This might be a long thread so bear with me.
About 3 months ago I was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) from long covid and I would like to share how difficult and frustrating it was to get diagnosed - every step of the way.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I wanted to share on the off chance it resonates. I have a few friends with the same condition and it’s taken them over a year to get a health care practitioner to see them and take them seriously, never mind get on medication.
She hears me out, listens to everything I have to say, and refers me to a specialist. She also prints off information about the condition, connects me with a family doctor taking patients, shows me a physio who specializes in POTS and other helpful resources.
At urgent care, I meet a compassionate nurse practitioner who right away asks is if anyone has ever tested me for POTS. She administers a “dummy” test, which tests your heart rate in different positions. You need a BPM spike of 30+ to meet the threshold. Mine jumps by almost 50.
Before meds, my resting heart rate was between 95-120 depending on what I was doing and would spike to 160-70 with walks to the bus stop, heavy lifting, hot showers, etc. I’ve been on the medication a month and my resting heart rate is back to the 70s. I feel normal again!
Fast forward another month, I am still waiting for a specialist but my family doctor has put me on beta blockers and is quarterbacking treatment. It's been life-changing.
The cardio goes over my test results a week later and says he finds nothing. I suggest I have POTS because I’ve recently had two covid infections and ask for a test. He disagrees, tells me it’s anxiety and “you should feel lucky, I see patients with real problems”
At this point, I have debilitating symptoms and no healthcare professional seems to take me seriously. I start to treat myself like I have POTS - quit caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, weightlifting, hot showers completely, and my symptoms start to improve but I am miserable.
He refers me to a psychiatrist with an 8-month long waiting list. Sends me away and refuses to listen to what I have to say. Not satisfied, depressed, desperate and scared, my friends encourage me to not give up. I decide to go to urgent care to start the process all over again.
Wow, I had no idea this would resonate with so many people.
I know how lucky I am to get treatment this fast. I know people who have had to suffer through these symptoms for years with no answers. I'm hoping I can help spread some awareness with my platform.
I grew up without cable on Haida Gwaii, listening to Canucks and Giants games on
#TSN1040
. Those broadcasts, in my living room, made me feel like I was there even though I never went to a live game until I was 18. To the voices who inspired me to chase my dream: thank you.
It started in Dec, where I would have adrenaline rushes multiple times a night, to the point where I wouldn’t be able to get more than 2-3 hours of sleep. Thinking this was anxiety, I decided to let it play out.
I ask the on call physician about POTS - he brushes me off, tells me it’s just anxiety and he can't help me. After back and forth, he agrees to send me to a cardiologist.
Best friends reunited: After escaping
#Mariupol
, driving across Ukraine to Poland and finally touching down in Vancouver- Victoria and her two children are greeted at
#yvr
by old friends.
#ukraine
#bcpoli
@CKNW
@GlobalBC
Eventually I decided to try and see a doctor (not having a family doc at the time). The night before my appointment at a “walk in”, I lay down to sleep. My heart rate spiked to 160+ along with what I can only describe as the worst adrenaline rush ever, and would not come down.
I called 9-1-1. At the hospital, they do a battery of tests but don’t have a reason for why my heart rate took off. No guidance on what I should or shouldn’t do. They refer me to a cardiologist for a holter monitor.
A week later, I have the holter monitor on. Have a coffee, go about my life, and then my heart rate takes off again to 160-70. I call 9-1-1 again, go to the hospital, do another series of tests, and again am met with no answers.
Some 💫personal💫 news
I've accepted a position at CityNews Vancouver as a reporter/anchor after two and a half years at CKNW and Global BC. My last day on the radio desk at Global will be November 12.
My grandfather died tonight at age 93, ten minutes after I got off the phone with the family in the hospital in Ontario. A geologist & palaeontologist. I inherit a love of dinosaurs, date squares & ginger ale and musicals. We share the same incredibly dry humour and love of puns.
So I'm joining
@CBCEdmonton
as a video journalist for Grande Prairie! The last few years in Vancouver have been beyond belief - I've been able to help tell stories I am passionate about alongside an army of fantastic colleagues, and I will miss it dearly.
“The family of Tunisian Olympic champion Ahmed El Hefnaoui while following the 400-meter swim, in which the 18-year-old was crowned gold.” YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SEE IT.
#Tokyo2020
عائلتك هي دائمًا جمهورك الأول 👨👩👧👦
أسرة البطل الأولمبي التونسي أحمد الحفناوي أثناء متابعة سباق 400 متر سباحة والذي توّج به السباح صاحب الـ 18 عامًا بالذهبية 🥇🇹🇳
It's my last day on the radio desk at
@GlobalBC
and
@CKNW
. The past 2.5 years have been a blast and I can't say enough about the fabulous people I've had the privilege of working with and learning from. ☺️
Flight from Haida Gwaii is delayed leaving because of an over abundance of “extremely heavy” frozen fish in the cargo from a local fishing charter so staff are discussing how much the plane can hold
I love northern bc
"With a name like Garrett, what can go wrong? Nothing!" That was the first thing I remember George saying to me when I approached him for an interview. We got talking, and struck up a friendship that I am so grateful for.
