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Got diagnosed with this a few years back, basically when I get up from sitting or lying down for any period of time I occasionally feel a bit faint. It only happens occasionally.
yesterday however I was stood up quickly to fit a fire alarm, tilted my head back and pretty much fell over due to light headedness. Turns out every time I stand up quickly and tilt my head back/round/ look over my shoulder same thing happens and I feel faint for a second or two. It doesn’t happen if I’ve been standing for a while and then look up however.
My anxiety tells me it’s to do with my postural hypotension perhaps being exacerbated by either a compression in my neck (I have chronic neck issues) or a blockage of some description that probably needs checked out. However before I make an appointment with the doc, do any other POTs sufferers find the same thing happens if they move their head in a similar fashion when they first stand up?
ta
My understanding is that it could be a symptom of hypothyroidism.
My understanding is that it could be a symptom of hypothyroidism
do you mean the POTs is linked to that? Never heard of that before but I’ve just checked my last blood test from doc 12 months ago and indeed my tsh level is indeed higher than the normal range. Doc didn’t call it out however (I didn’t even know what tsh indicated until I googled it 5 min ago tbf)
wouldn’t explain why my pots is exacerbated by head position though would it?
Worth getting your TSH tested again especially as you were outside the normal range and it wasn't picked up. Also, be aware that the blood test range will be very wide, a normal TSH is around 1. Low adrenal reserve could be implicated. Definitely needs to be investigated.
Ive had it all my life. 2 scars on my head from hitting things as I fall in a faint. Dinnae worry laddie. I have had to teach myself to get out of chairs and beds slowly like with do with old folk.
Unless its a sudden change I really would not be concerned.
I'd go with your momentary hypotension exacerbated by slight compression of blood vessels in the neck theory and not worry about it. But I guess posting on here suggests you're already worrying about it.
I've never noticed it happening to me but then part of the management of my postural hypotension is being careful not to stand up suddenly.
normal TSH is around 1
mine was 4.5! 😬 although that’s just outside the reference range. May get it checked again if it’s something I should be concerned about.
Unless its a sudden change I really would not be concerned
I get no dizzier than i ever did when just standing up, however I’ve never noticed it’s really bad when I tilt my head before. Probably because it’s not something I’d ever usually do!
do me a favour please.. stand up quickly then look to the ceiling and turn your head..does it make your pots worse? Obviously don’t do this if you’ll faint and break yourself!!
Just had a go. Maybe a slight effect.
I've got POTS, self diagnosed. Goes away 90% by drinking electrolyte mix daily, two 5g scoops in 750mm bottle per day.
I no longer get dizzy / blood rush in ears or see stars basically when standing up from the sofa etc. Game changer.
Just had a go. Maybe a slight effect
cheers, and glad you didn’t fall over!
Its when I get up for a wee in the middle of the night I am most at risk. Several face / carpet interfaces over the years 🙂 I have trained myself to get up slowly which is tricky with a full bladder
As I have got older my BP has gone up and it happens less. In my 40s I ran at 95/50 most of the time and I have seen it as low as 75 / 40. These days I am 110/65 ish
Tjagain: your pulse pressure (systolic and diastolic differential) is pretty high. Anything over 50 must be awful from a dizziness perspective.
See my post about electrolytes. Might help.
Perfectly normal BP if a bit low is it not? No doc has ever queried it particularly. Its been like that all my life and my father is the same. its 45 ish anyway
I know France treats low BP but UK does not. Better than high BP anyway. It gives me an excuse for falling over
Is 45 difference high? I regularly get 120 over 75, however I suspect my BP is actually lower than this.. my blood pressure spikes massively when I’m taking a reading..I can literally feel the anxiety
White coat syndrome tpbiker
TJ: it's not the values themselves, it's the gap between them. Your heart needs to push hard to pump the blood. Google wide pulse pressure etc.
Basically, for me, it's likely due to a lack of blood in my system. Electrolytes (and creatine) seems to help bring it up.
Google "wide pulse pressure"
Tpbiker: 45 is pretty close to what I have. And I get dizzy.
Btw there is a link to vitamin b12 deficiency and POTS.
"Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in adolescence. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is one of the most common forms of chronic orthostatic intolerance in the general population."
. my blood pressure spikes massively when I’m taking a reading..I can literally feel the anxiety
i get a bit of that - not so much anxiety but feel sort of expectant. The BP test tends to be one of the first things in an appointment when you’re a bit flustered from finding the place, getting there on timr, remembering what you need to ask then and so on. sometimes I ask for it taken again at the end of the appointment and it seems to have given a more ‘natural’ reading.
“Suffering” seems a melodramatic term for what is at most an occasional inconvenience for me. Dropping to a crouch and then rising slowly solves the problem for me when it occurs.
I measured 98/48 after a long run one Sunday but normally I’m more… normal.