Testing
Structured write-ups of specific things I'm trying: Nurosym vagal nerve stimulation, diaphragmatic breathing, recumbent exercise, medications, and supplements, with HRV and RHR data where I have it. Each intervention gets an introductory post, then periodic updates. This section also covers getting care through the NHS: preparing for appointments, and what I wish I'd known earlier.
Nurosym VNS
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Does Nurosym work for POTS and dysautonomia?
Five months of daily Nurosym taVNS for post-viral POTS and dysautonomia. HRV has doubled and resting heart rate is down 16 bpm — but an amitriptyline taper, ivabradine, and midodrine overlap the data, and symptoms haven't changed. Here's what the numbers can and can't say.
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Nurosym at 3 months: autonomic metrics holding, symptoms still flat
Three months of daily taVNS. HRV is up roughly 35% from baseline and resting heart rate is down 5 bpm, but day-to-day symptoms haven't shifted. This post covers the full dataset, the June regression, and what I think it means.
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Nurosym week 3: early HRV gains, but symptoms unchanged
Three weeks into taVNS, my HRV has risen 23% and hit a six-month high. My symptoms haven't shifted. This post covers the numbers, the confounders, and what I think they mean so far.
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Starting Nurosym: why I'm trying vagal nerve stimulation and what I'll be looking for
I've started using a Nurosym transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) device. This post explains what the device does, why I'm trying it, what the evidence says, and how I'll be tracking the results. Data posts will follow.
Other posts
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Do I have POTS?
How to check for POTS at home before seeing your GP: a step-by-step NASA lean test, POTS symptom questionnaires (MAPS, VOSS, OGS) and the COMPASS-31 for wider dysautonomia.
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9 ways to enjoyably spend your lazy time with POTS, ME/CFS and/or long COVID
Pacing, rest and recovery are the right things to do and the most boring. Nine low-effort ways I fill the sofa hours without making myself worse: chess, podcasts, gentle games, and a bit of recumbent cycling.
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Supplements for chronic headache prevention: riboflavin, magnesium, CoQ10, and vitamin D
The evidence behind the four supplements most commonly recommended for headache prevention by specialist services, and the limits of extrapolating from migraine trials to new daily persistent headache.
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What I wish I'd known earlier
Things I've learned over three years of navigating a post-viral condition that I think would have been useful to know much sooner. Not medical advice, just experience.
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Diaphragmatic breathing regulation: the evidence, how to do it, and what to realistically expect
Slow, paced diaphragmatic breathing is widely recommended for autonomic dysfunction. This is my reading of the evidence, the protocol I use, and an honest account of what it has and hasn't done for my metrics.
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Recumbent exercise: staying active without crashing
The evidence for recumbent exercise in POTS and post-viral autonomic dysfunction, and the practical approach I use to stay active without triggering post-exertional malaise.
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How to increase salt intake: a practical guide
Practical guidance on reaching the 10-12g daily salt intake recommended for POTS and autonomic dysfunction, without relying on processed food.
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How to prepare for health appointments about post-viral symptoms
Practical advice on getting the most out of GP, specialist, and rehabilitation appointments when you have a complex post-viral condition.
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What I'm tracking and why
My data tracking approach for post-viral dysautonomia: what I measure, how I measure it, and the reasoning behind the choices.
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What happened to me: a timeline
A chronological account of how a post-viral syndrome developed, shifted, and became the dominant thing in my life. One person's experience.