Chest Pains With A Side Of Nausea?

Oh, that'd be me! I want to crack up when I hear that. Rhianne commented on my Facebook status yesterday, which was the title, with "you should have ordered the earthquake vertigo with a side of dizziness." It really is nice to know that I have you guys to talk to, and joke with. : P

I haven't been that great the past few days, I'm still having these awful chest pains, and I don't want to take any anti-acids or anything, since it's so close to my GI doctor appointment (just in case he might want to do testing that day). In addition to that my blood sugar has been spiking a lot and same with my blood pressure. I have lost another pound (that's like 1/2 kg), so now I'm down to 117.

If you've seen my personal blog recently, you'd see that I have the results from my blood tests back and my doctor says they're normal, but I disagree. I researched a lot on all of it, so if you're interested here's a link to that page. I also got the date for my wisdom teeth ( I have 3) extraction; it's July 21 at 9:15 AM. The dentist/oral surgeon is really nice and understands that I don't want just numbing (without epinephrine in it of course) but general anesthesia, which is what I'm getting. I'm also going in this Wednesday (July 13) to my cardiologist again to get my Holter monitor.

On to the questions...

Logei's question: Does nutrition have a huge impact on your symptoms?
It does! I'm extremely intolerant to any food/drink right now, but I am lactose intolerant and I have a geographic tongue, so anything even slightly acidic is a no. But eating fatty or greasy foods makes me feel awful! I try to stay generally healthy (when I can eat), so I don't feel any worse.

Rhianne's question: What's your favorite type of exercise?
To be honest, I am quite lazy, but I like to swim. Although most of the time I am on a floatie, even though I can swim really well.

Erin's question: Has anyone had difficulty with weight gain/loss since their diagnoses with POTS or starting certain medications?
I'm losing a lot of weight (obviously), but that's from my GI issues, but when I was on a higher dose of Florinef I gained weight.

I can't remember if I wanted to write any more, but if I do I'll just edit it in. Sorry Hannah, for posting on your day, but I'm only a few hours off, so feel free to post today too!

Have a good weekend!

What do you think...

Hey ladies and gents : ) 

(I'm subbing again for Tana)

So, I have an idea. 

Actually, it's was originally my wonderful friend Brooke's idea!

Over at the TDC (The Dysautonomia Connection) around this time last year, a couple of us decided to exchange mailing addresses and send letters/cards/etc. Today, I got a letter from Brooke :) 

I don't know about you all, but getting letters in the mail sure makes my day! 

(I actually get loads of bills, student loans papers, etc...) so GOOD mail is always a positive. 

{Or in your case} any mail at all is probably a positive!!

Thoughts? Do you think this could possibly be an idea. Now, I am only a sub and not really part of your wonderful blog and all, so maybe one you can adopt the idea or something!!

--------------------------

Lastly, I am really excited for this Friday, as I am going to a geneticist for further evaluation on which EDS type I may have. We learned that my mother almost definitely has EDS (we think classical) so this appointment may explain the cause of my POTS. For that reason and that reason alone, I am anxiously awaiting my appointment! It will be nice to know what "caused" my POTS if this EDS diagnoses is accurate ♥

::Question Time::

Francesca's question

If french fries are called chips, what are chips called?

Actually, I have never called french fries chips... I think french fries should be called FF & chips, chips. So, to answer your question...I guess it depends on the person?

Hannah's question

What are your POTSy essentials while traveling? 

Sunglasses, Inhaler, Phone, and Wallet (these are with me at ALL times)

As for POTS needs, Gatorade/Smart Water. 

Everywhere I go, I take one of these two liquids with me.

Also- I never really go anywhere farther than 10-15 minutes away, as I get car sick/motion sick very easily and with this summer heat, I cannot bear to be out and about for too long.

Miranda's question

Do you have vision problems?

I have never had ANY true vision problems. 

