POTS

[bebe127]

I was diagnosed with POTS syndrome by an electrophysiologist and he referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist says that mine is not neurological it is cardiological. Does this mean that I have or don't have an autonomic dysfunction?

[bebe127]

Thanks for that. I was diagnosed by an electrophysiologist. Unfortunately, he wasn't much help. I do have the name of an expert that is relatively close to home. I have been doing very well as of late, so I am waiting to go see him. At the beginning I thought it was just anxiety, but then went to the ER because I was scared when the Tachycardia hit a second time. That is where I met the electrophysiologist. He put me on a heart monitor for 21 days where I experienced some tachy during that time. He said my heart rhythm was fine it was just that it was fast at times. He did a tilt table test on me that reproduced the tachy three times within 3 minutes of the test beginning. He diagnosed me with POTS. I don't however have a problem standing or sitting. My blood pressure does not dip to the point of fainting. I just go into tachy, upon standing, my heart rate (during the test) went from 50 to 160+ in three minutes. He told me there wasn't much he could do and to drink more water and increase my sodium. I have done that with water and gatorade/sports drinks and feel immensely better. At first I was having nausea 24/7 and had no appitite, was dizzy and just all around feeling "not right" as well as having anxiety. After drinking the gatorade for a while, I have not had a severe tachy since Dec. 12. I am back to driving around and doing most of the things I used to do. I homeschool my two children, so it is important that I am able to drive around. The Lord had been gracious and has answered many prayers. I take it one day at a time. Thanks for your response. I am hopeful that if it gets bad again, I have someone to turn to in that expert.

[halbashes]

POTS is a form of Dysautonomia, or Autonomic Dysfunction.  Depending upon the patient, treatment can be quite complex.  Sometimes requiring a combination of specialists, both cardiac and neurological.  Though it does make a certain amount of sense to seek a Cardiologist if your symptoms are mostly cardiac, and a Neurologist if your symptoms are mostly neurological; treatment can usually be initiated by either.

What kinds of symptoms are you experiencing?  I would recommend seeing a Cardiologist, or Neurologist that has experience treating patients with POTS.  Perhaps in an academic teaching hospital.

Dysautonomia Specialists:
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Neurological-Disorders/Dysautonomia-Specialists/show/717?cid=196

Dysautonomia Treatments:
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Neurological-Disorders/Dysautonomia-Treatments/show/171?cid=196