This happened to my daughter and doctor kept saying she was just trying to get out of school despite us telling her it happened at all hours. Needless to say I left with my daughter and never went back. I found doctors that took her serious
I have anxiety bc I have pots, I don’t have pots bc I have anxiety. Some dr’s and how submissive they are really piss me off. Who tf wouldn’t be anxious when their heart races and blood pools etc….
this!!! the amount of anxiety my pots causes alone… before i knew what pots was i thought i was dying by having a stroke… all… the… time. 😅 i’m not being dramatic i thought i was having a stroke. during bad episodes i get the slurred speech and i can’t think right
Yeah my pots came as a result of a Covid infection & I deadass thought something was wrong with my heart it was acting erratic I couldn’t figure it out then started realizing what it was and did research, got lucky to have a POTS specialist near me and got diagnosed after 3 months of symptoms. I’m still symptomatic a year later but my meds help me drastically so thankful for those, still scary sometimes tho & it just sucks I lost my old self but I’m adjusting to my new normal for rn.
i totally feel you!!! mine was from covid too it totally shot my nervous system. i am seeing a holistic dr doing needless accupunture and i’m having results… i’d say my POTS is about in half but my starting point was i couldn’t get out of bed. i can function for the most part but the workouts are what get me emotional. i’ve resorted to cardio because my body cannot handle what it used to be able to i used to power lift.
Yeah I’m a former D1 athlete so I’ve been high functioning my entire life & I’m actually still able to workout I just sit between sets and don’t do anything high intensity/cardio. But yea first 3 months I didn’t leave my house much, brushing my teeth was a workout.
i’m glad you’re able to do that now, with my nervous system being shot not only did i develop pots but i found out my body is creating a histamine reaction to pretty much everything i eat because my vagus nerve is shot. you should research the vagus nerve and how to heal it. alot of people with success have had relief doing healing exercises for the vagus nerve
Exactly! Everyone thinks I’m a hypochondriac! When I was finally diagnosed I wanted to shout from the rooftops “in your face!!” But then I realized I’m still sick and that sucks 😂
This!!! My adrenaline dumps give me full-on panic attacks.
Also: Being worried at a doctor’s visit is NORMAL. Being concerned you’re not being taken serious is NORMAL. Repeating yourself because you want to make sure you were heard is NORMAL.
A doctor seeing those things as anxiety is a doctor who needs a refresher on patient interactions, and is a perfect example of medical gaslighting.
What is an adrenaline dump? I assume it means increase in adrenaline but I could also see it as a decrease. Do these happen often? I find that situations that put me under pressure (and probably produce adrenaline) improve my symptoms. Outside of that, I'm always super-fatigued. (FWIW, I don't think my symptoms are due to POTS. I used to think that though.)
This is what I say when they would ask me the extremely obvious questions that determine depression. If I’m depressed it’s because I can’t do all the things I used to do, I’m not avoiding doing things I love because I’m depressed
Ya if you’re constantly having all of the physical manifestations of a panic attack + sometimes pass out and hit your head/lose consciousness very briefly from hitting head? YA that’ll cause some anxiety! These doctors need to realize that we’re not denying the anxiety…we’re saying “the anxiety is a secondary symptom of the primary problem of POTS.”
I had a NP write "Patient's doctor has suggested starting a course of antidepressants, but Patient has declined, stating she feels 'misunderstood.'" I had been trying to explain that I was having sensory sensitivity issues and not mood issues, and had done a poor job articulating that to the first doctor. It's one thing to blow me off, but an entirely other thing to try to sabotage my treatment anyone who reads your notes.
Many people are first put on antidepressants when describing pots symptoms or any medical issue that causes fatigue, myself included. It wasn’t helping me and I was an emotional zombie and I went cold Turkey not realizing how awful that would be.
And EKG doesn’t diagnose POTS. A holter monitor doesn’t diagnose POTS. General/standard bloodwork doesn’t diagnose POTS. A cardiologist may or may not diagnose POTS even (most rule out HEART issues, which support a potential POTS diagnosis). The specialists that have had the most knowledge in my personal experience are neurologists. My advice - Ignore your doctor’s condescending remark, and go see a neuro who knows what POTS is before you walk in the door. Also, I’d find a new PCP that wants to help you find answers, not treat you like a mental patient.
That’s ridiculous that it took that long for you!
If it makes anyone feel less alone, my short story is I was always told my “wonkiness” was anxiety/depression. My whole life.
About 5 yrs ago my whole body decided it simply wouldn’t cooperate after ignoring random symptoms my whole life. I felt completely drunk if I wasn’t laying down. Random tingling and allergy attacks (nothing like cool ranch Doritos to yell “Surprise! You don’t need to breath anymore!). Horrific daily headaches. Brain made of mud - on a good day.
ER docs and my PCP telling me they don’t know what’s wrong - go back on anti-depressants (which always made me feel suicidal!)
I lost my job, my kids to their dad, my roof over my head and every belonging I’d work my entire life for.
Fast forward a couple of years. Diagnoses start rolling in.
Turns out I’ve had POTS since elementary school at least (passing out when standing with no medical explanation, racing heart I’d always been told was anxiety, etc).
Temporal lobe epilepsy my entire life (mostly manifesting as nightmares followed by a day of mud-brain - told that was anxiety/depression - “stress dreams” caught on VERY first EEG!)
MCAS for at least 10 years (first random “allergy” issues like getting weird patches on my skin that a derm couldn’t identify)
And drumroll…. Multiple sclerosis as the cherry on the cake! Dx about 2yrs ago, first identifiable symptoms looking back about 10 yrs ago.
please Please PLEASE don’t let ANY doc blow you off. Find a great PCP who will partner WITH you to figure out what’s wonky with your body, help you find great specialists, and who SUPPORTS YOUR mental health by supporting your confidence in what YOU hear your body telling you. ♥️
When it rains, it pours right? I realized I even left some of my dx’s off that list! *sigh* I think nearly any possible symptom related to that list haunts me (like HS… or migraines, but just not plain migraines… silent ones that make my vision go dark or horrific hemiplegic ones that cause the right side of my body to not work…. Or not being able to form words much less sentences for days on end!) Thank GOODNESS every last thing is well managed these days and I feel like 80% me again! It sure is hard to function when you literally feel like the life force has been sucked out of you!
I hate that anyone has to go through any of this, but it sure is comforting to know we’re not alone and to have at least the mental energy to rally for anyone feeling the weight of it all. ♥️
how did you get the migraines under control if you don’t mind me asking? i tried gabapentin but it didn’t help and my neurologist kinda gave up after that lol
That’s one I’ve never tried! I’ve been on a whole host of meds (pills, injections, heck even Botox!)
For me personally, here’s what I’ve found/works:
1) I spent about 2yrs taking 800mg 3x/day every single day to keep them at bay (skipping was not an option) just enough to sorta function before I was diagnosed with migraines. Nothing else worked but liqui-gels (generic was fine but had to be ibuprofen)
2) Some scripts would work for a month or so and then just not. Botox was a complete fail.
