Low Blood Volume In Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

It has been theorized that patients with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) have a lower blood volume than people without POTS. First of all, what is POTS?

Well, basically POTS is like this. When a person stands up their blood flows to their heart and brain and then down to their waist and feet. In someone with POTS when the person stands the blood flows to the feet first and then by the time the body knows this the heart has started working really hard to get the blood to flow up to the heart and bairn. By that time the POTS patient is dizzy and out of breath and sweating. This is the one disorder that makes my life so very very hard. I can deal with the pain of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and R.A. and Lupus and the many other disorders that cause pain but the POTS is so life altering for me that it has not only destroyed my dreams but it has stolen my dignity from me as I am just unable to take care of myself.

 

I would like to add to this extreme sweating, being out of breath, cooling down to the point of my skin becoming white and clammy and then freezing which no amount of blankets or heat will warm you up, and extreme fatigue. I'm sure there are other symptoms that happen but these mentioned in the picture and what I added happen every single time I take a shower!!! It is just awful! 

I am going to provide the links of different blogs that will explain POTS and the way it can control the body and an article about a study of patients with POTS and how it is proven that there is a lower blood volume in these people. It is important to know this because the outcome of blood test never show what is wrong with the POTS patient because the wrong values are been used since most POTS patients don't have the same amount of blood as non POTS people. For instance, (This is not an exact way to do this, plus it involves math and math and I are by no means friends so please take this as only a what if.) if you have two bottles of water, one being 100% full and one being 80% full to get the same outcome of a test of the two from the 100% full bottle say 4 TBSP would need to be drawn and from the 80% full bottle say 5 TBSP would need to be drawn to get the same results of the outcome. If this is not done then the results of the test for the 80% full bottle would be about 20% higher than the actual result causing the POTS patients needs to be overlooked causing the patient to remain weak, tired and sick not being allowed to get the necessary medication, saline IV, vitamins and any other products that would help the POTS patient have a more productive life. Another way this could be done is to take the outcome of the POTS patients blood test and multiply it by .8 or to adjust the scale or range of normal blood levels for a test you would take both sides of the scale and multiply by 1.25. to give you a better idea of where the POTS patient falls in the blood test ranges. Again, this is not an exact way to do this because the POTS patient, unless they are tested to see how much blood volume they have, will not have the correct numbers to multiply with. It cannot be assumed that all POTS patient have the same lower level of blood volume, nor does every POTS patient have a lower level of blood volume than non POTS people.  

So how much blood is in the human body? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-blood-is-in-your-body/

Blood is composed of cells and plasma. The cells include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
The red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs and give blood its red color. The white blood cells fight infections. The platelets help form clots to stop bleeding in case of a cut.
All these cells float in the liquid plasma, which is mostly water. Plasma also contains nutrients, electrolytes, hormones, and protein antibodies to fight infection.
The amount of blood in a human body varies, depending on factors such as age, sex, overall health and even where a person lives. For example, men tend to have more blood than women of comparable size and weight.
Interestingly, people who live at high altitudes may have up to two liters of extra blood compared to those who live at lower altitudes. Because the air at higher altitudes has less oxygen, people who live at high altitudes need extra blood to deliver the right amount of oxygen to their lungs.
Scientists estimate the volume of blood in a human body to be approximately 7 percent of body weight. An average adult body with a weight of 150 to 180 pounds will contain approximately 4.7 to 5.5 liters (1.2 to 1.5 gallons) of blood. An average child with a body weight of 80 pounds will have approximately half the amount of blood as an adult.
Blood carries out many critical functions in the body. It transports nutrients and oxygen to the body’s cells. It also takes away waste from those cells. Blood also moves hormones and chemicals around the body.
You might be surprised to learn that blood also plays a special role in regulating body temperature. When your body heats up, blood helps keep the temperature steady by transferring extra heat to the skin, where it can be released from the body.
As part of the immune system, blood also helps fight disease. If you scrape your knee at the park, the platelets in the blood begin to clot to help stop the bleeding. This self-repair function prevents further blood loss, which could be fatal in cases of massive bleeding.

This link I am providing is a link to explain what POTS is.

http://edstoday.org/eds-awareness/associated-disorders
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

“One of the most debilitating complications of Ehler-Danlos Syndrome EDS is a type of dysautonomia called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS. Dysautonomia is the result of our autonomic nervous system ceasing to function properly. Our autonomic nervous system regulates functions that our body does automatically such as digestion, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, blood sugar regulation, hormonal/endocrine imbalances, and our sleep cycle.” 

~Dr. Diana Driscoll~

This link is to a blog that explains a little about low blood volumes in POTS patients and what life is like with this condition. http://potsgrrl.blogspot.com/p/in-support-of-iv-saline-therapy-for.html

Lastly, I am adding an article about the testing of POTS patients that explain the testing done to determine that POTS patients have a lower blood volume than people without POTS. I hope that you are able to understand more about this condition and to learn enough about it to know that it doesn't strike only patients with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and although many people that get POTS can be cured of it, in Ehlers Danlos Syndrome there is no cure or fix for it. It remains a very disabling disorder that is hard to explain to friends and family or to get them to believe that the POTS patients can be extremely ill as a result of it. 

To see the References please visit the article at 
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/111/13/1574.full

Arrhythmia/Electrophysiology

Renin-Aldosterone Paradox and Perturbed Blood Volume Regulation Underlying Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Satish R. Raj, MD;
Italo Biaggioni, MD;
Paula C. Yamhure, RN;
Bonnie K. Black, RN, NP;
Sachin Y. Paranjape, BS;
Daniel W. Byrne, MS;
David Robertson, MD

+Author Affiliations
From the Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology (S.R.R., I.B., D.R.) and Cardiovascular Medicine (P.C.Y., B.K.B., S.Y.P.), Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology (S.R.R., I.B., D.R.), Biostatistics (D.W.B.), and Neurology (D.R.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Reprint requests to Satish R. Raj, MD, AA3228 Medical Center North, Vanderbilt University, 1161 21st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37232-2195. E-mail satish.raj@vanderbilt.edu
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Abstract

Background— Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) experience considerable disability, but in most, the pathophysiology remains obscure. Plasma volume disturbances have been implicated in some patients. We prospectively tested the hypothesis that patients with POTS are hypovolemic compared with healthy controls and explored the role of plasma renin activity and aldosterone in the regulation of plasma volume.

Methods and Results— Patients with POTS (n=15) and healthy controls (n=14) underwent investigation. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), plasma renin activity, and aldosterone were measured with patients both supine and upright. Blood volumes were measured with 131I-labeled albumin and hematocrit. Patients with POTS had a higher orthostatic increase in HR than controls (51±18 versus 16±10 bpm, P<0.001). Patients with POTS had a greater deficit in plasma volume (334±187 versus 10±250 mL,P<0.001), red blood cell volume (356±128 versus 218±140 mL,P=0.010), and total blood volume (689±270 versus 228±353 mL,P<0.001) than controls. Despite the lower plasma volume in patients with POTS, there was not a compensatory increase in plasma renin activity (0.79±0.58 versus 0.79±0.74 ng · mL−1 · h−1, P=0.996). There was a paradoxically low level of aldosterone in the patients with POTS (190±140 pmol/L versus 380±230 pmol/L;P=0.017).

