Can You Get Disability for POTS?
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is a chronic condition that affects the autonomic nervous system and significantly impacts daily functioning. If you suffer from POTS, you may wonder whether you qualify for disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration does not specifically list POTS in its Blue Book. However, you may still get disability for POTS based on how its functional limitations affect your life. The SSA denies claims for many people with POTS initially, but professional support can improve your chances of approval. Disability Advice can connect you with an advocate who will explain your options.
What Is POTS?
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is a group of disorders affecting a person’s blood flow when they stand upright.
When a person stands from a seated or lying position, gravity pulls more blood into the body’s lower half. In a person without POTS, the body prevents this blood from pooling in the legs by temporarily releasing hormones that tighten the blood vessels. This process works inefficiently in POTS patients because it prevents enough blood from reaching the brain and elevates the heart rate.
The exact cause of POTS is unclear, and its onset differs from person to person. It often begins after significant events, such as pregnancy, puberty, trauma, surgery, or viral illness. Certain diseases are also associated with POTS, including hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, traumatic brain injury, long COVID, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
As many as three million Americans have POTS. It primarily affects people between the ages of 15 and 50, and the majority of those diagnosed are women .
Common Types of POTS
There are three primary classifications of POTS based on their characteristics:
- Neuropathic POTS involves damage to the small fiber nerves that regulate blood vessel constriction in the abdomen and limbs.
- Hyperadrenergic POTS involves elevated norepinephrine levels.
- Hypovolemic POTS involves an abnormally low blood volume in the body
Does the SSA Recognize POTS as a Disability?
The SSA often determines if a condition is disabling by referencing the listings of qualifying conditions in its so-called Blue Book. These listings provide detailed clinical criteria to determine eligibility for disability benefits.
There is no standalone listing for POTS in the SSA Blue Book. However, you may still qualify for benefits if your condition meets the general criteria of a listed impairment, such as the following:
- Listing 4.00 – Cardiovascular System
- Listing 11.00 – Neurological Disorders
- Listing 9.00 – Endocrine Disorders
If your POTS doesn’t meet the Blue Book criteria, you may instead qualify for benefits with a medical vocational allowance. The SSA will assess your residual functional capacity, or RFC, by considering the maximum work activities you can perform. You may receive a medical vocational allowance if your RFC indicates you cannot perform substantial gainful activity.
Remember that the SSA has a different definition of disability than you might have. The SSA considers you disabled if you have a physical or mental impairment that prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity and is expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or result in death.
Symptoms of POTS That May Qualify for SSDI
POTS looks different in each patient. Symptoms can even vary day by day in an individual due to factors such as hormonal fluctuations, weather, and hydration status.
Your particular symptoms and how they affect you will determine your SSDI eligibility. Common symptoms that may meet the criteria for SSA Blue Book conditions include:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Blood pressure fluctuations
- Fainting or nearly fainting
- Heart palpitations
- Increased heart rate
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty thinking and concentrating, also known as brain fog
- Shakiness and sweating
- Fatigue
- Headache or migraine
- Blurry vision
How POTS Impacts Daily Life
POTS can significantly limit a person’s ability to work. Jobs that require standing or walking may be impossible for some patients. While many can work desk jobs, the cognitive effects of this condition, such as brain fog and difficulty concentrating, can make it challenging to complete tasks efficiently.
Additionally, the unpredictable nature of POTS symptoms can make it difficult for patients to maintain regular work schedules. A patient may be capable of standing for a few minutes at a time one day, but nearly faint each time they stand the next day. The SSA considers all these functional limitations when determining whether a condition is disabling.
How To Qualify for Disability With POTS
Here’s a general overview of what’s required to get SSDI for POTS.
Gather Medical Evidence
You must have a formal POTS diagnosis from a specialist, such as a neurologist or cardiologist. Documentation of any autonomic testing you underwent, such as a tilt table test or 10-minute stand test, can be strong supporting evidence.
It also helps to keep a detailed medical history. Retain all medical documents, regardless of whether they seem condition-related. Health care providers are only required to keep medical records for a few years after you stop seeing them, so you may want to gather old providers’ documents while they’re still available.
Functional Limitation Documentation
Consider keeping a daily symptom tracker. This can demonstrate how your symptoms affect you daily and the efforts you’ve made to manage them. Write down any changes in medication, treatments, and lifestyle modifications and how they might have affected your symptoms. Note any triggers that seem to worsen your symptoms.
The SSA will consider these details when determining how your POTS might limit your ability to work. For example, fatigue that requires prolonged rest breaks throughout the day could impact your ability to maintain a regular work schedule. Similarly, if you have difficulty standing or walking for extended periods due to dizziness, this could impact your ability to perform physically demanding jobs.
Work History & RFC Assessments
The SSA will evaluate whether you can perform any type of work. This process involves assessing your work history and RFC.
Your work history is a record of your previous jobs, including the type of work you performed, hours worked, and any accommodations made for you. This information is important because it can demonstrate your ability to perform different types of jobs. It can also provide the information necessary to calculate your monthly SSDI payments if you’re approved.
An SSA claims examiner will complete an RFC form based on the available information. Your doctors may also fill out an RFC form to provide additional insight into your limitations, including needing frequent breaks, sitting or lying down to work, and missing work when symptoms are severe.
How Disability Advice Can Help With Your POTS Disability Claim
POTS is an often misunderstood condition. The SSA may underappreciate the severity of your symptoms and assume you’re capable of working more than you are. This can create a significant barrier to obtaining SSDI benefits, but the right legal representation can greatly improve your chances of success.
Disability Advice can connect you to a professional at Citizens Disability who knows how to build stronger claims for conditions such as POTS. They can inform you of your eligibility, gather medical evidence and RFC forms, and guide you through the legal process.
There are no upfront fees for these services, and you only pay if they win benefits on your behalf. Contact us today to learn if you can get disability for POTS and proceed with a claim.
