Big Brother star diagnosed with ‘silent killer' condition – leaving her ‘crying and screaming'
Harry Amelia Martin, 32, took part in the then-Channel 5 series in 2015 and became one of the series' most talked-about housemates thanks to her romance with co-star Nick Henderson and regularly strolling around the abode topless.
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Now, she has told how her life was "ground to a halt" after receiving some unsettling news during a routine echocardiogram.
In a lengthy Instagram post, she revealed that it had uncovered a condition she described as a "silent killer" and "one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death."
The former model shared a video clip of her throughout various stages of her treatment as she opened up to her fans on what had been going on.
Harry Amelia said: "The truth is, during a routine echocardiogram (some subtypes of EDS can affect your heart valves) it uncovered a condition that is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death.
"When symptoms are present, they often mimic POTS , but unlike this genetic fault, POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndromeis) relatively harmless - just quite exhausting, but it doesn't kill you!
"Overnight, my life ground to a complete halt, I was stuck in my own personal idea of hell, which felt like Groundhog Day, day after day doing nothing but the same things."
The former reality TV star continued: "I couldn't relax. I couldn't enjoy myself.
"I became an anxious mess as I didn't know what symptoms were POTS, & what were this 'silent killer' - responsible for 5–10% of sudden deaths in people under the age of 65, with the average age being just 30 years old.
"Naturally, I have lost my s*** Harry style on multiple occasions & probably driven everyone close to me to despair.
"There's been a lot of panic attacks, frustrated screaming, crying, bed rotting, & I think I've thrown myself more pity parties in recent months than I have in my whole life - & as you all know, my life has often been quite a colourful ride."
Harry, who shares a child with her Big Brother co-star ex, admitted that she was still awaiting further tests and had been aiming to reduce stress at all possible opportunities.
The star ended her post by saying: "Hopefully, with the right treatment plan I'll be reborn & flourishing again soon, until then I'm staying positive & grateful for my little life of Hunter, my animals & my chosen family.
"That alongside my amazing other half have pulled me out the darkness more times than I care to count over the past few months."
Following her brave and emotional post, Harry was inundated with messages of support from her followers.
What is POTS?
According to the NHS, Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is when "your heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down, often making you feel dizzy or lightheaded."
Guidance suggests that it can affect everyone differently, ranging from mild symptoms to those causing an unavoidable impact on everyday life.
Some of the symptoms listed by the NHS include:
dizziness or lightheadedness
noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
chest pain
shortness of breath
shaking and sweating
fainting or nearly fainting
Whilst, more other serious symptoms could include:
problems with your stomach or digestion, such as feeling sick, being sick, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and tummy pain
headaches and problems with your sight, such as blurred vision or tunnel vision
your hands and feet looking purple – this may be more difficult to see if you have brown or black skin
weakness and extreme tiredness (fatigue), not being able to do much exercise, and sleeping badly
problems with thinking, memory and concentration (brain fog)
Source: NHS
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