Posted 8/10/2015 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
I feel overwhelmed...ever since about 8 months ago I've had issues with mostly dizziness...I found so much stuff on the internet about how it could be caused by anxiety or whatever, and that made me feel better. But I'd never had anxiety.
Sometimes it's gone or not so bad, but recently it's come back quite a bit. And then I made a discovery...that my heart rate rises from around 70 to like 110/120 when I go from lying to standing. Sooo...POTS.
I don't know what to think, but mostly, I'm sad. I've read everything about POTS on the internet, which isn't much. Things seem encouraging, with some figure about 80% of people seeing improvement or something..but I didn't get this during puberty and grow out of it like it says most girls do...I am 21 years old and it has just begun. I cannot help but think this bodes ill for prognosis.
It hasn't been THAT bad for me. In fact before I did the heart rate test I don't believe I ever noticed being lightheaded when I stand up or anything. I just get dizzy, and it usually gets worse if I've been walking for a while. It's not been hugely life altering- school has been a little bit of a struggle, but I got a 4.0 last semester!...I walk, I go do things with my family...sometimes I just feel dizzy and not very good. I don't get bad headaches or nausea and I've never fainted. There have even been weeks when most of this has gone away.
But the things I've read...my goodness! 25% disabled and unable to work...people say it ruins their lives, dreams...what if this gets worse, doesn't get better? I have not seen much positive online about this to support the optimistic statistics about improvement.
I always somehow thought these issues I've been having would go away.
Sorry for the long vent, I just need someone who knows about POTS to kinda help me put this in perspective about what to expect. No one seems to get it, my mom insists it's emotional and I'm making my heart rate go up when I stand. I'm just scared.