1. Community
  2. Heart Health
  3. Autonomic Dysfunction

Am I Crazy?

Posted , 3 users are following.

bailey29758
bailey29758

Hello, everyone. I’m a 27-year-old caucasian female who has been dealing with various symptoms for just over a year. I have had an increased heart rate upon standing, varying blood pressure (extraordinarily high and extremely low), severe flushing, inability to control body temperature, upset stomach, dizziness, nausea and fatigue. I recently went to a cardiologist who did blood work, EKG, echo and stress test. Everything has come back normal, and he has chalked it up to anxiety. I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder in my childhood and have been on medication for years. I do not feel like this is the case, as I have been able to manage it for a significant period of time.

Furthermore, I am overweight, and he implied that because of this, I couldn’t have POTS. I’m stuck with not knowing what to do next and feeling like I am a hypochondriac. Any help is appreciated!

1 like, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • sarah53670
    sarah53670 bailey29758

    Posted

    The next step is to get a referral to an autonomic specialist.

    Have you done a "lie, sit, stand" test? (There are a couple of variations – see poor man's tilt table test or NASA lean test.) You can do this at home or ask your GP to do it.

    Also, may I ask which country you live in? Then I can point you to some resources for getting to a specialist.

    And, no, you're not crazy. Something is going on, maybe POTS, maybe another autonomic condition, or maybe something in a different medical specialty that causes POTS-type symptoms. The tests performed by the cardiologist have ruled out some of these, so don't think of that appointment as a total waste of time.

  • sarah53670
    sarah53670 bailey29758

    Edited

    Also, POTS and being overweight don't really have any connection.

    You need to find an autonomic specialist. Have a look at the Dysautonomia International website. It has a section "Find a Doctor". You could also join a POTS or dysautonomia group on Facebook. Find one that covers your city/region/country. Most groups have a list of specialists and allied health staff recommended by group members. And you can always post and ask for suggestions near where you live.

    Best of luck getting it sorted out.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.