Conclusions— Patients with POTS have paradoxically unchanged plasma renin activity and low aldosterone given their marked reduction in plasma volume. These patients also have a significant red blood cell volume deficit, which is regulated by the renal hormone erythropoietin. These abnormalities suggest that the kidney may play a key role in the pathophysiology of POTS.Key Words:
tachycardia
renin
nervous system, autonomic
blood volume aldosterone

Received September 26, 2004; revision received December 14, 2004; accepted December 21, 2004.

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is the most common disorder among patients seen at several centers specializing in diseases of the autonomic nervous system. It affects an estimated 500 000 people in the United States alone.1 POTS (excessive increase in heart rate [>30 bpm] on standing, associated with orthostatic symptoms in the absence of orthostatic hypotension) can produce substantial disability among otherwise healthy people.

The pathophysiology of POTS is poorly understood. Many of these patients have elevated levels of plasma norepinephrine, particularly when upright.2 Subgroups of patients have a primary hyperadrenergic state,3 whereas others have partial dysautonomia that affects the lower limbs.4–7 The role of blood volume in the pathogenesis of POTS is unclear. Some investigators have found that patients with POTS have deficits in their plasma volumes8,9and that some patients improve after acute10 or chronic9 plasma volume expansion. Conversely, other investigative groups have reported normal plasma volumes in patients with POTS.11,12

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays a key role in the neurohormonal regulation of plasma volume in humans.13 In response to hypovolemia, plasma renin activity and angiotensin II would be expected to increase to promote blood volume expansion. Angiotensin II promotes sodium and water retention, both directly by stimulating sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubules14 and indirectly by stimulating aldosterone secretion.15The mineralocorticoid aldosterone governs sodium transport at several sites in the kidney. Jacob et al8 have reported that some patients with POTS have low plasma renin activity despite a low plasma volume, which suggests that a perturbation in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis might have a role in the pathophysiology of POTS.

In this prospective, controlled study, we tested the hypothesis that patients with POTS have a deficit in plasma volume. We also explored the regulation of plasma volume by renin and aldosterone.
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Methods

Subjects
Patients referred to the Vanderbilt University Autonomic Dysfunction Center with POTS between October 2002 and November 2003 were candidates for inclusion in this study. Patients met the current criteria for POTS.16 Briefly, patients developed symptoms of orthostatic intolerance accompanied by a heart rate rise ≥30 bpm (or a rate that exceeds 120 bpm) that occurred within the first 10 minutes of standing or head-up tilt, without any evidence of orthostatic hypotension (a fall in blood pressure of >20/10 mm Hg). Patients had at least a 6-month history of symptoms, in the absence of another chronic debilitating disorder or prolonged bed rest, and were at least 18 years of age. Healthy control subjects (who did not meet criteria for POTS, and were at least 18 years of age) underwent all of the same protocol elements. Patients and controls were free of medications that could impair autonomic tone17 and were not taking fludrocortisone for at least 5 days before testing. The Vanderbilt University Investigational Review Board approved this study and written informed consent was obtained from each subject before the study began.

Protocol
Study investigations were performed at the Elliot V. Newman Clinical Research Center at Vanderbilt University. For 3 days before testing, subjects consumed a diet that contained 150 mEq of sodium per day and 70 mEq of potassium per day. The diet was free of caffeine-containing beverages.

Supine and Upright Posture Study
Heart rate, blood pressure, aldosterone, plasma renin activity, and plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine were assessed after overnight rest with subjects in the supine position and again after subjects had been standing for up to 30 minutes (as tolerated). The standing test was performed to assess the hemodynamic and biochemical responses to increased central hypovolemia (accentuated by the gravitational stress). For catecholamine measurements, blood was collected in plastic syringes and immediately transferred to chilled vacuum tubes with EGTA and reduced glutathione (Amersham International PLC) and immediately put on ice. The plasma was separated by refrigerated centrifugation at −4°C and stored at −70°C until the assay. Concentrations of norepinephrine and epinephrine were measured by batch alumina extraction, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography for separation with electrochemical detection and quantification.8 Plasma renin enzymatic activity was assayed by conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I by a radioimmunoassay technique (antibodies from IgG Corporation)18and reported in nanograms of angiotensin I per milliliter per hour. Blood for aldosterone was collected in chilled vacuum tubes without preservative, and the serum was extracted and sent to the laboratory on ice. Serum aldosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay (DPC Coat-a-Count, Diagnostic Products Corp). The aldosterone-to-plasma renin activity ratio was calculated with the conventional units for aldosterone (ng/dL; 1 ng/dL=27.7 pmol/L) and plasma renin activity (ng · mL−1 · h−1) and reported without units.

Blood Volume Assessment
Plasma volume was determined by the indicator dye-dilution technique. In the morning after an overnight fast, patients were placed in a supine position for a minimum of 60 minutes before collection of the baseline sample. A 20-gauge intravenous catheter was placed in an antecubital vein, and blood samples could be obtained without stasis. A baseline venous sample of 5 mL was collected before injection of the tracer. With a prefilled 1-mL syringe, up to 25 μCi of 131I-labeled human serum albumin (Volumex, Iso-Tex Diagnostics Inc) was injected into the antecubital vein and flushed with 30 mL of normal saline. Starting at 12 minutes after injection, 5 mL of venous blood was collected at 6-minute intervals until 30 minutes after injection (5 samples, including baseline sample). Hematocrit was measured in duplicate from each sample after 10-minute centrifugation at 11 500 rpm on an International Equipment Co microcapillary centrifuge and read on an International Equipment Co microcapillary tube reader. Plasma radioactivity was measured in duplicate and averaged (for each sample and a reference standard) with an automated counter (BVA-100 Blood Volume Analyzer, DAXOR Corporation). A least-squares regression of the volume of distribution at each time point was automatically performed to determine the volume of distribution at the time of injection. Plasma volume was determined as the volume of distribution of albumin.

Total blood volume was calculated from measured plasma volume and microcapillary venous antecubital hematocrit corrected for the plasma-packing ratio (0.99),19 the ratio of mean body hematocrit to peripheral (measured) hematocrit (0.91),20 and the effects of heparin within the sampling syringe (0.97).21

Red blood cell volume was calculated as the difference between total blood volume and plasma volume. This DAXOR method of red blood cell volume assessment was recently found to correlate well with the traditional 51Cr red blood cell-labeling method (Pearson correlation R=0.96), with a mean difference between the techniques of 0.9% (personal communication with Dr. Howard Dworkin, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich).

Ideal plasma and total blood volume was determined on the basis of the height, weight, and gender of the individual subject.22Individual “deficits” in plasma volume, red blood cell volume, and total blood volume were calculated as the ideal minus measured volume (in milliliters), or this difference divided by the ideal volume (percentage).

Plasma Volume Shift With Upright Tilt
All studies occurred between 10 AM and noon in a quiet, dimly lit room at a comfortable ambient temperature (21°C to 24°C). An antecubital venous catheter was inserted (if not already in situ and functioning) for blood sampling at least 15 minutes before the beginning of the test, with the patient supine. Subjects were tilted head-up to 60° for 30 minutes or until the subject experienced presyncope that required test termination.

