A 21-year-old woman has regular brushes with death and in one year was pronounced clinically dead 36 times . Sara Brautigam was four years ago diagnosed with Postural orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome ( PoTS ) , a condition which makes her heart race while standing upright . She experiences rapid palpitations that regularly cause her heart to stop beating and her blood pressure to plummet to what doctors record as clinically dead . Ms Brautigam said that she has contacted other people with the same condition , but none of those people 's hearts have stopped . 'They ca n't give me CPR because CPR tires the heart out for no reason so it is pointless . When the heart fills up with blood again is when it begins beating again . 'The blood tends to pool in my legs and the doors need to help feed it back to the heart . ' ' I ca n't have oxygen because it prolongs the attack . 'In fact it is just a case of leaving me there and praying . The only thing they can do is put me on a drip , ' she added . Ms Brautigam , from Doncaster , said each time her heart stops medics have to inflict pain on her to shock her into coming back to life . She said : 'When it happens paramedics try and do anything to inflict pain to try and shock me into coming back to life . Ms Brautigam lies in a hospital bed after undergoing one of her regular episodes caused by her heart condition . Postural Tachycardia Syndrome ( PoTS ) can be a life altering and debilitating chronic health condition . Simply standing up can be a challenge for people with PoTS as their body is unable to adjust to gravity . PoTS is characterised by what 's known as orthostatic intolerance - the development of symptoms when upright that are relieved by lying down . Symptoms include headaches , fatigue , palpitations , sweating , nausea , fainting and dizziness . They are associated with an increase in heart rate from the lying to upright position of greater than 30 beats per minute , or a heart rate of greater than 120 beats per minute within 10 minutes of standing . For more information : http : //www.potsuk.org/ . ' A lot of the time I 'll wake up with big bruises . On one occasion they ripped an acrylic nail off but that still did n't make me flinch . ' Ms Brautigam said that she has contacted people with PoTS , but none of those people 's hearts have stopped . She also suffers joint hypermobility syndrome which means her joints are more prone to injury and dislocation . The two combined resulted in her visiting A & E a staggering 64 times in one year . 'When I was still canoeing I had an attack in my boat and when I came around I was screaming before I knew it because I had somehow dislocated my shoulder and damaged my back while I was passed out . ' But Ms Brautigam - who has canoed for Great Britain - says she is determined not to let the conditions hold her back and is now trying to make a life as a burlesque performer . She said : 'There are signs before it happens - I 'll feel dizzy or sick and really tired and then I feel as though I 'm falling asleep.I can hear everything around me and feel as though I 'm trying to shout but nothing is coming out . 'They say when you die your hearing is the last thing to go and that 's been my experience . After an attack I 'll wake up and my chest will be killing and I 'm really tired . ' I get asked it quite a lot , but there is definitely no bright light . Everything just goes black . 'You can still hear things and there is a voice in my head that is still active and still conscious and it is trying to communicate with those around me . I can remember what people are saying when I black out but have no other awareness of what 's going on . ' She was told she could no longer take part in the sport and her dreams of joining the Navy were also left in tatters . Even getting a job and and driving were affected by the condition . She added : ' I had 10 years of being out every weekend canoeing and being so active and it all came crashing down . I piled on the weight because I could n't exercise and was really upset . 'All my dreams came crashing down , I ca n't even work at the minute because I would need a job that could be very flexible . Then I was told I could n't drive , it was like everything was being taken away from me . ' I lost a lot of friends , in fact I only have one friend from school . Everyone seemed to be too busy with their own lives to bother with me when I was diagnosed . '
The 21-year-old has regular brushes with death due to rare heart condition . Condition means she has palpitations that cause her heart to stop beating . In four years ago alone Ms Brautigam was pronounced clinically dead 36 times . She says there is no bright light - but she can hear what people say to her .