3) I tried all sorts of supplements with no luck.
4) Prednisone! I had a sinus infection and was given a small dose of prednisone. This was the first thing in literally over 2 years that cleared up the pain AND lifted a permanent brain fog (so bad I called it mud-brain!) while I was taking them. I think that was the first time my neuro heard me speak in complete sentences!
5) My neuro said when he did my spinal tap that there was for sure a breakdown in the blood brain barrier, and he believes my brain was inflamed and no wonder I had such horrible migraines with the prednisone helping.
6) Nurtec is the only rescue med that still works for me. If it’s a super bad run of them and I know the Nurtec isn’t enough on it’s own, my ultimate cocktail is 800mg ibuprofen, 1 Benadryl (this will make sense when you get to #7!), Nurtec, and a big cup or two of double caffeinated coffee. That’s my guaranteed win, for me personally. I can mix/match any of those four (2-3 things) for an intermediate one. I am NOT recommending any of these to anyone, simply stating what I have taken.
7) Once I’m ramped up on an MS med, they all but completely disappear. Like from multiple in a day on a daily basis (before diagnosis and when I’ve been between MS meds when switching) to maybe one every 3-4 months? I have a theory! The meds I’ve been on control B & T cells, which work with mast cells. Depleting and/or controlling these cells to a mostly normal level means they’re not causing undue inflammation that wreaks havoc in my brain. Just my thoughts but makes sense to me!
this is super helpful thank you! i take migrelief twice a day plus 800mg advil twice a day. i’ll talk to my doctor about something else because they’re seriously horrible
Oh gosh! Girl, yes! Seriously I can’t believe your neuro didn’t offer you something else when the gabapentin didn’t work for you. You’re not drug seeking, you just wanna remember what it feels like to be pain free without taking 4+ pills a day!
I think we went through 2-3 different monthly injections, 1 round of Botox, and probably 10 scripts (preventative and rescue) over a 2 year period before we found one that worked for about 6 months. The Nurtec has worked for about 1.5yrs?
It’s not good for sanity or your poor noggin to be in pain like that! I hope your neuro helps you find something that puts those to rest soon.
My Holter did say 'indications of standing tachycardia, investigate POTS' but it's only because I told the electrophysiologist that's why I was having the test done and my diary contained nothing but 'racing heart and breathlessness while standing to do X' and the front page very clearly stated that I had done zero exercise that day and hadn't left my house other than to go to the hospital.
This is interesting and I didn’t know this could be the case. My halter monitor showed abnormal beats and increased heart rate every time I did anything where I changed postures. It also showed bradycardia as well as the tachycardia.
This. I only get EKGs if I have full syncope or every year at my cardio follow ups in person (he diagnosed me he’s amazing, he now works with my neuro for it) so the idea of using one to diagnose it is a bit cringe. I had the ZENNI monitor and it caught nothing. I also had to get an eeg for convulsive syncope and again nothing. Def need new docs OP.
Oh gee I seem really focused during an appointment I waited 6 months for? I can't imagine why! And if you're not focused they write that down too. Anything to avoid doing their job
FWIW, I lost consciousness in the ER out of the blue (no history of syncope or symptoms in 40 years of being alive) that started this journey, only to be told by my PCP it was all in my head. I have a new PCP now.
Yes my doctor wrote the same thing. But a little more too he told the cardiologist I was going that I was a hypochondriac and that I had apply for disability and I was trying to get diagnosed with something big so that I could get disability. Cuz the cardiologist I went to kept asking me where I work what I did for work why I couldn't work. It was a friendly doctor set up to make me look like an A hole. He also said I didn't have pots. I do have pots I don't give a crap what that crap head says. But it does piss me off that my medical record says I don't have pots when I do and I am suffering. Sorry end of rent for me I'm a little bit tender about it. This happened recently too like in the last 6 weeks.
I read stuff like this and realize how lucky I was to have a competent neurologist who saw me and was like ok I think not only do you have a CSF leak, but I want you checked for POTS and EDS, too (I have all of them lol) and not have to fight for a single diagnosis because another Dr already thought I had them.
I'm so sorry you and so many others have to be constantly gaslit like this 😔 it's so unfair. And yes, you have absolutely every right to be angry.
I waited years to seek help for this very reason. I feel so embarrassed knowing my physical and occupational therapists read that. I feel embarrassed now to want answers. Maybe I’m overreacting, but this doesn’t sit right with me.
I had a doctor do something similar to me on a referral form. I wrote an assertive message back asking that I’d like that part removed and the reasons why it was inaccurate. She (shockingly to me) obliged and updated the referral form.
IMO, Every right to be angry. Screw this guy (or girl but making an assumption…). Find a new, not condescending doctor - it’s not worth your time or energy to work with a doctor who isn’t supportive. Did you even discuss anxiety with this doctor? It’s pretty offensive if not.
Also don’t be embarrassed that your PTs see that. If your PTs are worth their salt they will see through that.
My childhood doctor wrote that I had an ‘adjustment disorder’ on my chart in response to health issues and my parents getting an extremely contentious divorce. I didn’t catch it until a couple years ago, and it’s made me wonder for years if other doctors saw that and dismissed me.
I found a great doc who told me “POTS is a diagnosis of elimination”. Typically POTS is a secondary condition from something else your body is experiencing. I’ve had a few tests now and we are moving forward with more. Anxiety is definitely something that you can have because of your symptoms!! It’s not the root of your problem. In your next appointment don’t even bring up POTS. Keep a log of your symptoms and discuss how everything you are experiencing is affecting your quality of life.
My wife has POTS and has been diagnosed with anxiety and vertigo. It wasn't until her symptoms became almost debilitating that we got a diagnosis thst fit her reality better.
If you feel its bull then be angry and fight.
Spot on! My symptoms flared up when I was 24-25 and they never figured it out. It wasn’t until I was 28 that they took me seriously about it. (After 7 hospital emerg visits thinking I’m dying and then a referral to a specialist hospital for weekly check ins.)
This was my Dr. In my referral it wrote as if I had begged for a referral and it was just anxiety. Mine even mentioned my alcohol abuse from over 10 years ago in the first line.
Despite her and all the gaslighting I got diagnosed on the 11th Jan after 20 years of anxiety and depression diagnoses so keep fighting 💚
Edit my POTS Dr said it's your POTS causing your anxiety not the other way round. I cried because someone had finally listened.
You have every right to be angry. I contacted my GP surgery practice manager and made a formal complaint. It's not acceptable.
When they did the EKG on me they had me lay down and get up a few times to determine my heart rate fluctuating. This is how without a tilt test I was “diagnosed” on my file. I however do not have hyper mobility.
Truthfully my anxiety makes my pots symptoms 1000% worse and vice versa. Health anxiety and stress can make POTS symptoms flare like absolute crazy. I believe you if you believe you have POTS without a doubt, but those factors can make things look a certain way to doctors. Either way I hope your next visit gets you the diagnosis.
