Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Help raise awareness for, and understanding of, this little-known yet debilitating ‘invisible’ illness.

  • POTS is characterized by a disturbance in the circuitry that governs the automatic functions of the body.  There seems to be various causes yet there is no conclusive evidence at present to fully explain its aetiology.

    Some symptoms include tachycardia upon standing - experienced as an  inability to tolerate standing up, exercise intolerance, temperature dysregulation, exhaustion and unrelenting extreme fatigue, fainting, palpitations, blurred vision, light - headedness, nausea, GI issues, headache, tremors, impaired focus and thinking.

  • POTS can affect people of any age, gender, or ethnicity, but it more frequently affects women who are childbearing age (between the ages of 15 and 50).

  • Whilst POTS is not considered acutely life-threatening, it is extremely debilitating and damaging young people's lives. While dysautonomia can range in severity, around 25% of people with POTS are unable to function normally enough to go to school or job.

    The functional impairment found in POTS patients has been compared by doctors with experience treating POTS to the impairment seen in individuals with congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

    According to research, people with POTS have similar quality of life to those who are receiving dialysis for kidney failure.

 

Want to know more from me?

I’m available for discussion related to chronic illness via Zoom appointment and/or email. Based on my own experience with POTS, I can talk to you about the process of getting a diagnosis, living with a chronic illness, what to expect, and how to get help to make sure your needs are met. Fill in the form below to get in touch!