Pots symptoms and conditions

I'm 17 and I took Levaquin back in November and still have to use a wheelchair to get around. I ended up having to go to the Mayo clinic because there were so many factors to my case, and we were not getting anywhere with my doctors at children's hospital. i also have mono and west nile virus and so all that viral activity made the reaction so much worse. They discovered Levaquin caused severe tendinitis in each and every tendon, but my hips mainly affected causing them to be extremely fluid-filled. I also have a permanent peripheral neuropathy from it. They discovered an autonomic syndrome called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) , however that can logically be attributed to either the mono or the reaction.
I go to physical therapy every week now for my hips and my ability to be ambulating well enough to go to college in 6 months is being questioned.

I started taking Toprol XL after being diagnosed with SVT back in May of 2003. I was only in my late 20's & was very trusting, at the time. I was recently sent to a cardiologist because I was having horrible chest pain & the Toprol XL 50 MG wasn't working at keeping the heart rate down. The GP put me on a double dose as well as Cardizem to help with the chest pain & rapid heart rate. I was already on Lanoxin 0.5MG, the highest dose allowed. The cardiologist took me off of the Cardizem right away because he said that is was too stressful for the heart to be on that much heart medicine. I went though several tests & was told by the cardiologist that I didn't have SVT & that this was actually Postural Tachycardia (POTS) & Neurocardiogenic Syncope. I was taken off of Lanoxin, but kept on Toprol XL 100 MG. He put me on lots of salt & water to increase my blood volume which would help my blood pressure when standing. That was in June of 2007. All went pretty good, I thought, until January 18, 2008 when I was working. My heart rate went up to 136 just standing or walking across a room. I called the doctor & talked to a nurse who suggested that I take another 1/2 of a Toprol. I did that & felt better for awhile, but it was short lived. I had been having chest pain, rapid heart rate, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, short term memory problems, rapid weight gain, hair loss, cold extremities, & other things I can't think of right now for what seemed like forever. My gynecologist & my cardiologist first thought that I had thyroid problems, but all tests have come back negative. They then thought that maybe it was from the birth control pills that I had been on for the ovarian cysts. I was changed from one medicine to another & at first I thought that was what was wrong. I am now certain that all of the problems that I have been having were & are a result of the Toprol XL. I was even told that all the problems were "psychiatric in nature". I know that that isn't it at all! I have never had anxiety problems & the GP now thinks that's all that is wrong with me & wants me to go on Zoloft. I tried it, but became so ill that after one pill, I quit. I now plan on weaning myself off of the Toprol XL without the GP's knowledge or consent. The cardiologist was planning on weaning me off at some time in the future, but I am starting without him knowing it at the time. I'll just tell him when I see him next month. Thanks everyone for alerting me to the facts about this medicine. If I had known then what I do now, I'd have never consented to starting it in the first place. My only question is, are some of the "side effects" going to be a permanent thing for me or will they eventually go away? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks again!

A few weeks ago I reported many of the side effects so many of you have reported on. After several blood tests with my endocronologist, results came back normal. I have now been off Singulair for about five weeks and have noted only one improvement thus far: less headaches (especially after drinking alcohol--that being defined as one or two beers/glasses of wine. I think this has to do with less constriction of blood vessels in the brain).

I'm returning to my cardiologist next week. I'm thinking I may have what is called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome which can be described as a periodic low blood pressure disease that causes dizziness, faintness, ect. Many other symptoms of this disease have been mentioned on this site (including Shy-Drager Syndrome which is most scary). Doctors don't really know what brings on Pots but one suspicion is viral/bacterial or drug induced...jury is completely out on this, however).

Most notable is a sudden change in bp after stooping and standing up--bp drops, palpitations begin, extreme fatigue generally follows.

A table tilt test should help with the diagnosis.

Question: Are any of you familiar with Pots and/or have any of you experienced similar symptoms?

Thanks.

Fortuna

I've only been on lipitor for about 4 1/2 weeks now, but noticed almost immediately that I feel jittery all day until evening, when the dosage would likely be wearing off. I've also noticed some slight memory problems and had a couple of dizzy spells today. Does anyone or has anyone had this racing heart feeling on lipitor?? I feel like I drank 2 pots of caffinated coffee...

THANK YOU , JESUS FOR THIS FORUM. YES, INDEED. ALL
KINDS OF SIDE EFFECTS. RASHS, TINGLING IN MUSCLES,
PALIPATATIONS, TIRED, SWEATS, ANXIETY, HOARSE,
COUGH, SCRATCHY THROAT AND THEN THE ANXIETY
BLOOMS INTO ATTACKS. THIRD DAY OFF AND THE TEN
POTS OF COFFEE FEELING IS SUBSIDING. IM SURE IT GOING TO TAKE TIME. STARTED JUICING, EXTRA VITAMINS
B-COMPLEX, CALCIUM, ZINC, MAGNESIUM... GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND KEEP YOU SAFE AND AT PEACE.

Feeling as though I was having a HEART ATTACK! I am an active triathlete who gets a cold once a year. After a bout with the flu the doctor decided that my blood pressure had been too high for too long (160/104 on that visit, which I have to agree was high, and in the same range for about a year prior). I started the medication on a Monday and on Wednesday morning I thought I was having a Heart Attack.

Severe Chest Pain (feeling as though a rubberband was wrapped around my chest)
Muscle soreness in my chest
Irregular heart beatc
Dry Mouth
Sweats
Numbness in arms

After 3 EKG's they found the heart to be fine. Found a mass on my liver through the Ultrasound and MRI (which turned out to be a Hemagioma and is normal, whatever that means, in 30 to 40 year old women)

The doctor failed to tell me that Lisinopril could cause "muscular/skeletal pain" Oh my...

They wanted to change my medication to Corvasc and when I read the side affects of that I decided to stay on this evil drug.

Now I just have:

Constant tightness in the chest
dry cough
Severe exhaustion
Depression

Is this worth it? I already eat right, exercise and am the proper weight, so I am looking for homeopathic solution to this issue and getting off this crud. Any suggestions please post?????

I have had asthma for over 30 years and have recently been on Singulair. I have gained 15 lbs with no dietary changes and I am active. Recently I have been experiencing rapid heart rate, tense feeling, anxious, and uncomfortable to the point of a "panic attack" type of episode accompanied by sweating and the feeling of almost passing out. I take hormones for flashes (i'm 47) and have been fine with thme but the new med is the Singulair. I stopped it for 2 days and thday is the first day with no "episode". I do not have more tha 1 cup of reg coffee but I have felt like I have had pots of coffee. This stuff is awful. I will stick with an inhaler when needed and go to the health food store for a natural asthma supplement.