There are lots of ways to go about reducing the symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), including lifestyle changes, medication, and even physical therapy. I had heard of people having success reducing symptoms through exercise and strength training, so when given the opportunity, I...
When my postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) first started escalating, the most concerning symptoms included things like chest pain, palpitations (like my heart was flopping), and tachycardia (racing heart). Not knowing what was happening, my doctor ordered an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the...
As I’m sure you can understand, getting a puppy didn’t seem like a great idea when considering the reality of potty breaks, playtime, and the general activity needed to keep up with a four-pawed toddler. Especially as it pertained to me and my physical and...
The first time I used a cane, I brought it to a giant craft store to “test it out” and meandered the aisles getting used to the feel - both practically (how it helped my condition), but also personally (how it changed the way I...
It blew my mind that our understanding of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) as a recognized condition is only about 30 years old. While there have been a few labels used to describe similar symptoms/conditions observed, such as “soldier’s heart,” “irritable heart syndrome,” or “orthostatic...
I was on metoprolol tartrate for 3 weeks, metoprolol succinate for 1 week, and propranolol for one day. The experience overall was amazing, but also hard and heartbreaking. For one, the metoprolol tartrate worked. As a potsy (or person living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome)...
Admittedly, switching to metoprolol succinate was a bit rough. I don’t know that I’d go so far as to call it a train wreck, but we certainly wobbled on the tracks. While metoprolol tartrate seemed to give me increased ability (and unfortunately a few intolerable...
Oftentimes people with POTS are told, or assume, that there is no actual treatment for POTS. Initially, I was told that medication wasn’t an option, and to do my best with lifestyle adjustments like drinking more water, eating as much salt as I could manage,...
Driving is just sitting, so it’s fine - right? It’s a hard question to actually acknowledge for someone doing their best to live a normal life despite having postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The condition primarily impacts women between the ages of 15-25, and certainly,...
If only I had a limp. I’m kidding of course, but in the day-to-day of living postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a part of me wishes there was some sort of external manifestation of the craziness happening inside my body. When I first started familiarizing myself...