As for me....: I have been given an official title... - LUPUS UK

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As for me....

1985mum profile image
1985mum
β€’19 Replies

I have been given an official title of POTS. My specialist still thinks my low positive ANA is "incidental"πŸ˜•. He's referred me on to a POTS clinic at a major teaching hospital locally. So it will be nice to be able to go by car to my appointments instead of plane!!

At this stage I'm inclined to accept that I may 'just' have POTS and attack my ongoing issues from that angle and see if we can get anywhere.

Also, I'm now 10 and a half weeks pregnant (with #5πŸ˜₯). Totally not planned! But interestingly I have a lot more energy than 'normal' at the moment. I'm just waiting until I'm past the first trimester to see if the nausea will go away as well (I didn't realise I had morning sickness because I've been feeling like it for the last 2 years anywayπŸ˜‰). It will be an interesting journey to see what differences pregnancy actually makes!

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1985mum profile image
1985mum
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Penelope-Mary profile image
Penelope-Mary

Hello 1985 mum...congratulations?!!

I don't know much about POTS but being pregnant with this dx seems like it would feel twice as bad so go easy....ha ha hardly but best wishes πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€.

You are probably one of those..it took 7'years to be dx ..unfortunate ones. Are you receiving any treatment that is ok with pregnancy?

I hope the consultant has you tucked firmly under her/his wing and that you at least have a letter for the O&G dr.

Hugs πŸ€—

Penelope xx

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to Penelope-Mary

I replied to you earlier but I'm not sure what happened because it didn't make it on here!

I haven't seen the POTS clinic yet (run by a Dr Chris O'Callaghan at the Austin and by all reports he is brilliant). I'm yet to hear from them for an appointment. Therefore, I'm not on any treatments yet. From whatI hear he's big on lifestyle management and will only medicate if desperate, which is how I like it.

So I may be getting in there and into the clinic at the Monash for bub simultaneously which will probably end up being a liason challenge. But I'm not too worried.

Penelope-Mary profile image
Penelope-Mary in reply to 1985mum

Oh I'm so happy you have an excellent dr to look forward to seeing and being treated by. I googled him just then ( of course πŸ˜—)! His profile looks to be very fitting for you. My other half is at the Austin as is his bro...and I could get the low down on this rather nice looking chap if you like πŸ˜‰. I saw that Monash has a lupus clinic?! Maybe between ante nate visits you could linger near that clinic?! It might only be a research lab....do you know anything about it?

Do keep us informed ....it's been a long road for you and to get this far is an achievement.

Hugs πŸ€—

Penelope

πŸπŸ‚πŸ

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to Penelope-Mary

Oh yes! The inside opinion is always helpful!

Yes I had seen that there is a lupus clinic at the Monash. It is a public clinic. I haven't heard any feedback about it but the two professors who run it are world renowned apparently.

I'll have to perfect my lingering with angel eyes actπŸ˜€!

Penelope-Mary profile image
Penelope-Mary in reply to 1985mum

πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜‚β€¦do just that!

I shall ask after your knight in shining armour but from what I gleaned he seems to be just the man for the job.

I assume S Hall isn't one of the profs giving time freely to the public πŸ˜—πŸ˜—β€¦

πŸ€—

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to Penelope-Mary

πŸ˜™it's excellent this site isn't it! How else would we find out juicy information?!

No S Hall isn't one of those. Although, a mark up for him he bulk billed my disaster appointment when I saw him! Not that he gave me anything worth paying for...πŸ˜‰

Penelope-Mary profile image
Penelope-Mary in reply to 1985mum

We really appreciate this site don't we πŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌ

I've yet to 'ask the expert' re your πŸ‘¨πŸΌβ€βš•οΈ and I shall, but he sounds πŸ‘ŒπŸΌ

I think S Hall means well ....it's been 2 years since I've had the courage to be seen by him πŸ™„

Take each day as it comes , you've a load to carry !

πŸ€—

Barnclown profile image
Barnclown

WOW: 😯 Way To Go πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

This POTS diagnosis IS a big official step in a pos direction...glad your treatment is local now πŸ‘Œ

You're really well informed...and POTS-expert medics are a special breed...between you all, any other aspects of connective tissue disorder & immune dysfunction can't be ignored πŸ‘ & you will be referred for further investigations as & when 🀞

Love to you & everyone in your family πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’πŸ’

πŸ€πŸ˜˜πŸ€πŸ˜˜πŸ€πŸ˜˜ coco

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to Barnclown

That's what I was thinking coco. If, when I get to him, he finds I have symptoms that don't quite squash under the POTS umbrella then he'll hopefully do further investigations of his own.

Barnclown profile image
Barnclown in reply to 1985mum

This Works...sometimes takes time....eg, my ⭐️ Rheumatologist needed nearly 3 years from starting me on daily hydroxy to adding pred + myco before she realised my Low Igs were chronic and needed immunology investigations & referred me direct....at which point we discovered I've had autoimmunity running alongside immunodeficiency all these decades. Now combined daily rheumatology + immunology meds have me feeling generally 🌈 "more ok" than I have since my teens πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

Congratulations on pregnancy and getting a diagnosis of PoTS - hope both work out really well for you (I mean by this that the PoTS is well managed now it's been properly diagnosed) and you are supported extremely well from now on. Xx

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to

Thank you twitchy. The doctor I've been referred to I've only heard brilliant feedback about from others who have seen him so I'm confident I'll be cared for properly!

in reply to 1985mum

Oh that's such great news - I'm really pleased for you! X

Lupiknits profile image
Lupiknits

Well done on the dx! Congratulation, too! .πŸ’πŸ’

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to Lupiknits

Thank you lupiknitsπŸ€—

misty14 profile image
misty14

Hi 1985 mum

Well done with POTS diagnosis, hope seeing the specialist helps you greatly. It's quite similar to lupus I with some symptoms so will be interesting what he says and recommends!.

Congratulations on your pregnancy news. Hope all goes well for you. Keep us posted and take care. X

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to misty14

Thankyou for your kind words Misty. I hope I can get some help from him. First off, I want to get into some specific POTS related lifestyle management while I'm waiting for my appointment. Get myself a head start! Things like drinking electrolyte drinks and small bits of exercise (I've been warned not to exercise unless I'm lying downπŸ€”so that bit will be interesting). Also just adding small amounts of extra salt to my meals (don't want to overdo that one because my sodium levels were fine when I had them tested a couple months ago). At least he can't say I haven't tried!

misty14 profile image
misty14 in reply to 1985mum

Hi 1985mm

That all sounds like a very good plan!. Good luck with it all and for your appointment. There are quite a few sufferers of POTS on forum so please stay and keep us updated. Fingers crossed for you. X

1985mum profile image
1985mum in reply to misty14

Thank you and I will stay because there is so much wisdom on here!

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