I actually have more than perfect vision 

{according to my freshman high school eye-check up 9 years ago done at the school}

...maybe I should get a check up sometime as I have never been to an eye doctor...haha

BUT...I do have blurred vision, eye strain, focusing problem that I just attribute to POTS

Rhianne's question

What is your favorite type of exercise?

I actually LOVE yoga. I took these classes in college and it motivated me because I actually had to show up (as I was getting graded!) and I really learned to love the inner workings and deeper meanings of the yoga traditions...

LB's question
Does nutriton have a huge impact on your symptoms?

I was once told I was lactose intolerant for two years. Then they said I grew out of it, but I really think that I should still be avoiding dairy products...

Also, I had my gallbladder removed and I have severe GERD, so highly acid foods really bother me. 

The worst is grapefruit. It gives me pleurisy attacks, makes my heart race and the acid is just awful.

Overall, I just try to eat a well balanced, low sugar diet. 

Lastly, I really want to try to go Gluten-Free as I have Lymphacytic Colitis (I was on steroids for three years for it) and have had really bad GI issues my whole life. 

My question!

Has anyone had difficulty with weight gain/loss since their diagnoses with POTS or starting certain medications?

Hope everyone had a good fourth!

Take care and stay cool!

♥Erin

Feeling Better

I decided to try a raw liquid diet a little while ago... it actually seemed to help alot! I tried making some healthier protein/nutrition shakes using a raw protein powder and drinking those instead. I definitely feel better drinking those instead of the junk that I usually have! Some of my symptoms have actually gotten better, I have more energy, and I'm stronger too! I've actually built some muscle, and my skin has cleared up some too.

One of my goldfish died today though, so I haven't been in the best mood.

Francesca's question: I have absolutely no idea.

Hannah's question: My traveling essentials are ear plugs, sunglasses/contacts, something with calories to drink so I don't get light headed, and a sweater or a hoodie. I need to carry a sweater with me even when its warm out, I never know when there will be temperature changes or if I'll have a chill.

Miranda's question, I usually do have vision problems, but I really haven't had any this week.

Rhianne's question..... hmmm thats a tough call between swimming and horseback riding.

My question : aside from Hannah...Does nutrition have a huge impact on your symptoms?

-Logan

I'm still standing

The questions:

Francesca's question: If french fries are called chips, what are chips called?
In Australia we call both french fries and chips, chips. Yep, if that  is any help.
Hannah's question: What are your POTSy essentials when traveling?
When ever I go out whether to school or on holidays, I take my salt shaker and salty snacks. My beloved vegemite! My walking stick, Sir Sticky. My drugs. Not much really.

Miranda's questions: Do you have vision problems?
No, but I do get blurred vision as a major symptom. I am colour blind too.

My question: what is your favourite type of exercise?
For those of you that don't know, I have been a bit of an exercise freak this week. Running, trampoline, weights, pilates, bike. On average doing about 2 hours of exercise a day. My favourite is definately the trampoline.

My week:
It has been good. I had a pots attack yesterday and I have picked up a bit of a cold but doing really well pots wise. I have been going to school four days a week and going to classes and stuff. It's been really good. I feel really fortunate.

Tuesday was my birthday and thanks you guys for the birthday messages. It was a good day and as many of you know, I got a gorgeous puppy called Trixie. I also got some DVDs, the yellow wiggle autobiography and some little odds and ends. My friends got me a gorgeous bear that they all wrote messages on. It is adorable.

So I don't have much to say. It hasn't been that exciting. I picked my subjects for next year and for the HSC they are:
Society and Culture
Drama
Modern History
Biology
Advanced English
Extension English
Maths

I think it will be good. Hopefully my health stays good.

Rhianne

Good News And Bad News...

What a week! And it isn't even over yet! This is probably gonna be a long post, so hold on!

