POTS and Pregnancy: What You Should Know

Since POTS mostly affects women of child-bearing age, there are often questions about how POTS will affect a pregnancy shortly after a POTS diagnosis. The good news is that many women with POTS have had little to no issues with their pregnancies. Research has shown that 60-70% of patients will actually see a decrease in POTS symptoms during pregnancy, still 30-40% of those do experience an increase in symptoms. So, to minimize the chances of issues and make the pregnancy more comfortable, it's best for those with POTS to educate themselves about how POTS can affect them and their baby, and then seek guidance from best POTS syndrome treatment they can find.

 

Typically, POTS doctors advise women who want children to get pregnant to do that sooner rather than later because of the greater chance of fetal complications that naturally become higher at higher ages. And as higher age increases the chance of miscarriage and inability to conceive, Additionally, one study from Vanderbilt University suggested that there may be also be a higher rate of gynecological disorders in women with POTS, like endometriosis and uterine fibroids. And if autonomic body systems aren't functioning correctly, this is likely to intensify the issues associated with getting pregnant later in life.

 

This is why, if you're wanting to get pregnant and feel like you might be having any of the common symptoms associated with POTS (lightheadedness, fainting, dizziness, fatigue, inability to exercise, nausea, sensation of an abnormal heartbeat, anxiety, or blurred vision), you definitely want to see a POTS specialist to determine if you have POTS or not, then if so, get the best treatment for POTS and allow them to advise you about your pregnancy. This will greatly help minimize any complications, which can be done by taking the right steps.

 

One great resource for guidance about POTS and any POTS-affected pregnancy is Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, Alabama. Along with their new state-of-the-art autonomic disorder treatment center, Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips bring over 40 years of combined experience with managing and improving POTS, dysautonomia, and mitral valve prolapse symptoms. If you're thinking of getting pregnant and have any sense of POTS-like symptoms, give them a call today and get the facts so that you and your baby have the best chance at health.

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC

Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results

2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243

http://www.mvpctr.com

(205) 286-3200

Could POTS be An Autoimmune Condition? If So, That's Big News!

Researchers from the University of Oklahoma and Vanderbilt University have recently identified evidence of adrenergic receptor autoantibody activity that may suggest that POTS is actually an autoimmune condition. The study (Autoimmune Basis for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome) was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) earlier this year.

 

Dr. Kem, one of the researchers conducting this study says that :

 

"Our present study (A) has produced data supporting the idea that autoantibodies that normally fight infections, have instead interacted with critical site(s) on specialized cell membrane proteins which alter their normal cell function. These autoantibodies interfere with the system which controls the ability of blood vessels to constrict, which is needed to prevent a drop of blood pressure as a person stands. In POTS patients, this inadequate response to standing leads to a generalized increase of activity in the body’s sympathetic nerve system, which frequently normalizes the blood pressure.

 

This increased nerve activity, however, increases the heart rate which is a prominent symptom in POTS. We have also discovered a second group of autoantibodies in some POTS patients which directly increase the heart rate. The combination of these two autoantibodies appears to cause the abnormal heart rate response observed in all 14 POTS patients we have tested to date for these autoantibodies. We have previously identified similar autoantibodies in individuals diagnosed with idiopathic orthostatic hypotension  These autoantibodies may also explain why beta blockers aren’t always effective in treating the tachycardia seen in POTS, since beta blockers fail to completely block autoantibody activity on their protein receptor and they fail to alter the partial blockade of the autoantibodies on the arteriole blood vessels that initiate the orthostatic problem."

 

This is really good news for people that suffer from POTS disease, and may in the future provide a basis for more effective treatment, possibly even getting rid of it all together if the interfering action of those antibodies could be stopped. As always, however, it is critically important to find out for sure whether you're actually dealing with POTS, some other form of dysautonomia, or a prolapse mitral valve.

 

That is where a specialized POTS treatment doctor can quickly help you rule out whether you have POTS or not and get you on the road to recovery faster. Our recommendation? Go see a POTS doctor first, if you suspect you're having POTS-like symptoms--so that they don't get mislabeled or misdiagnosed by a doctor that isn't familiar with autonomic disorders.

