Embarrassing symptoms of Dysautonomia (POTS) and how to manage

The list of embarrassing symptoms that comes along with having POTS (dysautonomia) is long. Dizziness, fainting, diarrhea, and uncontrolled sweating are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dysautonomia symptoms. This week I’m going to go over some of the most embarrassing symptoms I’ve found solutions… or semi-solutions for. Hopefully to save you the pain and embarrassment during the learning curve of living with POTS.

The semi-solutions we will go over are more ways to cope or be more comfortable in those awkward situations. Even though there’s not a foolproof solution, having options is always helpful! And I wanted to touch on some of the symptoms that are less talked about. Fainting and dizziness are two of the top symptoms I see covered and I want to shed light on the other symptoms that solutions/ semi-solutions can be found for!

Sweating uncontrollably

Sweating uncontrollably is probably the only symptom that really ever gets to me while in public. I can sweat through any shirt within a couple of minutes especially if I’m nervous. And it’s not that it’s just embarrassing to have massive sweat stains, it’s that it’s uncomfortable. No one wants to feel wet under their arms for hours or avoid raising their arms to hide sweat stains.

For a while, I avoided wearing light-colored shirts but in the summer I would get overheated. This was a double-edged sword moment because heat can cause flare-ups in people with dysautonomia. And I didn’t want to live always planning my wardrobe around POTs. I really decided I had to find a way to stop this issue when one of my friends handed me their phone to take a selfie of us and it was sent to me later that night…. You could see the massive sweat stains under my arm and I am still mortified. I learned two things that day; always take photos on your phone so you can delete the bad ones and do a quick check for pit stains before snapping selfies. Luckily there are a few solutions you can choose from to stop the sweat stain monster.

Start by being mindful of your triggers. On top of POTs, I avoid triggers that will cause more sweat while in public like spicy food. This is just something to be mindful of, not something you always have to do. But if your POTS is flaring and it’s really hot out and you decide to eat spicy food. Is a recipe for a sweaty night. Just be mindful of extra triggers for sweating!

A fair mention would also be after I changed my diet my excessive sweating was dramatically reduced. Certain foods can cause more sweating and that is something I definitely didn’t know before getting into clean eating. Check out our post on “Why I chose a Paleo diet to heal my autoimmune diseases” to learn more about my healing journey and diet-wise what I have been doing.

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Sticking halved or whole panty liners in the pits of your shirt is one option. I thought it would make your underarms look bulky, kind of like shoulder pads for your underarms but you don’t notice them. Surprisingly they aren’t uncomfortable and they do soak up the sweat. They actually make a product that is meant to go in the pit area of a shirt – a sweat shield. I just used panty liners because I had them but you can try out the sweat shields by clicking the link!

I also keep a crop top in my car for shirts that don’t show sweat stains but are uncomfortable when you profusely sweat. I haven’t had to use it yet but it’s nice to know I have it just in case! Having a backup is always a good option and with crop tops/ mini T’s being the size of a pair of underwear you can bring them along anywhere. I linked one of my favorite little Amazon tops I have in a few different colors. Being over-prepared always beats the other.

Dysautonomia and body odor

On the topic of excessive sweating, I wanted to touch on body odor. When you are sweating like there is no tomorrow and can’t change or dry off it allows bacteria to grow which can lead to some BO. It is what it is but if you use some of the hacks that help keep your clothes dry you won’t experience the BO. Either way, drinking chlorophyll water daily has become a staple in my morning routine. Chlorophyll has antibacterial properties and can act as a natural deodorizer. Check out our article on chlorophyll to understand how and learn more about all the benefits chlorophyll has to offer. It really does work to control odor plus more. I think it’s just a safe measure especially when you’re predisposed to sweating like a maniac at any given time to take precautions.

Dysautonomia and bladder issues

I have had people comment on how much I have to pee and to be fair I do pee a lot but I also drink a gallon of water every single day. This is one I had to just get over because I have to drink a gallon of water….But the more consistent I am drinking my daily gallon the less I have to pee. It took me a very long time to connect the dots on the more inconsistent I am with my water intake the more I have to pee so learn from my mistake. The “solution” to this problem is to stay consistent in drinking your water goal and not feel weird having to be all the time you have to stay hydrated and peeing a lot is part of it.

Working on my pelvic floor health was a game changer when it game came to constantly having to pee. I can not stress how important it is to be doing your pelvic floor exercises daily. It is recommended that all women work out their pelvic floor muscles daily to prevent weakness and improve strength. Dysautonomia can affect the bladder in some patients but it is recommended that all women workout their pelvic floor muscles daily to prevent weakness and improve strength.¹ This is something I didn’t know until experiencing the symptoms of a weak pelvic floor which look like; leaking urine when coughing/sneezing, frequently needing to pee, etc. I always had to pee before working out my pelvic floor daily and most women do not know this as I didn’t until a year ago. Check out this PDF the Royal Women’s hospital made about pelvic floor exercises.

Body temperature

I always make sure to carry a mini-fan and a jacket wherever I go in case of getting overheated/ too cold. Body temperature regulation can be embarrassing in public because you can be freezing, not able to feel your fingers or toes and everyone around you is fine in shorts and a t-shirt. The best way to combat this is being over-prepared and carrying a POTS bag (a big purse with everything you could need in it). I will link my POTS bag essentials below. Being over-prepared with a jacket cuts down on the embarrassment of just freezing to death/ overheating in front of people.

• Mini-fan
• Liquid IV
• Dry mouth tabs

Gi issues

Upset stomach was one of the most difficult symptoms to deal with in public but I found the cheat code for myself when it comes to diet and dysautonomia. I switched to a paleo diet cutting out most processed, inflammatory foods. Which cut out my GI symptoms completely. I would carry gas x, tums, etc. everywhere I went before learning to manage my dysautonomia due to the terrible flares that would consist of fainting spells and stomach pain. Eating smaller meals more often and switching to a whole foods diet eliminated those problems for me.

Staying prepared

This last section encompasses a few different issues that can be fixed by always preparing myself! I hate to feel like a burden or I’m being extra by needing salt, water, or a snack. I make sure to keep all of my dysautonomia essentials with me at all times to prevent any issues of having to outsource while being out in public. There’s nothing wrong in needing to grab something to make you more comfortable but it is our responsibility to take care of ourselves and carry along items we know we typically need. I mainly carry a quick source of salt, a large water bottle, and a small snack. I can make it back to my house with all of those things without having to stop.

I wanted to go over the symptoms that are talked about less even though they control a large part of life with dysautonomia. I hope my hacks were able to help in some way. Make sure to leave your best hacks for embarrassing dysautonomia symptoms in the comments!

Citations:

1. Pelvic floor exercises by the Royal Women’s hospital