For many women living with a misunderstood and often invisible illness called POTS, the road to diagnosis can be long, frustrating, and invalidating. Imagine waking up with a racing heart, dizziness, and overwhelming fatigue—symptoms that hijack your ability to function normally. Now imagine being told by doctors, again and again, that it’s “just anxiety” or “nothing serious.” This is the reality for thousands of people, mostly women, living with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
What Is POTS?
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is a form of dysautonomia—a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that affects functions like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and body temperature. The hallmark symptom of POTS is an abnormal increase in heart rate when moving from lying down to standing up. This rapid heartbeat can be accompanied by lightheadedness, fainting, shakiness, brain fog, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues.
POTS is not rare, but it’s rarely recognized. Estimates suggest that it affects between 1 and 3 million people in the United States alone. Around 80–85% of those diagnosed are women, most commonly between the ages of 15 and 50. Despite these statistics, it remains underdiagnosed and misunderstood.
Dismissed and Misdiagnosed
One of the most painful parts of the POTS journey isn’t just the physical symptoms—it’s the medical gaslighting. Many patients report being told they’re just anxious, hormonal, or simply exhausted. Some are referred to psychiatrists instead of cardiologists. Others are dismissed entirely.
This systemic invalidation not only delays diagnosis (which often takes years) but also erodes trust in the healthcare system. Women in particular face unique challenges when seeking care, as their symptoms are more likely to be minimized or attributed to emotional causes. “You’re just tired” becomes a catch-all phrase for complex, debilitating symptoms.
Why This Matters
When POTS is overlooked or dismissed, patients suffer needlessly. The condition can be managed with lifestyle changes, medications, and therapies—but only if it’s recognized. Left untreated, it can lead to significant impairments in daily living, education, and employment. For some, even standing up can be a monumental task.
This problem isn’t just about POTS. It’s about a larger pattern in medicine where women’s symptoms are too often ignored or minimized. Raising awareness and demanding better education around conditions like POTS is not just about getting the diagnosis right—it’s about affirming that patients deserve to be heard and taken seriously.
What Needs to Change
- Education: Medical professionals need better training in recognizing and treating autonomic disorders, especially in women.
- Advocacy: Patients and advocacy groups must continue to speak out and share their experiences to bring POTS into the spotlight.
- Research: More funding and research are needed to understand the causes of POTS and develop effective treatments.
- Empathy: Above all, providers must listen. Saying “It’s just stress” without digging deeper isn’t just lazy—it’s harmful.
Final Thoughts
If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms that are being brushed off, trust your instincts. You are not “just tired.” You are not imagining things. You deserve answers—and compassion. For those living with POTS, your story matters. Keep telling it.
