Not a good week (and it's only Monday)

I'm working 10 hour days this week to make up for the time I'll be taking off on Friday for my infusions. Unfortunately, my body doesn't agree with this decision.

I fainted after lunch today. It's been a long time since I've fainted. I didn't even notice that I'd done it. I was sitting in a chair in the conference/lunch room when a muscle spasm in my back made me lean forward with the pain. The next thing I knew a few co-workers were asking me if I was ok and saying I looked really flushed. I just laid in the floor for a few minutes, drank some water, then went back to work. I still don't feel terrific, and my husband had to drive me home because I'm so weak and fighting nausea.

I used to faint quite a bit. I was diagnosed with dysautonomia when I was in college and prescribed florinef to control the fainting spells and blackouts that were pretty frequent then. After a few years on the florinef, I was able to wean myself off and replace drugs with cardio workouts to help regulate blood pressure.

I'm guessing that my blood pressure has dropped below normal again (normal for me being around 80/70) since I've been fairly inactive of late (just checked it: yep, it's low--91/52). I wonder if there is a connection between dysautonomia and arthritis (or autoimmune diseases in general). Arthritis and dysautonomia symptoms both started to really bother me when I was about 16 years old (I distinctly remember being upset that my parents wouldn't let me drive because I had been passing out at random).

I haven't seen a neurologist or cardiologist to treat the dysautonomia since I left Birmingham. I'd prefer to avoid adding yet another doctor to my rotation of doctors visits. It's hard enough to see the rheumatologist all the time, especially since I'm paid hourly and don't have sick leave or vacation leave.

Maybe this is just a fluke and it won't happen again any time soon. Cross your fingers for me.