If you’re here, chances are you (or someone you know) is living with the quirky challenges of POTS and dysautonomia after Long COVID. Fatigue, brain fog, rapid heart rate, and post-exertional malaise PEM are df you’re here, chances are you (or someone you know) is navigating the daily challenges of POTS and dysautonomia after Long COVID. Fatigue, brain fog, rapid heart rate, and Post Exertional Malaise PEM are constant companions. In this guide, I share what POTS feels like, why it happens, and practical tips for standing, moving, and living all with humor so we don’t cry.
What is POTS and How It Relates to Long COVID
POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It affects the nervous system, making even standing a challenge. Your heart might race as if you’ve sprinted upstairs, just from getting off the couch.
Since COVID, diagnoses of POTS and other dysautonomia forms have increased. The virus can affect the immune and nervous systems, causing dizziness, fainting, nausea, fatigue, and brain fog.
Why Long COVID Can Trigger Dysautonomia
Experts are still researching, but some ideas include:
- Inflammation: COVID inflames nerves and blood vessels, disrupting heart rate and blood pressure control.
- Nerve or Blood Vessel Damage: Direct damage can cause POTS symptoms.
- Autoimmune Response: The immune system may attack its own nerves, producing dysautonomia.
Current management strategies include hydration, extra salt, compression socks, and medications, though there is no universal cure.
Daily Life with POTS: Fatigue, Brain Fog, and Unexpected Challenges
Living with POTS is like riding a rollercoaster with no seatbelt. Every day brings surprises, some frustrating, some absurd, and some that make you laugh to survive.
Standing Up Feels Impossible
Talking to a friend and suddenly your heart races? You either sit quickly or risk collapsing. Graceful collapses are rare. Crouching in grocery aisles or leaning against walls is survival, not laziness.
Rainbow Legs and Blood Pooling
Blood can pool in your legs, turning them red, purple, or blue. Cold, heavy legs can feel alien. Explaining it to others? Not fun.
Heat Intolerance
Hot days are brutal. Your heart pounds, vision fuzzes, and shade is sacred. Air conditioning becomes life support, and freezer sections in supermarkets are your new friends.
Exercise, Energy Management, and PEM
Exercise is tricky. Even light activity can trigger Post Exertional Malaise PEM. Folding laundry might feel like cardio. A ten-minute walk could drain your energy reserves. Planning movement becomes a strategic operation, balancing activity with rest.
Digestive Drama
Meals can bring nausea, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. Dining requires caution and backup plans. Some days, you survive dinner flawlessly; other days, you map out the nearest restroom in advance.
Brain Fog: Where Did My Brain Go?
Brain fog turns simple thinking into a challenge. Forgetting words, misplacing phones, repeating grocery list items — your brain seems to run on dial-up while the world is on fiber optic. Humor, sticky notes, and alarms become essential survival tools.
Salt and Electrolytes: Daily Heroes
Salt keeps blood circulating; electrolytes maintain energy. You may sprinkle salt like a fashion statement and sip flavored electrolyte packets daily. Your body relies on them like a backstage crew for the POTS circus.
Finding Humor and Relatable Moments
Life with POTS is strange, frustrating, and sometimes funny. Rainbow legs, gravity wins again, and unsolicited advice like “just drink more water” become part of the comedy. Laughing at absurdity helps survive the unpredictability.
Related Topics
Fatigue and Energy Management · Brain Fog and Cognition · Pacing and Post Exertional Malaise · Breathlessness · POTS and Dysautonomia
Disclaimer
This article is based on personal experience and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before changing your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. The tips shared reflect my experience living with POTS and Long COVID and may not work for everyone.
Long Covid Journey 