Blood was drawn at baseline and then at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes of tilt for measurement of hematocrit in quadruplicate (see Blood Volume Assessment section for details of hematocrit assessment). Relative changes in hematocrit from baseline were used to calculate the change in plasma volume with upright tilt. The percentage change in plasma volume (ΔPV%)=100×[(HctBaseline−HctTime)/HctTime]× [1/(1−HctBaseline)], with the absolute change in plasma volume (ΔPV)=ΔPV%×measured plasma volume (where HctBaseline is hematocrit before tilt, and HctTime is hematocrit at a given time after tilt).23 ΔPVEnd and ΔPV%End were defined as the ΔPV at the time of the last measured hematocrit before tilt termination. ΔPVEnd was used in place of the individual late time points to minimize the confounding effect of late data dropout due to premature tilt termination. A negative value reflects a shift in plasma volume out of the vascular space.

Gender Analysis
POTS is a disorder that affects women more often than men. In addition to an overall analysis that included all subjects, a separate analysis was performed that included only female subjects. This was to ensure that the results were not skewed by the small number of men.

Statistical Analysis and Sample Size Calculations
Our primary endpoint was the plasma volume deficit (measured plasma volume minus ideal plasma volume). The null hypothesis was that the plasma volume deficit would not be statistically different between patients with POTS and control subjects. We calculated the size of our required sample after determining that a 7.5% deficit in plasma volume in patients with POTS would be clinically significant. We did not expect the control subjects to have a plasma volume deficit. Assuming a pooled SD of 5% (giving an effect size of 1.5), a sample size of 13 subjects in each group would give 95% power to detect a statistically significant difference with a Student t test with a 2-sided significance level of 0.05.24Differences between groups were analyzed with the Student t test. The Mann-Whitney U test was also used to confirm the results obtained from the Student t test, and the significance of the reported parameters was not different between the 2 tests. Categorical variables were analyzed with the Fisher exact test. Values are reported as means and SDs unless otherwise noted. Probability values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant, and all tests were 2 sided. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS for Windows (version 12.0, SPSS). Sample size calculations were performed with nQuery Advisor (version 5.0). Prism for Windows 4 (version 4.02, GraphPad Software Inc.) was used for graphical presentation.
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Results

Baseline Information
We enrolled 15 patients with POTS and 14 controls. The baseline characteristics are enumerated in Table 1. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between patients with POTS and control subjects for the overall group or when just the female subjects were considered.
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TABLE 1. Baseline Information

Supine and Upright Posture Study

As seen in Figure 1A, patients with POTS had a higher heart rate than control subjects both when supine (77±12 versus 64±12 bpm, P=0.008) and when standing upright for up to 30 minutes (128±18 versus 80±11 bpm, P<0.001). As would be expected on the basis of the diagnostic criteria for POTS, patients with POTS had a significantly greater increase in heart rate (51±18 bpm) on assuming the upright position than did the control subjects (16±10 bpm, P<0.001). The supine systolic blood pressure was similar between the 2 groups (POTS versus control, 111±14 versus 114±13 mm Hg; P=0.525; Figure 1B). Both groups experienced a small increase in systolic blood pressure that was not statistically significant on standing, with no difference between groups (POTS versus control, 123±20 versus 115±14 mm Hg; P=0.244). Neither the diastolic blood pressures while supine (POTS 67±8 mm Hg; control 70±9 mm Hg; P=0.321) or standing (POTS 79±14 mm Hg; control 77±10 mm Hg; P=0.636) nor the mean blood pressures while supine (POTS 81±9 mm Hg; control 85±10 mm Hg;P=0.367) or standing (POTS 94±15 mm Hg; control 90±10 mm Hg; P=0.417) were different between the 2 groups.

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Figure 1. Hemodynamic parameters and catecholamines: supine and upright. Supine and upright values for heart rate (A), systolic blood pressure (BP; B), venous plasma norepinephrine (C), and venous plasma epinephrine (D) for patients with POTS and control subjects. Error bars represent SE. Probability values are from between-group comparison with Studentt tests.

Plasma catecholamines were drawn with subjects in both the supine and upright positions. The supine plasma norepinephrine (Figure 1C) values appeared to be slightly higher in patients with POTS (1.37±0.62 nmol/L) than in the control subjects (0.98±0.45 nmol/L), but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.073). In response to standing, plasma norepinephrine increased significantly more in patients with POTS (>3-fold increase in norepinephrine) than in the control subjects (>2-fold increase in norepinephrine; P=0.002). Patients with POTS had a significantly higher upright plasma norepinephrine than did the control subjects (4.76±2.37 versus 2.44±0.89 nmol/L, P=0.002). In contrast to norepinephrine values, plasma epinephrine values were not different between the 2 groups in either the supine or the upright positions (Figure 1D), nor was the increase in epinephrine from supine to an upright position significantly different between the groups (P=0.350).

Renin and Aldosterone
After 3 days of the study’s fixed dietary salt intake, there was no difference in plasma renin activity (Figure 2A) between the patients with POTS and the control groups in the supine position (0.79±0.58 versus 0.79±0.74 ng · mL−1 · h−1, P=0.996). In contrast to the standing plasma norepinephrine values, there was no difference in standing plasma renin activity between patients with POTS and control subjects (2.03±1.26 versus 2.08±2.05 ng · mL−1 · h−1; P=0.944). The supine serum aldosterone (Figure 2B) was significantly lower in patients with POTS (190±140 pmol/L) than in control subjects (380±230 pmol/L; P=0.017). Serum aldosterone increased in both groups on standing. The upright serum aldosterone was significantly lower in patients with POTS (480±290 pmol/L) than in control subjects (810±370 pmol/L;P=0.019). The supine aldosterone-plasma renin activity ratio, a measure of the relationship between these 2 parameters, was significantly lower in patients with POTS (0.93±0.65) than in control subjects (3.19±3.29; P=0.047; Figure 2C).

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Figure 2. Renin and aldosterone. Supine and upright values for plasma renin activity (A) and serum aldosterone (B) for patients with POTS and control subjects. C, Aldosterone to renin ratio (in conventional units) in supine position, as measure of mismatch between renin activity and aldosterone response, for patients with POTS and control subjects. Ratio of aldosterone to plasma renin activity was calculated with conventional units for aldosterone (ng/dL; 1 ng/dL=27.7 pmol/L) and plasma renin activity (ng · mL−1 · h−1) and reported without units. Error bars represent SE. Probability values are from between-group comparison with Student t test.

Supine and Upright Posture Study in Females
The hemodynamic and biochemical responses of the female subjects to supine and standing posture are shown in the figure in the online-only Data Supplement. The results were qualitatively similar to those seen in the overall group analysis. In the standing position, female patients with POTS had a significantly higher heart rate (P<0.001), a significantly higher plasma norepinephrine level (P=0.025), and a significantly lower aldosterone level (P=0.038) than control subjects. There were no differences between the groups while standing for blood pressure, plasma epinephrine, or plasma renin activity. In the setting of the smaller sample size in this subgroup analysis, none of the supine hemodynamic and biochemical parameters were significantly different between groups.

