Power Over Pots: A Family Guide to Managing Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

While POTS is among one of the most common medical disorders affecting adolescents and young adults, both health care professionals and patients generally know very little about this strange condition. The majority of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) patients suffer with mysterious and frightening symptoms while searching for a diagnosis for many years. Without a proper diagnosis, there is no possibility of treatment. Otherwise healthy appearing adolescents, primarily females, frequently report racing hearts, headaches, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, ＂brain fog,＂ visual and abdominal disturbances when upright. Such symptoms play havoc on one’s lifestyle by curtailing one’s daily activities.Most frequently the onset of POTS symptoms coincides with the puberty growth spurt of adolescence. Adolescence is an important period of developmental change. Puberty is associated with maturing of many biological systems including sexual, brain and nervous systems. POTS can be compared to an adolescent with a newly acquired skyscraper body (tall structure) that has grown quickly - but, the building’s electrical wiring system (autonomic functions) has not yet matured fully and is malfunctioning. Rapid growth spurts test the ability of an immature autonomic (automatic bodily functions) system to cope with a rapidly enlarging physical structure. The autonomic processes, by necessity, must keep making adjustments to keep up with the latest skyscraper-like growth. What worked well last year must adjust further for today’s taller body. Peak incidence of POTS occurs in the 10-30 year age group.During the past 15 years, many medical centers have studied POTS patients and have determined the mechanisms responsible for this bizarre condition. The body’s difficulty adjusting to the upright position has been proven to be due to gravitational shifting of blood to the lower body while upright which results in decreased heart outflow. If you or a loved one has POTS, this book is for you. Every page is packed with facts you need to know. Not only is it enlightening, it will help you take back your life and achieve POWER over POTS.

Scheldon Kress is a specialist in Internal Medicine with over 30 years of clinical experience caring for patients with challenging medical problems. Over the course of his career, he has pioneered the development of several educational and behavioral health management programs. The majority of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) patients, primarily female adolescents and young adults, suffer with mysterious and frightening symptoms while searching for a diagnosis and help.Like so many physicians, he knew nothing about POTS, and went through three agonizing years until he found the cause of his grandson’s scary illness - POTS. Many medical specialists were unable to explain his headaches, fatigue, ＂tunnel vision＂ and especially, his short-term memory loss. This bright 16 year old was suddenly unable to participate in his classes, complete his schoolwork and enjoy social activities with his friends. Yet, once he found knowledgeable POTS specialists, he was able to navigate POTS, take back his life, become his college mascot, graduate from college and even climb 14,000 foot mountain peaks with friends.A general lack of knowledge about the mechanisms responsible for POTS and its treatment stimulated me to review the published medical literature dealing with POTS. Hundreds of articles have been published in medical journals dealing with POTS over the past 25 years. It’s not clear why the world-wide medical literature is so rich with information, yet that information is not well disseminated to physicians. Most physicians have no knowledge of this condition. Thus, physicians do not consider the possibility that POTS might be the cause for the puzzling symptoms of the patient being examined. POTS has been called a ＂missed and misdiagnosed disorder.＂Passionate about helping patients with POTS, Dr. Kress provides POTS patients and their families with a better understanding of the causes of, potential treatments for and effective strategies to successfully gain POWER over POTS.