Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a condition that affects how your heart and blood vessels work.
Let's say you are sitting on the floor playing with your toys. Your heart is beating at a nice, steady pace - just like it should be.
Now, imagine that you stand up really quickly. Your body has to adjust to the new position, and your heart rate might speed up a little bit to help with that adjustment. For most people, this isn't a big deal - their heart rate will go up a little bit and then go back down once their body has adjusted.
But for people with POTS, their body has a hard time making that adjustment. So instead of just going up a little bit, their heart rate might shoot up really high. This can make them feel dizzy, lightheaded, or even faint.
POTS can happen for lots of different reasons, but some common ones include things like dehydration, low blood sugar, or certain medications. It can also happen for no apparent reason at all.
If you have POTS, there are things you can do to help manage your symptoms. For example, you might be advised to drink lots of water or to eat smaller, more frequent meals. You might also be told to avoid things like standing for long periods of time or getting too hot.
There are also medications that can help manage the symptoms of POTS. Your doctor will work with you to figure out the best plan of action based on your particular situation.
Overall, POTS can be a frustrating condition to deal with, but with the right care and management, most people are able to live normal, healthy lives.
Let's say you are sitting on the floor playing with your toys. Your heart is beating at a nice, steady pace - just like it should be.
Now, imagine that you stand up really quickly. Your body has to adjust to the new position, and your heart rate might speed up a little bit to help with that adjustment. For most people, this isn't a big deal - their heart rate will go up a little bit and then go back down once their body has adjusted.
But for people with POTS, their body has a hard time making that adjustment. So instead of just going up a little bit, their heart rate might shoot up really high. This can make them feel dizzy, lightheaded, or even faint.
POTS can happen for lots of different reasons, but some common ones include things like dehydration, low blood sugar, or certain medications. It can also happen for no apparent reason at all.
If you have POTS, there are things you can do to help manage your symptoms. For example, you might be advised to drink lots of water or to eat smaller, more frequent meals. You might also be told to avoid things like standing for long periods of time or getting too hot.
There are also medications that can help manage the symptoms of POTS. Your doctor will work with you to figure out the best plan of action based on your particular situation.
Overall, POTS can be a frustrating condition to deal with, but with the right care and management, most people are able to live normal, healthy lives.