Blood Volumes
As shown in Table 2, plasma volume was significantly lower in patients with POTS (2348±438 mL) than in control subjects (2823±480 mL, P=0.010), whereas ideal plasma volumes were not significantly different. Calculating the plasma volume deficit controls for individual variations in ideal plasma volumes based on size and gender. Patients with POTS had a plasma volume deficit of 334±187 mL, which represented 12.8±7.6% of their ideal plasma volume, whereas control subjects had no deficit (10±250 mL [0.8±8.8%]). Figure 3A illustrates both this highly significant difference and the variability in plasma volume deficits within the 2 groups. The plasma volume of 1 patient with POTS actually exceeded expectations. Conversely, 3 patients with POTS had a plasma volume deficit of >20%, with a plasma volume deficit as high as 27% in 1 patient with POTS.
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TABLE 2. Blood Volumes


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Figure 3. Blood volumes. Individual and mean values are presented for plasma volume (PV) deficit (A) as percentage (individual deficit=[ideal plasma volume−measured plasma volume]/ideal plasma volume) for control subjects and patients with POTS. Negative value for deficit implies excess in plasma volume. Probability values are from between-group comparison with Student t test. Similar figures are presented for red blood cell volume deficit (B) and total blood volume (TBV) deficit (C). D through F, Data when only female subjects were included.

The measured red blood cell volume was also lower by a mean of >300 mL in patients with POTS than in control subjects (Table 2). Control subjects experienced a modest deficit in red blood cell volume. In contrast, patients with POTS had a mean deficit in red blood cell volume of >350 mL, which represented a 22.7% deficit from the expected red blood cell volume (Figure 3B). The difference between the 2 groups was highly significant (P=0.003). Supine hematocrit values were not different between patients with POTS and control subjects (37.8±2.4% versus 38.0±3.0%,P=0.812), which reflects the parallel decrease in both plasma volume and red blood cell volume in patients with POTS.

The total blood volume followed the same pattern as the plasma volume and red blood cell volume components. The measured total blood volume was significantly lower in patients with POTS than in control subjects (P=0.010; Table 2). Even after we corrected for individual differences in ideal total blood volume, patients with POTS still had a significantly larger relative deficit in total blood volume (16.5±6.8% versus 5.6±7.8%, P<0.001; Figure 3C). This works out to a mean absolute total blood volume deficit of 460 mL compared with the control subjects.

Blood volumes for the female subjects are shown in Figures 3D through 3F and in Table 2. Concordant with the overall group, each of the 3 measured blood volume deficits was greater for patients with POTS than for control groups.

Plasma Volume Shifts With Upright Tilt
Plasma volume shifts with upright tilt were calculated both early during the tilt (5 minutes [ΔPV%5 minutes]) and near the end of tilt (ΔPV%End) as a percentage of the baseline plasma volume. Neither the mean ΔPV%5 minutes (−11.7±3.2% versus −10.4±3.5%,P=0.298) nor the mean ΔPV%End (−16.6±4.7% versus −15.3±4.6%,P=0.463) was different in patients with POTS compared with control subjects. As can be seen in Figure 4, there was significant heterogeneity in the maximal plasma volume shift with upright tilt in both groups.

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Figure 4. Plasma volume shift with upright tilt. Individual and mean shifts in plasma volume (PV Shift), as percentage of baseline plasma volume, in response to upright tilt are presented for control subjects and patients with POTS. Negative value represents shift of plasma volume from intravascular to extravascular space. Mean differences were not statistically significant between groups. Max indicates maximum.

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Discussion

This study sought to assess both blood volume and the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the regulation of blood volume in POTS. The main findings from this prospective study were that compared with control subjects, patients with POTS (1) have a significant deficit of plasma volume, (2) have a significantly lower level of serum aldosterone, (3) have an inappropriately low level of plasma renin activity given the degree of hypovolemia that they exhibit, and (4) have a significant deficit of red blood cell volume in the setting of an elevated standing heart rate and plasma norepinephrine.

Plasma Volume
Patients with POTS had a lower basal plasma volume (Table 2) than the control subjects. Accurate plasma volume assessments can be affected by several environmental, dietary, and patient-related factors.25 These variables may in part explain the mixed results obtained by other investigators who have tried to assess plasma volume in patients with POTS.8,9,11,12 Several measures were undertaken in the present study to ensure that the plasma volume was measured accurately. Study subjects were withdrawn from all medications that might alter the plasma volume (such as fludrocortisone) for at least 5 days before the study. They consumed a controlled sodium diet for at least 3 days before assessment, because sodium intake can alter activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and subsequently alter plasma volume. Finally, all plasma volume assessments were performed in the same temperature-controlled room on the research unit after the subjects had been supine for at least 1 hour. Other factors that can physiologically alter plasma volume include the subject’s size and gender.21,22 To correct for individual variations in subject size, we calculated the expected plasma volume for each subject based on his or her size and gender and subtracted the measured plasma volume to arrive at the individual’s actual plasma volume deficit, as shown in Figure 3A. Patients with POTS had a mean plasma volume deficit of almost 350 mL, whereas control subjects had no such deficit. The deficit of 13% in patients with POTS constitutes a moderate to severe hypovolemia. This reduction in effective circulating volume could trigger a cascade of perturbations associated with POTS. In the supine position, this hypovolemia may cause only modest or nonsignificant changes in heart rate and plasma norepinephrine. In the upright position, in the setting of gravitational blood pooling, the additional reduced volume could decrease the cardiac output and cause a reflex increase in sympathetic nerve activity. The result would be an increase in the upright plasma norepinephrine levels and an increase in standing heart rate, as seen in patients with POTS (Table 1).

Renin-Aldosterone Paradox
The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays an important role in the regulation of plasma volume.13 Hypovolemia, acting via reduced renal blood flow and possible cardiorenal mechanisms,26,27 would be expected to increase plasma renin activity, which should augment levels of angiotensin II and subsequently lead to increased levels of aldosterone. Angiotensin II promotes renal sodium retention both directly, through receptors in the renal proximal tubule,14 and indirectly, by stimulating the secretion of the mineralocorticoid aldosterone.15Through this augmented sodium retention, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis should restore extracellular fluid volume (Figure 5A).

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Figure 5. Aldosterone paradox in POTS. A, Under normal circumstances, low plasma volume is sensed in kidney (and in heart and aorta) and stimulates increase in plasma renin activity (renin), angiotensin II (A-II), and aldosterone (ALDO). Increase in plasma renin activity and aldosterone promotes salt and water retention, which leads to increase in extracellular fluid volume and plasma volume. B, In POTS, there is failure to sense and appropriately respond to low plasma volume. There is no appropriate increase in plasma renin activity, angiotensin-II, and aldosterone given the hypovolemia. Because plasma renin activity and aldosterone are not increased, salt and water retention is not increased, and plasma volume is not increased.

Plasma renin activity was similar in patients with POTS and control subjects, whereas supine and upright levels of aldosterone were significantly lower in patients with POTS (Figure 2). Given their degree of hypovolemia, however, one would expect both plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels to be significantly higher in the POTS group than in controls. Both the plasma renin activity and, to a greater extent, aldosterone levels were inappropriately low given the hypovolemic status of the patients with POTS. We have termed this dysregulation of plasma renin activity and aldosterone in POTS the “renin-aldosterone paradox” (Figure 5B).

