(WJW) — Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram to tell her fans about her ongoing struggle with POTS syndrome after some recent comments about her appearance.
“Many of you are asking why my face looks different in my makeup videos and it’s because I am messed up, I am not doing that great,” Frankel said Thursday. “I’m so dehydrated and riddled with aches and pains.”
Frankel says these symptoms are connected to her ongoing battle with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, POTS is a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.
“I’m bloated, swollen and I’ve gained 4 lbs in 3 days because my body is desperately hanging on to any water it can,” Frankel said in the video’s caption. “A while back I shared what has been a serious battle with POTS. This is an auto-immune disorder that seems to have been drastically exacerbated since COVID. I know there are many of you out there, so thanks for all of the information. It’s certainly a condition to manage.”
While there’s no cure, several treatments and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms of POTS, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Despite her health troubles, Frankel is still snowboarding in Colorado with her 12-year-old daughter Bryn. She shared some of their fun times in Aspen on Instagram Wednesday.
Frankel took to Instagram again Thursday to share a photo with the caption, “Despite the health challenges of being in the mountains, I am so grateful to be able to experience such a beautiful place and indulge in my favorite pastime and sport-snowboarding. The health struggle is real, but the joy of the ride almost makes it worth it.”
Frankel concluded her video post with an important reminder for her followers: “PS. When you comment on someone’s physical appearance, you may not know exactly what they’re enduring personally, physically and emotionally.”