Who Needs Cedar Point? I Ride the POTS Roller Coaster.

I was going to write about a mighty little mineral known as Magnesium today, but I am too worn out to provide constructive information.  Instead I am just going to wax not-so-poetically on my week so far.

I am still trying to reduce my use of atenolol.  When I told my Naturopathic Doctor about my foray with propranolol, she said she really thinks that while my beta blocker is helping my tachycardia, it is exasperating most of my symptoms.  As of right now I have been able to go 2-3 days between having to give in and take a small dose, which is good considering last year at this time my tachycardia was literally constant with no regard to whether I was in a supine or upright position.  As of now the last time I took any atenolol was on Monday when my ANS practically cried over spilled milk... but instead of milk it was a dropped banana.

This isn't the banana that was
involved in the accident, but
rather another entertaining
naner I once knew.

I had already been having a tachy kind of day, with the typical HR jump to 126 when I stood up.  I was trying to make my breakfast when I dropped the banana on the floor.  My ANS immediately reacted like, "OMG!!! BANANA DOWN; BANANA DOWN!"  My HR jumped to 163 on impact and based on the intense pounding in my chest, I am pretty sure my heart was trying to escape my body. Of course, I laid down on the couch and within a minute or two my HR was back down to 88.  What an over-reactor... such a Drama Queen my ANS is!

Monday night however was a record-breaker.  Generally speaking I only get 3 hours of consecutive sleep at a time.  I refer to my night's sleep as a collection of naps, many times with spans of insomnia in between.  Tuesday morning I woke up for the first time at 8am.  I had slept for 6.5 hours at once!  It was pretty miraculous.  My BP was respectably sitting at the high-side of low, and I even had the energy to shower before noon.  Maybe I am cynical or jaded by POTS, but I have learned all too well that if my body randomly cooperates with me, it is about to punish me for it.  And punish it did!

After only 4 hours of sleep last night I woke up at 5:30am feeling really overheated and just weird.  I went downstairs to try to cool off and watch some TV, when the pre-syncope started to hit.  I threw myself onto the couch and called my mom on her cell phone to ask her to come downstairs and get me some Gatorade.  Of course at this point the shivering, shakes and chattering teeth set in.  When I took my vitals while I was laying there my BP and HR were both good, which seemed odd.  Then it occurred to me, it was my low blood sugar causing the attack this time rather than a crashing BP.  I spent the rest of the day feeling like total ick.  I even had to drink some root beer to try to get my body to bounce back better.  My ND would be mortified to know I resorted to HFCS.  Shh... it will be our little secret.  Here's to a better tomorrow!

For all of you out there riding this POTS roller coaster with me, just know you aren't alone.  Let's sit in the back and put our arms up when we descend the hills!