Welcome to Episode 8 of Live & Learn. This week Megan welcomes Dr. Marie-Claire Seeley, CEO of the Australian POTS Foundation. Marie-Claire discusses the challenges of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) for young people, particularly in school settings. She highlights the complex symptoms, diagnostic delays, and the added impact of gender bias, which can lead to prolonged suffering and medical trauma. Marie-Claire emphasises the need for awareness and supportive environments to help students with POTS manage their health and maintain educational engagement.
POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, causing symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, and digestive issues due to the body’s inability to properly regulate basic functions like heart rate and digestion. The Australian POTS Foundation, run by volunteers, is dedicated to supporting POTS patients by funding research, raising awareness, and providing resources to improve care and understanding across Australia.
Read the transcript here.