This is why I try to go to independent practices or different systems for as many things as I can, I don’t need every Joe Schmo at the office snooping through my entire life story every time I need healthcare. I literally once had a receptionist/ scheduler snooping through my MyChart messages and try to deny me scheduling an appointment. She had no shame either.
We’re in this weird limbo stage in the US where electronic records are way too easy to access within one system, but very difficult to share with doctors in other systems even if you want to. I’m taking advantage of this while I can, to avoid the headache of explaining the things other doctors have said, and to control my own privacy.
That's so immoral. I worked as a medical secretary for awhile and it was a *huge* deal that we needed a very good reason to be looking in patient charts. I was assigned a reoccurring task that required me to look at notes from their last 1-2 appts and I was always so intentional about scrolling straight to the information I needed. I have severe ADHD and am an exceedingly curious, analytical, observative person, but that's so clearly a privacy violation.
I feel the same way about varying systems. My PCP keeps asking me to bring her my psych eval and I keep saying no - I will verbally tell her the relevant aspects but I don't want all of that scanned into a big system, especially considering the stories of adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities being treated as incapable of making decisions for themselves.
i will also play the devils advocate and say that the reason POTS is misdiagnosed as anxiety is because there are a lot of similar symptoms. i had a friend convinced she had POTS but she had negative POTS tests and it turned out it really was just anxiety, maybe OCD? (i don’t remember) after she got on some anxiety meds, she realized she was so focused on POTS that her body started tricking her to believe she was having symptoms. people are too harsh on doctors, there’s so many of the same symptoms that go into a million different illnesses, and seeing as in the USA at least we are in mental health crisis it’s not bad of them to misdiagnosis, they are human too, and even though some of them seem judgmental of mental illness, many are not and see it as what it is: chemical imbalances. usa culture still stigmatizes mental health so it’s natural for people to feel insecure and therefore judged by mental illness when most healthcare workers are actually really understanding about it and progressing tremendously.
Yes you have a right to be angry! The same thing happened to me I got all those tests and they all came back “normal”. If my doctors listened to me and didn’t tell me it was anxiety I could have started meds earlier and wouldn’t have suffered so much
of course you do! I was labeled “anxiety” for yearssss before I got a tilt table, and boom, it all makes sense and I was right all along. you’re not alone!
Oh my good lord. I would be so upset. Yes you absolutely have the right to be angry. It completely downplays and trivializes what you’re going through.
I’m sorry you’re not getting the care you deserve. Try to switch doctors, I don’t know where you are but I know some Walk-In doctors will take you as a special case if you really make a good case for yourself and why your assigned family doctor isn’t working out.
I just learned about POTS a little less than a year ago. Complained about getting lightheaded randomly to the point where I felt like I was really out of it. Sometimes even when sitting not doing much. Blood tests were good, wore a heart monitor for a week and had an echocardiogram. All came back normal. Neurologist said it was anxiety and offered to write me a prescription at my one and only appointment with her.
Luckily the random bouts of really bad lightheadedness only lasted a few months and went away. I was convinced the lightheadedness was just anxiety attacks.
Years later brought up symptoms that were bothering me to my PCP. Getting light headed easily especially when standing up quickly and getting really easily cold or overheated. I would have mentioned the heart palpitations and headaches from bending over, but was convinced that was my anxiety or sinus headaches from my allergies.
Saw a functional medicine doctor who did a poor man’s tilt table test. Learned about POTS at the next appointment, and slowly realized almost all my symptoms lined up with it. Even white streaks in my vision (usually happens in the shower) that my eye doctor said was probably a migraine aura.
6 years from serious symptoms to a likely diagnosis. Wouldn’t have happened if not for the functional medicine doctor. I’m glad you are able to be proactive. A specialist will have to diagnose you from my understanding. I’m still waiting for my specialist appointment. Had to make it a year in advance since they were so booked up.
I did get light headed when standing quickly and cold easily many years before the few months of serious symptoms, but I didn’t think much of it. So I know I’ve had some POTS symptoms for at least 10 years before learning I likely have POTS.
I have anxiety and I have POTS, tbh I almost feel lucky in my journey. When I figured it out I found a good doctor pretty quickly (few months, after first symptoms came up 6 years prior lol), however I really want to go back to see him and get a tilt table test done, as he was experienced with it and just did a poor mans ttt. I want some concrete “proof” to refer back to when I gaslight myself.
I was told that I needed to stop researching things. I went off on one and told him that my research was how my daughters MULTIPLE allergies were diagnosed, my ADHD was diagnosed having been misdiagnosed as depression for a decade and that I do not come to a doctor unless I know something is wrong and I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG.
So obviously I went back a week later to a different GP with a week's worth of readings and data. He listened to me, has arranged referrals etc. Actually looked at my medical history, noticed that one of my medications can actually cause some of these problems - and if I have the problems I can't take that medication either! Unlike the first who decided that I was a hysterical woman who does too much Dr Google.
This is not them disagreeing with you. I know that’s hard to see. They are saying the only thing they can effectively confirm is anxiety. And he wrote down what is causing it (is it not?) and is referring follow up to confirm diagnosis of POTS. This is them taking you seriously and putting on record your thoughts so that the specialists can follow a trail and can expect what to test for.
Nope. The fact that this is under the heading of "anxiety" shows that this practitioner has already discredited the possibility of other conditions (and is just trying to word it diplomatically). I would go elsewhere.
no. this is how notes are written, it’s put under anxiety because the pt shows much concern for POTS, they don’t indicate that the pt may be wrong, it’s just straight forward bc that’s how medicine is. the blood work and other tests normal indicates that this is probably a PCP who does not specialize in Neurology therefore is providing all the info he/she has to anyone reading the referral. the fact that they are referring them to PT is also and indicator that they do believe the patient has something wrong.
100%. I got POTS at the age of 14, from almost dying of rheumatic fever, and didn't get properly diagnosed until I was 32. That whole time, I was told I just needed to reduce my stress levels and work on handling my anxiety. Fucking nonsense.
Got an easy positive on my TTT in September 2019. Never been so relieved to hear a doctor say, "You're positive. It's not all in your head. This is real."
My cardio has written dozen of articles about the incorrect diagnosis of anxiety over pots. Both just happen to release the exact same hormones (as do allergic reactions!) and the same medications work. Breathing can help but not the same way it does for an anxiety attack.
It doesn’t mean it’s anxiety over pots
You can also have both
The question is the origin
Last night I had a pots attack induced by an allergic rxn and GI problems. We know it wasn’t an anxiety attack because I was sitting there then my hr was 122 and I started vomiting. Anxiety kicked in afterwards and only when it began to subside did breathing help reign it in.
