The girl fainted more than 1,000 times due to a rare heart disease

As a child, Drury always felt like his life was a medical mystery. She always faints for unknown reasons, even when her body is not tired or overexerted. As a teenager, she had countless blood tests, heart evaluations, and consultations with multiple cardiologists, neurologists, and epilepsy specialists to find answers. However, causes such as narcolepsy, epilepsy, and psychogenic syncope were ruled out.

In 2019, at age 16, Drury was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). According to the Cleveland Clinic, POTS is a chronic condition that causes the heart rate to increase abnormally when changing positions, leading to fainting spells lasting 10 seconds. Drury’s symptoms when he was about to pass out were lightheadedness, loss of hearing, vision, and narrowed vision. She felt her muscle tone gradually decrease, no longer having a fulcrum.

“This process happened slowly for me, feeling weak all over. Now I understand my body so well that I can feel the fainting spells without having to think, just knowing that I’m about to faint.” , she added.

For the past five years, Drury has shared his experiences living with POTS on TikTok with more than a million followers. In a video posted in August, reaching 9 million views, Drury filmed himself sitting alone in a coffee shop, then fainted. Knowing that a faint was about to happen, she wrote a note on a piece of paper to inform those around her that she was fine. The video received many comments from people experiencing similar situations.

One user said: “I’m so embarrassed to faint in public, the idea of ​​writing a note is great, thank you!”. Another said: “I have POTS so I often faint. The scariest part is making sure people don’t call an ambulance.”

When she was in high school, many teachers and friends panicked and tried to support Drury when she fainted, because at this time she had not been diagnosed. In college, Drury learned how to adapt and fend for himself. If she faints in front of her friends or husband, they remain calm, which makes things less serious.

When he wakes up, Drury’s body will be very weak. She tried to take medicine and electrolytes to regain her strength. She also listens to her body, determining whether she should stop what she is doing to rest or not.

Currently, POTS has no treatment. Drury controls symptoms by taking midodrine and electrolyte salts. In addition, she practices resistance exercises as recommended by her doctor, avoiding cardio exercises.

“I’m very open about my condition because I’ve had it since elementary school, and I’m always sociable and willing to answer any questions people have,” Drury said.

When working in public places, she often adds a few lines explaining her condition on the computer screen, helping people calm down when they want to support. Doctors still don’t know the cause of Drury’s illness, calling POTS and similar conditions “invisible diseases.”