Aldosterone secretion is controlled at many levels: it is stimulated by angiotensin II, potassium, and hyponatremia, and acutely by the adrenocorticotropic hormone; it is inhibited by dopamine and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF).28 Electrolyte abnormalities are not likely to explain the low aldosterone as the sodium and potassium levels were similar in the POTS group and controls (Table 1). Although we cannot exclude the possibility that there are abnormalities in ANF or increases in adrenal dopamine concentrations that could contribute to the low aldosterone state, the most likely explanation for the renin-aldosterone paradox is an inappropriately low level of angiotensin II.

The cause of the inappropriately low levels of plasma renin activity and aldosterone in POTS is not clear. Low-flow states across the juxtaglomerular apparatus (as is seen in renal artery stenosis) are known to increase plasma renin activity. It is possible that the opposite effect somehow occurs in POTS, presumably by impaired vascular function. Other possibilities include problems with the sensor mechanisms at the level of the macula densa, or in the transmission of this signal to the juxtaglomerular apparatus, or in the response of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.13 It is also possible that patients with POTS have a low blood vessel “capacitance” that in turn limits the blood volume. Such a phenomenon has been proposed to exist in patients with pheochromocytoma, who have low blood volume.29,30 Plasma volume and total blood volume increase in response to treatment with an α-adrenergic antagonist.31

Red Blood Cell Volume
In addition to deficits in plasma volume patients with POTS also had a significant reduction in red blood cell volume (Figure 3B andTable 2). This finding would not have been apparent on cursory assessment. Hematocrit levels were not different between the 2 groups (Table 1). Because there was a parallel reduction in the 2 largest components of blood volume (plasma volume and red blood cell volume), the percentage of the blood column that was due to the red blood cells appeared to be normal. Thus, we required a formal radioisotope dilution assessment of blood volumes to document the red blood cell volume deficit.

This red blood cell volume deficit has been observed previously in patients with POTS.11,12 The pathogenesis of this deficit, however, is not known. The renal hormone erythropoietin is the primary agonist for red blood cell production in the bone marrow.32–34 It is possible that a deficit in erythropoietin production might play a pathophysiological role in POTS, although this is not yet clear.

There are several pieces of evidence that point to an important role for angiotensin II and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis in the regulation of erythropoietin production. First, in healthy subjects, infusions of angiotensin II caused serum erythropoietin levels to increase significantly, but this stimulation of erythropoietin was blocked when the subjects were premedicated with losartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker.35,36 Second, plasma renin activity is higher among hemodialysis patients who do not require exogenous erythropoietin to maintain a hematocrit of 30% (which suggests adequate endogenous erythropoietin) than in those patients who require exogenous erythropoietin.37 Third, plasma ultrafiltration induced a doubling of plasma renin activity, which was accompanied by a 69% rise in serum erythropoietin over 4 hours.37 This increase in erythropoietin was abolished with the use of an ACE inhibitor. Finally, some patients develop a persistently elevated hematocrit after renal transplant.38Inactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system by an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker can correct this polycythemia,39,40 and conversely, withdrawal of the ACE inhibitor has been associated with “rebound” polycythemia.38 Taken together, these pieces of evidence suggest that the paradoxically low renin activity seen in patients with POTS could be the cause of the low red blood cell volume through a direct hormonal effect.

Another possible explanation for the low red blood cell volume seen in POTS is that it is a direct result of the low plasma volume. The kidney may function as the key organ involved in the regulation of hematocrit, because it controls both plasma volume (through salt regulation) and red blood cell volume (through erythropoietin).41 To maintain an appropriate hematocrit (the hematocrit was similar between patients with POTS and controls), the red blood cell volume may be adjusted downward through a physiologically reduced level of erythropoietin to match the deficit in plasma volume.

Erythropoietin replacement, by itself, is not likely to restore normal physiological function in patients with POTS. Hoeldtke et al12studied 8 patients with POTS and found 6 of those patients to have a low red blood cell volume. Treatment with open-label erythropoietin improved the red blood cell volume but did not increase the plasma volume. The orthostatic tachycardia was corrected in only 1 of their patients, although 3 patients subjectively reported feeling better.

Study Limitations
We have found that plasma renin activity and aldosterone are not appropriately regulated in patients with POTS. The low aldosterone-renin ratio seen in POTS suggests a mismatch between these 2 hormones. One limitation of the present study was that levels of angiotensin II, a biochemical link between renin and aldosterone, were not measured directly. Other potential regulators of aldosterone secretion (dopamine and ANF) and salt and water regulation (such as antidiuretic hormone, serum osmolality, and B-type natriuretic peptide) may also provide useful insights into the renin-aldosterone paradox seen in POTS. Future studies will include an assessment of these markers.
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Conclusions

In summary, we have found that patients with POTS have a reduction in plasma volume. They have inappropriately low levels of renin and low levels of aldosterone, 2 hormones that promote sodium retention and increase plasma volume and are regulated by the kidneys. These patients also have a significantly low volume of red blood cells. Red blood cell production is primarily stimulated by erythropoietin, a hormone that is released by the kidney. Taken together, these findings suggest that abnormalities in the kidney might be critical in the pathophysiology of POTS.
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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants 2P01 HL56693 and M01 RR00095 (General Clinical Research Center) from the National Institutes of Health. Dr Raj is a Vanderbilt Clinical Research Scholar, supported by a K12 grant from the National Institutes of Health. The DAXOR Corporation (New York, NY) kindly donated the equipment and supplies needed for the blood volume assessment.

Being Overwhelmed Today

Oh my goodness! I am so tired today!!!! I spent some oh so desired time with some friends yesterday and all I did was sit at a table and talk with them while I watched them play a board game. This morning I just couldn't get up, I mean wake up, I was so tired I was unable to get to my IV treatment for the day. I was out for about 4 1/2 hrs. and I stopped at a very small store to buy some bananas, a small store so that I wouldn’t have to walk far to get them, and I am just sooo exhausted from it. I even took a really long nap when I got home but it didn’t help revive me.

I had not been able to go and do like I have wanted to for a long time but back in Oct I decided that I wanted to try and go back to church as the past year doing so was just too much for my body to handle. I lasted doing that for about two months and then I had to start staying home on church days because I was feeling worse and worse from extending myself just one or two extra activities a weekend. The only other thing that I was doing was going to IV treatments and doctor appointments and an occasional drive to my parents to do laundry which also is overwhelming to me system not to mention the hour drive each way.

I hate this about my life! I am often so exhausted that I can't even concentrate to type out words without major major mistakes which then makes me mad because of the perfectionist part of me....lol.... I guess for sure one thing that I'm learning is that I have to let that part of me go if I want so peace with myself. I do have Dragon that I can use but again it takes energy to do that as well, not much, but it does take some. A great example of how much energy I don’t have, this has taken me about 30 minutes to type so far an I am really fast at typing but my thoughts and just don’t seem to connect to my fingers at the same time plus I have to stop and rest the muscles in my arms and hands because typing is painful most of the time.

I love my friends very much and I love spending time with them, and I also love going to church and fellowshipping with others but I really really pay a price for it and because my illness is progressive it is harder and harder to push myself because I just don’t recover well, or sometimes at all. It often feels like I need to be in the hospital because I feel so badly at times after doing activities. Being in the hospital wouldn’t help me but I know there have been times in my life when I was in the hospital for being sick or having surgery or something and I had felt way better then I have over the past few years. I am coming to the conclusion that pushing myself to do things besides just medical appointments, which wear me out as well, is like asking someone who is sick in the hospital to just get up, forget that they are in the hospital from being sick and go to the grocery store and shop and go home and put the groceries away and cook a meal and then when everything is over and cleaned up to go back to the hospital and finish being a patient. Honestly, I feel that poorly.

