How to Find the Best Compression Gear for POTS

(Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

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Are you newly diagnosed with POTS*? Has your physician recommended that you get some compression pantyhose to help ease your POTS symptoms? If not, they should. If they didn’t, I’m glad you’re here. Because they should have.

*Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also known as POTS, is when the body is unable to properly adjust to being in an upright position. If you’d like to learn more about POTS or Dysautonomia, start here.

I was diagnosed with POTS almost 6 years ago now. I’ve learned most of what I know through my neurologist, my cardiologists Nurse Practitioner (Cheryl), and another medical professional, Steven, my online research and my own trial and error.

You have what?

Most of the medical professionals (nurses, even doctors) I encounter, reply with “what’s POTS?” when I tell them I have it. And let me tell you, it’s a very strange and awkward place to be in to have to explain your medical condition to them.

Don’t be discouraged by this. It will happen. Just be as prepared as you can be to answer questions. Know that it’s okay to tell them “I don’t know”, and remember it is a rare condition. Many people are living with it and don’t know they have it. It effects everyone differently, and you’ll be learning how it affects your body for a long time. Being diagnosed is a double edged sword, but because you know what you’re dealing with, you can find answers on how to cope and live with your new superpower. 😉

Which compression gear is right for you?

If you’ve used this incredibly useful tool to research compression wear, you’ve seen that there are thousands of styles, compressions, types, not to mention colors and prices?! Woah. Compression overload. It’s completely possible to spend anywhere from $20 to well over $100 on just. One. Pair. Compression garments can be super expensive. Much too expensive to just buy a bunch of different kinds and see what works. This is where I can help you.

Keep in mind too, depending on the season, the climate where you live, your work and home environments, and how you spend your time are all factors that should be considered when curating your compression gear wardrobe. And, don’t limit yourself to one type or another, keep a variety on hand. For instance, when working out, compression leggings are great. But if it’s warm in your home or outside when you exercise, compression calf sleeves are perfect. They provide the support you need, don’t cause you to overheat, and they’re not exhausting to put on.

Remember too, what’s comfortable in one season, may be terrible in another season. Depending of course on where you live in the world and what you do during the day. Keep your options open, and keep your compression arsenal diverse.

The office where I work doesn’t have much ventilation so it’s warm. It usually stays between 74-80 in the office during the winter. Finding compression wear that doesn’t cause you to overheat and sweat is super important. I don’t know about you but I get crabby when I’m hot. Having POTS makes your body tolerate heat so much less than everyone else can.

I’ve tried several different styles, and my favorite brand so far is Doc Miller, and I prefer these. Let me tell you why.

Use and Care

They’re machine washable. That’s right. Throw those bad boys right in with your regular laundry. However, just remember not to throw them in the dryer. I just lay mine out flat and they’re usually dry enough to put away by the end of the night. (It’s not recommended to put any compression wear in the dryer. The heat will breakdown the fabric and it will lose its effectiveness over time.)

I don’t mind that they shouldn’t be machine dried. The fabric air dries quickly, is extremely breathable and doesn’t trap heat or sweat.

Styles and Colors

These compression garments, or gear come in many styles, including socks and calf sleeves.

They come in tons of both pretty and practical colors. You can be fun and flashy with bright colors or stick with neutrals and nudes to wear with your work clothes.

Comfort

They’re so easy to put on! Compared to traditional compression pantyhose, they only take 20 seconds to put on, and it doesn’t end up being a full body workout.

They stay put. No rolling up, sliding down, no pinching, no binding. Wash after wash.

My absolute favorite compression garments are the open toe compression socks and the firm compression calf sleeves from Doc Miller. You can find them for sale here. They’re inexpensive enough to buy several pairs to coordinate with outfits or have enough to wear throughout the week.

They are footless, so you can wear sandals or open toed shoes without them showing. Or you can try the toeless socks as well. These styles also keep you cooler and allow your feet to breathe.

The open toe style, or toeless sock, has a flat bottom edge and you can hardly feel it even when wearing shoes. They are completely smooth, there are no bumps, lumps or seams.

Give these a try if you’ve just been diagnosed with POTS, or get a couple of them in bright, fun colors as a gift for a friend or loved one. I’ve heard they’re great for anyone that doesn’t have POTS that spends a long time on their feet too. Wink, wink!

If you or a friend find them helpful, send me a message and let me know how they worked for you, or let me know about something you’ve found helpful for POTS.

Now go! Go get yourself some comfy, stylish, easy to wear and wash, affordable compression gear!