POTs With Maddie

This week we will discuss POTs once again with a new guest, Maddie Connell. Maddie is a 27 year old who works in Veterinary neurology and neurosurgery studying to become a Veterinary Neurologist herself.  She runs a popular TikTok to raise awareness and provide research based information on Ehlers Danlos, POTs, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Complex PTSD.

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Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): A disorder that causes problems with circulation (blood flow), POTS can cause your heart to beat too fast when you stand up. It can lead to fainting, chest pain and shortness of breath.  It is one of the 5 types of Dysautonomia. 

 Dysautonomia is a general term for a group of disorders that share a common problem – that is, an autonomic nervous system (ANS) that doesn’t function as it should. The ANS is the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary body functions (functions you don’t consciously control) like your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, body and skin temperature, hormonal function, bladder function, sexual function and many other functions.

When the ANS doesn’t work the way it should, it can cause heart and blood pressure problems, breathing trouble, loss of bladder control and many other problems.

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Dysautonomia happens when the nerves in your ANS don’t communicate as they should. When your ANS doesn’t send messages or receive messages as it should or the message isn’t clear, you experience a variety of symptoms and medical conditions.

Dysautonomia can affect ANS functions including:

• Blood pressure.

• Breathing.

• Digestion.

• Heart rate.

• Kidney function.

• Pupil dilation and constriction in the eyes.

• Sexual function.

• Body and skin temperature control.

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