Dr. Diana Driscoll, Clinical Director of POTS Care, explains how the clinic differs from others, and explains a bit about her recovery and that of her children.
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How We Evaluate POTS
Frequently Asked Questions
No! We find that traditional treatment of POTS (blood volume expansion, beta-blockers, antidepressants, and exercise) not only does nothing to treat the underlying medical cause of POTS, it presumes all patients are the same. Instead, we dig deep to locate what others have missed, including possible abnormalities with intracranial pressure, vagus nerve problems, immune system disorders, endocrine abnormalities, vascular issues, and abnormal inflammation. Only by treating every patient as an individual case and moving far beyond symptomatic treatment can the majority of patients recover from Idiopathic POTS. Our job is to locate these issues as quickly and as non-invasively as possible, so that patients are not longer shuffled from specialist to specialist, with no one looking at the big picture. Not only is that approach often unsuccessful, it can take months or years for complete evaluations.
First, you will be with us at POTS Care for approximately 4 days for your evaluation. At the end of that time, you will leave with a preliminary treatment plan in place, medications and supplements needed, and dietary and exercise recommendations, beginning your road to recovery! Over the next three weeks, we evaluate your new blood work as it is available and your response to treatment thus far, and make adjustments to your treatment plan based on these results.
Three weeks later, we will have a telephone or Skype meeting to cover your detailed final treatment plan with you. At the time of this final summary, you will have copies of your record, your blood work, and your final summary should you want or need to share that with anyone on your medical team. We will make sure you have all of your questions answered, and we will contact you weekly for another month should new questions arise.
This arrangement gives us the necessary time with you, yet allows you and your friends or family to return home as soon as possible. We know how difficult it can be to travel, to be away from home, and to ask others to interrupt their schedules for long periods of time. We hope this arrangement eliminates some of the frustration of multiple doctor visits with large gaps of time in between. We’d like to shorten your journey for answers to your POTS!
Dr. Diana Driscoll, optometrist and Clinical Director, is an EDS patient who recovered from POTS, as have her children. Drs. Diana and Richard Driscoll began studying POTS and running numerous clinical trials when traditional treatment for POTS failed for them, and they were convinced there were medical reasons for their illness. They established Genetic Disease Investigators, LLC to conduct their studies and began finding answers via unique ocular testing. Drs. Driscoll are intimately familiar with POTS, chronic fatigue, brain fog, immune system decline, gastroparesis and other G.I. problems, poor temperature regulation, interstitial cystitis, and other symptoms affecting these patients. You may know Dr. Diana Driscoll from her site www.Prettyill.com where she provides informational videos concerning EDS (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), mast cell activation disorders, chronic fatigue, hyperadrenergic POTS, and other forms of dysautonomia and POTS. She has worked tirelessly to promote awareness and education concerning these conditions, is recognized as the first person to use the now common #EDS hashtag on Twitter, and has reached out to help others on her forum at Prettyill.com, now known worldwide.
All members of the team are carefully selected for their experience in “invisible illnesses”, their compassion and patience. Some physicians assist directly in patient care, while others are available for consultations as needed. Because experience in these conditions is a rarity, the physicians at POTS Care may need to consult with specialists outside of the local area. All of these costs are included in your fee.
An integral part of the team are the doctors who work behind the scenes. POTS Care has licensed the rights to use the collective knowledge obtained by the research of a variety of specialists involved in Genetic Disease Investigators, LLC. Although currently not directly involved in POTS Care, their work has been instrumental in creating the algorithms needed to evaluate POTS patients in a more thorough, yet efficient manner. When you are evaluated at POTS Care, it’s as if dozens of doctors that you never see are contributing their knowledge to your care. This new model for evaluation and treatment was a necessary step in providing patients with the best care possible in the least amount of time possible.
Traditionally, these medications have been recommended for symptomatic relief of POTS, but these medications do not address the underlying medical problem resulting in POTS. Depending upon the underlying cause(s) of your case of POTS, these medications may actually be worsening your condition. Sometimes helpful for patients in the short-term, we do not recommend them for long-term management. Instead, our effort will go towards locating and treating the underlying cause of POTS and its numerous comorbid conditions.
Biofeedback can be helpful to control some aspects of POTS, especially when surges of some chemicals cause a “hyperadrenergic” response of the body. These surges can easily be diagnosed as “anxiety” by the uninformed. We have found, however, that most patients have an underlying medical reason for these surges and unless this is diagnosed and treated, patients will not achieve long-lasting results. We will focus on identifying and treating these medical issues, and help patients with techniques to help control autonomic symptoms until the medical problems can be fully addressed. Addressing the medical cause of these surges is our focus.
At POTS Care, we understand what is like to suffer with POTS and other invisible illnesses. We are sensitive to your needs for rest, a comfortable reclining position, lots of fluids, low stress, low light levels, etc. We also understand difficulties with brain fog and exhaustion – especially if you need to travel to get to us. We do our very best to accommodate your needs, and you need not feel embarrassed should you require special care. Just let us know what you need, and we will do our best to work around your body’s requirements.
We charge $6,700 for your evaluation, treatment, and two months of follow up care. You can pay with a credit card, your flex spending account, or a check. This fee does not include your lodging (we will provide you with information on some great local hotels). We also offer financing plans (many are interest-free). Should you be interested in financing, please contact us for details.
You can pay with a cash, check, credit card, your Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA) or you can make payments through our credit program (many payment plans are interest-free). We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
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