Recent Blogs
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The Journey to RTA
Read more: The Journey to RTARenal Tubular Acidosis I still have a lot to learn about renal tubular acidosis (RTA). It’s not something you hear about everyday. The journey started when I was getting a CT scan for shortness of breath and an elevated D-dimer. I have an allergy to the contrast in both CTs and MRIs (thanks mast cells),…
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The Journey to MALS
Read more: The Journey to MALSMedian Arcuate Ligament Syndrome At the time I started seeing my POTS specialist, he had been investigating Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) as a possible cause of POTS due to vagus nerve inflammation. MALS is when the diaphragm hangs too low or the celiac artery is too high coming off the abdominal aorta, and it…
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The Journey to hEDS
Read more: The Journey to hEDSHypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome The first time I heard about EDS was when I was getting my POTS work-up from my electrophysiologist. He knew it was co-morbid with POTS and sent me to a renowned geneticist in Dallas, Dr. Wilson. He took a family history. My mother is known to bruise easily, but she is also…
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The Journey to POTS
Read more: The Journey to POTSPostural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome I began searching my symptoms. “Normal” labs, dizziness (especially upon standing), fatigue, heat/cold intolerance, and of course, tachycardia (heart rate over 100 bpm) when standing. POTS appeared to fit all of those symptoms, so I asked my cardiologist for a tilt table test. She stated that she didn’t think I had…
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My Journey to Diagnosis
Read more: My Journey to DiagnosisThe Younger Years I have vague memories during childhood where the signs were there. Abdominal pain starting at 7 years old. Being covered in hives after running through a field at 8 years old. Party tricks with the extra bendy joints. Always feeling tired. Around 13 years old, I came down with mono (also known…