POTS Treatment in Plano, Frisco, and Allen
Racing Heart, Dizziness, or Feeling Faint When You Stand?
Standing up should not feel like a workout.
But if you have POTS, also known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, your body may struggle to adjust when you move from lying down or sitting to standing. Your heart rate may jump, you may feel dizzy or shaky, and simple activities like showering, standing in line, or walking across a room can feel much harder than they should.
At Prime Heart & Vascular, we help patients in Plano, Frisco, Allen, and the greater Dallas area understand what may be causing symptoms like rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, fainting, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Our cardiology team takes the time to listen, evaluate your symptoms, and create a care plan designed to help you feel more steady, confident, and in control.
If your heart races when you stand, it is worth getting checked.
How Prime Heart & Vascular Evaluates POTS
At Prime Heart & Vascular, our goal is to understand the full picture, not just one symptom.
Your visit may include a conversation about your symptoms, medical history, medications, hydration habits, exercise tolerance, recent illness, and any fainting episodes. Depending on your situation, testing may include heart rhythm monitoring, an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, blood pressure and heart rate checks, or other cardiac testing.
Prime Heart & Vascular provides cardiology services in Plano, Frisco, and Allen, and the practice offers diagnostic tools such as echocardiograms and Holter monitor studies as part of cardiac evaluation.
The purpose is simple: find out what is going on, rule out more serious heart concerns, and help you take the next right step.
POTS Frequently Asked Questions
POTS is a condition that affects how your body responds to standing. When you stand up, gravity naturally pulls blood toward your legs. Normally, your nervous system and blood vessels respond quickly to keep blood flowing to your heart and brain.
With POTS, that response does not work as smoothly. Your heart may beat much faster than normal to compensate. POTS is a condition where the heart beats faster than normal when someone transitions from sitting or lying down to standing.
POTS is not “just anxiety,” and it is not something you should have to push through without answers. It can be frustrating, unpredictable, and exhausting, but many people improve with the right diagnosis, lifestyle changes, and medical support.
POTS symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people feel mild symptoms once in a while. Others deal with daily episodes that interrupt work, school, exercise, and normal routines.
Common symptoms may include:
- Fast heartbeat after standing
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Feeling faint or actually fainting
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Brain fog or trouble concentrating
- Shakiness
- Chest discomfort
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Exercise intolerance
- Feeling worse after heat, dehydration, standing for a long time, or illness
One of the biggest risks for people with POTS is fainting and injuries from falls, even though POTS itself is not usually considered life-threatening.
You should consider scheduling an appointment if you notice that your symptoms regularly happen when you stand up, walk, shower, exercise, or spend time in the heat.
It is especially important to get evaluated if you have:
- Frequent episodes of a racing heart
- Dizziness that keeps coming back
- Fainting or near fainting
- Chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Symptoms that interfere with work, school, driving, exercise, or daily life
Many conditions can cause similar symptoms, including heart rhythm problems, dehydration, anemia, thyroid problems, medication side effects, blood pressure issues, and other cardiovascular concerns. A careful evaluation helps separate POTS from other possible causes.
POTS is usually not considered life threatening, but it can greatly affect quality of life. Fainting can also increase the risk of injury from falls.
Many people improve with the right combination of lifestyle changes, exercise guidance, trigger management, and medical care. Symptoms can vary over time, so ongoing follow up can be helpful.
POTS Treatment and Management
There is no single treatment that works for everyone with POTS. The right plan depends on your symptoms, overall health, triggers, and test results.
Treatment may include:
- Increasing fluids, when appropriate
- Adjusting salt intake, when recommended by your clinician
- Compression stockings or garments
- Gradual, structured exercise
- Avoiding known triggers such as dehydration, heat, and long periods of standing
- Medication, when lifestyle changes are not enough
- Care coordination with other specialists when needed
Cleveland Clinic notes that while there is no cure for POTS, treatment and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms. Johns Hopkins also describes POTS as treatable, with many patients able to reduce flare ups and improve daily function with the right care plan.
At Prime Heart & Vascular, we help you understand what changes may be safe and appropriate for you. Please do not dramatically increase salt, fluids, or start new medications without medical guidance, especially if you have high blood pressure, kidney problems, heart disease, or other medical conditions.
You Are Not Imagining It
One of the hardest parts of POTS is feeling like no one understands what you are experiencing.
You may look fine on the outside, but inside you may feel weak, dizzy, foggy, or exhausted. You may have been told your symptoms are stress related, or you may have spent months wondering why your body suddenly feels unreliable.
Our team understands that symptoms like a racing heart, dizziness, and fainting deserve to be taken seriously. We are here to listen, evaluate, and help you move forward with a plan.