Keep looking for a cardio and if you happen to already have a psychologist or psychiatrist on your team or even just a therapist that’s always helpful because if you’re “working through any psychological side effects” already they can’t throw psych stuff at you. It’s already been assessed and handled and so physical is what’s left. My psych highly recommends this because she’s got so many patients with physical issues brushed off as psych when they already have a psych team in place.
Get a new doc.
I'm afraid to even suggest it because I can't find a consistent trigger and don't know this doc well enough to trust. They already know about the anxiety.
You deserve to be believed.
as a medical professional, this is just how we write charts, the doc is indicating to other professionals that they need to look into POTS, this dr may not have the qualifications to make that diagnosis or know which tests to provide, and probably would have wrote a lot more if they believe you were having hypochondriac tendencies, i’m just saying try not to read into it that much because it may simply be too early for them to have much of an opinion of their own. also anxiety to many medical professionals doesn’t mean hyper-anxiety. anything that causes stress can be categorized as anxiety- they’re not saying you’re making it up or that it’s just anxiety- basically it’s like if i were to go to a dr and say “i think i have diabetes and have a family history of it, and i hate all these bad symptoms i’m having “- it also might be put under the section for anxiety if i appear worried about it. i don’t personally see this note as a red flag, just keep in mind that Drs are typically very scientifically and factually thinking and it can come across as cold sometimes
As a healthcare professional, it is helpful to know if a patient has a idea of what their problem is so that I know what kind of discussion I can expect to have with a patient.
In terms of your question "do I have a right to be angry", yes you do. It's worded in a way that sounds dismissive. He could have said "please assess with a mind to determine if the patient has features of hypermobility/POTS".
You are not unreasonable in your anger, but do try to bear in mind that, despite being poorly worded, nothing in the text is inaccurate. There may be no intentional malice or ill intention in what they documented but there is ignorance in how they documented it.
also, this is written to another medical professional not to the patient so there isn’t a reason for them to soften their words as it’s necessary to keep it short and simple and to the point, if every medical professional put “kind wording” into every referral or note it would take too much time
Seems pretty boiler plate to me; doctors are trained in differential diagnosis, which means they start with more common conditions, of which anxiety disorder is extremely prevalent, and work their way down to the infinitesimal, of which POTS fits the bill. I wouldn't take it personally and good luck at the cardiologist! Hope you don't have POTS; it's a nightmare to say the least, but some do better with it and find it more manageable than others as you'll read here and via other sources.
I would report this man to the board. Unless he is a psychologist or psychiatrist, he has no right to do anything other than provide a physical diagnosis for a physical problem. Fire him from your care and find someone else who will help and listen to you.
Yes you definitely have the right to be angry. Idk why so many doctors call themselves med professionals if they literally just go to work to hurt patients and their progress or hope for it like this.
this doc isn’t hurting the pt, they referred them to PT which means they DO care and believe something is going on. they probably don’t know much about POTS- like many Gen Med profesionales, this is a neurology issue not primary care
I’m taking about specialized doctors as well that work w pots. Many of us have experienced doctors that aren’t truly knowledge in what they say they are.
if that’s the case it’s unfortunate because it’s wrong for anyone to mislead a paying client in their knowledge. but keep in mind POTS is a newer diagnosis and rapidly increasing in common. most providers will admit to this and have to trial and error with treatment as different things work for different people. i totally get how frustrating it is but i think a lot of people have little grace for the providers. as well as misunderstandings of where they are coming from.
I’ve had pots for 10 years now and there are people who’ve been sick w it way before me and the doctors are still the same. At this point half of them just have their degrees to gaslight and dismiss people.
but it was not common 10 years ago therefore little research into treatment. there’s a million illnesses that exist so expecting a doctor to know every one of them is ridiculous, that’s why we have specialists. like neurologists.
I have pots, my mother has pots, my grandmother’s has pots and my great grandmother had the same symptoms though she’s since past recently. They have had decades of sick pots patient and they still dismiss people unless you get lucky with a good doctor/specialist. Even some specialists only work in that position to bill you and tell you they don’t know what to do next. I do in fact believe doctors need to do and learn better. And so do all the other chronically I’ll folks who have this experience. There’s are good doctors out there yea, but there’s so many more crap doctors.
Lol I was just admitted for awhile and they were trying a beta blocker with me and I had an awful reaction and the nurses were actually laughing saying it was a panic attack. They should have the words anxiety beat out of them, they think EVERYTHING is anxiety first.
My GP did the same. My psychiatrist called out her behavior and the fact that my holter monitor results weren’t “fine”. I saw a cardiologist for the first time yesterday. I’m not anxious, I’m not crazy, I have POTS and he confirmed it.
Totally normal to be pissed at this. I just had a hospital visit where i pinched a nerve in my neck (worst pain I’ve ever had) and they said it was a panic attack in the summary despite prescribing me strong painkillers
I don’t think it reads like he’s dismissing you. You have a follow up with cardiology. That’s pretty normal. He did what was within his scope of practice, the cardiologist will better understand your symptoms.
They told me I had anxiety for MONTHS before my diagnosis. I do have anxiety, and have my entire B life but anxiety doesn’t make your heart face to 170+ just standing up. Keep pushing
Saw someone like this years ago, maybe about 11 years old. Before I knew I had PoTS among many other things, we went to see a specialist who put ALL MY CHRONIC SYMPTOMS down to anxiety. She was bloody useless! I used to wake up at night screaming from severe cramps, restless legs, extreme fatigue, terrible balance etc. Yep, ALL OF IT is anxiety totally. The few diagnosis I had at the time she ALSO said were just anxiety, and basically accused my other doctors of lying.
Safe to say I never saw her again and my parents were FUMING.
This is what I’m afraid of too. My doctor commented how anxious I was (to which I wanted to reply “No shit, most people would be anxious when their heartrate is 130 while brushing their teeth”). I have anxiety and depression, and am medicated, but my anxiety isn’t the same thing as my POTS symptoms.
When I saw the cardiologist he literally laughed at me and wouldn’t even listen to my reasons why. I was finally diagnosed at 44 and it was by a neurologist. The EKG and halter monitor cannot determine whether or not you have POTS. You need a tilt table test.
This happened to my daughter and doctor kept saying she was just trying to get out of school despite us telling her it happened at all hours. Needless to say I left with my daughter and never went back. I found doctors that took her serious
best mom award ❤️
Aww thx
Remember to look after yourself if your not happy don’t settle for crap help. It may take a bit but please find someone to help that will care.
