My 4 Essentials for Dealing with POTS
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I can only speak to my own experience and hope that gives you some insight into what POTS is and how it can affect you or the people around you.
All of these I use on a daily basis and I cannot recommend any enough. They each help me get through a rough day and help me sustain a “normal” life.
1. Liquid IV or LMNT
You can drink as much water as you want but without electrolytes and salt you won’t raise your blood volume. The problem with POTS is the low blood volume. I find that I am always thirsty and it has been suggested by many doctors that it is probably to compensate for my low blood pressure / blood volume. You should experiment with a bunch of different electrolytes before finding the one that works best for you. I started with Liquid IV and have switched to a few from there.
Click here for Liquid IV, click here for LMNT, click here for Bouy, and click here for Ultima.
2. Blood Pressure Monitor
You need one. You just do. They’re around $15 just buy one otherwise you’re always guessing without knowing. If you suspect at all you have POTS but don’t have a diagnosis then this could be gold. Keep track of your bp and heart rate while tracking your symptoms and what you are doing. I know when I have low bp I wear compression stocking and double my liquid IV, it helps a lot.
I’ve had the monitor in the left for around 15 years and I use it everyday, several times a day. It has also travelled to around 30 countries with me so I highly recommend it. Also the batteries last years.
Here’s the link to the one I like: https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Monitor-Adjustable-Automatic-Accurate/dp/B07XYW52VQ/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3R2R05KMXZR7Y&keywords=blood+pressure+monitor&qid=1694225493&sprefix=blood+pressure+%2Caps%2C214&sr=8-9
It does talk though and that is annoying.
3. Water bottle
This is going to be your little companion buddy. Pick one you like and experiment with different water temperatures. Some people find that their stomachs can’t handle room temperature water, personally I do better with cold water.
4. Compression socks
I mentioned these above. They are very tight socks that can go knee high and that compress your legs. This is great for people with POTS or even circulation problems in general because they force the blood up your legs towards your heart. They work well as long as they’re tight.
I own a few with different types of pressure for different situations. For example I have higher pressure for standing for extended periods of time, flying on a plane, etc. I have medium pressure for walking around or days when I know I’m not feeling great. Low pressure for days when I need a slight boost or am not entirely sure what I need.
These are my favorite low pressure ones that I wear most days.
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