could 2 illnesses actally be the same thing?

[twiztc]

do a wiki search on "Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome" (POTS)

MY SISTER IS DIAGNOSE WITH THIS

so me being the nosy bugger i am i did some research.
several site have all the info but wiki is usually a pretty good go to all rounder.
I was quite astounded. its like a carbon copy of all the fibro symptoms and they seem to have a better idea of causes which also seem to be a carbon copy of known and hypothesized causes in fibro.
If you could take some time to have a look i'd be interested in what all of you think and especially those here anything to do with the medical profession.

 

[mariposa]

do a wiki search on "Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome" (POTS)

MY SISTER IS DIAGNOSE WITH THIS

so me being the nosy bugger i am i did some research.
several site have all the info but wiki is usually a pretty good go to all rounder.
I was quite astounded. its like a carbon copy of all the fibro symptoms and they seem to have a better idea of causes which also seem to be a carbon copy of known and hypothesized causes in fibro.
If you could take some time to have a look i'd be interested in what all of you think and especially those here anything to do with the medical profession.

I won't pretend that I know how to answer your question about being the same thing, because on a medical level, I really have no idea.

I do know, though, that I have a friend with POTS (and severe neuropathy among other issues) but not very many of her personal symptoms mimic fibro. I suspect that people can have varying degrees of severity with POTS, though, so everyone won't have the same levels of pain. I also know that there are a number of things that can be diagnosed that look exactly like fibro, as you said. (Or maybe I should say MISdiagnosed, now that I think of it!)

Good observation, twiztc... please let us know if you find any other similarities!

 

[twiztc]

There are many things that share symptoms, Fibro, pots, cfs, Ms, lupus, to name but a few. No wonder doctors have a hard time besides ourselves.
I'm always interested in looking into all these kind of things, why I don't know as all are incurable and difficult to live with.
The ponderings we get up to when bored eh?

 

[debw]

I read the description for POTS,, it is definitely not fibromyalgia.

 

[DomDom]

Dont worry about she is nto suffering from fibromyalgia. POTS is a syndrome in which you get tachycardia because of standing up, or changing positions. This is most likely a genetic problem with your sisters autonomous nervous system. It is easily distinguished from fibromyalgia even though the symptoms may be simmilar. A normal ECG can diagnose it, everytime she stands up she has tachycardia (high frequency of heart rate). This does not happen in fibromyalgia

 

[LivetoErr]

Isn't it amazing how many diseases/disorders have similar symptoms? As others have said, no wonder why doctors struggle with their patients issues. Almost all autoimmune disorders have similar symptoms.

One thing I have never had is dizziness when I stand. Even when my blood pressure is low I don't get dizzy. My heart doesn't beat fast either, unless I'm intentionally making it, that is.

 

[twiztc]

that's the thing- i do get dizzies and weird stuff when i stand. i have been told that even though every time i have my blood pressure checked its normal, i get occasional dips causing the wooziness. i also have palpitations and a fast heart rate spike at times. always been told it was just part and parcel of the Fibro monster

 

[katydid]

Pots, Ncs, etc. Are fainting disorders.. . Not a misdiagnosis of fibro.
I've had Ncs for several years, completely unrelated to my fibro which was caused years later from an auto accident.
You can have both obviously, but they are not the same thing....

 

[Trellum]

I just looked this up and it really seems some symptoms mimic fibro well! I mean, even IBS is in the list! I am surprised to read this disease is also very hard to diagnose, just like fibro! So there isn't a specific test you can get done to find ot wherther you have this or not, how confusing! They say the symptoms play a big role in the diagnosis. That makes one wonder... how many people could have been wrongly diagnosed with Fibro but are indeed suffering from POTS? Scary thought. I really wonder if this could happen?

 

[katydid]

I just looked this up and it really seems some symptoms mimic fibro well! I mean, even IBS is in the list! I am surprised to read this disease is also very hard to diagnose, just like fibro! So there isn't a specific test you can get done to find ot wherther you have this or not, how confusing! They say the symptoms play a big role in the diagnosis. That makes one wonder... how many people could have been wrongly diagnosed with Fibro but are indeed suffering from POTS? Scary thought. I really wonder if this could happen?

The most common way to test for pots is a tilt-table test. They used a tilt-table test to diagnose my Ncs too. Cardiologists administer this type of test.