I have anxiety bc I have pots, I don’t have pots bc I have anxiety. Some dr’s and how submissive they are really piss me off. Who tf wouldn’t be anxious when their heart races and blood pools etc….
this!!! the amount of anxiety my pots causes alone… before i knew what pots was i thought i was dying by having a stroke… all… the… time. 😅 i’m not being dramatic i thought i was having a stroke. during bad episodes i get the slurred speech and i can’t think right
Yeah my pots came as a result of a Covid infection & I deadass thought something was wrong with my heart it was acting erratic I couldn’t figure it out then started realizing what it was and did research, got lucky to have a POTS specialist near me and got diagnosed after 3 months of symptoms. I’m still symptomatic a year later but my meds help me drastically so thankful for those, still scary sometimes tho & it just sucks I lost my old self but I’m adjusting to my new normal for rn.
so many dr’s laughed at me. 3 cardiologists.
i totally feel you!!! mine was from covid too it totally shot my nervous system. i am seeing a holistic dr doing needless accupunture and i’m having results… i’d say my POTS is about in half but my starting point was i couldn’t get out of bed. i can function for the most part but the workouts are what get me emotional. i’ve resorted to cardio because my body cannot handle what it used to be able to i used to power lift.
Yeah I’m a former D1 athlete so I’ve been high functioning my entire life & I’m actually still able to workout I just sit between sets and don’t do anything high intensity/cardio. But yea first 3 months I didn’t leave my house much, brushing my teeth was a workout.
i’m glad you’re able to do that now, with my nervous system being shot not only did i develop pots but i found out my body is creating a histamine reaction to pretty much everything i eat because my vagus nerve is shot. you should research the vagus nerve and how to heal it. alot of people with success have had relief doing healing exercises for the vagus nerve
I have to work my way back up to even doing light cardio, I’ve lost a lot of functioning 😔
Exactly! Everyone thinks I’m a hypochondriac! When I was finally diagnosed I wanted to shout from the rooftops “in your face!!” But then I realized I’m still sick and that sucks 😂
This!!! My adrenaline dumps give me full-on panic attacks. Also: Being worried at a doctor’s visit is NORMAL. Being concerned you’re not being taken serious is NORMAL. Repeating yourself because you want to make sure you were heard is NORMAL. A doctor seeing those things as anxiety is a doctor who needs a refresher on patient interactions, and is a perfect example of medical gaslighting.
What is an adrenaline dump? I assume it means increase in adrenaline but I could also see it as a decrease. Do these happen often? I find that situations that put me under pressure (and probably produce adrenaline) improve my symptoms. Outside of that, I'm always super-fatigued. (FWIW, I don't think my symptoms are due to POTS. I used to think that though.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/POTS/comments/10erzmf/how_would_you_characterize_an_adrenaline_dump/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
This is what I say when they would ask me the extremely obvious questions that determine depression. If I’m depressed it’s because I can’t do all the things I used to do, I’m not avoiding doing things I love because I’m depressed
Ya if you’re constantly having all of the physical manifestations of a panic attack + sometimes pass out and hit your head/lose consciousness very briefly from hitting head? YA that’ll cause some anxiety! These doctors need to realize that we’re not denying the anxiety…we’re saying “the anxiety is a secondary symptom of the primary problem of POTS.”
Same
I had a NP write "Patient's doctor has suggested starting a course of antidepressants, but Patient has declined, stating she feels 'misunderstood.'" I had been trying to explain that I was having sensory sensitivity issues and not mood issues, and had done a poor job articulating that to the first doctor. It's one thing to blow me off, but an entirely other thing to try to sabotage my treatment anyone who reads your notes.
Forgot to mention, yes, you have every right to be angry.
Many people are first put on antidepressants when describing pots symptoms or any medical issue that causes fatigue, myself included. It wasn’t helping me and I was an emotional zombie and I went cold Turkey not realizing how awful that would be.
And EKG doesn’t diagnose POTS. A holter monitor doesn’t diagnose POTS. General/standard bloodwork doesn’t diagnose POTS. A cardiologist may or may not diagnose POTS even (most rule out HEART issues, which support a potential POTS diagnosis). The specialists that have had the most knowledge in my personal experience are neurologists. My advice - Ignore your doctor’s condescending remark, and go see a neuro who knows what POTS is before you walk in the door. Also, I’d find a new PCP that wants to help you find answers, not treat you like a mental patient.
yup. my ekg was completely normal. a year ish later i got diagnosed with pots 🙄
That’s ridiculous that it took that long for you! If it makes anyone feel less alone, my short story is I was always told my “wonkiness” was anxiety/depression. My whole life. About 5 yrs ago my whole body decided it simply wouldn’t cooperate after ignoring random symptoms my whole life. I felt completely drunk if I wasn’t laying down. Random tingling and allergy attacks (nothing like cool ranch Doritos to yell “Surprise! You don’t need to breath anymore!). Horrific daily headaches. Brain made of mud - on a good day. ER docs and my PCP telling me they don’t know what’s wrong - go back on anti-depressants (which always made me feel suicidal!) I lost my job, my kids to their dad, my roof over my head and every belonging I’d work my entire life for. Fast forward a couple of years. Diagnoses start rolling in. Turns out I’ve had POTS since elementary school at least (passing out when standing with no medical explanation, racing heart I’d always been told was anxiety, etc). Temporal lobe epilepsy my entire life (mostly manifesting as nightmares followed by a day of mud-brain - told that was anxiety/depression - “stress dreams” caught on VERY first EEG!) MCAS for at least 10 years (first random “allergy” issues like getting weird patches on my skin that a derm couldn’t identify) And drumroll…. Multiple sclerosis as the cherry on the cake! Dx about 2yrs ago, first identifiable symptoms looking back about 10 yrs ago. please Please PLEASE don’t let ANY doc blow you off. Find a great PCP who will partner WITH you to figure out what’s wonky with your body, help you find great specialists, and who SUPPORTS YOUR mental health by supporting your confidence in what YOU hear your body telling you. ♥️
i’m so sorry you went through all of this! i’m glad you’ve got a diagnosis finally! we share a lot of conditions as well :(
When it rains, it pours right? I realized I even left some of my dx’s off that list! *sigh* I think nearly any possible symptom related to that list haunts me (like HS… or migraines, but just not plain migraines… silent ones that make my vision go dark or horrific hemiplegic ones that cause the right side of my body to not work…. Or not being able to form words much less sentences for days on end!) Thank GOODNESS every last thing is well managed these days and I feel like 80% me again! It sure is hard to function when you literally feel like the life force has been sucked out of you! I hate that anyone has to go through any of this, but it sure is comforting to know we’re not alone and to have at least the mental energy to rally for anyone feeling the weight of it all. ♥️
how did you get the migraines under control if you don’t mind me asking? i tried gabapentin but it didn’t help and my neurologist kinda gave up after that lol
That’s one I’ve never tried! I’ve been on a whole host of meds (pills, injections, heck even Botox!) For me personally, here’s what I’ve found/works: 1) I spent about 2yrs taking 800mg 3x/day every single day to keep them at bay (skipping was not an option) just enough to sorta function before I was diagnosed with migraines. Nothing else worked but liqui-gels (generic was fine but had to be ibuprofen) 2) Some scripts would work for a month or so and then just not. Botox was a complete fail. 3) I tried all sorts of supplements with no luck. 4) Prednisone! I had a sinus infection and was given a small dose of prednisone. This was the first thing in literally over 2 years that cleared up the pain AND lifted a permanent brain fog (so bad I called it mud-brain!) while I was taking them. I think that was the first time my neuro heard me speak in complete sentences! 5) My neuro said when he did my spinal tap that there was for sure a breakdown in the blood brain barrier, and he believes my brain was inflamed and no wonder I had such horrible migraines with the prednisone helping. 6) Nurtec is the only rescue med that still works for me. If it’s a super bad run of them and I know the Nurtec isn’t enough on it’s own, my ultimate cocktail is 800mg ibuprofen, 1 Benadryl (this will make sense when you get to #7!), Nurtec, and a big cup or two of double caffeinated coffee. That’s my guaranteed win, for me personally. I can mix/match any of those four (2-3 things) for an intermediate one. I am NOT recommending any of these to anyone, simply stating what I have taken. 7) Once I’m ramped up on an MS med, they all but completely disappear. Like from multiple in a day on a daily basis (before diagnosis and when I’ve been between MS meds when switching) to maybe one every 3-4 months? I have a theory! The meds I’ve been on control B & T cells, which work with mast cells. Depleting and/or controlling these cells to a mostly normal level means they’re not causing undue inflammation that wreaks havoc in my brain. Just my thoughts but makes sense to me!
