was caused by a virus but how are they sure? They arent. Clearly they are insinuating it is neuropathy from a virus, but their confidence in that cause I bet isn't clear. POTs isn't a cause specific disease unfortunately but just a set of symptoms that might be alleviated with a trial and error of meds as we know. the whole build up to a oh my god its pots and then having no real solution cracks me up.
 

Vic

Messages
137
They claim it was caused by a virus but how are they sure? They arent. Clearly they are insinuating it is neuropathy from a virus, but their confidence in that cause I bet isn't clear. POTs isn't a cause specific disease unfortunately but just a set of symptoms that might be alleviated with a trial and error of meds as we know. the whole build up to a oh my god its pots and then having no real solution cracks me up.
Seriously. It's like, HELLO! SHE WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HAD BACK SURGERY!
 

xks201

Senior Member
Messages
740
yes...car accident and no pituitary workup or diabetes insipidus workup....god help us all