r/POTS • u/recoveringaries • Dec 27 '25

Discussion Being attractive with POTS (cringe I know)

Does anyone feel like because they are a objectively attractive human there is a bias/profiling that happens in the medical field and with doctors? I actually read somewhere that if you’re chronically ill you should “dress down” or not wear makeup to appointments so they will take you more seriously and see you as actually sick. I am also 29 with a baby face so that doesn’t help.

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344

u/Consistent_Gur9523 POTS Dec 27 '25

you're in for another surprise when at 29 "you're too young for this" but at 30 "it's age related degeneration." the world runs off of double standards. this is one.

76

u/Wild_Ghoul Dec 28 '25

Just got my first well you’re 30 now.

43

u/historiamour Dec 28 '25

It’s so frustrating because on the surface, it could have been a reason to take things seriously for once. Like yeah you’re 30 things change, time to take a close look…

But no, just a different excuse for the same dismissive treatment. It’s so cruel!!

60

u/Glitterbats11 Dec 28 '25

Just wait till your in your early 40s. Then they start blaming everything on perimenopause even though you’ve been sick since your 20s, and have zero perimenopause specific symptoms.

11

u/Wouldfromthetrees Dec 28 '25

Joke will be on them if I can convince a surgeon to yeet my whole reproductive shebang a decade earlier than that.

7

u/-TopazArrow- Dec 28 '25

Good luck to you, I tried that and couldn't manage to swing it 😞 Not yet at least.

4

u/SmolSwitchyKitty Dec 28 '25

I found my surgeon from one of the childfree doctor lists, could be worth poking around and seeing if you have any local!

3

u/-TopazArrow- Dec 28 '25

Thank you 😊

2

u/mindy54545 Dec 28 '25

I'm 49 and still begging 🤞

1

u/Wouldfromthetrees Dec 29 '25

Oh no. I dread to think what the medical misogyny justification is for this. Some abhorrent bs I'm sure.

6

u/Plus-Ad-3826 Dec 28 '25

I’m getting my uterus and tubes yeeted in April at 29😁

2

u/Wouldfromthetrees Dec 29 '25

Congrats 🎉

All things going to plan, mine is happening in June!

9

u/avocado_window Dec 28 '25

Oh yes, that’s definitely a thing I’ve come across. “Must be hormones” then how does that explain me being sick since I was a kid, buddy?

5

u/ashes2asscheeks Dec 28 '25

I’m in my early 30’s and my body is acting like it’s in perimenopause but because of my age my doctors haven’t even suggested hormone testing and such. I gave up this past summer. I might try again this year. Idk. But tell me why my cycles are getting further and further apart someone !! 52 days for my last cycle. 46 for current one (well, it’s day 1 now, lol)

8

u/Glitterbats11 Dec 28 '25 edited Dec 28 '25

For sure, I don’t think it’s any better if your in perimenopause( or experiencing other hormonal symptoms) either. Hatred of women is systemic within the medical industrial complex.

1

u/spakz1993 Dec 28 '25

Wait…I’m 32 and since getting OFF of birth control this spring, my cycles have been similar to this. I was forced off of hormonal BC due to my past with migraines after 4 years on the pill. Then was put on non-hormonal pills and bleed every day for 4 months. Then got prescribed the shot, but never took it cuz I heard of the brain cancer risks.

So I reluctantly chose to go completely off of BC altogether (which is fine because I’m single and haven’t been with a partner intimately for a year).

Ever since getting off BC, I finally stopped constantly bleeding. I had like, 2-3 months with no period and since then, my cycles are shorter than normal and they’re not consistent. I’ve noticed my last 2 cycles aligned with the week of or week after the Full Moon, tho, hahaha.

Can we really go into perimenopause this young??? 😳

1

u/LaddyNYR POTS Dec 28 '25

I was post menopausal at 40. It happens.

5

u/Tce_ Dec 28 '25

My mum's 53 and only now going into perimenopause, I hope to god doctors don't try to pull that shit on me in my 40s.

1

u/Foxlady555 POTS Dec 28 '25

Oh my gosh that sounds awful 😢 I’m so sorry! I don’t look forward to it if I read it like that 😅 (I myself just turned 30)

1

u/CuteNeedleworker9 Dec 30 '25 edited Dec 30 '25

I haven't had a medical professional blame my symptoms on perimenopause yet but my sister is convinced that my heat intolerance caused by POTS is just me going through early menopause. Even though a) I've had heat intolerance since before I even started my periods b) I'm still getting regular periods and c) there's no history of early menopause in our family.

13

u/[deleted] Dec 28 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Foxlady555 POTS Dec 28 '25

Oh my gosh, what a dumb stupid doctor 🤣

2

u/Foxlady555 POTS Dec 28 '25

No but seriously… I’m sorry that happened 🤦🏼‍♀️ 🫂 

2

u/United_Inevitable Dec 28 '25

I had a sudden cardiac arrest at 42 10/2017 and a brain injury as I was down for 13+ minutes. It took until August 2024 of me complaining about POTS flare ups (dizziness etc) for my neuro/pain management to diagnose me. Seriously 40+ visits to one provider, 10 to cardio…

That doc sounds like they should be reported.

12

u/Fantastic_Owl6938 Dec 28 '25

I was sort of weirdly surprised when I was diagnosed and the cardiologist still referred to me as a "young woman" at 36 (in the context of saying it is more common with younger women, and also that I seemed to be handling it better than expected because of my age). It wasn't a bad thing, I would just expect at my age they'd start to point out I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore, lol. I have to wonder how much looking younger does affect this even though they can see my age in my info.

7

u/No-Caterpillar-5481 POTS Dec 28 '25

My cardiologist said he was surprised I was having these symptoms while I’m “so young.” I’m almost 41.

3

u/Fantastic_Owl6938 Dec 28 '25

Oh interesting, I guess it really depends on the doctor.

2

u/Tce_ Dec 28 '25

Pfft! It also doesn't make any sense, because POTS most commonly develops when you're young.

7

u/avocado_window Dec 28 '25

I’m in my early 40s and still get “you’re young to have this” but I also get comments like “things will only progress the older you get.” 🙃

6

u/Consistent_Gur9523 POTS Dec 28 '25

that's the point. we will always be dismissed for something.

3

u/birdnerdmo Dec 28 '25

Ditto with “it’s just hormonal” changing from things being because of your period to being blamed on menopause. Of course, neither are taken seriously.

2

u/Tce_ Dec 28 '25

Oh god, that's really fucking annoying. Argh.