POTs and fibromyalgia

[Audreyrocks]

Hello,

Hope everyone is enjoying the sun.

At my rheumatologist appointment for Fibro , they performed a 'Lean Test ' and discovered there is dysfunction in my central nervous system, I have low bood pressure.

Does this mean I have POTs?

Their solution is to more water and add more salt to diet.

Just wondered if anyone else has this along with fibro?

Thank you 😊

[Loobielu]

Interesting 🤔. I have low blood pressure and I had dangerously low sodium after a operation so Ive always suspected my sodium must be on the low side x

[R-OD]

hi I have been diagnosed with POTS and Fibromyalgia, my daughter has POTS and probably fibromyalgia, I have been advised to drink more water as dehydration makes it worse and to be careful when getting up from sitting. My daughter was told to add more salt!

[DoubleMalibu]

I’d ring your Drs and ask if you have POTS, it’s a wonder they didn’t confirm it at your Rheumatology app.

Did they not send you a letter from the consultant confirming everything discussed? Especially if they recommended something that helps? Seems strange they didn’t clarify the diagnosis with you.

Always relieves our mind to have a definite confirmation doesn’t it.

Someone in my family had read about POTS recently, and said it had a lot of similar symptoms to things I suffer with, but I haven’t got around to getting it checked out. Too many other things being checked out🤣

[Fibrooh]

I too have POTS which was diagnosed by a cardiologist.

[MEorFMorLUPUS]

I am not a doctor - just going through the process of getting a POTS diagnosis myself - so I hope this might help. POTS is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome so more to do with your heart rate than blood pressure. Generally, with POTS, your heart rate goes up excessively when you stand up. It's not usually a rheumatologist that would deal with this but cardiology or neurology as it's to do with the control of the autonomic nervous system, the part of your nervous system that controls things like heart rate and blood pressure. It's a bit of a niche area - there are only a few specialists in the UK. I think if you have low blood pressure on standing this is a different type of orthostatic intolerance (difficulty being upright). Maybe they will refer you on for further tests. Sounds like your rheumatologist was quite thorough - compared to mine anyway.