02/16/2026
My heart rate went from ~60 → 100+ in under a minute this morning.
Not from exercise. Not from anxiety.
Just from standing.
That’s POTS — Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome — which often shows up alongside connective tissue conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
When I stand, blood pools in my lower body instead of circulating efficiently back to my heart and brain. My nervous system compensates by speeding up my heart rate to keep blood pressure and oxygen to my brain stable.
That can look like dizziness, brain fog, shortness of breath, shakiness, temperature swings, fatigue, and sudden crashes.
Doctors typically recommend:
increasing fluids and electrolytes,
higher salt intake,
compression garments,
gradual conditioning through PT,
and pacing daily activity.
So right now I’m doing exactly that —
PT using a POTS protocol,
OT to support daily functioning,
electrolytes and salt,
compression when needed,
mobility aids to prevent symptom spikes,
and learning how to pace my nervous system.
Some days my body cooperates.
Some days my heart thinks it’s a sports car.
Still adapting to life in this body.
Video description (accessibility):
A fingertip pulse oximeter displays heart rate rising from around 60 bpm to over 100 bpm while the person stands still indoors. The video shows a rapid heart-rate increase associated with POTS.
