I've got EDS from my dad's side of the family and I've seen tons of symptoms stemming from EDS. Most of my symptoms are joint related, and I dislocate on a daily basis. I have had major surgery on my shoulder after I dislocated it badly, and I wear an ankle brace constantly, because after my many dislocations my right ankle has become permanently loose. My father has had the blackouts, but not as often as you describe, and I have had migraines with numbness along the entire right side of my body.
When it comes to treatment there doesn't seem to be anything that hits all the bases. Most of the symptoms can be dealt with individually though. I've been prescribeb short term pain medication and long term physical therapy for the joint problems, and I've had MRA's and cat scans to check for major damage to my brain.

My son has Chiari and through our support groups for this problem we have come across many people who also have EDS. I belive there is quite a bit of research being done into the connection between the two. Check out The Chiari Institute. I know they do research and screening for EDS for patients with Chiari.

Chiari can cause blackout, drop attacks, migraines, and numbness, among other symptoms such as swallowing problems, apnea, and more. Definitely something you might want to be checked out for. It can be detected by MRI.

My husband and 2 brother in laws both have ehlers danlos syndrome my husband lived to 48 one brother in law made 36 and the other is 51. This is a terrible syndrome to have and yes they had the connective tissue disorders like loose joints could get out of hand cuffs and did have some dislocations but never wore braces they had anerysms from this syndrome and one died from an anerysm and my husband died from lung problems also due to this syndrome he had a anerysm at age 14 and lost all but a small section of his bowel and had to be on TPN nightly for nutrition. So alot of medical problems along the way as well but lived his life the best he could he spend alot of days in the hospital when young but not so much as he aged. Let me know if you have any other questions. take care

I have been suffering from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) for years. Dislocations, subluxations, muscle pain, numbness, nerve damage, strange organ conditions, high cholesterol, slow healing, bruise easy, hand pain that makes me scream, falling down and you name it. I blame everything on EDS. EDS is a connective tissue disorder. When your connective tissue does not work properly. Now I have phantom smoke smell. Gee this doesn't end. I have studied much regarding this disorder. May is EDS Awareness month. Let people know! Doctors especially! They seem to know less than me, I don't feel like educating them when I'm in there office.

I also have EDS and just recently found out that I have a vitamin D deficiency so I'm taking 4 vitamins 3 times a day to help. The lack Vit D somehow can interfere with the iron in your blood and if you have low iron then you'll faint a lot. I used to black out a lot when I was younger but I've learned to tell when it's coming and lay down before it happens. This is something you all may want to check as well. Not sure if it goes with the EDS though.

I too have very hypermobile joints. My biggest problem is my joints. I've had hip and knee surgery; doctors suggested surgery for elbows that are dislocated at all times at radial head; and all other joints will dislocate or sublux should I say at nothing. I've dislocated my wrist picking up a piece of paper and dislocated my foot, hip and knee by rolling over in bed with my foot barely caught in the sheet.

I agree with watertester we tend to have to educate the docs about EDS as they usually have barely even heard of it much less know anything about it. Frustrating part for me is that there's no test to say for sure if it's actually EDS or something else. I had the biopsy done and it still was inconclusive so they just said we'll stick with EDS since it's the closest diagnosis we have!

But the main thing about having EDS is attitude. If you don't keep a positive attitude then you'll let it drag you way down and that's the last thing we need is to add something else to the laundry list that goes along with having EDS! So stay positive.
Take care and God Bless you all.