POTS vs. Anxiety with Author/Advocate Christie Cox

In this podcast episode, Christie Cox discusses the common misdiagnosis of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) as anxiety. She explores the potential harm such misdiagnosis can cause, including inappropriate treatments and significant delays in receiving proper care. Christie shares her personal experience with this issue, recounting how she was prescribed high doses of benzodiazepines under the mistaken belief that her symptoms were solely due to anxiety. This led to diminished quality of life and a difficult withdrawal process. Christie emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between POTS and anxiety, highlighting different symptoms such as heart rate changes with posture, which do not occur with anxiety. She also advises patients to seek POTS-aware healthcare providers, and she talks about the various resources she has created, including her book "Holding It All Together When You're Hypermobile" and her EDS 411 Living Library, which aims to provide practical information and support to those within the EDS and POTS communities.