⚡ What POLG Actually Is

POLG is the name of a gene your body uses to copy mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria are the "power plants" inside your cells, and they need accurate instructions to make energy. POLG helps copy those instructions. If the POLG gene is mutated, the instructions get copied wrong, and the power plants start failing. That means parts of your body that need the most energy... like your brain, muscles, and liver start struggling.

🧠 Why It’s Rare (and Often Misdiagnosed)!

POLG-related disorders are extremely rare. Most doctors never see a case in their entire career. Symptoms often look like other conditions, so people with POLG might get misdiagnosed with:

• Epilepsy

• Autism

• ADHD

• Liver disease

• Neuropathy

• "Psychosomatic" issues (aka doctors not listening)

Because it’s so rare, people with POLG often have to explain it themselves. That’s why this post exists.

🔥 What a POLG Flare-Up Is!

A flare-up happens when the mitochondria get overwhelmed and can’t keep up with energy demands. This can cause:

• Sudden fatigue

• Muscle weakness

• Brain fog

• Sensory overload

• Pain

• Coordination issues

• Vision problems

• Seizure risk (for some people)

Triggers can include:

• Stress

• Illness

• Heat

• Overexertion

• Certain medications

• Random bad luck

⚠️ The Medication That Almost Killed Me!

There’s one medication that is extremely dangerous for people with POLG: Depakote (also called valproate).

For most people, Depakote is used for seizures or mood disorders. For people with POLG, it can cause sudden, severe liver damage. My own reaction wasn’t mild. It wasn’t “a bad side effect.” It was life-threatening. Depakote caused my liver numbers to skyrocket so fast that it nearly killed me. This happens because POLG affects how mitochondria work, and Depakote puts heavy stress on the liver. When you combine the two, the body can’t keep up. This is why POLG awareness matters. This is why rare conditions need visibility. And this is why I’m teaching you, so you understand the real stakes behind something most people have never even heard of.

🧩 How It Affects Daily Life!

• People with POLG often have to:

• Manage energy carefully

• Avoid certain meds

• Deal with unpredictable symptoms

• Recover slowly after flare-ups

• Explain themselves constantly

• Navigate doctors who don’t understand rare conditions

• It’s a survival game with real stakes.

🌑 Why I Talk About It?

POLG is invisible. People don’t see it unless I explain it. But it’s part of my life, part of my survival, and part of why I advocate for rare conditions.

If you voted for this, thank you. You’re helping make something rare and misunderstood a little more visible.