On Wednesday, after begging for weeks to get in, I finally got an appointment at my primary care doctor's office, but I had to see the nurse practitioner. He was nice and listened to me and my parents.  We told him all about my swallowing and reflux problems and he said that I need to go to a gastoenterologist ASAP, because the acid might be damaging my esophagus. I don't think he knew much about dysautonomia, but I explained a little and I think he understood where I was coming from. I even explained about how I might have scleroderma and he even agreed that it could be a possible diagnoses. Before leaving I got some blood work (CBC w/diff, BMP, and H pylori blood test), which I'm so used to. A while after we got home, my mom asked me to grab a lid on the top shelf of our kitchen cabinets while she was cooking and right after I raised my arms, I knew it wasn't gonna end well. I managed to sort of blindly toss it (I had lost my vision by then) at my mom before I completely dropped on the floor. I really hate syncope!

Anywho, I got an appointment with a gastroenterologist (not one of the doctors that I'd prefer) on the 14th of this month, but whatever! As long as I can get some testing done, I don't have a problem. I have a cardiologist appointment today (as in July 1), then after that we're gonna go see my Pap (grandfather) in the hospital (I'll explain that later). Then on the 6th I think I have my consult for my wisdom teeth extraction!

Onto my day... I woke up today (around 2 PM) then my mom had to go to work then to the hospital to meet up with my Aunt and Pap. While she was gone it was just my little sister and I, and she was in her room listening to music while I was in the living room watching Pearl Harbor. I was actually a bit hungry, so I got some pretzels to eat. After a few bites they started getting stuck in my throat (that's normal for me), so I just tried swallowing some, which helped a bit. A bit later after I swallowed I started gagging because it had got stuck again, but this time it was like I couldn't swallow at all. I tried yelling for my sister, but she couldn't hear me, and I honestly thought that I was going to choke to death alone. But after relaxing myself, I managed to swallow it down. That was one of the scariest moments of my life.

And I digress...As you might have seen in Hannah's post, and here, my Pap is in the hospital. In the last few weeks he's been losing weight (25 pounds in the past week) and looked really bad. But last week I managed to persuade him into letting me take his blood sugar and pressure, which were both way too high. I told my mom, dad, aunt and pap that I knew he had diabetes and he needs to go to the doctors before he got diabetic ketoacidosis or went into a coma. He refused to go to the doctors until yesterday, when he was so weak that he couldn't walk. His blood sugar was 1200 (it should be around 100), so he was sent straight to the hospital. He almost coded there (that's when your heart stops beating and you stop breathing), but after some insulin his sugar has gone down to 975. I really wish he would have went when I told him to, because I was right. Thank you guys so much for your prayers, I really appreciate it.

Back to today... I've just been sipping a can ginger ale until now because I'm too scared to eat solids. I've been really shaky, tachy and have had so many palpitation episodes today! I decided to check my sugar a while ago and it was 140; that's too high for just drinking 1 can of ginger ale all day. And I can't recheck it because I'm out of testing strips, my mom is picking them up from the pharmacy in the morning.

Now onto the questions.

Francesca's question: If french fries are called chips, what are chips called?
They're called crisps, I think. At least that's what I picked up from watching so much Doctor Who. : )

Hannah's question: What are your POTSy essentials when traveling?
I usually bring lots of water (when I went on the choir trip I brought a lunch bag with 8 big bottles of water in it), salty snacks, my emergency card & paper explaining POTS, my med alert bracelet (that I always wear), glucose tablets, my blood pressure and glucose meter and wayy more stuff. As you can tell, I'm not a light packer. : P Why don't you just go to a previous post of yours and save your signature from there? Have a good time on vacation!

Logei: I really hope your GI doctor can help you! And I understand what it's like with your eating, minus the vomiting, so I'm always here for you if you need to talk. <3

Rhianne's question: What helps your tremors?
I usually just try to lay down on my right side and I tap out how many times it happens on my leg. It sounds crazy, but with OCD, it helps. I also do that with my palpitation episodes.

My question: Do you guys have vision problems?
I'm nearsighted (can't see distances well), so I've worn glasses for like the past 10 months and I'm extremely sensitive to light, but we just think thats because of dysautonomia and my light colored eyes-that used to be blue.

I really hope next week is better for everyone! <3