POTS is a very challenging illness to live with and often neglected or poorly understood by the medical profession. The prescription medicines used to treat as yet rarely come without side effects or resolve symptoms over the long term.
It has been my aim to discover how well homeopathy and other natural treatments can do as well, if not better, than mainstream medicine to address the symptoms of POTS.
With this in mind, in November 2017 I set up a Facebook group 'Natural Treatment for POTS' in an attempt to form a hub for POTsies around the world who wanted to get off the meds and find natural ways to live with the condition and share their experiences along the way. The group is now 1000+ members strong, all of whom have generously shared their wisdom about what really works for them, including participants on my Homeopathy and POTS studies. I have now put a list together of all our members' suggestions so far to share with all you other POTSies out there across the globe.
Not everything on this list will work for everyone but everything listed below has worked for someone! If you have POTS or know of someone with the condition, I hope you find this list helpful.
Alternative & Complementary Therapies
Brain and nerve stimulation
FEFT or Faster EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique/tapping
Vegus nerve stimulation. Self help tips here.
Positioning and other physical tricks
Lying on your back, legs straight up a wall for dizzy spells
Tilt your bed for general POTS wellbeing
Heel lifts to increase circulation & prevent blood pooling
The ‘Arm Counter Pressure’ move to prevent fainting
Splashing cold water on the face or plunging hands/wrists in cold water (reduces heart rate/anxiety)
Gizmos & Gadgets
Embr-wave – to deal with body temp fluctuations
Natural Cycles (natural contraception app)
NotOK app (alarm system on your phone)
Compression stockings (nice ones!): Plenty online to choose from!
Foods that can help
Bicarbonate of soda to reduce autoimmune inflammation
Celery juice
Coconut Aminos sauce (a great healthy alternative to soy sauce)
Coconut water
Fresh ginger
Liquorice root
Miso soup
Supplements for Brain Fog
Algonot
Ashwagandha
Frankinsense oil (anxiety)
Huperzine A (An Acetylcholine inhibitor)
Neuroprotek and BrainGain
SAMe (S-Adenosyl Methionine)
General Health Supplements
Banana Bag Oral Hydration or electrolytes
Choline (for general POTS support)
Dr. Driscoll’s parasym Plus (bloating, gastroparesis)
Epsom salt baths
GABA
Glutathione
Hawthorne, Valerian and cayenne (for tachycardia)
High strength Vitamin C
Magnesium glycinate or Magnesium oil (for cramps, menstrual cramps and tired legs)
Peppermint oil (nausea)
ProGad by Neurobiologix (for nausea)
Schussler Tissues Salts especially Silica, Calc Fluor and Calc Phos
Terry Naturally Vitamins Curamin Extra Strength (fibromyalgia pain relief)
Turmeric or Kapparest
Vitamin E (essential for anyone with CFS)
I'll be regularly adding more suggestions to the list as information from the group members come in so do keep checking this article for updates. [Last updated July 2018] Better still, come over and say hi at the Facebook group.
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If you're suffering from POTS then please get in touch or make an appointment. I work internationally via Skype/Zoom and face-to-face in Brixton, London, UK.
Disclaimer: All treatments, supplements and other suggested protocols in this article are tried at the reader's risk. This article is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace the advice of your physician or health care provider. First aid situations may require medical or hospital care. Do not use this article as a means to diagnose a health condition. Speak to your doctor if you think that your condition may be serious, before discontinuing any medication that has been prescribed for you, or before starting any new treatment.