Thanks for bringing that up. I mention those in some of my other videos 🙂 there's a good research paper out there by Dr Satish Raj et al about the most effective types of compression for those with POTS. Compression helps some individuals a lot - others not so much especially if other things contributing to symptoms

@@thrivingwithpots Dr. Satish Raj is very good! He's the specialist who gave my doctor the idea to try Mestinon (Pyridostigmine) to treat my gastroparesis and chronic constipation, since it's a prokinetic and also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest functions). Mestinon can be beneficial to treating POTS in certain patients as well.

thanks for your comment. The information I shared here is related to nervous system regulation within the aspects of coaching and physical therapy. As I am not a physician or pharmacist, I do not discuss medication. Response to medications varies and there are many factors to be considered such as presence of low blood pressure or histamine intolerance that are best figured out working closely with one's physician.

Big pharma always the last resort, the science updates daily on all under researched illnesses because the medicine could be endless. Only now I am dedicated on not seeking mind altering prescribed meds and focus more on diet and michrochondria and Pilates from bed, no tap water has helped so much. Subscribed great video ❤

@@shonacpaisley9877 It's great that Guanfacine and Clonidine are not mind altering. This is why they're gaining in popularity over typical medications that prevent adrenaline surges. And you're right about Big Pharma. Since Guanfacine and Clonidine are older and inexpensive medications. Big Pharma doesn't like cheap generic medications being repurposed for other uses, when they want to keep developing and patenting new medications in order to make maximum profits. You made a great point about the recent research that has shown Guanfacine has a protective effect on mitochondria! Those recent studies of Guanfacine treating the cognitive deficits after being affected by Long-C19 showed a lot of promise!

@@shonacpaisley9877 It's great that Guanfacine and Clonidine are not mind altering. This is why they're gaining in popularity over typical medications that prevent adrenaline surges. And you're right about Big Pharma. Guanfacine and Clonidine are older and inexpensive medications. Big Pharma doesn't like cheap generic medications being repurposed for other uses, when they want to keep developing and patenting new medications in order to make maximum profits. You made a great point about the recent research that has shown Guanfacine has a protective effect on mitochondria! Those recent studies of Guanfacine treating the cognitive deficits after being affected by Long-C19 showed a lot of promise!

Those two inexpensive medications are a couple that big pharma doesn't want patients to know about, since they can't make tons of money off of medications that have become available as generics. Thankfully research hospitals are funding research studies to repurpose existing medications for other uses. Those two are not mind altering, so even that other commenter would approve of these.

Stress can be a trigger for adrenaline surges as the body naturally releases cortisol and adrenaline when stressed. When the autonomic nervous system is dysregulated with POTS a little stress goes a long way I've found. Finding ways to bring the body back into a state of regulation can be helpful. You may like my videos about breathing to help POTS symptoms and mindfulness for POTS

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/etBxgNp8mLeznps.htmlsi=Pwutz67H2uE15M-k

curious, have you tried tapping into slow paced breathing?

thanks for your comments

@@thrivingwithpots have you read about the new study that shows improvement by stimulating the vagus nerve 2x/day with a TENS unit connected? It’s promising research.

@@jennifermcmillan9518 yes I think I know the study you're referring to. It points out the connection between the vagus nerve stimulation and regulation of heart rate and other symptoms associated with POTS. I've had some clients try stimulators and like them. The vagus nerve can be stimulated and trained to engage with resonance frequency breathing as well - no stimulator used - which is helpful as once learned you can call on it whenever and wherever you need it including post exertion. At first you're training the baroreflex (BP control that influences heartrate) and releasing acetylcholine with exhale; with time vagal tone control of heart rate and BP improves. I'm a fan of the breathing approach more so as training the vagal brake to engage and let go which is how it physiologically functions vs stimulating it to engage and engage. I talk about it more in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mLyBm7Zo2pPTaIU.htmlsi=KLQky1800hp5wMzY The in other ways too - some somatic work targeting it can help some individuals as well - some I mention in this video and others. It's finding the combination of things that work for you!

Yes salt is very helpful. Depending on the person, potassium, magnesium, and also vitamin C if adrenal fatigue is involved helpful. For those with hyper adrenergic POTS with higher blood pressure, it appears some salt helps but less than those with hypovolemia (lower blood volume, often lower BP) I mention electrolytes often in my other videos so thanks for pointing it out here too!

It just depends on the type of POTS you have. Some of us with hyperPOTS do not always respond to salt intake. We can also have high blood pressure with sudden blood pressure drops that cause syncope. While we do need it and I do take Salt Stick Vitassium, there are certain situations where salt does not help. For instance, when my son is intense pain (we also have Ehlers Danlos), he will pass out. He’s done this with dislocations.

