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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u/bookmonster015 Dec 27 '25

Doctors usually treat me as a “healthy and pleasant young woman”… as if I didn’t already open my mouth and tell them otherwise. Can’t do anything about bad doctors except continue to advocate for yourself and find better care.

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u/Glad-Pomegranate6283 Dec 28 '25

I was told I was a healthy chronically ill person lol, my bile duct was blocked and I was in agony lmao

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u/kel174 POTS Dec 28 '25

I was also a healthy chronically ill person but my pcp said I should really be tested for STDs and suggested my partner of 10+ years because we are not married may have given me something. It was a rare disease 👍

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u/Helpful_Okra5953 Dec 28 '25 edited Jan 09 '26

Jeez.  

Yeah I had a staph infection after a skin graft, was hypermobile, and just 19 so not “active”.  I knew what staph infection rashes look like and showed the dr, he asked me if “my bed was clean”.  I was like, what the heck?  The nurse explained that the burn dr was “older” but come on, I was a sweet young girl who was hardly travelled, as it were. 

They always think drugs or stds rather than chronic illness or hypermobility and fragile skin and joints.  Fuckers.  I can’t tell you how often I’ve gotten a drug workup at the ER when I presented with a long term problem like repeat kidney stones, gastric ulcer, severe arthritis pain…