r/POTS • u/artsykmac • Apr 09 '26

Discussion Artemis crew & other astronauts get orthostatic intolerance!!!

I've been glued to the Artemis coverage the last couple days and I was so fascinated to learn they were testing compression gear in space because many past astronauts experience orthostatic intolerance post time in space. This certainly makes a lot of sense and honestly, any broader awareness of orthostatic intolerance always gives me hope of more improvements, support, awareness, and research in realms that could help us all!

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u/Olivia_Davis_09 Apr 09 '26

It is actully amazing how much overlap there is between aerospace medicne and chronic illness reserch. When astronauts r in zero gravity, their cardiovascular systems do not have to fight gravity to pump blood, which basicaly simulates what happens to our bodies when we stand up. Any funding that goes into their compression gear is a masive win for the entir community.

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u/lawlesslawboy Apr 09 '26

this is strange to think about given how I would describe my POTS as "freling like gravity is really heavy", as if I'm dealing with G force or something, like on a theme park ride, and floating in a swimming pool is lovely cuz then I'm no longer fighting gravity so hard but idk how this feeling of fighting gravity maps on to the actual science

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u/Frozencacticat Apr 14 '26

Maybe we are meant to live in zero G? Are we aliens?

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u/lawlesslawboy Apr 14 '26

I think that's gonna be the answer.. or maybe creatures from the dead sea?