here's this from the big POTS web site :
The symptoms of POTS are life altering and debilitating at times. POTS patients use about three times more energy to stand than a healthy person (Grubb, 2002). It is as if these patients are running in place all the time. Activities such as housework, bathing, and even meals can exacerbate symptoms (Grubb, Kanjwal & Kosinski, 2006). Research shows that POTS patients' quality of life is similar to those with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Benrud-Larson, Dewar, Sandroni, Rummans, Haythornthwaite & Low, 2002) Twenty-five percent of people with POTS are disabled and unable to work (Goldstein, Robertson, Esler, Straus, & Eisenhofer, 2002). Most patients will have to make some lifestyle adjustments to cope with this disorder.
Although on the up side this makes me feel less lame that I have to rest after ten minutes of tidying up. I just had to lie down for twenty minutes, feeling very faint, after changing the sheets on the bed. It reminds me of my friend Colin. He said, "One day it dawned on me that most people don't have to lie down and rest after simply walking across the room." He went to the dr and learned that he had pneumonia. That's sort of like this. Like, hey, time to rest again?? I just rested! Now and then when I'm reading about POTS, the term chronic fatigue is bandied about. Apparently POTS is on the same continuum. But let's forget about THAT, too!
Let's focus on this, tepidly upbeat ending to the description of POTS:
There are treatments for POTS symptoms which can be tailored to each individual patient, especially if an underlying cause is discovered. Researchers are attempting to identify and treat the mechanisms and causes of POTS. Studies show that most patients will eventually be able to stand up with fewer symptoms (Low, 2000). Most people with POTS can look forward to experiencing improvement with proper treatment.