Tilt table test - any experiences?

[Makinganewthinghappen]

I was ill a week or two ago and ended up in a and e where it turned out my heart was going super fast. It always does this so I wasn’t too worried to be honest.
The cardiology said he thought I may have POTS.

Today the cardiology department called me and asked me if I could go for a tilt table test today. I’m a little nervous! I have googled and people are saying they fainted or felt terrible . I have never fainted in my life and I don’t have any problem with standing as far as I am aware.

Has anyone else had this - what happened??

Have you looked at Pots uk website. Also Pots support group uk on Fb will help

My DF did and he felt faint, quite disorientated. That was the point of the test. If you don't have POTS it won't affect you like that. If you have then you need to know!

It doesn't last very long, especially if you do react. Go, see what happens. Fingers crossed for you!

It's effectively where they put you on a table, and change it from horizontal to vertical to watch your heart / blood pressure.

I had one a long time ago but i'm sure they gave me drugs too. It did make me feel very weird but it's not awful, and it might make you faint (that's kind of the point of it to see how things change) but you will be strapped to a table so you won't fall over etc.

It's a bit weird, but definitely not scary!

Ok that’s sounds ok - I don’t normally feel faint or anything when standing up. My heart is just generally fast I think!

I do sometimes feel light headed and shaky but it’s not after stabbing it just comes on randomly at any time - and it goes away after a few seconds.

I have googled POTS and some symptoms do sound the same as what I have had for years but it doesn’t seem as dramatic as what I have read a lot of people get so I guess we will see!

My major symptoms seem to come on when I have any kind of illness - even a cold I end up in hopsital with a racing heart and need drugs to slow it!

Tilt-table tests are specifically used when there’re trying to work out why people experience dizziness & fainting (that leaflet also explains how it all works); so between that & the P in POTS being for “postural” (ie the tachycardia isn’t constant) I’m not surprised if you’re a bit confused. It is possible to have IST (constant tachycardia) & POTS; there are also other forms of autonomic dysfunction & orthostatic intolerance. Have you had a 24-hour &/or 7-day ECG?

Tilt table tests certainly aren’t fun, but they’re far from the worst thing out there. You can’t go anywhere if you do faint & it’s unusual to be sick. It’s worth remembering, too, that a lot of places where healthstuff gets discussed online can be a bit... Sick Olympics-y

I hope it all goes well & you have some answers - & treatment - soon