Fitbit Unlocks Decade-Old Mystery Illness for Mother of Two

In July 2025, Kerry Clayton, a 33-year-old mother of two from Kent, England, finally received a diagnosis that explained her decade-long battle with mysterious health issues. For over 20 years, Clayton had been experiencing dizzy spells, fainting, and constant light-headedness, only to have her concerns repeatedly dismissed by doctors.

Clayton's symptoms first appeared in her teens when she fainted during an exam. Despite fainting around once a week for years, repeated visits to her GP brought no answers, as her blood pressure appeared normal in the clinic. It wasn't until Clayton won a Fitbit health-tracking watch that she discovered the root cause - postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS).

PoTS is a condition that causes the heart rate to jump abnormally, often just after standing up, leading to palpitations, chest pain, and dizziness. Experts warn that PoTS, which affects an estimated 130,000 people in the UK, is widely misunderstood and often goes undiagnosed for years.

Clayton's story is not unique. Celebrities like Billie Eilish, Solange Knowles, and Jameela Jamil have also shared their struggles with PoTS and related conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. These conditions can be debilitating, affecting a person's ability to work or enjoy daily life.

While lifestyle changes and medications can help manage PoTS symptoms, the lack of awareness and shortage of specialists means many patients are left without proper support. As the demand for PoTS services increases, experts are sounding the alarm, urging for greater recognition and access to treatment for this often-overlooked condition.