I’ve found that my lightheadedness is worse when I am sitting fully upright, feet to the floor, in a chair for too long. I try to have more of a graduated posture with my legs up a bit more. I live in Phoenix and the summer heat has been a huge trigger, so I now know I can’t tolerate anything outside. It’s a 6 month-year wait for me to be seen by the POTS specialist here at Mayo Phoenix, so on my own I’ve been trying to increase salt, increase fluids (w/ Nuun hydration), do stretches, but every time I feel like I’m improving, I have huge setbacks with symptoms. This week I’ve had episodes of chest tightness and difficulty breathing, in addition to more episodes of weird heart palpitations.
My “attacks” at night typically happen an hour or two after I first fall asleep, and sometimes I have mini-episodes as I’m trying to fall asleep. It’s like my body and brain are broken, almost like it’s freaking out about going from a day of activity to now fully lying down at rest. Talking with my psychologist has been helpful in reducing anxiety about bedtime, trying to create different good associations with the space. It’s helpful knowing I have Xanax on hand if needed, but I find an “attack” can come on regardless of how calm I am at bedtime, regardless of how “good” the prior day was.