I am really disappointed that I can’t live a normal life and that so much of life has changed for me and that I am terrified that it will never be the same for me again. I know that others who deal with the illness that I have, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Dysautonomia, Mast Cell Activation Disorder, Hydrocephalus, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Fibro, and so many other things that you get when you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which is a collagen disorder which is what over 80% of your body is made of which is why you have so many things wrong with you inside and out from head to toe, understand what I am going through. I hear people all the time say they have a friend who has Lupus or Fibro, or one of the other things that I deal with and they are all sympathetic and sad for them and how hard their friends life is for and how they pray for their friend and go to their home and help them with things and so on, and I don’t mean to be insensitive or sound uncaring but I see friends post all the time about how their friend has cancer and how much they hate cancer and so on. People don’t understand that I know about cancer first hand from my family and I do IV treatments where lots and I mean lots of people come in for treatment who have cancer and rarely do I see hardly anyone who is sicker than I am in the long run. Yes, I understand that cancer can make you feel bad and that the treatments make you feel horrible for the time of the treatment and I also understand that there are times when the treatment causes you to feel bad for a long time. I also understand that most of the time when people get cancer it is really hard on them because they most likely have not lived a life of being sick and in pain like I have and others like me have since birth, so this new illness of cancer really can take a toll on someone's life. Cancer is bad and it kills a lot of people, but there is an end to cancer, either you know that treatment might help or might not or that you will die from it or you won’t, but at least there is treatment for the most part where for myself and others like me there is no treatment and it will never end until you die and the worst part of it all is that what I deal with isn’t really most likely going to kill me. Listening to people say things about the One illness (not speaking of cancer here) of their friends and how much they care for them is hard to take because I am there thinking, I have that plus a bunch of other things and no one is contacting me or supporting me and I wonder if anyone that knows I have all of these things is even concerned about me.

The other really hard thing about what I deal with and that others like me deal with is that saying anything like what I have just said above leaves others thinking that I am just complaining and I have even said it myself, mainly so people won’t think I am major downer, but people say to me all the time that things could always be worse. Well, I sure would hate to see what that life would be like. I am pretty sure that I would not allow myself to live through one whole day if things were worse like people tell me they could be. People with EDS are very strong people and others, when we want to talk about how hard life is for us, tend to try to convince us that we are weak because we are talking or in their words, complaining about it. I have lived in Nigeria, a 3rd world country and believe me, you haven’t seen hard times until you have lived in a 3rd world country. Hate to say it, but even those hard times I saw in Nigeria, those people going through them, were still able to do something to support themselves or take care of themselves, such and bathing and eating and cooking and so forth that people with just a ¼ of what most people like myself have a hard time doing.

One more aspect of dealing with this type of illnesses is the depression that goes with it. I am single without children and my parents are elderly and cannot come and help take care of me, even if I lived with them they would not be able to do very much for me because my mom is unable to take care of herself right now and my dad, who has had cancer and still deals with the effects of that because of his age, and he still works full time, has to take care of himself and my mom. My mom is recovering from Major back surgery. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have to depend on a spouse or children to help me, I would feel like a huge burden to them, I know I do with my parents because they want to help me but they can’t and so they feel bad about that and I feel bad for them feeling bad because of me.

Depression is not only from feeling like a burden or realizing how much life is and will be changing because of the progressiveness of EDS, but the brain is affected and the nervous system is affected and there are things that you can’t control with your thoughts because those connections just don’t work the way they used to for many reasons and from many of the illnesses that are caused because of EDS.

The one thing that only two people in my life understand is that every time I talk to someone I am going to be happy and upbeat and say something to cause people to laugh because I just don’t want others to be sad in life. I came that way I guess and I am thankful that God created my spirit that way. I know what it is to be sad and I don’t desire anyone to have to be sad. Because I want others to be happy I am told by these two people that others often forget that I am sick because I sound happy in my voice. That is one more thing that I hope that people will one day understand about people with EDS is that just because your voice sounds better does not mean that your genetic disorder has by magic disappeared for the day.

Bottom line….. well, I don’t even know. There are many many days where I just don’t know and I do my best to occupy my mind so that I don’t think about all of the above all the time but it can never just be ignored. You can never forget that you have EDS and you can never pretend for very long that it is going to go away. People who don’t have EDS don’t understand that you feel every single day of your life like they feel on the worst day of them having the flu and you just want one person to know that or maybe not even understand that, but just to know that you are sick! What are you left with? You are left with prayer and what many times seems like begging God to either take you or change those around you to just even notice that you aren’t where you used to be in their lives, and for someone to just once say sorry this is happening to you and to please not let them compare their aches and pains and getting old feelings to what you are going through, and so far, neither one of those begging prays have worked. I do have a very very small handful of people, with only two in my life, meaning that they live close to me that have said sorry this is happening to you and that I know pray for me. Don’t get me wrong, I have people that I know that pray for me, and I believe in prayer in a major way and I am so thankful for those who do pray for me!!!! I just get to a point that on days like I feel today, so overwhelmed from exhaustion from trying to do one normal activity that it would be nice to know in a tangible way that I am being prayed for or that people are thinking about me. I know so many of those like me can relate and most likely have the same feelings. I am very much a people person and I don’t really appreciate being forced, because of my illness, to be stuck at home alone. About a year ago I started keeping track of how many phone calls I get that are not return calls to me from when I called others, and the number is lower than three a month. If you are not a person who has EDS and all of the illnesses that accompany it, just imagine being the sickest you have ever been in your life and you tell people that you are ill and NO ONE ever calls to see if you are even alive. If you know someone who had EDS or you are reading this to learn more about helping people, please try and remember this for those you know who deal with chronic illness, one moment out of your day could make the whole day and sometimes even the whole week soooo much better for someone. I have been told by my counselor that the reason I don’t get the help and support that is so much needed is because what I have is a rare illness and so people don’t know that it is as bad as it is so they just forget about you. How sad!

It Sucks when you have to pretend you're ok 

just because you know no-one can 

truly understand your pain.

Dysatuonomia Healed in Young Boy!!! What is Dysautonomia?

I have Dysautonomia and it make my life very difficult. For me it is a result of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).

The following link is of a young boy who's Mom did all she could do to get him help from a very disabling illness. Please watch the video and then read on to find out more.

'A miracle': Mom's search for clues helps solve boy's mystery illness

To see this story, highlight this link and copy it and paste it into your address bar. 
http://www.today.com/health/miracle-moms-search-clues-helps-solve-boys-mystery-illness-2D80530274

I have had two brain scans and so far the Doctors who have looked at it, one says I do have Dysautonomia and maybe and one says that I don't have it. I have been diagnosed by a specialist in POTS as having Dysautonomia.

Okay, so here are the pictures from my own brain and neck scans. I can't tell you anything about them, but at least you can look at them if you have never seen MRI's of these areas.

Life with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is hard enough, but honestly it is POTS and Dysautonomia that seems to keep me disabled the most.