@@jennifermcmillan9518 Yes ! thanks for pointing that out. about 9% of the population actually has BP drop with more salt intake. It really depends on the person. The potassium piece is important as also influences BP regulation. I'm sorry to hear about your son's pain - pain and the ANS are interconnected. I wish you luck navigating that

In my journey, I had periods of my hair falling out and panic attacks actually. Hair falling out can be due to a myriad of reasons - stress and malabsorption and gut imbalances were mine. I was not aware of being in a stressed state so often... When the body is in a stressed state, digestion and absorption are not prioritized - energy reserves are impacted. In my learning about the nervous system, high heart rate can trigger panic attacks as the body is physiologically signaling panic shifting into sympathetic fight or flight- blood flow to the brain changes and communication can be affected ( by blood flow and nervous system state). There are ways outside of medication to train the body to physiologically shift into a more neutral or calm state that I walk clients through. Happy to chat if you're interested. calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

Can these adrenaline rushes be most of the day everyday for months at a time? It seems like it calms down around bed time for me. I am losing so much weight

@@juliaarambula3153 yes from my personal experience and those of clients I've seen. The adrenaline surges appear to occur with the body perceives stress - with POTS something like a change in position, prolonged standing, heat exposure, foods, low blood sugar, mental stress. The sensation of calming down around bedtime may be worth exploring - is it a calm or a state of exhaustion from being in a high adrenaline state during the day? Happy to chat if you'd like calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call?month=2024-06

When it first happened I went to the hospital w a really high hr, around 160-190 bpm. Before all of this I had bradycardia, 45-50 resting HR. I sat there for 10 hours in so much agony and got treating like an anxiety patient. I got laughed at for suspecting it was POTS and then had me speak w a therapist, "your going to have to breathe and think your way out of this"...🤦 end of rant 😜

Sounds like you've had quite an experience. I've worked with quite a few clients with symptoms post COVID infection - there's hope as the nervous system can rewire with training. Sounds like you've witnessed the strong connection between the gut and the brain - many with POTS have gut symptoms that are seemingly connected to flares. I've not done a specific video on it yet however my most recent video 5 things I wish I'd known about POTS mentions it. Reach out if you ever want to chat! calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

My daughter had that, and was prescribed Guanfacine to treat insomnia and adrenaline surges. Being on it for a year or two broke the wild adrenaline swings and essentially retrained her body's sympathetic nervous system, and now she doesn't need the medication anymore. The Guanfacine helped get her healthy, when nothing else would help.

So glad you've found them helpful. Reach out anytime: Meghan.varner@guide2resilience.com

Glad you found the pairing helpful. I've found a mix of techniques is often helpful to shift the nervous with clients I work with. That's great you shared it ❤️

Good to hear these techniques are helpful for you. Shifting the body & mind can be powerful.

@@thrivingwithpots well i am constantly getting my hands on or researching anything i can find to make my life easier, because I live with other chronic illnesses, some very painful and debilitating and want to get back to my normal self hopefully. That is my dream. I will not stop trying.

@@Sogonrei that is a great mindset!

Hyperadrenergic POTS is more common. You have hypoadrenergic POTS, the kind which doesn't have the adrenaline surge, but rather a lack of response of the adrenal system when standing up? That's somewhat common in diabetics.

You're welcome!

I can totally relate.

I have Orthostatic Hypotension. Usually I deal with low BPs, raised HR, and fatigue. But sometimes, especially if sitting upright, and w a mild fear trigger, I’ve had adrenaline rushes, blanched hands and face, numbness and tingling, eyes feel dilated, and then typically, my bowels evacuate. If I’m lucky I can get to a bathroom. I’m still trying to understand if this is a panic attack vs an adrenergic issue, ie physiological origin.

@@Trenchant468 it sounds like you have a few things going on related to autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation that is influences by hormones like adrenaline. The ANS governs heart rate, BP, vasoconstriction/dilation, pupil dilation and gut functions. When the ANS becomes dysregulated the symptoms you mention can appear, some related to a higher sympathetic dominance followed by the parasympathetic side of the ANS rebounding to compensate (bowels move quickly). Finding ways to bring the ANS back into a regulated state can be helpful based on my experience personally and working with clients. If you'd like to chat more please reach out: calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

Please check out my website here under my offerings: www.guide2resilience.com/program

Doing a round of resonant breathing like I refer to in the video can be very helpful before and after exertional activity like stairs. Can help with positional changes like bending over too - developing self awareness of triggers & how to modify an activity to not trigger symptoms is key. There are definitely methods to prevent blood pooling - static standing or sitting tends to trigger it even sleeping overnight if blood volume is low. For many, doing isometrics in the legs helps. It depends on how much your body is affected as to next steps to help. I plan to do a video on that topic soon - subscribe to stay tuned! You're welcome to schedule a free 30-minute session with me sometime. Here's my booking link calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

@@thrivingwithpots thank you so much I will be implementing these immediately.

