Possible Causes/suggestions??? - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

pootie231 · 05-06-2006, 07:45 PM

Hi, I am concerned for my father-in-law and just looking for any information that may be relevant. We were at his house last night playing cards and having a few beers (no one was "drunk"). He has been complaining about pain in his neck radiating down his back into his ribcage on his left side. He was laughing really hard at a joke and all of a sudden fell forward onto the table and started shaking. He couldn't respond to our questions. We were heading to the phone to dial 911 when he sat up and looked at us like we were all crazy. He had no idea about what had just taken place. He bluffed it off and refused to go to the doctor saying he must have just passed out from the pain in his neck.

He is 56 years old and in the past 6 months everyone has noticed that he has gained a fair amount of weight in his stomach only (which I know is not good). He also recently had blood tests and xrays done and the doctors told him they have found something, though for some reason have him waiting almost 4 weeks for his appt. He is pretending this is no big deal, but I am concerned because he transports people for a living and if this "seizure" ever happened while he was behind the wheel....

I would appreciate any possible causes that I can pass on to him to possibly convey the severity of what happened. - really, any ideas at all -

thanks

dutch-ny · 05-07-2006, 06:21 AM

next door ,the old man [70plus] does the same act every so often. He has heart problems and drinks too much and has been told that one of these times he just will not get up. It is a heart condition and the beer is not good for him BUT he will not stop. Do the best you can ,nothing you can do will help . He has to do it on his own!!!!! With your help at a safe distance.

jcjwillis · 05-07-2006, 07:40 AM

My father also had problems with his heart and would like to drink (although never to the point of being drunk). He to could be getting up and would just fall to the ground this only lasted a very short time. He should have his heart checked out and or find a reason for his having seizures that could be very dangerous if he had one while driving.(be prepared though if some doctors see that he is having seizures they might tell him that they will have to report it and he could loose his license.) When my father would fall though it was briefer than what you described and my father could remember it happening.
Really push the doctors for answers!
Hope your Father is feeling better soon! Keep us informed of his progress.

pootie231 · 05-07-2006, 09:03 AM

Thanks to everyone for your quick responses. I too am convinced it has something to do with his heart and am going to urge him to please see a doctor.