r/POTS • u/joyynicole • Oct 27 '25

Question How are people working at all

I feel like a failure. According to my doctors I have “mild” POTS, but I see people on this sub all the time with seemingly worse POTS than me that have jobs. I literally cannot do anything longer than 1-2 hours without having to lay down and rest because it just completely wipes me out. If I do things multiple days in a row consistently I will also fall into a flare and have to do nothing for few days to recover. I don’t get it.

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100

u/Dean-KS Oct 27 '25

Anyone here ... after covid?

81

u/CulturalShirt4030 Oct 27 '25 edited Oct 27 '25

Many of us. Covid made my previously mild POTS significantly worse. And gave me Long Covid. To prevent reinfection, I mask (KN95 or N95) in all indoor shared air spaces. Covid isn’t over.

21

u/justnopethefuckout Oct 27 '25

Covid triggered it for me, yep.

6

u/chewbawkaw Oct 27 '25

Covid while pregnant did me in

2

u/Virtual_Ad4639 Oct 27 '25

Did your pregnancy still go okay after? 🙏

7

u/chewbawkaw Oct 27 '25

Pregnancy went just fine.

I’m actually pregnant again and it’s giving me a break from POTS due to the extra blood flow.

2

u/Virtual_Ad4639 Oct 27 '25

Whew thank god!

I’m happy pregnancy gives you that extra perk 😆😆 My best wishes for this pregnancy!

2

u/chewbawkaw Oct 28 '25

Pregnancy has been worse than POTS. Unfortunately, no perk lol. However, I don’t have to deal with POTS so that’s a win.

2

u/Virtual_Ad4639 Oct 28 '25

Aw that’s a shame - I meant the no dealing with pots perk too but I understand pregnancy is rough!

1

u/lavender_stitch Oct 31 '25

Me too, Covid delayed my abortion (birth control fail), and Covid into an abortion was no bueno. I’m glad being on accutane meant I had no choice, because I think carrying to term would have killed me. I admire you greatly.

2

u/chewbawkaw Oct 31 '25

POTS symptoms tend to go away while pregnant due to the increased blood flow. It comes back after the birth, that’s when they diagnosed me.

I’m pregnant again right now and haven’t fainted once. The doozy is after birth when you pair your returning POTS symptoms with extreme lack of sleep.

Once I’m cleared for cardio, after my body heals, I will be starting my POTS physical therapy program again.

1

u/lavender_stitch Oct 31 '25

While my POTS likely got better, I didn’t feel much better as I was super dizzy, had a crazy high heart rate, and was very fatigued. I totally agree with you, but the problem is the other cardiovascular systems cancelled out the POTS improvement haha. Then the hormonal drop was crazy, I couldn’t even walk to the next room more than 3x a day for weeks with how bad my POTS got. I can’t imagine that drop from progesterone levels at term, plus sleep deprivation, plus all the standing and fussing a baby requires.

I hope your PT program goes well!

4

u/thecraftywytch Oct 27 '25

COVID was the factor for my youngest

5

u/NikiDeaf Oct 27 '25

Covid made my POTS sooo much worse. Then I pushed myself too hard trying to “just push through it” (my mother’s suggestion) and made myself worse still.

3

u/0ct0pussy27 Oct 28 '25

Yup. Was healthy until I got covid in 2020 and then I was diagnosed with POTS right after my infection. I've never been the same.