Elevated legs can help. Walking is great, since it helps pump the blood back up so it doesn't pool. Compression calf sleeves can work wonders! Get the kind marathon runners wear to prevent shin splints.

Sounds like you know your body well. Elevated heart rate is common with POTS in my understanding; however we're all unique! Chills or goosebumps can be an autonomic response, so is sweating as the autonomic nervous system is involved in temperature regulation. Worth asking your care team too!

@@thrivingwithpots Actually POTS was a diagnosis “she thinks” from my thyroid functional medicine doctor. So I’m trying to get more on this syndrome to pinpoint it.

That's great you're being so proactive! Reach out if you'd like to chat sometime. calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

@@thrivingwithpots I recently started taking methycobalamin because my COMT was low when doing a methylation lab. I have found not only did it help these “chills” go away or diminish in intensity but I’m also sleeping better!

sorry to hear that. I have had a few clients with similar challenges. The body can rewire with time. Reach out if you'd ever like to chat calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call

Long Covid or the shot aren’t the only reason people develop POTS or Dysautonomia. I’ve never had Covid or the vaccine. I developed POTS after wisdom teeth removal.

@@SinCityBluffrat yes, POTS has multiple different causes from physical trauma, viral, to some genetic component - the common piece is dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system

Myself and my daughter both got this from civid vaccines

Sorry to hear that. I've had a few clients with similar experiences. It's interesting how the nervous system responds

That's sounds rough. I've found working on regulating the nervous during the day and right before going to bed helpful to reduce waking up frequently. Some other things I mention in the video help too😊

You could ask your doctor about Guanfacine. It's the most popular medication to treat insomnia in pediatric patients, due to its low risk, and it also works for adults. Guanfacine's direct effect is to signal the body to not dump so much adrenaline and norepinephrine into circulation.

@dulcimerist thanks for your comment. As we're all on different journeys it's helpful to be mindful medications affect us all differently - and our nervous system and cardiovascular system response to them varies quite a bit. Some can drop blood pressure as that one so very important to work with a medical team who has assessed one thoroughly.

@@thrivingwithpots I look into some of the things people talk about in groups I’m in, but don’t take generally take medical advice from people online. I have been pointed in the right direction a few times, though! I have NOT been assessed properly as I have to fight care “providers” for every step of progress. I’m going onto the best Medicare plan possible in a few months and hope that will open up a lot more possibilities medically. I also have medical PTSD, starting thirty years ago when I was left with an incomplete spinal cord injury after back surgery, so I often take months long pauses between attempts to get help. I also have hyper mobility, Non Length Dependent Small Fiber Neuropathy, Dysautonomia, and POTS, though casually “diagnosed” on the last two, and not helped, though doctors know I’m home bound because if it. The only good for me is that I black out slowly enough that I can plan my placement on the floor when necessary. I had a point, and half made it, but do these posts as exercise to try to keep my brain working. Today, I’m half blacked out just sitting, and am fighting hard to make sense. My brain is getting really bad these days and it scares me. Eight years ago, I had rapid onset of full body burning, tinnitus, vision impairment, brain fog, weakness, rapid heart rate, dizziness- many symptoms of dysautonomia- something I’ve only just realized, on my own, over the past several years. I was checked out in the hospital and released, with them telling me I was perfectly fine but needed a Psychiatrist, then telling the Department of Motor Vehicles to rescind my Drivers License because I was too unwell to safely drive. Only much later- years later- have I realized that during that hospital stay, I was never examined besides while lying in bed, so most of my symptoms, besides the burning, weren’t caught.

Personally my sleep quality has greatly improved implementing the techniques I mentioned in video. Here's another video I shared specifically on sleep you're welcome to check out: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g5uleaWp27Wze6M.htmlsi=v81aWyN7OZk_4aRL

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling. Addressing nervous system regulation has been helpful for myself and clients with the adrenaline surges

Thank you 😊

You're welcome to reach out to chat sometime: calendly.com/meghan_varner_guide2resilience/discovery-call