What is Dysautonomia?
http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=34

Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe several different medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System. The Autonomic Nervous System controls the "automatic" functions of the body that we do not consciously think about, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, dilation and constriction of the pupils of the eye, kidney function, and temperature control. People living with various forms of dysautonomia have trouble regulating these systems, which can result in lightheadedness, fainting, unstable blood pressure, abnormal heart rates, malnutrition, and in severe cases, death.

Dysautonomia is not rare. Over 70 million people worldwide live with various forms of dysautonomia. People of any age, gender or race can be impacted. There is no cure for any form of dysautonomia at this time, but Dysautonomia International is funding research to develop better treatments, and hopefully someday a cure for each form of dysautonomia. Despite the high prevalence of dysautonomia, most patients take years to get diagnosed due to a lack of awareness amongst the public and within the medical profession.

Some of the different forms of dysautonomia include:
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) - estimated to impact 1 out of 100 teenagers and, including adult patients, a total of 1,00,000 to 3,000,000 Americans. POTS can cause lightheadness, fainting, tachycardia, chest pains, shortness of breath, GI upset, shaking, exercise intolerance, temperature sensitivity and more. While POTS predominantly impacts young women who look healthy on the outside, researchers compare the disability seen in POTS to the disability seen in conditions like COPD and congestive heart failure.

Neurocardiogenic Syncope (NCS) - NCS is the most common form of dysautonomia, NCS impacts tens of millions of individuals worldwide. Many individuals with NCS have a mild case, with fainting spells once or twice in their lifetime. However, some individuals have severe NCS which results in fainting several times per day, which can lead to falls, broken bones and sometimes traumatic brain injury. Individuals with moderate to severe NCS have difficulty engaging in work, school and social activities due to the frequent fainting attacks.

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) - MSA is a fatal form of dysautonomia that occurs in adult ages 40 and up. It is a neurodegenertive disorder with some similarities to Parkinson's disease, but unlike Parkinson's patients, MSA patients usually become fully bedridden within a 2 years of diagnosis and die within 5-10 years. MSA is considered a rare disease, with an estimated 350,000 patients worldwide.

Dysautonomia can also occur secondary to other medical conditions, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, and Parkinson's.1,3

There is currently no cure for dysautonomia, but secondary forms may improve with treatment of the underlying disease.4There are some treatments available to improve quality of life, both with medications and lifestyle changes/adaptations, but even using all treatments available, many dysautonomia patients experience disabling symptoms that significantly reduce their quality of life. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Dysautonomia International encourages you to Learn More. You can make a difference in the lives of people living with dysautonomia by donating today!

Sources

1. National Institutes of Health Rare Disease Network's Autonomic Disorders Consortium
2. Dysautonomias: Clinical Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System. Moderator: David S. Goldstein, MD, PhD; Discussants: David Robertson, MD; Murray Esler, MD; Stephen E. Straus, MD; and Graeme Eisenhofer, PhD
3. Dysautonomia, A family of misunderstood disorders. Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., About.com Guide Updated November 13, 2011.
4. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Information Page
5. Clinical Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System Associated With Orthostatic Intolerance: An Overview of Classification, Clinical Evaluation and Management. Blair P. Grubb, M.D. Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Divisions of Cardiology and Neurology, Barry Karas, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, The Medical College of Ohio.

I'm Coming Clean About How I Really Feel

That moment when you have to beg yourself to stop crying and tell yourself, "Be Strong."

Am I mistaken that Jesus told us to pray for the sick and love one another as He loves the church?

If you are a pastor, or really even a church member for that fact, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me say it one more time PLEASE, don’t forget these people or their families!!!!! Who or what am I talking about, well, read on to find out!

If anyone knows me or have known me for a long time then you know that I am a funny, good-humored, outgoing kind of gal. If anyone really pays attention to me then they know that I can always find the bright side to anything in life and that I love to laugh and tell really stupid jokes and do just about anything to make others laugh. Sure I deal with depression, a lot, I think most people do deal with depression at some points in life, but I don’t let that rule me, guide me, or control me, at least I try hard not to let that happen. I am adventures and I love meeting new people and talking with old friends about the good old days and finding out what is new in their lives now. I have a very strong faith in God and I love to study the Bible more than any other thing on earth!! And speaking of earth, because we live on earth and not in heaven just yet, there are things that we all have to deal with while we are here and I want to share a little bit of what I have to deal with here. I am telling the above because what I am about to explain is tough and it may seem, once it is read, that I am negative, resentful, and down on life, I am not, I just need to get this truth out and share what I am feeling and be honest with my world with just a small bit of info about my life. Take it as you will, and I am not doing this to get apologies or pats on the back, I am just, for my own sake and well-being of mind and heart, sharing this out loud because I feel like it is time to do so.

I have mentioned before that I have a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome that is very hard to live with and I am in constant pain 24/7 with nothing to help the pain go away but I haven’t carried on about it and I don’t dwell on it to others. There is no cure for what I have and it is progressive which means that things will get worse and not better nor will they go away, and I have lots of different illness that I deal with because the genetic disorder I have is a collagen disorder which means that I don't make good collagen and since collagen makes up 80% of the body that means that it affects everything from head to toe. When you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome you never know what is going to cause a problem when. Here is just a very small amount of the things that I have because of EDS, I have a hole in my heart, and in both chambers of my heart the blood flows backward before it goes the correct way and that kind of makes your heart feel weird at times. I have a condition where the rest of my blood flows backwards through my body so just standing up can cause a bucket full of problems not to mention bending over and even sitting still. Walking is very difficult for me because of the pain I have due to the way this disorder affects my joints and muscles. I have trouble concentrating because I have a condition called Dysautonomia which means that everything that your body does automatically, like breathing, your heart beating, the blinking of your eyes and so on, my body doesn’t do that so my brain is always having to tell my body to do these things and it turns my thinking abilities into mush by the end of the day not to mention the energy the body uses to think that much 24/7. All of this started at birth for me but because it looks like so many other conditions it often goes undiagnosed for years plus most doctors have never seen EDS much less know much about it. In my case, I only found out that I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome about three years ago and it has changed my life knowing that I have it because it explains everything that has ever, I mean ever, been wrong with me. Finding out that I have EDS has given me a little bit of peace of mind knowing that things that were seen as me not trying or me being lazy or not very smart and not losing weight were not my fault, but rather it was something that I could not control.

I started thinking about sharing all of this when I saw this show that I found about people with Superhuman strength. The show describes Superhuman strength being something that a person can do that no one else on earth can do because of a genetic mutation in their body.... the host has EDS and so does another guy in the show. I noticed that the segment about these two guys with EDS is so short if you yawned you would have missed that section of the show. What that tells me is that instead of this being a Superhuman strength..... it is more like a Superhuman freak.... no kidding, I have felt different than everyone else my whole life, not ever knowing why, and the most of what I felt and still do feel different about myself from others was mainly because I was made fun of my whole life, during school growing up, in college, and even now in public for being fat, and almost all of my doctors have ridiculed me for being too heavy when all along even my weight is caused by having a collagen disorder, way too much to explain how that is. If you have ever had a weight problem I am sure that you have felt this way or can relate to me in this manner. 

