Did Your Kids Inherit Pots?

[Chrissy]

For those of you that got pregnant after you were diagnosed with POTS, did your kids at any time get diagnosed with it or dysautonomia also? I read all the posts about pregnancy and they all say they were blessed with healthy babies but I was wondering if the children had problems later on. My condition is so bad that many days I can barely function, but I would still like to hope that someday I will get married and have kids. It seems like all my other life dreams have been taken away from me and I just keep hanging on to someday being a good mother. I would never wish this condition on anyone! Out of the blue I just got it at 17 years old. I am now 21. I appreciate any replies. Thanks!

[EarthMother]

When I was 21 they didn't call it POTS. I have a long list of things in my medical charts over the years, like "Tachycardia on Mild Exertion" or "Idiopathic Orthostatic Intollerance", etc. I started my family when I was 25 and had three children by age 33. This illness seemed to come in waves while I was younger, to the point where I was quite functional inbetween bouts. Back then I didn't realize that all of the symptoms were connected. Or that I'd be facing a life long battle with a chronic illness. I thought I just kept getting sick every few years and that eventually all this would just go away.

All of my kids are vibrant, healthy and full of energy and my eldest is now 20 years old. Will any of them develop POTS later on? Maybe. My girls certainly have that skin and bones body type that seems to go hand in hand with OI issues. But so far, all is good. My youngest is the fastest runner in her junior high class. I encourage them each to remain very active -- easy to do when the bus stop is a mile from the house!

My own sense is that we know lots more now than we did when I was first fighting this on my own. And my kids seem confident that even IF they are genetically predisposed that there are things they have learned from my trials and errors that will help them regardless of what life brings to their door.

Keep the vision.

~EM

[Ernie]

Hi,

We've had this disorder in my family for 6 generations and their is more than 50% of us of have the disorder. It is highly inheritable.

[juliegee]

Chrissy,

I guess I had POTS my whole life, with flares after trauma: car accident, surgery, etc. I didn't have a formal DX when I got pregnant. My son was born essentially healthy, with lots of odd issues- like I had. He became very disabled at 12 y/o- had to drop out of school, etc. He is 16 y/o now and responding well to his treatment plan- struggling, but back at school. I got my formal DX after my son did. He's actually helped me figure out my medical stuff.

Yes, it runs in families. My mom, grandmother, 2 brothers, son, and I are all affected. With occasional exceptions, we're basically able to function. POTS doesn't have to be a deal breaker. You can definately get married and may be able to have children. Even if they're not perfect; it's so worth it. My son is the love of my life. Because of our illness, we are very close. I have fought/advocated for him and vice versa when necessary.

Look to your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc. Are you the only one affected? Because your stuff came up as a teen, there is a chance it will be developmental and may resolve or certainly improve in time. Don't lose hope, Honey. Your life may not be the perfect fairy tale you once envisioned, but it can still be a perfectfully wonderful life for you. Many here are quite disabled with devoted spouses and children, some affected, some not. Stay hopeful and open to what your future holds.

Hugs-

Julie

[firewatcher]

Chrissy,

Some forms of POTS are brought on by illness or injury and may resolve, others are suspected to be genetic. Several members on the forum have multiple family members that are effected and is clearly genetic. I was diagnosed as having the hyperadrenergic form of POTS, which is suspected to be genetic. However, none of my family (and I can remember my Great-Grandparents) have ever had anything as disabling as what I have. I suspect that my Grandmother has some form of POTS due to frequent fainting as a young woman and anxiety issues, but they have never bothered her enough to seek treatment. My oldest Son has my Circadian Rhythm dysfunction, but he can run and exercise like I have NEVER been able to do. The wonderful thing about procreation is the genetic "hybrid vigor" that does not automatically guarantee a condition like dysautonomia. Like green eyes or breast cancer, it's a matter of recessive and dominant genes. Knowing that you have a medical condition can help you recognize and treat anything similar that may come along in your children, but right now, the few brains that contain enough information about all this are just researching and speculating. With the pace of research and technology, in the hopefully near future there may be better treatments or even a cure for many of us. Fifteen years ago, we would have all been treated for psychiatric issues/anxiety instead of a REAL medical condition.

Don't (try not to) worry about what you cannot control.

[Katja]

I've been diagnosed with an unspecified type of dysautonomia, which my doctors think may be POTS (they're running me through the tests some time in the next couple of months). I recently found out that my grandmother was diagnosed with "autonomic dysfunction" in her 30's, as well (in Russia), due to random episodes of severe unexplained tachycardia, along with other symptoms. my father has some weird symptoms possibly related to ANS dysfunction, as does my sister. I think some types of POTS or dysautonomia are heritable, but not necessarily all - as far as I know, hyperadrenergic POTS is generally considered to be a genetic disorder, and there are more rare types of genetic ANS dysfunction, as well, such as Riley-Day Syndrome (familial dysautonomia). if something like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is the cause of ANS dysfunction, that's heritable, as well (though I guess whether the 'faulty' collagen ends up causing ANS problems in your kids is less certain). do your doctors have any ideas as to what the cause of your POTS is?

[willows]

I have three grown up children , two girls and a boy .

My eldest daughter ( mid to late 30's now) was fit and well all her childhood and only when she reached her late teens did she start passing out and having terrible headaches and sight problems , but as far as I know hasn't been tested or wants to be tested for POTS , which is her decision ...........when I had her I was fairly well and in remission of POTS

My middle daughter (mid 20's now) has been fit and well all her life with no medical problems at all . .........when I had her I was still fairly well ,although I did loose a total of 3 other babies before I managed to have my second child

My son Mike (18 in March 2009) has been ill since he was 4 years old , some illnesses have been so bad that doctors just cannot believe that a lad of his years would pick conditions up such as some of them including : Bleeding from both kidneys at 4 years old, Tested for TB at 6 years old, Very bad glandular fever at 9 years old, double Pneumonia which lasted for months at 12 years old .............when I had Mike I was having full blown attacks day in day out and was very unwell all through the pregnancy ( pre-eclampsia) and then exceedingly unwell afterwards ( post toxemia) Mike was my last child as soon afterwards I had to have a complete hysterectomy , in all I had 7 pregnancies (2 sets of twins ) but managed to keep alive just 3 children , a girl from the first set of twins, a girl from the second set of twins and then my Mike .

But remember , this is me and I've never met anyone else with POTS who has had such problems with pregnancies, birth or passing POTS on to thier children.

Ami xxxxxxxxxxx

[MomtoGiuliana]

One of my sisters and I have POTS. Two other sisters either only have mild symptoms (one faints occasionally, so I am suspicious) or don't have it at all. My parents don't seem affected, nor any other family members as far as I know.

[goldicedance]

For those of you with genetic POTS (for lack of a better expression), have geneticists been able to identify the gene/gene mutation? Just curious.