POTS is caused by blood not moving around my body properly. It gets "stuck" in places (like my feet, legs, and hands) because my blood vessels don't constrict properly.
Blood carries oxygen around our bodies. When blood gets "stuck" places, other areas of our body stop getting enough oxygen.
One of the reasons we faint is because not enough oxygen makes it to our heads.
Blood carries oxygen around our bodies. When blood gets "stuck" places, other areas of our body stop getting enough oxygen.
One of the reasons we faint is because not enough oxygen makes it to our heads.
Sometimes my hands do this when I have them by my side. The picture isn't the greatest, but if you can see - my hand has red and white blotches, and is slightly swollen.
I took a video of how gravity affects blood pooling. For a clearer video, click on Settings (the small gear icon on the bottom right) after hitting play. Then change the quality to HD.
You'll notice my head goes from pink and blotchy with my blood vessels sticking out slightly, to pale with no blood vessels sticking out.
I take pictures of my hands and feet to help show doctors what happens throughout the day, as it doesn't always occur while I'm at an appointment. It can also help friends and family better understand what POTS is.
A few more pictures of blood pooling:
A few more pictures of blood pooling:
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