Izzi

I’m Izzi (she/her), aged 28 from Lydney, Gloucestershire.

Looking back I’ve carried many of my PoTS symptoms with me throughout my life, alongside a collection of comorbidities.

However, after a nasty bout of COVID in October 2022 to January 2023, my condition declined very quickly.

Over the next 6 months I went from running a successful wedding business and enjoying life, to being housebound, unable to function or look after myself properly, and requiring mobility aids to get around.

I first visited my GP expressing my concerns about PoTS in February 2024, and I was added to a 15 month waitlist to see a cardiologist. Luckily, my GP witnessed my symptoms during an ECG in June, and she wrote to my cardiologist who was able to provide me a clinical diagnosis with that evidence.

Since then, I’ve focused on salt intake and hydration, and I’ve also been prescribed an intense exercise regime for my recumbent exercise bike. This is helping me to build up strength and resilience again after some considerable muscle loss in my legs. My wonderful husband, Will, helps me in all aspects of life, from helping to dress me, feed me, and most importantly by making me laugh!

The biggest challenge for me is coming to terms with such a dynamic disability and managing it day by day. Waking up every day and not knowing what to expect is tricky, and being kind to myself on both bad and good days is important. On better days I have to remind myself I’m not making it up!

I hope that I will be able to return to work in the future, and that further research into PoTS can shed more light onto the intricacies of the condition, and potentially discover some even better treatments.