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@britt@mstdn.gamesHey #ADHD fam…
Any of you have #POTS? Specifically Hyperadrenergic POTS?
I’m asking because I’m struggling to manage my ADHD (4 years of trying…) without using meds that make my POTS significantly worse.
I get a good response from stimulants BUT it makes my POTS nearly ummanagable. My Psychiatrist and family doctor are not sure how to help and told me to ‘do my own research’.
This is the state of healthcare in Canada and many other places. All help appreciated! 
@britt Not certain, but @BeeTurland may be able to speak to this. I know they have #POTS and #ADHD, among other co-morbidities.
@britt
I find that neurodivergence (ADHD) is often comorbid with digestive problems (in my case Crohn's) and connective tissue disorders (in my case probable hEDS). Currently managing using herbal medicine to treat holistically, which also involves coming into right relation with caffeine, recognising the importance of rest, unlearning cultural assumptions about work efficiency, acknowledging the role of screens in exacerbating symptoms, etc.
@britt I don't specifically have POTS (at least not in a way a doctor has diagnosed), but I went off stimulant based ADHD meds because they were screwing with my already high blood pressure and pulse in a way that might be similar to it.
I tried one of the non-stimulant meds that are more often prescribed to kids than adults and I think it had a mildly positive effect, but not enough for me to make it worth taking over just managing.
But everyone is different so that might be an avenue to try? Intuniv was the one I tried.
I actually just got off guanfacine myself. Worked great for me, for most things around the ADHD, but not the ADHD itself. Unfortunately, my doc wasn't keen on giving stims with guanfacine, because I had to cajole him to prescribe it in the first place. And then the pharmacy to order it in!
One thing to note with it, is that it can (transiently) lower blood pressure a bit, so if you're prone to orthostatic hypotension as part of your POTS, it may get a bit worse for a while.
@britt is Midodrine available in Canada? My sister had good success w/it while she was on Adderall.
Also throwing out taking an electrolyte supplement (i go for https://www.skratchlabs.com ) and compression tights—which hopefully your doctor has already recommended but if they’re at ‘do your own research’ maybe not so i figured i’d double check
Acclimation still occurs.
I look forward to the first cold shower of the season. But, after the first week or so, even an ice-water shock becomes little more than the reactivation of a snoozed-alarm: jarring, but easy enough to ignore.
Could just be me though, so chase it if you are so inclined. (I imagine we would be disproportionately represented within the Polar Bear Club.)
A shower beer is also pretty nifty. #alcoholism
I'm the inattentive sort of ADHD, and I've actually found that short bursts of casual rhythm games are a good quick dopamine hit when I feel like I'm in need of one. That, and I've recently found that properly frantic breakcore can be a good focuser, when I need to hone in on something. It's a stereotype, perhaps, but it works better than I expected.
@britt Protein, caffeine, having music on you can thread your thoughts on, or familiar old shows & movies you can half ignore, fidget toys, making lists and leaving them in obvious places, cold air, and crunchy food all help me focus, but not as much as my Ritalin. But every bit helps.
️ @britt I know someone with both. I’ll message them to see if they’d be keen to chat.
@cferdinandi thank you!
@britt there is comorbidity between orthostatic intolerance and ADHD (and also EDS). There is a team doing research on it: https://youtu.be/zhRnEiXU0Uk?si=cFdEFJkMDLilYaPy
As far as I remember their only real suggestion to people was try compression stockings instead of meds for your ADHD, which I'm sure you did try already..
@britt but maybe their papers yield some interesting insight on what medication might work