Postural orthostatic tachycardia synrome (POTS) is one of a group of disorders that have orthostatic intolerance (OI) as their primary symptom. OI describes a condition in which an excessively reduced volume of blood returns to the heart after an individual stands up from a lying down position.
POTS is also sometimes called Dysautonomia and here is the explanation for that.
Dysautonomia is a general term used to describe a breakdown, or failure of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls much of your involuntary functions. Symtpoms are wide rangind and can inclue problems with the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and perspiration.
POTS is definitely not fun and can really affect mobility. It's also extremely unpredictable because sometimes it gets pretty severe and I am unable to stand in one position for more 10 or 15 minutes without getting a racing heart, extreme weakness in limbs, flushed face, and seeing black spots. Just this week I've nearly fainted twice. Yet sometimes I feel okayish and can walk around for awhile. I think that as the Lyme and coinfections improve, the POTS will also improve. Luckily my fainting isn't an everyday thing. I have passed out a couple of times but I usually can tell when it is about to happen and quickly find a seat. Here are some of the symptoms of POTS.
"Approxiamtely 50% of POTS patients have a small fiber neuropathy that impacts their sudomotor nerves. Many POTS patients also experience fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, exercise intolerance, nausea, diminished concentration, tremulousness (shaking), syncope (fainting), coldness or pain in the extremities, chest pain and shortness of breath. Patients can develop a reddish purple color in the legs upon standing, believed to be caused by blood pooling or poor circulation. The color change subsides upon returning to a reclined position."
Note the purple leg thing; that one has to be one of my favorites. haha. Here's an example of the blood pooling. Today I did laundry which is one of my least favorite chores these days because our washing machine is broken and it has to be sat on or it shakes the entire house. My legs hang off of the edge and there isn't any way for me to keep my feet elevated so hello blood pooling!
So here are my normal happy feet free from any blood pooling. (Please forgive me for my chipping nail polish. It needs to be redone badly.)
Now here are my feet after they been dangling for only about 5 or 10 minutes.
Isn't it beautiful? It's not very comfortable either with all of the swelling and stiffness. The last couple weeks have been a little rough in regards to Lyme and POTS both. At my doctors request I have started some new medications and supplements and have been eating entirely raw. I think it's causing me to Herx quite a bit and is also just hard on a weak body. In case you've never heard of Herxing or the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, here is a little info!
The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is a reaction to endotoxin-like products released by the death of harmful microorganisms within the body during antibiotic treatment.
History of the Herxheimer reaction
The reatment of many bacterial infections provokes a Herxheimer reaction. Herxing was originally observed in patients with acute infections such as syphilis who received mercury treatment (a weak antibiotic). The immune system response to acute infection is sometimes referred to as the immune cascade. For example, in the infamous anthrax attacks people died because by the time they got to the hospital the anthrax organisms had multiplied to the point where killing them also killed the patient.
It has been reported that patients with chronic conditions or infections such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme, tuberculosis, and louse-borns relapsing fever have also experienced herxing when treated with the appropriate antibiotcs.
POTS actually isn't all that rare, it's just rarely diagnosed due to lack of awareness. It's 5 times more common in women and is found a lot in women between the ages of 15-50. It's another one of those syndromes that baffle doctors because they don't know the cause, (or they just don't feel a need to research it) and is associated with many different diseases. I lot of other Lymie's I've talked to also have some form of Dysautonomia.
Anyway, I'll keep doing my best and fighting through it! Nothing can stop me with the help of my good ol' cane and sometimes wheelchair.
