Living With POTS Syndrome
12 March, 2015
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a rare and relatively unknown illness, affects approximately 1 million Americans. This year, I was one of them. The last few months, I've had heart palpitations, extreme dizziness, and even blackouts, ending up in the hospital. POTS made life difficult to live; I couldn't even walk down the street without feeling dizzy and needing to take a break. Until a few weeks ago, I didn't know what was causing my symptoms, having gotten a blood test for anemia (results: negative), another blood test for mono (results: negative), and yet ANOTHER blood test to measure my vitamin levels (results: normal range). I thought maybe it was an inner ear problem causing vertigo, but the audiologist specialist told me I was just fine. I knew something was wrong, yet the doctors I saw (about five in total) had no idea what was causing the problems, or why.
After countless hours of researching online, I came across my dignosis: POTS. After seeing a specialist, the diagnosis was confirmed. Not knowing what to do next, the doctor explained a series of steroids and medicines to raise my blood pressure, regulate my heart beat, and ease the dizziness. Hesitant, I knew there had to be something else I could try. Thinking back to the start of the illness, last August, I realized the cause: I stopped exercising and eating healthy, cold tukey, through serving as a missionary in Central America. Sure, it may sound like an odd, unreasonable reason to cause the sickness I had acquired, but the doctor confirmed it.
If someone eats extremely healthy (which I have done all my life) and works out like I was (up to 3 hours a day) and immediately stops, the body can have serious problems. I had gone to Guatemala very fit, having taught up to ten fitness classes a week prior to leaving, and served as a missionary, eating "missionary food" and forgoing all athletics. My body reacted by causing a break down in my nervous system. I came back from Guatemala with the symptoms, unsure of what to do, so I continued to ignore exercise, thinking my body needed rest. The symptoms only got worse, to the point where I could hardly stand without getting dizzy, let alone go for a 5 mile run like I had been used to.
After talking more with the doctor and my parents, we decided on a holistic approach to beat the syndrome. Instead of medicine and steroids, I would slowly start exercising again every day and strictly watch my diet. I cut out caffeine, sugar, and gluten, like I had eaten prior to Guatemala. It was tough to work out at first, since my dizziness led to serious roadblocks. But each day I was able to walk a little farther. I started by walking a block holding my dads hand. I worked up to two blocks, then three. Today, after a drastic change to my lifestyle, I swam three miles with my dad this morning, went for a mile walk during my lunch break, and took a crisp three mile walk around the neighborhood after dinner with my mom. I ate clean, just like I used to prior to Guatemala, ignoring the peanut butter pretzels and nutter butter bars at work and 
drinking freshly-pressed juice instead of coffee.
The last few months, I fell apart. I felt lost, and I didn't know why I was so sick. I was afraid, unknown of what was happening to my body. It was awful, but looking back, it was beautiful. I was forced to rely on God and my family. Instead of taking a trip to Costa Rica and Los Angeles like I was planning, I stayed home, knowing my body wasn't capable of trips like that. I shed my fair share of tears, not knowing if the condition would last forever, and through the grace of God, I was given clarity in vision to know exactly how to overcome it. A few weeks ago, I clearly remember writing in my journal to God asking for healing to be able to at least go for walks without dizziness, and my prayer was answered, plus more. I am even debating competing in the Wisconsin Marathon in early May.
What is the point of this entry? Well, joy, first of all. Joy knowing although I felt alone, depressed, and confused, I was given grace to overcome the syndrome. The joy I felt taking that long walk with my mom tonight almost brought tears to my eyes... how I longed to do that these last few months but was unable.
Although the illness only lasted a couple months, I see everything with a new pair of eyes. I am much more grateful for my clear vision, no dizziness, and steady heartbeat. It's incredible the things I took for granted prior to getting sick.
Secondly, I learned not to compromise myself. Keeping fit, working out, and eating clean is core to who I am. I grew up in an extremely active family, and I swam division 1 in college. I am a health nut, sometimes to the point where it's a little over the edge. But, having traveled to Guatemala last fall for three months, exercise and healthy eating was out of the question. My lifestyle drastically changed, and my body began to suffer because of it. My time in Guatemala was beautiful, obviously, but I was unable to live the lifestyle I had grown so accustomed to as an active person. Helping others and serving is HUGE in this life, it's exactly what Jesus calls of us. But, after my experience, I have learned that taking care of ourselves, health wise, physically, and mentally, is #1, and only then can we have the strength to pour into others through Him. If you're suffering through something, whether it's depression, heartache, or a physically taxing condition like I had, ask Him to relieve you of your symptoms. He is a God that heals, and He can heal you.
My constricting life with P.O.T.S. is over. I am grateful for the learning experience it was. I am thankful for my new eyes to see. And, I am thankful for my new freedom.
Pretty heavy stuff, huh? On that note, let's jam:
