HELP! Tachychardia and POTS

As if things couldn't get any worse.... I get went in to new GP who said I had tachychardia. The guy who I'm hoping and praying will treat me is away on vacation for another week. I'm praying this is just mild POTS. I just got my period today (sorry guys) and am wondering if my C. difficule post was really just IBS, in combo with the chest pain, and tachychardia, and mild blurred vision. Any herbal things I can do for this??? I've thought about stopping the doxy but I don't know what to do....this is scary.

Your symptoms sounds like herxing and POTS, but it would be good to have your heart checked in case. Did the new PCP have you lay down for a while and then take your pulse? If it's POTS, the tachycardia will decrease if you're laying down. I have POTS-the hallmark is orthostatic tachycardia (when upright). THe interesting part is that I only have POTS symptoms during a flare or herx. When I'm not very sick, I don't have the tachycardia or lightheadedness. I used to get chest tightness and breathlessness w/ my POTS symptoms, but I haven't had that for a while since starting treatment unless I'm herxing really bad. MANY people get POTS symptoms from Lyme Disease. It's very common with this, unfortunately, but does subside for most with adequate Lyme treatment.

You can do a quick test at home just to check things on your own:
Lay flat, quiet and still for 15 minutes. Take your pulse (and blood pressure if you can).

Sit up and remain quiet and still for 2 minutes (some autonomic/POTS Drs. say 5 minutes). Repeat pulse and blood pressure.

Stand up and repeat above.

If your pulse rises more than 30BPM, that's the hallmark symptom to diagnosis POTS. The good news is, POTS typically isn't dangerous or life threatening. How high was your pulse? What was your blood pressure? It's a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. It's not a heart condition. But, like I said, it may be good just to see if you can get in w/ a Cardiologist to have your heart checked out.

If you're really scared, you could try decreasing the doxy dose or stopping it for a day or so to see if your symptoms decrease. If they do, it's probably herxing.

As far as treating the POTS itself if that's what it is, there is not a lot that can be done other than treating the Lyme Disease, but here are the basic suggestions that the autonomic neuro. and cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic gave me:

Increase salt intake to 5000mg/day (only if you don't have high blood pressure)
Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day
Do leg exercises to strengthen leg muscles-this helps the muscle push the blood back up to the brain. I'm only able to do this some of the time when I'm not having bad leg pain.

There are other things such as sleeping at an incline, wearing medical compression stockings, and doing a recumbent cardio exercise program, but those are best after being officially diagnosed and "prescribed" by a Dr. trained in autonomic dysfunction.

I hope that helps. It does sound like herxing. The IBS stuff is usually herxing for me. Jog my memory (since I don't have one, thanks Lyme, LOL!), how long have you been on the doxy? Are you on other meds.?

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Yes, that's true orange beach, good point! Many POTS people do have tachycardia when supine, especially at night.

opugirl, you many want to back off on the new stuff you started and see if that helps and then slowly add back in. You could be herxing or just a typical lyme flare. Your pulse isn't dangerously high, so that's good. When I'm herxing bad, mine gets in to the 130s. Many people with POTS get much higher than that, like orangbeach. Your blood pressure isn't way too low either, another good thing. For now, maybe keep an eye on it and see if it continues and/or worsens.

ITs the worst first thing in the morning and I 've tried to take my pulse but i'm not very good at it. It doesn't seem to get much worse when I'm moving but it was definitely racing when I woke up.