POTS

Hey all welcome back for week 3! This week I’m going to tell you about POTS something that my younger sister and I both deal with. 

“POTS or Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, is a condition that affects circulation (blood flow). POTS is a form of orthostatic intolerance, the development of symptoms that come on when standing up from a reclining position, and that may be relieved by sitting or lying back down. The primary symptom of an orthostatic intolerance is lightheadedness, fainting, and an uncomfortable, rapid increase in heartbeat.” “Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that affects circulation (blood flow). It involves the autonomic nervous system (which automatically controls and regulates vital bodily functions) and sympathetic nervous system (which activates the fight or flight response).” “People with POTS cannot coordinate the balancing act of blood vessel squeeze and heart rate response. This means the blood pressure cannot be kept steady and stable.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots

I have had POTS for many years but it wasn’t until i was a freshman in college that i was officially diagnosed with in. My younger sister who is a senior in high school also was diagnosed with POTS just a few month before me. I had symptoms of POTS back in 6^th grade but we had no idea what was wrong with me and the Doctors didn’t know either. My Junior I almost passed out during parent teacher conference and then a few months later i actually passed out at the doctors office and they didn’t know why i had passed out. We ran tests and it came back showing that i was anemic and they never didn’t anything after that. 

In the summer of 2018 my sister got her first concussion, (yes i said first), and that’s when they tested her for POTS. Usually when a cardiologist tests someone for POTS they do a tilt table but my sister didn’t need one because the cardiologist i guess he just knows how to tell if you have POTS he does a test in his office. He has you sit down and stand up and lay down and stand up and he checks your blood pressure. A couple months after my sister was officially diagnosed with POTS i went and got tested and was officially diagnosed with POTS. 

In the summer of 2019 my sisters and my parents were in a car accident and that’s when my sister got her second concussion And her POTS started acting up more severely. The difference between my POTS and her POTS is hers is worst than mine while we both take the same medication her POTS make it difficult for her to be in show choir but she fights through it. It’s actually good to be active when you have something like POTS oddly enough, it’s to keep the blood pumping. She has been out of work, however, for about three months because she was passing out so much and at one point she could barely walk, but next week she gets to go back to work. Every Saturday she jumps up on that stage and sings and dances her heart out and then she gets off stage feeling sick and she has to drink a lot of water both before and after she’s on stage.  

“Each case of POTS is different. POTS patients may see symptoms come and go over a period of years. In most cases, with proper adjustments in diet, medications and physical activity, a person with POTS will see an improvement in quality of life. Also, if an underlying cause is found and is treated, POTS symptoms may subside” With POTS we are supposed to drink way more water than the average person but it’s hard for us to drink anything let alone water. It’s hard for us to drink and sometimes even eat because blood actual pools in our stomachs. We also have to increase our salt intake, my sister actually takes salt tablets with her other medications. Some of us will wear compression socks to help the blood flow through our bodies and go to our brain. The reason we pass out is because our blood pressure drop and our blood goes to the lower half of our bodies.Patients with POTS usually suffer from two or more of the many symptoms, like me and my sister both  have High/low blood pressure, High/low heart rate; racing heart rate, Chest pain, Dizziness/lightheadedness especially in standing up, prolonged standing in one position, or long walks, Fainting or near-fainting, Exhaustion/fatigue, Abdominal pain, nausea, Temperature deregulation (hot or cold), Nervous, jittery feeling. My sister also haves these symptoms Forgetfulness and trouble focusing (brain fog), and Headaches and body pain/aches (may feel flu-like); neck pain. 

I got myself a dog back in May and he is 10 months old now. He is a certified service dog and is in training to detect when i feel like I’m going to pass out or when my blood pressure may drop. His job is also if i pass out to wake me up. I have yet to pass out since i got him, but i have come close and he circles me and try’s to get me to sit down, however, my sister has passed out around him and he jumped into action and woke her up quickly, she was out for like 10 seconds vs the normal 1-5 minutes. Apollo loves that he has a job and follows me everywhere i go. He has only been in a few stores seeing as he’s a big people person and cry’s if you don’t pet him even though you aren’t supposed to pet a service dog he demands attention all the time.