Teen Cross Country Runner's Fainting Spells Diagnosed as POTS

The Challenge of Fainting After Races

• 🏁 A 17-year-old cross country runner, Jewel Gannon, repeatedly faints immediately after crossing the finish line.
• 🤕 The fainting spells were so severe that she began asking teammates to catch her to prevent head injuries.
• 📉 In one season, Gannon fainted in 18 out of 23 races, impacting her ability to finish races safely.

Diagnosis: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

• 💡 Jewel Gannon was recently diagnosed with POTS, a condition characterized by heart palpitations and dizziness.
• 📈 POTS causes her heart rate to become excessively high during exercise.
• 🏃‍♀️ Despite the condition, Gannon continues to run because she is highly competitive and cannot imagine life without it.

Parental Support and Medical Evaluation

• ❤️ Her parents, Denine and Jason, find the situation difficult but provide support, with her mother often helping her recover by stimulating her sternum.
• 🩺 Gannon has undergone evaluations by a regular doctor, a cardiologist, and a neurologist, easing her father's concerns.

Neurologist's Explanation of POTS Symptoms

• 🧠 Dr. Leah Kroll explains that during running, blood pressure may be high due to constricted blood vessels.
• ⚠️ As the runner slows down at the finish line, a dramatic drop in blood pressure and heart rate can occur, leading to POTS symptoms when the body's regulation is not functioning properly.
• ✨ Gannon finds joy in the feeling of finishing a race and knowing she pushed her body to its limits.