Newbie

Posts: 1
From:RPV CA USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 02-15-2001 11:47 PM            

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I don't know if I have one problem or two. First, any shock to my body, like when I smashed my colar bone, causes my heart to stop beating. Second, I get dizzy, and occassionally black out, but other than when my heart stops, I do not become unconscious. Yesterday the dentist gave me ten shots in the mouth to numb my whole mouth and it started -- weak, shaky. Two glucose tablets brought me back around. However, I do not have hypoglycemia or diabetes, because my doctor did blood tests. Also, when I started to make a list of the incidents, I remembered when I was only seven barely making it to the kitchen, and almost not having enough energy to lift the spoon to fill it with peanut butter. This was at a time when we were only having meat on Fridays. I felt better immediately. Then, in my preteens, teens, and young adulthood, I would start to get weak, run to the frig and down a couple of glasses or a quart of milk and feel fine again. In between times I had stiches a few times, but never felt weak or had a problem with my heart during the injury. I married and had two children, no problem -- a except very long deliver with the first. The doctor said that I had diabetes during pregnancy, but it has not been back, and I'm 56 now. I had no labor with the second. It had to be induced. First was 8#2, and the second 8#8. I was 21. Then at 22 I had surgery, and my heart stopped in recovery. I was cold to the touch, and could not be roused. The first thing I remember is the doctor yelling, "Wake up or I'm going to slap you." I didn't want that, but I had to try really hard to wake up -- I was in a very peaceful and comfortable place/feeling. At 27, I don't remember what preceeded it, some little medical thing, but when I woke up the next morning, I could not move, and I could barely speak. I was taken to emergency. I heard them counting down my blood pressure. The last I heard was "60." When I came to I was told that I was fine now, I stood to get dressed and passed out again. They gave me glucose in a tube for 12 hours -- why so long? Anyway, I didn't remember anything during that time. Any since the doctor that I never saw called and asked me out the next day ..... "No, thanks." I was widowed at 21 after five years of marriage. At 27 I was terribly faint and weak. The doctor told me to go have a steak. I had been on the Pritikin diet. To my surprize I was fine with the first bite -- just like at age seven. Jumping ahead. On my 50th birthday I had a bicycle accident. Crushed my colar bone, swollen knee. The doctor said if I didn't pull my head under as I was air bound I would be dead. The hospital put this machine on me that "yelled" each time my heart stopped, so that I could wake and start breathing. It yelled 50 or 100 times. The dizzyness has been now and then along the way. My recent concern is fainting in class in front of the kids. It has happened three times. First, I hit the chalkboard and was sitting on the chalktray. The second time, I was standing and hit the floor flat and grabbed a kids desk top on the way down. The last time was comical. I was sitting at a round table listening to the students. My head hit the table. I heard, "OK, Ms. Moller. I'll do it right." I am dizzy now, but mildly. This often happens at the computer, and I believe that when I pull my head back it clears up entirely or a lot. So, is my head not screwed on right? I am getting a "tilt test" soon. Never heard of it before. The EKG they did in the office was OK, but the doctor another heart test might be necessary.
What do you think? I would just eat every two hours if that would do it, but it doesn't always help. I ate a half hour ago, and I am still semi-dizzy with a straight head? I would greatly appreciate any information. Sharra (Share-a)

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Senior Member

Posts: 82
From:El Dorado, AR USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-07-2001 01:48 PM            

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I don't have any answers for you, but the fainting and heart stopping sound like someone who would need a pacemaker. The fact that glucose or food helps sounds like hypoglycemic attacks. There are pacemakers that only kick in when the heart slows too much. Hypoglycemics have to avoid sugar as much as a diabetic. They need several small protein meals daily to even out the blood sugar. A heart problem may not show up except after several days of monitoring. The first thing that I would have thought when your mouth was anesthetized was that you were having a reaction to the anesthetic. They should have called the paramedics. I must say that you have received some strange medical care. I'm curious as to why they gave you sugar unless they tested your sugar while you were there. Seems like you have several conditions going on. I hope you find a doctor that can make the right diagnosis.

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Member

Posts: 66
From:WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-25-2001 08:34 PM            

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Hello,
Reading your message was interesting. I was interested in when you stated that your "heart stops" because if it really did stop and flatline for a peroid of time, you would have to be shocked or cardioverted to have your heart regain beating. I think what you mean is more of a pause.

The "tilt table test" is a good test to see if you have Posteral Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTs) which means the nerves that go down to your heart get a short circuit and your heart tries to compensate, only to give you the symptoms of feeling faint etc. Sometimes during this test, people passout or have long pauses inbetween the heart beating, as it sounds like your heart does.

Have you ever been tested for seizures? This would be another thing you might want to have done. Also, an EP study might prove of benefit to you if you have no luck on getting answers from the "tilt table test" etc. Best of luck and let us know how things go.

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Senior Member

Posts: 201
From:San Antonio, TX U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-31-2001 01:30 PM            

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Please contact the SADS Foundation and tell them your story. http://www.sads.org
FAX: 1.801.531.0945

This condition could also be syncope which is often misdiagnosed as epilepsy/seizures or an asthma attack(in some individuals).

Seizure-like activity is sometimes exibited when a person is having a syncope episode.
Also it can cause sudden death in some cases.

Please don't waste time---contact this foundation right away.

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Senior Member

Posts: 201
From:San Antonio, TX U.S.A.
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-31-2001 01:41 PM            

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Syncope is often difficult to diagnose.
Please get a doctor referral from the SADS Foundation. It is necessary that the cardiologist be highly trained in the diagnosing of this specific condition and/or the correct-specific testing for this condition.
another site that has stories from people affected by this condtion is: http://www.sads.org/au
another site that a teenage girl with the condition has is: http://www.monkeygirl.atfreeweb.com/

Also please go to the heart board on healthboards.

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