Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram and TikTok on Thursday to update her fans on why her face “looked different” in recent videos.
The Real Housewives of New York City alum, 52, shared that her battle with POTS — a circulatory disorder — has worsened since COVID, causing a variety of symptoms including weight gain, bloating, dehydration and pain.
“A lot of you guys are asking why my face looks different in my makeup videos and it’s because I’m messed up. I’m not doing so well,” she shared in an Instagram video.
She later took to TikTok with more clips, and at one point her voice cracked as she burst into tears while discussing staying healthy for her daughter Bryn Hoppy, 12.
“My real thing is the terror of just not being healthy for my daughter. That’s the biggest thing. Who cares about the rest, I just want to be healthy for her.’
Health issues: Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram and TikTok on Thursday to share that her battle with POTS — a circulatory disorder — has worsened since COVID, causing a variety of symptoms including weight gain, bloating, dehydration and pain. Emotional: At one point her voice cracked as she got emotional as she spoke about staying healthy for her daughter Bryn Hoppy, 12. Her girl: “My real thing is the horror of just not being healthy for my daughter. That’s the biggest thing. Who cares about the rest, I just want to be healthy for them,” she said while breaking down in tears; Pictured with Bryn in 2022
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is a circulatory disorder that causes your heart to beat faster than normal after transitioning from sitting to standing.
Patients diagnosed with POTS may experience rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, fainting, and lightheadedness.
Taking to Instagram first, the reality TV star wrote, “There have been some comments about my face looking different in recent videos so here’s why.”
“I’m bloated, swollen and gained 4 pounds in 3 days because my body is desperate for water it can,” the star explained.
She continued, “A while back I shared a serious struggle with POTS. This is an autoimmune disease that appears to have gotten drastically worse since COVID. I know there are many of you out there so thanks for all the information. It is certainly a condition to manage.’
“I suffer from chronic severe dehydration. I’ve always had extremely low blood pressure and dehydration, but it’s gotten exponentially worse.’
“I try really hard to stay hydrated, get IVs and I haven’t had any alcohol in 6 months. I’m fundamentally involved in the case,” Frankel added.
“The high altitude and dry climate (in my favorite place on earth for my favorite sport) pose additional challenges.”
At the end of her statement, she reminded her followers to think twice before commenting on someone’s looks: “PS. When you comment on someone’s physical appearance, you may not be fully aware of what they are going through personally, physically and emotionally.
‘Not Great’: ‘A lot of you guys are asking why my face looks different in my makeup videos and it’s because I’m messed up. I’m not doing too well,” she shared of previous symptoms: “I’m bloated, swollen and I’ve gained 4 pounds in 3 days because my body is desperate for water it can,” the star explained of her condition, Anxiety: She also described being “wracked with pain,” adding, “I’m absolutely terrified because I don’t like that I’m doing everything I can to be perfectly healthy and yet sometimes this thing wins and it’s annoying. ”
In her Instagram video, she also described being “wracked with aches and pains.”
“It’s very intense and it’s gotten really bad in the last few years since I’ve been dealing with this autoimmune thing,” she said.
The former Bravo star added: “That’s why I look done.”
“I wake up in pain like this about every two hours and die of thirst,” she added.
She later took to her TikTok with a bare-faced video as she explained that she wouldn’t filter her face because “that’s me today.”
She captioned the clip: “POTS is real and so are COVID effects.”
In a follow-up video, she got emotional while discussing her only daughter, who she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.
“I want to vacation in Aspen and take her snowboarding. I want to live a long life because later in life I had a child.’
“I’m absolutely terrified because I don’t like doing everything to be perfectly healthy and yet sometimes this thing wins and it’s annoying,” she added.
“I never do it, but I don’t want to look like I’m always in control. I definitely don’t,” Bethenny wrote in the caption.
Mom’s girl: Bethenny shares Bryn with ex-husband Jason Hoppy, who she divorced in 2021; Pictured with Bryn in 2022
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (Pots)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is an abnormal increase in heart rate that occurs after standing or standing up.
Some typical symptoms are dizziness and fainting.
PoTS affects a range of people but is most common in girls and women between the ages of 15 and 50.
Some people have mild symptoms, while others find the condition is affecting their quality of life.
PoTS often improves gradually over time, and there are some medications and self-care measures that can help.
SOURCE: NHS