I was diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension at the age of 15. At school, I suddenly just passed out in class. A few moments later, I came to and said I was fine. A few minutes later, I passed out again. As this continued, a classmate informed the teachers of this and they called the paramedics. They took my blood pressure and found that it was significantly low. I got to the hospital where -- after a few hours -- I felt fine. They told me to get dressed and once again, I fainted and fell. My mother who was there with me at the time caught me and yelled for a nurse. I was unconscious for a few hours. When I came to again, my mom and the doctor kept asking me questions to make sure I had not suffered any head damage of any kind. My mother told me that she watched the blood pressure monitor drop so low that at one point my blood pressure was about 50/30 or somewhere around there. This was, of course, quite shocking, as this is not normal for a healthy 15 year old.

I work in doctor's surgery and hadn't been well for a while. I went all funny and had to go and lay in one of the nurses rooms. One of the GP's came in and started asking me questions, he took my blood pressure. I layed down, sat up and stood up and it dropped by 20 on one side and 10 on the other obviously signaling Orthostatic Hypotension. Since this episode I have had many more since and I am currently under investigation. Good thing I work where I do.

I was diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension this year after 15 years of the initial episode. Every doctor assumed it was a sign of diabetes. Because of this condition, I have been tested 2-3 times a year. It took a neurologist to believe it was something else. I failed a tilt table test, not even getting to a 10-minute mark. I am now seeing a cardiologist who is very familiar with the diagnosis and is working with me to keep both this syndrome and my hypotension in check. I've also been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and am looking into a possible prognosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, which orthostatic intolerance seems to follow quite closely.

My son (then 11) had been sick with a virus. He couldn't seem to get feeling better. He would stand up and then lay back down. After several visits to our pediatrician and a few months had passed, I happened to mention that my son was huffing and puffing while walking through a store. He sent us to a cardiologist who diagnosed it in minutes. He stated all the symptoms and I said "Oh my gosh, I have had that since the 4th grade!” My son drank a gallon of water a day and within a few days, he was feeling fine again. I told my doctor about it and he ordered a tilt table test. Yep, I have it too. I really feel it when I have been sick or after a surgery where I lay down a lot. I get to a point that I don't know if I am sick or it's the orthostatic intolerance, but I just feel sick. I now make sure to drink more fluids and I get to eat plenty of salt. Both my son and I have a lower energy level, that most people just don't understand, but I am thrilled that our solution is water and salt.

I was diagnosed at 17 after having mono and west Nile virus. Doctors and nurses had tested me multiple times by measuring my blood pressure and heart rate lying down, sitting, and standing but were always inconsistent with how long I would lie down or the circumstances. Once I went to the Mayo clinic they ordered a tilt table test as well as a stress test and found severe orthostatic tachycardia as well as several other autonomic dysfunctions (POTS).

I had my first episode when I was 18 years old. All my life I would get dizzy when I stood up too fast. Now at age 59 it seems to be getting worse. I wake up with tingling finger tips. At age about 45 I had a tilt table test that confirmed Orthostatic hypotension. If was after I got up too fast and didn't pay attention to the dizziness and passed out. I just had a MRI with added meds to work my heart and passed with ease. My doctor seems to not be too concerned.

A tilt table test. After two years of investigations, fainting and dizzy spells. I was more relieved to find out it was not my imagination.