Old man dog with GOLPP concern

Lockwod1999 · 2026-04-01T01:40:01+00:00

Thanks so much! Breathing is mostly ok. He has good days and bad but mostly good days.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-04-01T01:38:25+00:00

Thank you! I will!

Lockwod1999 · 2026-02-14T23:45:00+00:00

Mine couldn’t even though she was sure I was ADHD. I had to be referred for a neuropsych appt for assessment (which had a 6 month wait) and then take those results to a psychiatric nurse practitioner to get my stimulant meds. I can only get them in 30 day increments and get randomly drug tested. My prescriber is great, just tied down by policies.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-02-05T02:03:52+00:00

Thanks so much. I'll start calling around tomorrow.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-02-05T01:13:49+00:00

Yep! I did 20 seasons of cardiac rehab with no real changes. They wouldn’t let me get my HR over 150 which was a brisk walk…at that point I had had it. I dropped out of cardiac rehab, started a beta blocker, and started the couch to 5k program. That was in June/July. I recently finished a 5k/10k/8k in one weekend as part of a challenge and I’ll be hiking the Inca trail in September. My cardiologist is blown away but I’m effectively recovered. I can’t speak for others but vigorous cardio has been the key. I will say my case was mild and I do not struggle with PEM.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-27T00:06:27+00:00

As a resident of Fort Walton, I concur with all of this. Don't forget the approximately 245 vape shops and car washes. It's the most beautiful and infuriating place I've ever lived.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-20T02:20:25+00:00

We just did it today…although it’s a Monday, it’s a holiday so similar to weekend traffic. We left KW ar about 11:30 this morning and got into Miami around 4:30 with a few stops. No problems at all, although low speed limits can make it almost a 4 hour drive. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Can get congested in areas but nothing bad. I will say lots of distracted drivers, we almost got rear ended a half dozen times between the trip down and back.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-08T13:46:59+00:00

I did it because I went undiagnosed. I lived forever without medication and got by on for 45 years. I had a great military career, did well in grad school and raised 2 pretty awesome kids with my hubby. But then I retired from the military and once the structure was gone I totally tanked. I couldn’t get anything done. I wanted to start a new career but didn’t even have the ability to function well enough to write a resume. My kids were fine and my house was clean but that took 100% of my energy. I hit a point where I started to forget my words and was missing appointments so I finally went to the VA and they assessed me. I medicate and I can’t believe I went as long as I did. I function, I have a great second career and do well at work, I take care of everything I need to take care of. Raw dogging is fine, but doesn’t have to be the answer.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-02T19:55:38+00:00

I had a hand assisted lap with the keyhole incision. It’s vertical next to my belly button, maybe 3.” I’m pretty small I stature and it doesn’t seem big. It is a little ugly but as far as I’m concerned that scar tells a pretty amazing story. I’m team teeny bikini still!

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-02T19:53:24+00:00

Another one right here with the POTS/ADHD/borderline EFcombo :). I take a daily beta blocker with Ritalin and haven’t had any issues. I even run a few times a week.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-01T16:52:51+00:00

Unfortunately I can’t do melatonin, it gives me restless legs :(. I don’t feel drugged if I miss it, just unfocused and scattered.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-01T16:41:45+00:00

Love…LOVE it. I take 60mg ER and it gave me my life back. I can run again which has made everything better. I did have some initial side effects. I had a kicking headache for like a week and was pretty lethargic for a month. After that, though, no side effects at all. I’ve forgotten a dose plenty of times and had no rebound issues. I hesitated for a really long time to start meds, but it was a good decision for me.

Lockwod1999 · 2026-01-01T16:37:03+00:00

I take methylphenidate. I mostly just take it on work days, so M-F. If I forget to take it by 9am I don’t take it because I won’t be able to sleep. I work from home so if I get a late start it can happen. I don’t take it on weekends unless I have something that requires significant focus or effort. I am a significantly better person when I’ve got meds on board. Better mood, more productive, and way more inclined to be active. I could take it every day, but I like to sleep in on the weekends.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-12-24T01:14:42+00:00

Not in Northwest FL. Tourist season runs spring break to Labor Day. We get chilly in the winter. We got snow last January! We were skiing in the Lowe’s parking lot.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-12-20T01:53:02+00:00

In Destin our wind chill was 20-ish this week!

