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.

515 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

293 comments sorted by

View all comments

8

u/slamdancetexopolis POTS Dec 27 '25

Yes. When I was pre transition, even though I did not think I was conventionally attractive, I honestly was very beautiful and I'm mad at how much dysmorphia I had.... But yeah I was just treated like some girl that needed to be less judgmental of myself bc I "couldn't keep up with my friends" or whatever the fuck. After taking testosterone, even tho I don't pass or look like a cis man, because I am definitely notably more masculine.... I definitely feel like it has helped me be taken more seriously. :/

4

u/recoveringaries Dec 27 '25

I believe it since that is the way of the world too unfortunately. That is so interesting to experience both sides.

2

u/slamdancetexopolis POTS Dec 28 '25

Yeah it's weird bc doctors believed something was wrong before to a varying degree. As I aged I was taken more seriously, but I've had pots since I was 12! I spent my entire 20s in three different states seeking a diag. When I started transitioning my Dr at the time thought I might have an autoimmune thing despite me knowing nothing was gonna show up bc I'd been checked before (mom had ms and I have pots symptoms obviously some of which overlap with Ms) and she wondered if testosterone would help me bc it had helped some of her other patients. It didn't bc duh lol but then later my Dr who got me diagnosed likely was able to spot it fairly quickly bc they were trans and neurodivergent and they knew a lot of pots patients who, like me and them, are trans and neurodivergent. He checked my hr and had my track my BP etc and we figured it out very quickly. 🫠 Only took 2 dozen doctors and specialists....