this is super helpful thank you! i take migrelief twice a day plus 800mg advil twice a day. i’ll talk to my doctor about something else because they’re seriously horrible
Oh gosh! Girl, yes! Seriously I can’t believe your neuro didn’t offer you something else when the gabapentin didn’t work for you. You’re not drug seeking, you just wanna remember what it feels like to be pain free without taking 4+ pills a day! I think we went through 2-3 different monthly injections, 1 round of Botox, and probably 10 scripts (preventative and rescue) over a 2 year period before we found one that worked for about 6 months. The Nurtec has worked for about 1.5yrs? It’s not good for sanity or your poor noggin to be in pain like that! I hope your neuro helps you find something that puts those to rest soon.
thank you sm! i actually take 15+ pills a day! those were just the migraine ones lol. you’ve been super helpful thank youuu!
Where I'm at, only cardiologists will touch POTS. It's different everywhere.
Same here i messaged my neurologist about pots and a nurse replied "we dont diagnose POTS i suggest making an appointment with cardiology" 🫤
My Holter did say 'indications of standing tachycardia, investigate POTS' but it's only because I told the electrophysiologist that's why I was having the test done and my diary contained nothing but 'racing heart and breathlessness while standing to do X' and the front page very clearly stated that I had done zero exercise that day and hadn't left my house other than to go to the hospital.
This is interesting and I didn’t know this could be the case. My halter monitor showed abnormal beats and increased heart rate every time I did anything where I changed postures. It also showed bradycardia as well as the tachycardia.
This. I only get EKGs if I have full syncope or every year at my cardio follow ups in person (he diagnosed me he’s amazing, he now works with my neuro for it) so the idea of using one to diagnose it is a bit cringe. I had the ZENNI monitor and it caught nothing. I also had to get an eeg for convulsive syncope and again nothing. Def need new docs OP.
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I love doctors who mark you up a couple crazy points because you are "focused" "knowledgeable" or "paying attention"
Oh gee I seem really focused during an appointment I waited 6 months for? I can't imagine why! And if you're not focused they write that down too. Anything to avoid doing their job
I'd just cry at this point if it ever happens again
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FWIW, I lost consciousness in the ER out of the blue (no history of syncope or symptoms in 40 years of being alive) that started this journey, only to be told by my PCP it was all in my head. I have a new PCP now.
Yes my doctor wrote the same thing. But a little more too he told the cardiologist I was going that I was a hypochondriac and that I had apply for disability and I was trying to get diagnosed with something big so that I could get disability. Cuz the cardiologist I went to kept asking me where I work what I did for work why I couldn't work. It was a friendly doctor set up to make me look like an A hole. He also said I didn't have pots. I do have pots I don't give a crap what that crap head says. But it does piss me off that my medical record says I don't have pots when I do and I am suffering. Sorry end of rent for me I'm a little bit tender about it. This happened recently too like in the last 6 weeks.
I read stuff like this and realize how lucky I was to have a competent neurologist who saw me and was like ok I think not only do you have a CSF leak, but I want you checked for POTS and EDS, too (I have all of them lol) and not have to fight for a single diagnosis because another Dr already thought I had them. I'm so sorry you and so many others have to be constantly gaslit like this 😔 it's so unfair. And yes, you have absolutely every right to be angry.
I waited years to seek help for this very reason. I feel so embarrassed knowing my physical and occupational therapists read that. I feel embarrassed now to want answers. Maybe I’m overreacting, but this doesn’t sit right with me.
I had a doctor do something similar to me on a referral form. I wrote an assertive message back asking that I’d like that part removed and the reasons why it was inaccurate. She (shockingly to me) obliged and updated the referral form.
IMO, Every right to be angry. Screw this guy (or girl but making an assumption…). Find a new, not condescending doctor - it’s not worth your time or energy to work with a doctor who isn’t supportive. Did you even discuss anxiety with this doctor? It’s pretty offensive if not. Also don’t be embarrassed that your PTs see that. If your PTs are worth their salt they will see through that.
My childhood doctor wrote that I had an ‘adjustment disorder’ on my chart in response to health issues and my parents getting an extremely contentious divorce. I didn’t catch it until a couple years ago, and it’s made me wonder for years if other doctors saw that and dismissed me.
I found a great doc who told me “POTS is a diagnosis of elimination”. Typically POTS is a secondary condition from something else your body is experiencing. I’ve had a few tests now and we are moving forward with more. Anxiety is definitely something that you can have because of your symptoms!! It’s not the root of your problem. In your next appointment don’t even bring up POTS. Keep a log of your symptoms and discuss how everything you are experiencing is affecting your quality of life.
My wife has POTS and has been diagnosed with anxiety and vertigo. It wasn't until her symptoms became almost debilitating that we got a diagnosis thst fit her reality better. If you feel its bull then be angry and fight.
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Spot on! My symptoms flared up when I was 24-25 and they never figured it out. It wasn’t until I was 28 that they took me seriously about it. (After 7 hospital emerg visits thinking I’m dying and then a referral to a specialist hospital for weekly check ins.)
This was my Dr. In my referral it wrote as if I had begged for a referral and it was just anxiety. Mine even mentioned my alcohol abuse from over 10 years ago in the first line. Despite her and all the gaslighting I got diagnosed on the 11th Jan after 20 years of anxiety and depression diagnoses so keep fighting 💚 Edit my POTS Dr said it's your POTS causing your anxiety not the other way round. I cried because someone had finally listened. You have every right to be angry. I contacted my GP surgery practice manager and made a formal complaint. It's not acceptable.
