US woman 'allergic to gravity' spends 23 hours in bed every day
Lyndsi Johnson was diagnoised with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). Photo: Lyndsi Johnson/Instagram
A US woman who says she is allergic to gravity, spends 23 hours in bed each day. It is actually a condition; and an extremely rare one at that.
What’s the issue? A 28-year-old woman, Lyndsi Johnson, who lives in the United States, has claimed that she is 'allergic to gravity' and that she faints up to 10 times a day. She sometimes sits with her legs crossed, and gets up only for essential activities like eating or taking a shower.
Lyndsi Johnson used to work as an aviation diesel mechanic for the US Navy. But now, due to her rare allergy, she spends the most of her day in bed; 23 hours. This is because she has claimed that she cannot stand for more than 3 minutes without losing consciousness.
“I’m allergic to gravity – it sounds crazy but it’s true. I can’t stand up for longer than 3 minutes without feeling faint, sick or passing out. I feel much better if I’m laying down. I’m in bed all day - for up to 23 hours a day. I never thought that at 28 I would have to use a shower chair. I can’t leave my house anymore. There is no cure but I’m so grateful for James (her husband and primary caregiver) and what I do have,” Johnson told SWNS.
How it started: Johnson revealed that she experienced abdominal and back pain as the initial symptoms. The symptoms gradually worsened and resulted in projectile vomiting and frequent fainting.
In the beginning, she was working overseas and struggled with chronic pain. However, doctors could not diagnose her problem.
In May 2018, she was medically discharged from the military.
She was also admitted to the hospital for a few days. She slowly became incapable of performing activities like driving or bending over without fainting.
What did the doctor say? In February 2022, Johnson revealed that she was diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), which she refers to as an 'allergy to gravity'.
PoTS is a disorder in which most of the body's blood stays in the lower body, due to which, the heart rate of the patient jumps when they are standing. This abnormal flow further leads to dizziness, fainting, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, belly pain, bloating, brain fog and anxiety.
What is Lyndsi Johnson's current status? With medical assistance, Johnson said her incidents of fainting have drastically reduced. She now faints 3 times a day. However, she is still not able to perform everyday activities like a normal person.
“I still can’t really do anything. It’s really debilitating. I can’t do chores and James has to cook, clean and help me shower and wash myself. I’ve gone weeks without brushing my teeth because it just makes me feel awful. If I make a meal for James and I, then I’ll be in bed unable to do anything for the next three days. If I’m lying down, I feel fine, but as soon as I stand up, I’m dizzy and faint. I’ve really had to adapt to this new life and come to terms with it. I use mobility aids and that really helps for me,” she said.
Johnson is active on Instagram, where she shares updates on her health condition. She also tries to create awareness about her rare condition.