• peopleproblems@lemmy.world
    17·
    10 days ago

    I want to point out that Orthostatic Hypotension is normal to some degree.

    If you experience it changing positions while sitting, or notice exercise and heat intolerance, talk to a doctor. In the short term drink enough fluids and get a bunch of sodium and potassium in you.

    Edit: Im going to step out here and say that I am personally familiar with a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It’s somewhat uncommon, and has a lot of potential causes. COVID-19, specifically, can trigger it because of the way it attacks the nervous system. However, the symptoms of POTS are also the symptoms of a BUNCH of other much more serious conditions. It’s a diagnosis by ruling out other things. When they get to the step of testing for POTS it’s hilariously easy. They monitor your heart rate and blood pressure, stick you on a moving table, and tilt you.

    On the downside, POTS itself is incurable unless the underlying cause changes or improves. This happens in many people, I was unfortunate enough that they discovered I had unexplainable neuropathies. Either the nerves were damaged when I was young, or they didn’t grow correctly.

    The upside is that we can manage POTS symptoms. Avoid heat. Build lower body muscle, increase electrolyte intake, and drink a lot of non-caffinated and non-alcoholic liquids. I take salt pills, drink Pedialyte daily, and have a prescribed (and extremely cheap) medication. It still happens, but it’s manageable, and I won’t die from a head injury anymore.

    • Zaphod@discuss.tchncs.de
      1·
      9 days ago

      Interesting. For me it usually happens when I’m bouldering and rest for like 5+min. But the intensity varies alot. I feel like it might be more caused by lack of electrolytes in my case since I only drink water.

    • Reyali@lemmy.world
      8·
      10 days ago

      Oh? I’ve had this issue as long as I can remember. Teens for sure, probably before.

      It’s actually gotten better as I’ve aged because I eat more consistently and now know I need to eat tons of salt.

        • Reyali@lemmy.world
          4·
          10 days ago

          My cardiologist called it “POTS or vasovagal syncope,” and said he could specify with a tilt test, but since he treats them the same he didn’t recommend the tilt test.

          So I could just say “yes,” but instead I give a long-winded answer to say that it’s a technically undefined dysautonomia that I treat like POTS, lol.

          I use electrolyte mixes, salt pills, and salt my food, with a goal of 7–10g of salt and 100 oz of water a day. It’s amazing how much better I feel when I hit both of those targets!

  • pruwyben@discuss.tchncs.de
    4·
    9 days ago

    This might just be me, but when this happens does anyone else have these weird existential thoughts during the head-rush, like “I am really alive right now” or “I’m going to remember this moment forever”?

      • Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        18·
        10 days ago

        No it’s not necessarily because of diabetes. It’s called Orthostatic Hypotension and it just means you have a temporary or chronic condition that relaxes your blood vessels too much so that more blood is in the lower half of your body than the upper half when sitting. When you stand up, there’s a drop in blood pressure that drains a little blood from your brain and causes you to get lightheaded or in more severe cases, faint. It’s a similar condition to what pilots get when they’re pulling high g turns that pools blood away from their head. An easy solution is to keep your blood pressure up by squeezing your bottom leg and butt muscles as you get up to keep blood in your head.