04/21/2022
A few months after my 30th birthday, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) knocked my ass to the ground, literally.
I had been active my entire life, I had three young kids, and suddenly I found myself struggling to walk up the stairs. My symptoms of nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, lightheadedness, and passing out quickly became debilitating. I had to resign from my job at the hospital, and I took on the role of full-time patient.
I was shoved from doc to doc desperately seeking help. Doctors gaslighted me over and over- "It's anxiety, you're making yourself sick, or my favorite... this happens to hysterical women" Thanks, Dr. Freud 🤦🏽♀️
After 3 years of searching for answers I was starting to lose hope, and question if any of it was even real.
On one hospital admission, a PA came by my room. He shared with me his own POTS journey and told me about the Levine Protocol. I was laying in the hospital bed with a PE in my lung, too weak to get out of bed, and this man is telling me I need to exercise. 😂
Willing to do anything to get my life back, I committed to 3 months, 3 days a week at UCH. It was incredibly mentally and physically challenging. My symptoms got worse before they got better, but with the support of my amazing team I stuck it out and I'm so damn I'm glad I did.
The Levine Protocol didn't cure me, I still have POTS. I still have days where I can't be vertical, but I also have days when I can climb mountains thanks to this protocol.
I'm sharing this because I don't want you to have to wait years before someone offers you a solution that may change your life.
What works for YOUR pots management? 💪🦸
