If you do not already know, I suffer from POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). If you hear me say dysautonomia, this is what I am referring to. During fall of 2013, I was diagnosed with dysautonomia. Here is my blog post that I wrote in September about my life with POTS in case you haven't read it already or you just want a refresher. Anyways, POTS is a syndrome that messes with your nervous system. This is everything that you do without thinking like your heart rate and blood pressure. I want to give a little updated on my condition and I am very fortunate.
POTS can be very serious. Many people do not know about it and it is highly misdiagnosed. People with POTS is when their body changes positions their blood pressure drops tremendously and their heart rate sky rockets. When a POTSIE stands up, their body has trouble getting blood to return to their head which usually causes them to pass out. I have been very very fortunate that I have never had this happen to me. I usually do not get dizzy from just standing up unless I do it extremely fast. I am very thankful for this because I have a huge fear of passing out. When I found out that fainting was a primary symptom, I was paranoid and I still am. The biggest thing with my body is my heart rate. When I first went to my doctor before all of my medicine, my normal heart rate averaged around 130-145. I normal healthy human heart rate ranges from 60-100. Because of this, when I am sitting down my heart is acting as if I was running a race which turns to when I stand up to do something I get very tired very easily. Thankfully, I am slowly getting better. My worst times are between 6-9 PM. I work everyday from 2-6 at a daycare where I am constantly on my feet, around when I get off I am very weak because I am exhausted and also because it is time for me to get some food in my body. I have to usually eat around every 4-5 hours, so instead of having 3 big meals I have many meals through out the day. Whenever I am eating with someone they always say something about me not eating a lot or wasting food. I always try to eat a kids meal because since I eat so much, I don't eat a normal size portion for lunch and dinner.
Recently, I have read some blogs and watched videos of some fellow POSTIE's, I am very lucky. A lot of the women I have found are constantly in the hospital for dehydration or something that has to do with POTS. Also, a lot of these women do not work and had to drop out of school. I just always think about how good I have it. Even though it really really stinks, I can make it through the day with out passing out and I can do some normal everyday things that a lot of these women cant do. I saw on twitter under the hashtag #uknowyouhavedysautonmiawhen you have to have a shower chair when you take a shower. I can't believe this, sure it isn't fun being completely exhausted after taking a shower but I have never been to the point where I would need a shower chair. No matter what people say or what they believe, I have it pretty good. Sure it stinks and people don't believe that there is something wrong with me, but I can do pretty normal every day things I just get tired pretty easily. I dont know... I guess I'm just thinking that I am very blessed with how well I have it even though most of the time it feels like a burden.
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