Brain Fog. Fatigue. Exhaustion. Palpitations.
I remember going to the doctor in 2019, thinking I was dying. Surely, right?
I listed out my symptoms, and the doctor chuckled after each one. “Fatigue and exhaustion?! - you’re a newer mom - of course, you’re tired.” “Brain Fog? Pshhhh. What is that even? How do you even describe that?” “Try keto, don’t sit down until you hit 10,000 steps, and go to the ER if you really think you’re dying.”
I’ll never forget that interaction, that vulnerability I had when I went in looking for guidance, and the way I was gaslit, belittled, and dismissed. It would be YEARS before I set foot back in a doctor’s office looking for answers.
This was the interaction that catapulted me into a field where folks could come to me and be heard, guided, and helped.
I used my education and training in nutrition to help support my body in all the ways I could. I had such a strong foundation, yet I still had concerning symptoms.
Fast forward, I went to a new NP after doing so much research to make sure I was heard and ended up with a cardiologist who listened decently well. I went through the battery of cardiac testing - echo, EKGs, Holter monitors, stress tests, etc. All to come back completely normal with a shrug, and there’s not much we can do. When I asked for a tilt table test to rule out POTS, he snickered and told me to stay off of the internet. After getting a second opinion and another round of tests, I got a diagnosis of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and it connected the dots of SO many things in my life - GI issues, blood pressure issues, fatigue, temperature dysregulation, etc.
It also has helped me guide my own protocols to work best for my body - getting a diagnosis can be equally scary, exciting, and relieving.
Have I always had the symptoms? YEP. Did it develop due to a virus, a vaccine, or life? I’m not sure, but I do know I’ve traced symptoms back as far as I can remember, so none of it is new for me. I do believe that long-term COVID and other post-viral complications have helped bring POTS into the spotlight and allow more people to get better diagnoses.
Where do I go from here? That was my next big question and I’ve found that by supporting my own gut health through targeted testing and protocols, listening to my body, and staying as well-hydrated as I can, most days are good and I’ve had less flares. As science evolves, I’ll adjust my own protocol and the protocols of my clients.
