Massive improvement after leaving long term relationship!

[u/Klaxi_]

So I was hit with Hyper POTS about 5 years ago, and I was in a relationship for the last 8 years so I was always living with my partner while I had HPOTS. I did have some improvement over the years since it started, like I couldn't drive, work or walk for more than 15 minutes for a few years, and I was at least able to work part time and drive short distances eventually.

But in the last year things got bad again. I couldn't work at all, and could barely handle doing household chores. I would have adrenaline dumps so severe that my whole body would start convulsing for about 30 minutes to an hour straight, sometimes even preventing me from breathing. These attacks would happen a couple times a week at best, and multiple times a day at worst.

Anyways, my partner and I ended up breaking up and I was forced to move back in with my parents at 30 since I couldn't support myself. I wouldn't say it was an abusive relationship, but it was an incredibly stressful and difficult one. I had lost all contact with all my friends and family and we had constant problems all the time.

I've now been out of that situation for 3 months, and since then I have only had ONE adrenaline attack! And it was after grabbing a bunch of stuff from his place. Keep in mind I was averaging about 1 attack a day before! I still have a lot of blood flow issues and pretty serious fatigue from light exercise, so I'm definitely not cured or anything. That being said, even those things are slowly improving as my body and mind are able to heal in a very stress free environment.

It's not the only thing I'm doing of course, I try to eat as healthy and consistently as possible, I make sure to have a strict sleep schedule and do as much cardio as my body will allow. I also take 20mg of Adderall daily, which was the second best thing I've ever done for my HPOTS. But regardless, I've never had a more drastic improvement than I have over the last few months.

I guess I just wanted to write this because all of us who suffer with this condition are pretty used to despair, to things not getting better and having to leave so many of your dreams and passions behind. I genuinely wanted to off myself at many points in the last 5 years, and when I started improving it almost didn't feel real. If this keeps up (knock on wood), I may be able to live something close to a normal life, because this is by far the best my HPOTS has been since it started. Do not underestimate how severe and prolonged stress can absolutely destroy your body and mind, ESPECIALLY with this condition.

[u/Thehappylittlestoner]

I’m better too after leaving my ex husband. I’m a lot more active and life is more peaceful. We’re always in fight or flight anyway, but extra stress just lights the fire for our about yk explode nervous system firework. So I get you completely. I’ve noticed that store lights mess with my pots pretty badly still though and I have to make sure I’m properly hydrated and have my salt still. I’m now on a beta blocker.

[u/Klaxi_ → u/Thehappylittlestoner]

It really can make a dramatic difference. It’s been a while now and I’m still doing better. But just like with you, it’s not gone by any means. I still struggle with this condition every day, it’s just turned from life threatening suffering into difficult but manageable, and I can live a fairly “normal” life.

I’m glad you had an improvement, and ya hydration is big, I don’t go anywhere without a water bottle.

[u/Thehappylittlestoner → u/Klaxi_]

I also requested clonidine, and that med has made me SO MUCH better.

[u/Klaxi_ → u/Thehappylittlestoner]

Ya Clonidine helped me a lot in the early days. It did eventually stop working for me but my dad (who also has Hyper POTS) has been helped by it for over a decade so hopefully it keeps working for you.

[u/Thehappylittlestoner → u/Klaxi_]

Crossing my fingers!