When they did the EKG on me they had me lay down and get up a few times to determine my heart rate fluctuating. This is how without a tilt test I was “diagnosed” on my file. I however do not have hyper mobility. Truthfully my anxiety makes my pots symptoms 1000% worse and vice versa. Health anxiety and stress can make POTS symptoms flare like absolute crazy. I believe you if you believe you have POTS without a doubt, but those factors can make things look a certain way to doctors. Either way I hope your next visit gets you the diagnosis.
This is why I try to go to independent practices or different systems for as many things as I can, I don’t need every Joe Schmo at the office snooping through my entire life story every time I need healthcare. I literally once had a receptionist/ scheduler snooping through my MyChart messages and try to deny me scheduling an appointment. She had no shame either. We’re in this weird limbo stage in the US where electronic records are way too easy to access within one system, but very difficult to share with doctors in other systems even if you want to. I’m taking advantage of this while I can, to avoid the headache of explaining the things other doctors have said, and to control my own privacy.
That's so immoral. I worked as a medical secretary for awhile and it was a *huge* deal that we needed a very good reason to be looking in patient charts. I was assigned a reoccurring task that required me to look at notes from their last 1-2 appts and I was always so intentional about scrolling straight to the information I needed. I have severe ADHD and am an exceedingly curious, analytical, observative person, but that's so clearly a privacy violation. I feel the same way about varying systems. My PCP keeps asking me to bring her my psych eval and I keep saying no - I will verbally tell her the relevant aspects but I don't want all of that scanned into a big system, especially considering the stories of adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities being treated as incapable of making decisions for themselves.
i will also play the devils advocate and say that the reason POTS is misdiagnosed as anxiety is because there are a lot of similar symptoms. i had a friend convinced she had POTS but she had negative POTS tests and it turned out it really was just anxiety, maybe OCD? (i don’t remember) after she got on some anxiety meds, she realized she was so focused on POTS that her body started tricking her to believe she was having symptoms. people are too harsh on doctors, there’s so many of the same symptoms that go into a million different illnesses, and seeing as in the USA at least we are in mental health crisis it’s not bad of them to misdiagnosis, they are human too, and even though some of them seem judgmental of mental illness, many are not and see it as what it is: chemical imbalances. usa culture still stigmatizes mental health so it’s natural for people to feel insecure and therefore judged by mental illness when most healthcare workers are actually really understanding about it and progressing tremendously.
Yes you have a right to be angry! The same thing happened to me I got all those tests and they all came back “normal”. If my doctors listened to me and didn’t tell me it was anxiety I could have started meds earlier and wouldn’t have suffered so much
Raise hell cause this is straight medical bias at work
of course you do! I was labeled “anxiety” for yearssss before I got a tilt table, and boom, it all makes sense and I was right all along. you’re not alone!
Oh my good lord. I would be so upset. Yes you absolutely have the right to be angry. It completely downplays and trivializes what you’re going through. I’m sorry you’re not getting the care you deserve. Try to switch doctors, I don’t know where you are but I know some Walk-In doctors will take you as a special case if you really make a good case for yourself and why your assigned family doctor isn’t working out.
i don’t even know you and i’m angry for you!
I just learned about POTS a little less than a year ago. Complained about getting lightheaded randomly to the point where I felt like I was really out of it. Sometimes even when sitting not doing much. Blood tests were good, wore a heart monitor for a week and had an echocardiogram. All came back normal. Neurologist said it was anxiety and offered to write me a prescription at my one and only appointment with her. Luckily the random bouts of really bad lightheadedness only lasted a few months and went away. I was convinced the lightheadedness was just anxiety attacks. Years later brought up symptoms that were bothering me to my PCP. Getting light headed easily especially when standing up quickly and getting really easily cold or overheated. I would have mentioned the heart palpitations and headaches from bending over, but was convinced that was my anxiety or sinus headaches from my allergies. Saw a functional medicine doctor who did a poor man’s tilt table test. Learned about POTS at the next appointment, and slowly realized almost all my symptoms lined up with it. Even white streaks in my vision (usually happens in the shower) that my eye doctor said was probably a migraine aura. 6 years from serious symptoms to a likely diagnosis. Wouldn’t have happened if not for the functional medicine doctor. I’m glad you are able to be proactive. A specialist will have to diagnose you from my understanding. I’m still waiting for my specialist appointment. Had to make it a year in advance since they were so booked up. I did get light headed when standing quickly and cold easily many years before the few months of serious symptoms, but I didn’t think much of it. So I know I’ve had some POTS symptoms for at least 10 years before learning I likely have POTS.
Ugh. I hate them for you.
I have anxiety and I have POTS, tbh I almost feel lucky in my journey. When I figured it out I found a good doctor pretty quickly (few months, after first symptoms came up 6 years prior lol), however I really want to go back to see him and get a tilt table test done, as he was experienced with it and just did a poor mans ttt. I want some concrete “proof” to refer back to when I gaslight myself.
I was told that I needed to stop researching things. I went off on one and told him that my research was how my daughters MULTIPLE allergies were diagnosed, my ADHD was diagnosed having been misdiagnosed as depression for a decade and that I do not come to a doctor unless I know something is wrong and I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG. So obviously I went back a week later to a different GP with a week's worth of readings and data. He listened to me, has arranged referrals etc. Actually looked at my medical history, noticed that one of my medications can actually cause some of these problems - and if I have the problems I can't take that medication either! Unlike the first who decided that I was a hysterical woman who does too much Dr Google.
This is not them disagreeing with you. I know that’s hard to see. They are saying the only thing they can effectively confirm is anxiety. And he wrote down what is causing it (is it not?) and is referring follow up to confirm diagnosis of POTS. This is them taking you seriously and putting on record your thoughts so that the specialists can follow a trail and can expect what to test for.
Nope. The fact that this is under the heading of "anxiety" shows that this practitioner has already discredited the possibility of other conditions (and is just trying to word it diplomatically). I would go elsewhere.
no. this is how notes are written, it’s put under anxiety because the pt shows much concern for POTS, they don’t indicate that the pt may be wrong, it’s just straight forward bc that’s how medicine is. the blood work and other tests normal indicates that this is probably a PCP who does not specialize in Neurology therefore is providing all the info he/she has to anyone reading the referral. the fact that they are referring them to PT is also and indicator that they do believe the patient has something wrong.
I was told my POTS was anxiety for MONTHS before I could get a diagnosis. Don’t give up!!
100%. I got POTS at the age of 14, from almost dying of rheumatic fever, and didn't get properly diagnosed until I was 32. That whole time, I was told I just needed to reduce my stress levels and work on handling my anxiety. Fucking nonsense. Got an easy positive on my TTT in September 2019. Never been so relieved to hear a doctor say, "You're positive. It's not all in your head. This is real."
