A decade later: what I wish I had known about POTS💔

If there's an email I want you to read and NOT skim through, it's this one...

The other day I got a flashback of myself about 10 years ago, I was pregnant with my first son, and I was an anxious mess.

I had NO IDEA what was wrong with me.

I was in my third trimester and out of nowhere I started experiencing really awful symptoms.

I constantly felt like fainting and whenever I sat up or stood up, my heart would race so fast, I couldn't catch my breath. I struggled to sit up to eat, and even to have conversations.

I had to quit work and I basically spent the rest of my pregnancy horizontal.

Doctors didn't know it was POTS.

I basically tested myself and noticed the huge jump in my heart rate when I changed posture/position. I eventually saw a neurologist who confirmed the diagnosis but because I wasn't in a position to do a full autonomic workup (a range of tests to assess your autonomic nervous system), I was advised to take salt tablets and wear compression stockings.

They did nothing for me.

I had a consultation with Dr. Svetlana Blitshteyn, the Director and Founder of Dysautonomia Clinic in New York. I was so hopeful, but to be honest, she was barely any help either.

I was getting osteopathic and chiropractic treatment as well as acupuncture (for my SEVERE 24/7 morning sickness) but neither modalities really shifted anything for my POTS symptoms. (Keep in mind at this time I didn't know what my underlying drivers were)

I got to the end of the pregnancy, had a really challenging delivery, fractured my tailbone, recovery was tough...

Fast forward a year and a half- I became so severely debilitated and this crash resulted in me being bed bound for 8 months.

I eventually did the full autonomic workup- a battery of tests looking at your autonomic nervous system function. I think it took me a week just to recover from the brutal tests!

I could barely sit, talk, eat, brush my hair, or have a shower.

My daily movements consisted of going from the bed to the toilet and that was enough to wreck me.

I would only go to medical appointments and I required a wheelchair.

At one point I was admitted into a rehabilitation hospital and I was doing daily physiotherapy and occupational therapy. I was admitted for a whole MONTH! I was the youngest patient at the facility (BY DECADES!), and my treatment was totally mismanaged. Each day I was taken into the hospital gym and the therapists were literally getting me to walk laps. I couldn't even walk myself TO the gym from my room. It was so depressing, and a total disaster.

I then got moved to outpatient rehab, but I was often too sick and didn't meet the criteria to be an outpatient so they discharged me from the program- I refused to be admitted into the inpatient rehab program again.

After 8 months and MORE tests I was diagnosed with CIDP (chronic immune demyelinating polyneuropathy), apparently the immune/inflammatory process was affecting my autonomic nervous system and causing my POTS symptoms. I was approved to start treatment with regular infusions of immunoglobulins.

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This was Day 1 of my first immunoglobulin infusion and I was so excited. The loading dose was 5 days in a row of infusions. The infusion should have taken 3 hours but it took me about 10. My body reacted strongly and kept spiking fevers so we had to stop and start continually. By day 2 I was so unwell with reactions, I ended up in emergency. I had to pause infusions for a couple of days before resuming.

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After a year of undergoing this treatment (and proactively addressing my immune function, mitochondrial health, hormones, and overall nutritional status from a naturopathic perspective) I saw Dr Judy Spies at the RPA in Sydney. She is the director of the Autonomics Laboratory there, she completed fellowships in autonomic disorders at The Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, her work is held in very high regard because she's probably the only person in Australia with her qualifications and experience in the area of autonomic conditions.

When she saw me (and knowing how SICK I WAS), she was so impressed with my progress. She told me that she normally sees this level of improvement in 2-4 years, and I had done it in 1 year! WOW!

Keep in mind, I was completely isolated. I didn't know anyone else with POTS that I could compare my symptoms to. I had no idea how I was tracking in terms of progress. So it was really uplifting to hear this from someone like her!

That was a while back now, I now know that my dysautonomia was triggered by pregnancy, but my drivers are:

• Genetics

• Compression syndromes (thoracic outlet syndrome, median arcuate ligament syndrome)

• Connective tissue dysfunction (hypermobility)

• Histamine sensitivity & mast cell activation

• Immune dysfunction

I wish that I wasn't so isolated back then.

I wish I had access to a practitioner who could have done some deep digging for me.

I wish someone would have helped me with combining my medical treatment with the naturopathic approach.

It’s REALLY hard to find a practitioner who can guide you in uncovering these drivers whilst helping you manage your treatment, incorporating both western medicine and naturopathic approaches.

I KNOW because I was searching EVERYWHERE for someone to help me do just this!

This is why I want to offer YOU...

WHAT I WISH I HAD ACCESS TO 10 YEARS AGO.

Nothing flashy, no loud bells and whistles here.

I'm simply offering you the chance to access intimate support, which I believe is a crucial aspect of the healing process.

POTS & DYSAUTONOMIA WELLNESS INTENSIVE

3 months of :

Personalised 1:1 naturopathic treatment focused on discovering and treating the ROOT causes and drivers of your dysautonomia symptoms.

I vividly recall times when I couldn't speak due to the severity of my symptoms. Speaking was out of the question, but I could still communicate through typing.

So alongside a discounted consultation package and clinical resources, I want to make myself available to you for intimate support via WhatsApp chat. To me, this is invaluable.

If this sounds like it's what you need, click HERE for more information.

If you have any questions PLEASE just ask!

If you have a consultation booked in already- you can credit it for the package!

It truly is an honour and privilege to walk alongside you on your healing journey.

Lots of love,

Kimberly