A POTS Journey: Beyond Just a Fainting Disorder

Today on the podcast we are joined by Sophie, a professional athlete and dancer who since a young age, has been managing life with POTS syndrome, also known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. With an estimate of 1-3 million people impacted, a large percentage being women, POTS has also seen an increase in numbers post COVID. POTS is characterized by low blood volume and circulation which can create multiple side effects, including fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations and dizziness, among other things. Known as the "fainting disease", it's an incredibly challenging syndrome to manage.Sophie first encountered symptoms at a young age, where she began fainting upon standing, along with convulsing. As is frequent with POTS, she was misdiagnosed with positional hypertension and it took her another 10 years to receive a proper diagnosis. For Sophie, she also manages her daily life while navigating IBS, arthritis, endometriosis, pain, slow speech, nightmares, and rapid heart rate. In this illuminating conversation, Sophie walks us through her personal journey of dealing with these symptoms (that can shift frequently), advocating for herself with providers, living her lifestyle as best she can while immunocompromised, and the tools and methods that have helped her along the way. With a critical eye towards managing her diet (little to no sugar), high sodium and water intake, items like compression socks, and a huge emphasis on rest, Sophie works to support her active lifestyle and career. While research is progressing on POTS, especially with a large influx of diagnoses post-COVID, there is still much to be done. Sophie has found great support in community groups, independent research, and self-advocacy. Join us for an in-depth look at POTS and how Sophie pursues the lifestyle and activities she desires. Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is not a substitute for any form of professional physical health care or medical care. Listening does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship with Tracy Karas, DPT. The information provided is for inspirational and educational purposes only.