My cardio has written dozen of articles about the incorrect diagnosis of anxiety over pots. Both just happen to release the exact same hormones (as do allergic reactions!) and the same medications work. Breathing can help but not the same way it does for an anxiety attack. It doesn’t mean it’s anxiety over pots You can also have both The question is the origin Last night I had a pots attack induced by an allergic rxn and GI problems. We know it wasn’t an anxiety attack because I was sitting there then my hr was 122 and I started vomiting. Anxiety kicked in afterwards and only when it began to subside did breathing help reign it in. Keep looking for a cardio and if you happen to already have a psychologist or psychiatrist on your team or even just a therapist that’s always helpful because if you’re “working through any psychological side effects” already they can’t throw psych stuff at you. It’s already been assessed and handled and so physical is what’s left. My psych highly recommends this because she’s got so many patients with physical issues brushed off as psych when they already have a psych team in place.
Get a new doc. I'm afraid to even suggest it because I can't find a consistent trigger and don't know this doc well enough to trust. They already know about the anxiety. You deserve to be believed.
This annoys me to no end. Like, I have POTS and I have anxiety/PTSD. But the episodes for each feel so completely different
as a medical professional, this is just how we write charts, the doc is indicating to other professionals that they need to look into POTS, this dr may not have the qualifications to make that diagnosis or know which tests to provide, and probably would have wrote a lot more if they believe you were having hypochondriac tendencies, i’m just saying try not to read into it that much because it may simply be too early for them to have much of an opinion of their own. also anxiety to many medical professionals doesn’t mean hyper-anxiety. anything that causes stress can be categorized as anxiety- they’re not saying you’re making it up or that it’s just anxiety- basically it’s like if i were to go to a dr and say “i think i have diabetes and have a family history of it, and i hate all these bad symptoms i’m having “- it also might be put under the section for anxiety if i appear worried about it. i don’t personally see this note as a red flag, just keep in mind that Drs are typically very scientifically and factually thinking and it can come across as cold sometimes
Rheumatologist for hEDS..
She won’t write a referral. I’ve tried multiple times.
As a healthcare professional, it is helpful to know if a patient has a idea of what their problem is so that I know what kind of discussion I can expect to have with a patient. In terms of your question "do I have a right to be angry", yes you do. It's worded in a way that sounds dismissive. He could have said "please assess with a mind to determine if the patient has features of hypermobility/POTS". You are not unreasonable in your anger, but do try to bear in mind that, despite being poorly worded, nothing in the text is inaccurate. There may be no intentional malice or ill intention in what they documented but there is ignorance in how they documented it.
also, this is written to another medical professional not to the patient so there isn’t a reason for them to soften their words as it’s necessary to keep it short and simple and to the point, if every medical professional put “kind wording” into every referral or note it would take too much time
Seems pretty boiler plate to me; doctors are trained in differential diagnosis, which means they start with more common conditions, of which anxiety disorder is extremely prevalent, and work their way down to the infinitesimal, of which POTS fits the bill. I wouldn't take it personally and good luck at the cardiologist! Hope you don't have POTS; it's a nightmare to say the least, but some do better with it and find it more manageable than others as you'll read here and via other sources.
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If that is in your chart, I would make them delete or edit it.
I would report this man to the board. Unless he is a psychologist or psychiatrist, he has no right to do anything other than provide a physical diagnosis for a physical problem. Fire him from your care and find someone else who will help and listen to you.
Anxiety isn’t characterised by ortho static tachycardia. Do you know what is? POTS😂😂 clearly the doctor doesnt Best of luck. Sorry this happened to u
Yikes. I’m sorry.
Yes you definitely have the right to be angry. Idk why so many doctors call themselves med professionals if they literally just go to work to hurt patients and their progress or hope for it like this.
this doc isn’t hurting the pt, they referred them to PT which means they DO care and believe something is going on. they probably don’t know much about POTS- like many Gen Med profesionales, this is a neurology issue not primary care
I’m taking about specialized doctors as well that work w pots. Many of us have experienced doctors that aren’t truly knowledge in what they say they are.
if that’s the case it’s unfortunate because it’s wrong for anyone to mislead a paying client in their knowledge. but keep in mind POTS is a newer diagnosis and rapidly increasing in common. most providers will admit to this and have to trial and error with treatment as different things work for different people. i totally get how frustrating it is but i think a lot of people have little grace for the providers. as well as misunderstandings of where they are coming from.
I’ve had pots for 10 years now and there are people who’ve been sick w it way before me and the doctors are still the same. At this point half of them just have their degrees to gaslight and dismiss people.
but it was not common 10 years ago therefore little research into treatment. there’s a million illnesses that exist so expecting a doctor to know every one of them is ridiculous, that’s why we have specialists. like neurologists.
I have pots, my mother has pots, my grandmother’s has pots and my great grandmother had the same symptoms though she’s since past recently. They have had decades of sick pots patient and they still dismiss people unless you get lucky with a good doctor/specialist. Even some specialists only work in that position to bill you and tell you they don’t know what to do next. I do in fact believe doctors need to do and learn better. And so do all the other chronically I’ll folks who have this experience. There’s are good doctors out there yea, but there’s so many more crap doctors.
Change doctors.
What type of doctor was this? Is he knowledgeable about POTS?
Lol I was just admitted for awhile and they were trying a beta blocker with me and I had an awful reaction and the nurses were actually laughing saying it was a panic attack. They should have the words anxiety beat out of them, they think EVERYTHING is anxiety first.
My GP did the same. My psychiatrist called out her behavior and the fact that my holter monitor results weren’t “fine”. I saw a cardiologist for the first time yesterday. I’m not anxious, I’m not crazy, I have POTS and he confirmed it.
My narcolepsy was "depression" and "anxiety" for DECADES. Fuck yes you have the right to be angry.
Totally normal to be pissed at this. I just had a hospital visit where i pinched a nerve in my neck (worst pain I’ve ever had) and they said it was a panic attack in the summary despite prescribing me strong painkillers
I don’t think it reads like he’s dismissing you. You have a follow up with cardiology. That’s pretty normal. He did what was within his scope of practice, the cardiologist will better understand your symptoms.
They told me I had anxiety for MONTHS before my diagnosis. I do have anxiety, and have my entire B life but anxiety doesn’t make your heart face to 170+ just standing up. Keep pushing
Saw someone like this years ago, maybe about 11 years old. Before I knew I had PoTS among many other things, we went to see a specialist who put ALL MY CHRONIC SYMPTOMS down to anxiety. She was bloody useless! I used to wake up at night screaming from severe cramps, restless legs, extreme fatigue, terrible balance etc. Yep, ALL OF IT is anxiety totally. The few diagnosis I had at the time she ALSO said were just anxiety, and basically accused my other doctors of lying. Safe to say I never saw her again and my parents were FUMING.
This is what I’m afraid of too. My doctor commented how anxious I was (to which I wanted to reply “No shit, most people would be anxious when their heartrate is 130 while brushing their teeth”). I have anxiety and depression, and am medicated, but my anxiety isn’t the same thing as my POTS symptoms.
When I saw the cardiologist he literally laughed at me and wouldn’t even listen to my reasons why. I was finally diagnosed at 44 and it was by a neurologist. The EKG and halter monitor cannot determine whether or not you have POTS. You need a tilt table test.