@WatermanVJ
It’s very common in my group of friends too. So frustrating. Thankfully, journalism training set me up well to advocate for myself and annoy the daylights out of healthcare practitioners until I get answers, haha
This piece has been named a finalist in the Canadian Online Publishing Awards in the category 'Best in Multiculturalism.'
It was an honor and a privilege to meet this amazing family face-to-face and speak to Kateryna before she died.
link👇
I am SO thrilled that my piece has taken silver at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards!
‘She’s my James Bond’: Ukrainian woman in B.C. remembers late mother’s remarkable Mariupol escape
Some 💫✨personal news✨💫
After exactly four sleepless nights spent shuddering in disgust, I have caught and dispatched the mouse in my house.
I'm going to have a celebratory gin and tonic and fall fast asleep.
I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was 10 years old - and today I got to speak to my mom’s grade 4 class (same age I was!) at Mill Bay Nature school about being a reporter and the magic of radio. 📻 :)
#localnewsmatters
Vernon City Council voted unanimously this week to transfer the copyright to '
#Ogopogo
' to the Okanagan Nation Alliance. Mayor Victor Cumming says the transfer 'makes sense' because the legend comes from the Syilx people to begin with.
#bcpoli
I know I'm not the only one who feels like this but living in a new city without a real opportunity to build a social circle during all of this has been extremely difficult. I miss my friends. I miss my family. Wear a damn mask.
My (triple-vaxxed) dad has tested positive for Covid this week. Says he has mild symptoms including a headache, cough and some mild blurred vision/stuffy sinuses.
Janet Brown is incomparable. Not only is she a formidable reporter, but she's patient, knowledgable and so, so kind. Always willing to offer advice or just an ear on crazy days. Not to mention a WICKED sense of humor. Congratulations
@JanetBrown980
on a hell of a career.
Truly the end of an era at
@CKNW
.
I had the pleasure of working with
@JanetBrown980
for a few years, and there's no one more professional or diligent in the business.
A residential school survivor from
#HaidaGwaii
, is calling for a class-action lawsuit against the Catholic Church to reveal the names of the children who died at the schools.
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
Vancouver Fire tells us they aren''t sure where it's coming from - "We have about 15 trucks driving around trying to find the cause of the smell"
Call us at *1130 if you know what's going on.
@CityNewsVAN
@CityNewsTraffic
Notice a terrible smell this hour in Vancouver? We do too! We've reached out to Vancouver Fire for more information - but call the newsroom hands free at *1130 if you have any details.
@CityNewsVAN
@CityNewsTraffic
@trenabelle
I'm well aware of that. I say further down in the thread that I'm lucky to get a diagnosis this fast - it's thanks in no small part to my background as a journalist and an excellent support circle who has my back. I'm sharing to hopefully help others.
Last shift with the incomparable and formidable
@digital_newsgal
. One of my very first friends at
@GlobalBC
and a hell of a mentor. I’ll miss you on the overnights! 😭
#New
- Interior Health says 7 patients remain in Ih hospitals from the deadly bus crash Christmas Eve on Highway 97C. All now categorized as having non-life threatening injuries.
@CKNW
@GlobalBC
@safeeyapirani
Best friends reunited: After escaping
#Mariupol
, driving across Ukraine to Poland and finally touching down in Vancouver- Victoria and her two children are greeted at
#yvr
by old friends.
#ukraine
#bcpoli
@CKNW
@GlobalBC
#Breaking
- a large fire has broken out at what appears to be a building at the PNE - witnesses tell me they have heard multiple explosions and could see the smoke/flames from as far away as Brentwood. We have calls out to VPD and the fire department.
While I was isolating with covid, I had a small army of East Van artist friends drop off tea, honey, covid tests, sick-friendly food and enough cold medication to last a lifetime, as well as a stack of books. Tangible support makes a person feel really cared for.
What is something *practical* someone has done for you that really supported you?
Ie. someone giving you food as you recovered from something or providing a quiet work space or childcare or a supply you needed
@IrisThatsCreepy
I had no idea about it either, and then someone told me it's called an "adrenaline dump"
They've almost completely stopped after medication and some light physio but it is an awful, sickening feeling.
JUST IN: Vancouver Fire confirms the 3-alarm blaze seen this evening is what appears to be a 3-story detached home on Drummond Dr. that was under construction/renovation. Neighbors believe it was vacant at the time the fire started. No word on cause.
@GlobalBC
@CKNW
don’t ever park at vancouver house impark parkade at 777 seymour st in vancouver, it’s a scam. parkade closes at 11pm but i got here at 9:50pm to be told i could pay $60 cash in hand to get my car out or it’s trapped all weekend. ty
@jodyvance
for keeping me safe on the phone.
#New
-
#HaidaGwaii
has no active cases of COVID-19 as of this morning (Aug. 20), according to the Old Massett emergency operations centre. One person remains in isolation.
#covid19bc
#bcpoli
My grandmother turns 87 today and officially has her first dose of the COVID vaccine. Her verdict? “I guess you could say I was relieved to get the damned thing.” She doesn’t own a cellphone, so no selfies unfortunately...
#covid19bc
#Chetwynd
- Northern Health says the Chetwynd General Hospital is on complete diversion until 7 am - diverting patients to Fort St John or Dawson Creek - both an hr+ drive away. Heavy rain warning/travel advisories for the Peace region could complicate that.
@globalbc
@cknw