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Having symptoms of POTS and I have been unable to drive
I am a 21 year old female who has been unable to drive for the past 2 weeks. I had what seemed like a panic attack during the day while driving and I got really dizzy and tachycardia and loss of vision. I went to the ER three times and was told I appear in perfect health, but I cannot stand for more than a few minutes or even get in the car without feeling dizzy and my heart rate going up. I feel I may have POTS and have an appointment with a cardiologist, but I am looking for some relief suggestions since I can no longer go to my job or drive my car and I have a 1 year old who needs to be places. I’m truly terrified I’ll never feel better and my life feels ruined.
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First, I'm glad you're here and dealing with your new reality, even if its diagnosis is still in the future. You're a young mom who needs to be healthy and strong. I'm guessing you are resilient, and have your youth working for you. 😀
POTS is a distinct possibility, but so are other potential conditions, including a heart arrhythmia. Maybe an electrolyte imbalance, maybe an autonomic disorder, perhaps an endocrine disorder. It may even stem from between your ears, if you follow. You may have some emotional or historic matters that are clawing their way toward your conscious self that you'll have to face soon...just a wild guess, but please keep an open mind to all of these possibilities so you are not shocked by them. My counsel is that you persevere, but with a great deal of patience. For now, spend some energy getting help, but especially of the domestic kind so that you don't worry yourself sick over your motherly obligations. Reach out and enlist the help of others and make it clear it may not be short-lived.
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1 ReactionThank you for your comment. I’ve definitely been exploring other options as well I just really unfortunately need to get back to work soon so i hope there is something I can do at home to try and live normally while figuring this new life out.
One of my kids as well as a family friend's daughter had a period like this and both got better.
Cardiology may not be helpful so don't want you to be discouraged if you run into that. Not saying for sure, but possible. I hope you can wear a patch monitor to document what is going on.
There are dysautonomia clinics in some medical centers (one in Boston) and functional medicine doctors can be helpful because they look at the whole picture.
Unfortunately there are many possibilities to explore, including Lyme disease (is that a possibility?), dysautonomia (see neurology?), autoimmune disorder (see rheumatology?), unknown heart issues (see cardiology) and probably others. Even "dizziness" can come from many sources: brain , neck, inner ear, eyes, heart and so on. A good PT can look into that for you.
You can see why a functional doctor might help and also avoid so many other doctors. (Sometimes integrative medicine is similar.)
I would also get hormones checked. This seems to happen to young women that I know!
In the meantime I hope you have a PCP you like. Also some alternative measures may help, like meditation , Reiki, yoga, tai chi if and when you can stand. Your doctor may have some medications to suggest. If you think panic is a factor, talk to your doctor about that too.
So sorry you are going through this. I think it can get better and hope it does soon.
This link might be helpful if POTS is the culprit:
https://www.google.com/search?q=food+for+pots&rlz=1C1CHZN_enUS929US929&oq=food+for+pots&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTkwOTBqMGoxNagCArACAQ&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Also Regarding POTS:
I know a lovely 15-year-old young lady who was diagnosed with POTS about 2 years ago. After many different treatments, she is now getting much better based on her treatment at CFNC, Carolina Functional Neurology Center. According to her mother, a healthcare professional, CFNC patients come from all over the US. I also understand from her mom that CFNC offers a free 15-minute consultation to be sure they are a good fit. Their website is: https://www.carolinafnc.com
Hope this helps anyone dealing with central and/or peripheral nervous system issues. Believe me, I have no interest in CFNC other than to help those with these miserable disorders.
Regards,
Sagan