What Life With POTS Looks Like After You've Left the Doctor's Office

We all know the symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): tachycardia, dizzy spells, nausea, fatigue and, in some cases, blackouts. Living with POTS means juggling a range of symptoms, so what is it really like to live with POTS after you’ve left the doctor’s office?

1. It means forgetting what you needed from the shop because you only went to get three things, so you thought you didn’t need to make a list.

2. It’s not being able to work due to fluctuating symptoms and it means explaining to people over and over again why you don’t have a job.

3. It means having nightmares every night and waking up feeling like you haven’t slept at all, even though you’ve slept for 12 hours.

4. It means planning every activity around your symptoms, which is exhausting in itself.

5. It means taking medications to treat the side effects of other medications.

6. It means avoiding foods and drinks that can worsen your symptoms, such as alcohol, caffeine and sugar.

7. As a young woman, it means considering when and if you want to start a family.

8. It’s going out with a full face of make-up because you don’t want people to see how washed out and tired you look.

9. It’s wondering whether you believe your doctor when he says you’ll be better by the time you’re 30.

Although POTS is not a life-threatening condition, it is definitely a life-changing condition.

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Thinkstock photo via akinbostanci.