Relatively unheard of condition POTS affecting millions of COVID-19 long-haulers
SCAN THE AND WE WILL BE REPEATING THAT. AS HEALTH OFFICIALS KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT COULD BE AN UPTICK IN COVID CASES THIS FALL AND INTO WINTER THERE ARE A GROUP OF LOCAL VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE RAISING MUCH NEEDED ATTENTION AND MONEY FOR A MOSTLY UNHEARD OF MEDICAL ISSUE THAT IS NOW ALSO AFFECTING SO-CALLED COVID LONG HAULERS. JESSICA: ON SATURDAY IN MEDFORD THERE WILL BE THE ANNUAL POTS WALK AND 5K RUN. POTS IS A MEDICAL CONDITION CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE AUTOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IT AFFECTS PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. PATIENTS CAN DEAL WITH CRUSHING FATIGUE, SLEEP DISORDERS, MIGRAINES, AND THE FAMILIAR BRAIN FOG. AS IT TURNS OUT NEARLY 7 OUT OF 10 LONG COVID SUFFERERS ARE NOW ALSO DEALING WITH POTS. >> I BASICALLY WAKE UP AND FEEL LIKE MY BODY IS NOT MEANT TO EXIST IN THE WORLD AS IT IS. >> PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE ONE MILLION TO THREE MY PEOPLE THAT HAD IT. NOW, 67% AS LONG COVID PATIENTS, THAT IS MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS. JESSICA: CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO FDA APPROVED MEDIC — MEDICATIONS TO TREAT IT. THE EVENT KICKS OFF TOMORROW IN MEDFORD. WE DO HAVE A LINK
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Relatively unheard of condition POTS affecting millions of COVID-19 long-haulers
Updated: 4:50 PM EDT Sep 30, 2022
As health officials keep an eye on what could be an uptick in COVID-19 cases this fall and into the winter, there are a group of local volunteers that are raising much-needed attention and money for a mostly unheard of medical issue that is now also affecting those with long COVID-19.On Saturday, there will be the annual POTS Walk and 5K Run in Medford.Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or “POTS,” is a medical condition caused by a malfunction in the automatic nervous system, and it affects people in many ways. Patients can deal with crushing fatigue, sleep disorders, migraines and “brain fog.” Nearly seven out of 10 people with long COVID-19 are also dealing with POTS. “I basically wake up and feel like my body is not meant to exist in the world as it is,” Hanna Rutter Gully said. “Prior to the pandemic, there were 1 to 3 million people that had it. Now with the pandemic, 67 percent of long COVID patients — so that’s millions upon millions,” said Jacqueline Rutter Gully, who is on the board of directors of Dysautonomia International and Hanna’s mother. There isn’t a cure for POTS, and there are no FDA-approved medications to treat it. Saturday morning’s event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at DCR Mystic River Bend Reservation in Medford.
As health officials keep an eye on what could be an uptick in COVID-19 cases this fall and into the winter, there are a group of local volunteers that are raising much-needed attention and money for a mostly unheard of medical issue that is now also affecting those with long COVID-19.
On Saturday, there will be the annual POTS Walk and 5K Run in Medford.
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Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or “POTS,” is a medical condition caused by a malfunction in the automatic nervous system, and it affects people in many ways.
Patients can deal with crushing fatigue, sleep disorders, migraines and “brain fog.” Nearly seven out of 10 people with long COVID-19 are also dealing with POTS.
“I basically wake up and feel like my body is not meant to exist in the world as it is,” Hanna Rutter Gully said.
“Prior to the pandemic, there were 1 to 3 million people that had it. Now with the pandemic, 67 percent of long COVID patients — so that’s millions upon millions,” said Jacqueline Rutter Gully, who is on the board of directors of Dysautonomia International and Hanna’s mother.
There isn’t a cure for POTS, and there are no FDA-approved medications to treat it.
Saturday morning’s event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at DCR Mystic River Bend Reservation in Medford.