 

And great place to find a great POTS doctor is Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, AL, one of the best pots clinics nationwide. Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips have a combined 40 years of experience with POTS and other forms of dysautonomia and they can help you quickly get to the bottom of your symptoms and on to recovery.  Call for an appointment today at (205) 286-3200. You'll be glad you did.

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC
Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results
2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243
http://www.mvpctr.com
(205) 286-3200

What Helps Dysautonomia? Start with Accurate Diagnosis

This is a question often asked by those diagnosed with dysautonomia and many who suspect that they may have it. The first, best response is to make sure that you are, in fact, dealing with dysautonomia through proper, accurate diagnosis from a dysautonomia specialist. Why a specialist?  The reason for that is because a specialist will be able to tell if you’re really dealing with dysautonomia symptoms or something else. It’s very difficult to alleviate any condition when you’re looking the wrong way or thinking it’s something that it’s not.

 

And if dysautonomia IS the correct diagnosis, it’s also very important to then define what type you’re dealing with, as dysautonomia is a broad term covering a variety of related conditions—and many with very different treatment protocols because different things are happening in the body. This is another important reason to seek the help of a dysautonomia doctor as they’ll take through the specific test to determine what specifically is going on, then proceed with the right treatment. So the best answer to what helps dysautonomia is first, accurate, specific diagnosis and then proper treatment, in that order.

 

Fortunately, there is an easy way to get to the bottom of your symptoms and start feeling better, and that is to call Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, AL at 205-286-3200 and make an appointment. Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips have more than 40 years combined experience with dysautonomia and related disorders and they will help you determine accurately what is going on and make the best treatment recommendations, the first time.

 

Call today and start feeling better as soon as possible! You’ll be glad you did!

 

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC

Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results
2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243
http://www.mvpctr.com
(205) 286-3200

POTS Syndrome: It’s Not All in Your Head

POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), a form of dysautonomia, is slowly being recognized as an actual disease, which is a vast improvement since, for many years, the majority of physicians encountering this group of symptoms would attribute them to other causes including hypochondriasis (it’s all in your head, etc). In POTS syndrome patients, however, it has been found in recent research that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is truly not working properly (not all in your head) and this means that the body functions that it controls (heart rate, pulse, temperature, digestion, breathing, etc.) also begin to work improperly. And naturally this leads to a group of symptoms that can go from uncomfortable to life-threatening. What can be even more problematic is the common misdiagnosis of these symptoms that leads to ineffective or at least inaccurate treatment plans while not actually addressing the real issue (a dysfunctioning autonomic nervous system).

POTS syndrome can stay hidden for many years until it is triggered by something, such as a virus, a growth spurt, or another medical condition that involves the heart, digestion, respiration or any of the systems managed by the autonomic nervous system.  When POTS does express itself, it usually produces a range of symptoms that can include fainting or lightheadedness, chest pain, dizziness, headache, visual disturbances, insomnia, anxiety, shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, joint pain, back pain, neck pain, general fatigue and similar. When heart rate increases by more than 30 bpm when changing positions (such as going from sitting or lying down to standing) can indicate that POTS might be present. This is known as orthostatic intolerance, or your body isn’t tolerating you changing positions very well.  A POTS syndrome doctor will be able to help you accurately determine if this symptom, for example, is related to POTS or something else that might be going on that isn’t POTS related.

The important thing in all of this, as with any suspected ailment, is to get proper diagnosis--and in this case, by someone that at least acknowledges the existence of POTS and how to test accurately. Even better, if you’re having any of the above symptoms or something similar, do yourself a favor and see a POTS syndrome doctor first. One of the best pots clinics nationwide is Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, AL. Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips are widely known as highly effective specialists in the areas of POTS, dysautonomia and related autonomic disorders. Call and make an appointment today—you’ll be glad you did.

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC
Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results
2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243
http://www.mvpctr.com
(205) 286-3200