POTS Symptoms

[Rockhopper81]

Hi all,

I've been looking into some symptoms I have - headaches, migraines, palpitations, lightheartedness, to name a few - and came across more information on POTS. I'd heard of it before, but didn't know it can also cause gastric symptoms (I have IBS), sleep disturbance (I have chronic difficulties with sleeping), and leg pain (I have intermittent, but regular pain in my hips and calves).

(I also wonder about hEDS too, but that's for another time)

Anyway, I decided to do the 'poor man's tilt table test' at home - pulse rate went from 65 whilst lying down, to 112 within 20 seconds of standing. I didn't keep monitoring it for the two minutes you're supposed to afterwards because, frankly, I'm an idiot and forgot, so I'll be repeating it later.

Should the rate stay high for a specific amount of time, such as for the 2 minutes? Should it return to 'normal' within a certain amount of time?

I ask because if I go to the GP (and I'm not 100% convinced I will at the moment, as I'm not sure if there's anything they could do - is there anything that can be done?), I would like to go with as much information to present as possible - I've only ever gone to the GP and said 'this is what I think is wrong' in relation to PCOS, normally it's a case of giving symptoms and waiting to see what they suggest.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help.

My DD has POTs and EDS. She was having an ECG as she has a fast resting heart rate of 115 and has suffered fainting, extreme fatigue and other symptoms. She also has digestive issues. The person doing the ECG noticed that when she got up from lying down having her ECG she went to get up before the ECG was taken off and her heart rate shot up to 165. Very luckily for us the heart physiologist had worked in a specialist cardio unit and knew what POTs was and made recommendation to GP for a referral to autonomic unit at Queens Square (part of UCHL) where she was diagnosed following several tests. I understand it is the only Autonomic Unit for testing for POTs the UK. You will need to ask your GP for a referal to this unit. Good luck