I was just different, and not a freak but life has a way of doing that to you, I mean making you feel like a freak in some way or another, no matter who you are. I do often wonder if my extended family and friends and Doctors would have known that my weight, along with learning disabilities, and my slowness in sports and my what others called laziness, which was only fatigue, and my inability to think and remember short term things, and my messy handwriting and so many more things, some of them too embarrassing to say and if no one  remembers those things why on earth would I remind anyone of them….  were all because of a genetic disorder that I could not fix or do anything about, would have been or even now not be so judgmental or would treat me with respect for fighting through it all, or at least with sympathy. I think I would be a different person today because maybe I wouldn’t have to deal with how much hate I have for myself because of my fat and overweight body and my poor grades throughout school which left me feeling stupid and being called stupid and what others see as laziness which in our society today is believed to be because of someone being overweight, and my inability to work and provide for myself the basic things in life. All of this from thoughts brought on by the way people called and still do call me names and make fun of me and judging my actions based on the size of my body, even up to today. I have to believe that all of these people that I have loved and still love would have been kinder to me. I know kids will be kids and I am not innocent of being a kid and saying and doing mean things and I sure hope that I never did anything to anyone to change the way someone sees themselves into something negative.

As an adult and finding out that I have EDS, which I have only known about for 3 years or so, I see that I have learned to compensate for what I am not able to do in life that others do naturally without even thinking about. For instance, jumping out of bed, getting dressed and going to places, that just doesn’t happen for me. I have to move slowly getting out of bed to make sure that all of my joints are in place and have not dislocated while I was sleeping, then I have to stand up and see if I am dizzy enough to fall or just dizzy enough to hold on to the wall to make it to the bathroom, and I have to consider how much pain I have to know if I have to wear a pullover shirt or if I can stand the pain to button a shirt not to mention how my self-esteem will falter throughout the day due to my uncomfortableness from being overweight.

As I have gotten older and my problems have progressed, my adult friends have not been so kind either. They forget that I can’t work and so I am either at the hospital getting IV treatment, the only thing that gives me a small amount of help for low blood volume and dizziness and my constant dehydration, or I am at home resting, unable to attend church or go to the grocery store without major consequences from the energy that it takes to shop and put the food away. I wonder if they understand that I grieve, a lot, about my inability to go back to the mission field and how I don’t even have enough energy to do mission right here at home? Suggestions are given to me all the time about how I can make a difference for the Lord on the internet or how I can minister to people right where I live and I hate to say it, but for someone with the type of illnesses that I have, no, it is not that easy. I often don’t have the energy to minister to someone, even over the phone much less muster enough strength to even plan how I could minister to someone, and if you do that type of work, then you will know that it takes not only strength and energy, but a giving of your whole self to do so and while that is one of my biggest desires on earth, that is just not something that my body can do anymore.

I also wonder if my friends understand how terrified I am about my future. I am about to turn 48 and my body acts and feels like what a 90-year-old must feel like on any average day. I don’t have a partner in life or kiddos to help me out with things and my parents are no longer able to come to me when I need them so at best I am left always thinking about how I will get things done to take care of myself. I am a very independent gal, but there are just sometimes when you need somebody to be with you or help you. Why I get terrified about this is because at my age things are very hard for me and I can only wonder what my life will be like in about 10 yrs much less 20. Don’t get me wrong, I like living alone and I am thankful that I don’t have kids, because not only would I not want them to have what I have, but I could never even come close to giving them the life that I know they would want, need, or deserve.

All in all, I just can’t go and do things like I used to be able to do. I used to be able to push through the pain and fatigue but I just can’t do that anymore and when that happens others tend to forget about you. This is very common with people who have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome so at least I don’t feel alone in this.

It may seem that I am rambling on but in my mind, this is how it gets, my thoughts are kind of everywhere and it is pretty tough these days putting my thoughts together in a manner which they flow out easily enough for others to keep up with me. I am sorry for jumping around on topics, but, I needed to put them all down, well, at least some of them down for others to know that I do need pray and hope and encouragement and not forgetfulness or assumptions that I have nothing to talk about in life but my health. If asked how I am doing I am not going to lie anymore and say how great I am just because someone may not understand what is wrong with me or others may or may not agree with how I deal with things about my health. I have no longer been trying to and make others happy and not feel bad for me by lying about how I am doing just so they won’t have to hear something uncomfortable. This is a bad habit of mine, I do almost anything to hope I am making people around me happy when in reality I am telling a lie or I am injuring myself or damaging my health to keep others happy. Most likely I do this because I have a bit of a fear of being alone, which has not turned out to work, because I am alone a lot. I am not open to suggestions of what others think will help me. Believe me I have and still research all the time to try and find things that would better my health, nor am I open to phone calls that are made only when others need something because if people were really interested in being my friend then they would know that I can’t help out with most things, which I feel horrible about and I hate to the core of my being, I always want to help and knowing that I can’t is very very hard for me to deal with.  I am however very very open to calls or texts or messages to show me that I have not been forgotten or that I even exist. Being a people person like I am and not being able to fulfill that need in my life is absolutely the worst thing that I deal with. Being stuck at home, with no contact from others unless I make it, is so lonely and hard on the heart that it seems that parts of me are dying.  I want to hear from people about how their lives are doing and what they are accomplishing and how the kids and family are doing and how I can pray for them as well.

One more thing that all of these thoughts remind me of is how our world has changed today. Everyone has busy lives and parents are running kids here there and yonder, but hasn’t that always been how family life is? If it is, then why have churches stopped reaching out to the sick, depressed, injured, poor and needy within their churches? I have noticed this in many different situations with friends and family that have needed church support but the minute that a church service is missed it seems like the church thinks the missing member is out on vacation or is just not interested in attending there anymore. Why is this???? If you are a pastor, or really even a church member for that fact, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me say it one more time PLEASE don’t forget these people or their families!!!!! What a shame it is to see, for those I know that are in this type of situation, people who have served and dedicated themselves to teaching and singing in the choir and all kinds of areas of ministry, to just be forgotten when they become ill. Not even one phone call for some of these folks from anyone from their church. Am I mistaken that Jesus told us to pray for the sick and love one another as He loves the church? Boy, I am glad that Jesus doesn’t love the church like some church people love each other. I know that no one can be perfect in this, but for goodness sake, when did selfishness become so big and caring become so little? Just a word for churches reaching out to the sick, when a family has a sick member, in most cases, there are other family members there to help the sick person out. There may be kids involved and yes, cooking food to take to them is helpful, but they are not alone, there is usually someone there to see that everyone gets fed or taken places or gets basic needs met. With single people, that is not the case and even more so, singles without kids. I promise there is not an imagery person in the house taking care of the sick person, cooking for them or helping them get their meds at the drugstore or doing anything else for them. I not only speak from experience for myself but from watching others who have at some time in the past few years go through this very thing.

Ok, here is my bright side to all of this…. One, I know for sure that I am a strong person and I can deal with a whole lot. Two, things could always always be much much worse. Three, I hope that I have encouraged you to think beyond yourselves, I know that I have encouraged myself to do that. Four, thank goodness I learned a long ago to forgive others, we can only do what we know to do until we know better and have a chance to act on it.  Five, it takes a lot to keep an ole’ gal down and so far…. My heart is still beating and I still have enough oomph in me to complain so I know that it’s not over with yet, and….. Six, I have a great skill and many reasons to be able to laugh at myself often!