Bethenny Frankel has spoken out about how she’s been struggling with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
The 52-year-old reality star discussed her symptoms with the medical condition in a video posted to her Instagram on Thursday. She noted that her followers had been asking why her “face looks different in [her] makeup videos” and shared that the change in physical appearance was due to the state of her health.
“I am messed up. I am not doing that great,” she explained. “I’m so dehydrated and riddled with aches and pains. I have had litres of pedialyte and water and Kombucha and coconut water, and it just goes right through me.”
She said that she’s gained “four pounds” in the last few days while on a trip to Aspen since her body is “trying to hold on to any water it can”.
POTS is “a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Dehydration is so real. This is like very intense and it’s gotten really bad in the last few years since this autoimmune thing I’m dealing with,” Frankel added in her video. “So that’s why I look like s***, cause I’m a little f***ed up.”
In the caption of her post, The Real Housewives of New York City star explained that her condition “seems to have been drastically exacerbated since” having Covid-19. And although she said that she’s “always experienced extremely low blood pressure and dehydration, it’s gotten exponentially worse”.
“I make a tremendous effort to stay hydrated, get IV’s, and I haven’t had liquor for 6 months. I’m basically on the case,” she wrote. “Altitude and a dry climate (in my favourite place in the world to do my favourite sport) present additional challenges.”
Frankel then sent a message to her followers who’ve been making remarks about her face, adding: “When you comment on someone’s physical appearance, you may not know exactly what they’re enduring personally, physically and emotionally.”
Some of the symptoms of POTS can include dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations, per Cleveland Clinic. The condition is relatively common and affects about one to three million people in America.
Researchers have also found that people who have recovered from Covid-19 have had symptoms of POTS, according to John Hopkins Medicine.
In addition to her Instagram video, Frankel shared a video on TikTok to address how much she wants to stay healthy for the sake of her 12-year-old daughter, Bryn Hoppy, whom she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.
“My real thing is the terror of not being healthy for my daughter. Who cares about the rest of it,” she tearfully said. “I just want to be healthy for her, want to go on Aspen vacations and take her snowboarding. Want to live a long life because I had a child later in life.”
She continued: “And I’m absolutely scared because I’ve done everything to be completely healthy, and still, sometimes this thing is winning. And it’s upsetting.”
Hours before posting her health updates, Frankel shared a photo on Instagram of her snowboarding in Aspen and briefly discussed her POTS symptoms in the caption.
“Given my health issues, the altitude and dehydration are real. I have to do IV’s & take extra precautions to stay healthy. It certainly isn’t as easy as it used to be, but the joy of the ride is as magical as ever,” she wrote.