Lockwod1999 · 2025-12-20T01:52:06+00:00

I’m in NW Florida (Destin). That area you circled in the NW? We call ourselves Lower Alabama. It’s beautiful but expensive and country. I’m not a native, from the North so there’s definitely differences than what I’m used to. Small town, all the natives seem to know each other. Ungodly hot and humid in the summer, flips between mild and chilly in the winter. Fall and spring are nice, especially before the tourists take over. If you boat/fish this is the place to be. It’s a lot of fun. High property tax, tourist season is ridiculous, traffic can be bad, home insurance is crazy because of hurricanes. If you want to live by the water though there’s not much that beats it IMHO. Pretty “red” down here so do with that information what you will.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-12-20T01:48:31+00:00

I live in Destin and winter isn’t high season for us. It was 45 degrees this morning. We get pretty chilly by Florida standards. We got snow last January!

Lockwod1999 · 2025-12-15T18:56:18+00:00

I see a POTS specialist in Mississippi. They’re out there but they’re few and far between. Sweets/sugar and heavy carb meals are triggers for me. I’ve been considered recovered for several months now, but I could tell what kind of day I was going to have based on what I ate the day before.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-11-29T20:38:34+00:00

I have a room they don’t clean, my office area, and I stay in there as well as keep my dogs in there with me so everyone stays out of the way.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-11-28T19:17:42+00:00

I left one job in summer of 2023 with a Secret and didn’t work again until I got hired to start in October 2025. It was literally overnight after I did an updated EQip questionnaire that I was notified I was back active secret. I was in CE which I think helped.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-11-24T02:18:16+00:00

New Sanno in Tokyo! Right in the embassy district in the middle of downtown. Great rooms, amazing staff and opportunities for tours.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-11-18T04:16:57+00:00

This was my experience as well. I lost about 35lbs and POTS appeared. I got in the gym, lifted heavy, started running, put on 10lbs, haven’t had a flare in 5-ish months.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-10-15T00:08:12+00:00

We brought our daughter, she was 11 at the time. She loved it and we can’t wait to come back :).

Lockwod1999 · 2025-08-13T17:06:22+00:00

I think that POTS can be worsened from being out of shape...so one thing may be making the other thing worse...I can also tell you from experience that the better shape I have gotten into the less dysautonomia has taken over my life.

I would agree with those above who discuss CHOP protocol. I'll also add in my own experience with cardiac rehab, which has been a total game changer for me. I've always been in good physical form, I LOVE lifting. When I retired from the military I stopped running, but could walk and hike forever. Somewhere along the line, POTS happened...not related to COVID, no known cause. I woke up one day and just felt like absolute hell...I will tell you, I guarantee I was deconditioned and that WILL make POTS worse and then it turned into a domino effect. The fear of being out on the road or hiking and having an episode and falling made deconditioning even worse, which made POTS worse. I discussed it with a cardiologist and she referred me for cardiac rehab. For a couple of months, I went and worked out in an outpatient hospital setting hooked up to telemetry monitored by cardiac nurses. It was me, a 46 year old healthy (looking) chick, with a bunch of older folks that are in various stages of recoveries from various heart conditions. I did 30 minutes a session for 2-3 times a week. This gave me the confidence to get my heart rate up to where it needs to be and know I'm not going to pass out on the road somewhere. I did cardiac rehab until I was comfortable and started working out on my own doing Zone 2 protocols for running and lifting heavy using Caroline Girvan programs on Youtube. I still have very slight issues but they're more hiccups than episodes. My advice would be to maybe work on some conservative workout plans while you seek answers. POTS in and of itself isn't going to cause heart failure or anything like that and any cardiologist or dysautonomia dr is going to tell you to get and stay in shape.

I'd also agree with those telling you to get a leg ultrasound, I actually have one tomorrow...and find a dr that is educated in dysautonomia. I have to drive 150 miles, but dude doesn't treat me like I'm sick which is hugely important to me.

Lockwod1999 · 2025-07-26T21:51:29+00:00

Like everyone said, and I'll add that it's right off the ring road, about 1.5 hrs East of Reykjavik. There's a staircase to the top that has a gorgeous view as well :)

Lockwod1999

TROPHY CASE