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The POTS connection?

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Posted 8/7/2015 11:28 PM (GMT -5)
I was wondering what the connection was between POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and Lyme...does anyone know how Lyme would cause POTS? Anyone have experience with this?

I ask because I tried out seeing what my heart bpm increase from lying to standing was and it was always around 30 bmp with hr over 100 just by standing...

And that technically is POTS. Now I'm confused. Is POTS the reason for my dizziness, etc...just POTS or POTS from Lyme? Seems weird that I would just develop it at 21 years old.

Anyone with experience with this, does Lyme treatment make the POTS go away usually?
Posted 8/8/2015 1:57 AM (GMT -5)
Yes Lyme can cause POTS. I was diagnosed with POTS 3 months into treatment for lyme. Yes it causes me to feel dizzy and awful and is by far the worst symptom to deal with. Both my LLND and my cardiologist say it should get better with lyme treatment. I've been treating for 18 months and it is starting to get better. I take a beta blocker, wear compression socks, and drink tons of fluids to help with POTS symptoms. Although I'm kinda old, it's not unusual for young people to get POTS:)
Posted 8/8/2015 3:32 AM (GMT -5)
I haven't been diagnosed with it but man do I really get dizzy upon standing. I mean sometimes it's really bad , and goes away in a matter of seconds. Obviously this is something that has happened to me before but once I got lyme it began happening all the time. Before that it would happen every now and then as it does with most people. The way I figure now, why am I going to go see a cardiologist if I have an understanding of what's going on now. By the way I have dizziness all the time, and that's cuz it's improved tremendously.
Posted 8/8/2015 9:41 AM (GMT -5)
Cubs,

I was diagnosed with Lyme and Cos last May. In June, I began to experience constant Tachycardia; heart rate rarely below 130 and as high as 10 at rest. I also began to have POT symptoms. Heart was tested inside and out and found to be very strong with a good rhythm. the cardiologist was open to Lyme, but said that my symptoms were different than Cardiac Lyme.

After increasing the dosage of Metropolol a number of times (from 10 mgs to 200 mgs). My heart rate came down to 85 to 125 at rest, but the POTS symptoms remained and I actually feel more palpitations than I did when the hr was higher.

I also have a lot of neuro symptoms that my LLND does not feel all fit with Lyme. I was able to get in to see a top Neurologist in Boston who has ordered a number of tests including a tilt table test to be done early next month. He also wanted me to see the head of Cardiology at his hospital, whom I saw this past Monday. He diagnosed me with "Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia". Fairly common in younger people and women, but not in adult males. He has kept me on the same med but split the dosage to half morning and half at night. He feels that Lyme could be a cause, but is not Lyme literate enough to be sure. He also feels that the med change will reduce the POTS over time.

Hope this helps
Posted 8/8/2015 11:49 AM (GMT -5)
cubs,

My daughter had POTS, arrhythmia's, dizziness, and a lot of the crappy other symptoms that goes with it. Her LLD knew exactly how to deal with it. Yes, it is quite common for LD sufferers to have POTS symptoms. Dr. J. tells us that it can be caused by toxin build-up, but that it can also persist after the toxins have been eliminated. In that case, Dr. J. has devised a new treatment to eliminate the POTS. My daughter is a happy recipient of his treatment approach. Here is an interesting article by Dr. J. that delves into the issue:

http://davidjernigan.blogspot.com/2014/05/pots-caused-by-underlying-lyme-disease.html

Don
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