Cleo became my client back in the summer of 2019 when she made the decision to see if a natural approach to her POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) could help her where medical doctors had failed. She had been suffering POTS symptoms since the age of 13 and now, age 26, she'd had enough.
Below are her headline symptoms when she first came to see me.
ANXIETY - She would get a tight feeling across the chest, almost a 'hot' feeling inside. She had the constant feeling that 'something bad is going to happen'. Her anxiety was worse on waking but better for going outside.
BRAIN FOG - Simple things were hard and she found it difficult to concentrate for any length of time, especially when reading or working at her computer.
PERSPIRATION - Even after a short walk and after a shower she would have pouring sweat. It was worst when going up stairs.
BREATHLESSNESS - This was worse after exercise including going up stairs, vacuuming, or even just washing up the dishes. She felt drained afterwards, and her chest would get wheezy.
LIGHTHEADEDNESS - This happened whenever she raised her head from a low position. It was also worse in a hot room and if she stood for more than 10 minutes. Humid weather or a change of weather also brought it on. She would also get dizzy after exercise. The lightheadedness often came with pressure in her forehead and under her eyes and in her sinuses.
HYPERMOBILITY - While not officially diagnosed with the collagen disorder Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Cleo showed marked signs of hypermobility in her elbows and thumbs and her ribs would frequently ache.
EAR - She would hear her pulse in her ears on the side she lay on going to sleep. She'd had tinnitus for the last four to five months.
PALPITATIONS - These were random and felt like her heart was fluttering. She would even get them sitting down.
BLOOD POOLING - In the last 12 months she had noticed her feet and shins go red after a shower.
PINS & NEEDLES - She would get this in her left leg in bed at night which would be numb on waking. She would also get it in when she put her hands above head or was lying still for any length of time.
RAYNAUDS SYNDROME - She noticed this 2 years ago after a bout of tonsillitis. If she put her hands in the freezer or if the weather was cold, the tips of her fingers would go white and numb.
MCAS/ALLERGIES - She was highly allergic to dogs and cats and pollen which has also kicked in after the bout of tonsillitis two years previous. Symptoms would include a burning neck and runny nose. Her inner canthi would swell, her eyes water. She would also get a tight chest, breathlessness and hives along her arms like nettle stings.
With her high anxiety and sympathetic nature as well as this long list of symptoms above, the remedy Phosphorus seemed to suit Cleo well. I started her off with just one small dose and within weeks things began to change - gone was her allergy to dogs, her energy improved and most importantly her anxiety, brain fog and ability to tolerate exercise. Over the next few months, we repeated the remedy when needed until her condition was stabilised. It was gratifying to see that despite the many years she had been suffering, she had made real progress on just a single remedy. How is she doing now?
Here is what Cleo has to say recently about how homeopathy has worked on her POTS long term.
"I had LOTS of symptoms - light headedness, brain fog, anxiety, ringing in ears, pins and needles, palpitations, Raynaud's Syndrome, breathlessness, heavy perspiration, aversion to big/heavy meals. Life was completely limited, I almost felt like I was in a cage, never knowing if what I was doing would make my symptoms worse.
I lost all confidence in my body's ability to do 'normal' things, things that people take for granted. This had a knock-on effect on every part of my life. I'd say no to outings with friends, knowing I would quickly run out of energy, feel anxious or get so breathless that I bring attention to myself. I lived with the frustration for many years which had a massive effect on my self-esteem.
After first showing signs of POTS at the age of 13 (and being told by 3 different doctors that it was 'just anxiety') I essentially made myself believe that I was making the symptoms up. It wasn't until I happened to see a video on Facebook about POTS that I knew that's what I had (age 26 by this point!) So I'd created coping mechanisms to try and self soothe. POTS is a very lonely syndrome if you don't have people around you who understand it. Honestly, POTS had completely defined me through my teenage years and early 20s. It wasn't until I met Paula that I began to understand that I could find a way to help myself feel better and not be constantly chained to my symptoms."
How have your symptoms changed since you started homeopathy? "My symptoms have improved massively! I can now shower upon waking, this is something that I thought I'd never be able to do. My symptoms are always worse in the morning and I would have to get up in stages, eat straight away and worry about showering later on in the day (when I had the energy to do so). Now I have no problem getting up (I obviously still can't jump out of bed but I just give myself a few seconds to go from lying to sitting up) but it's made me feel capable.
For the last month, I've been going on a 20 minute walk after breakfast in the morning and it no longer zaps me of all my energy like it used to pre-homeopathy. I even got a job as a housekeeper! It was only a 4-hour shift each week, but stripping and making beds, mopping floors, polishing surfaces is super physical work. At first I would crash after my shift but now it feels so natural and I know my fitness is improving. I still feel tired after my shift but not the complete lack of energy like I used to."
Would you recommend homeopathy to anyone else? "I would (and have already) recommend homeopathy to anyone experiencing symptoms that are affecting their daily life. The guidance and support from Paula is something I had never experienced in my POTS journey up until this point. A POTS patient usually has to constantly fight to be heard and believed. I felt like I could be completely honest with Paula and was heard from day one.
I gained massive insight into my condition, it's now something I'm interested in learning about rather than just dealing with on a daily basis. I can clearly see my triggers or if I have a symptom that seems to flare, I no longer plunge into despair and frustration. I seem to be able to deal with it a lot better. I just feel a little bit more at peace with everything and I'm learning to work with it instead of being completely controlled by it.
"It has been like fresh air meeting Paula. I knew I wanted to find a natural way to cope with my symptoms. I'll admit, I had absolutely no idea what homeopathy was until I met Paula and didn't really have high hopes for it, I just wanted to try anything. Paula makes you feel understood and heard with zero judgment. She doesn't question your symptoms and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to POTS."
If you're suffering from POTS then please get in touch or make an appointment. I work internationally via Zoom video and face-to-face in 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.