Tilt Table Test - Fibromyalgia Message Board

darlene · 01-13-2002, 01:01 AM

Has anyone ever had a "tilt table test"? If so, how does it relate to FMS or CFS?

Darlene

LArabi · 01-13-2002, 01:43 PM

Tilt table tests diagnose cardiac problems. I've never heard of them being used for CFS or FMS. The purpose is to see if your heart triggers a sudden drop in blood pressure when the table tilts slowly upward. If the blood pressure does drop, then you faint. If you have a history of undiagnosed fainting or waking up on the floor without knowing how you got there, then this is the test for you. I don't know how a tilt table test would be helpful for patients with CFS or FMS.
Terri

korken · 01-13-2002, 03:33 PM

We've never heard any mention anywhere about this test being used in DXing FMS or CFS either. Did your doctor tell you why they were ordering this test? If not call and ask him.

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Take care ~Kim & Gary~

SamQKitty · 01-13-2002, 06:25 PM

About five or so years ago, some CFS researchers thought they had discovered what caused CFS. Using a tilt table, they researched a condition called "neurally mediated hypotension" (NMH for short), which is a condition that results in very low blood pressure when standing upright for a period of time. They thought that perhaps this was why people with CFS were so tired all the time. I believe the end results were that some people had been misdiagnosed with CFS when they actually had NMH, and some people with CFS also had NMH and improved somewhat when the NMH was treated, but still had some sypmtoms of CFS. Also, not all people with CFS who were tested had NMH.

darlene · 01-14-2002, 11:31 PM

Hi, thanks for the reply. How it came up was last year I had about 5 or 6 months where I was dizzy all the time. After having an ENG they had discussed doing a tilt table test but never did.

I did get some good news today, my doctor has signed the papers for disabiltiy for FMS. Not SS disability, but a private policy I had through work, long term disability. I was actually surprised because he is quite a conservative doctor so it was a nice surprise. Since he did this, do you think this would have any bearing on SS disability being easier to get??? I am also going in tomorrow for an ultra sound on my thyroid. Ten years ago I had 2/3 of it removed because I had a tumor on it, now something has grown back so just one more thing to worry about.

Darlene