Long time no see.. but have question

[lynnconnolly]

Hello all, so sorry I've not visited for such a long time. I'm rather afraid I'm a fairweather friend at VR as I seem to only come by when I have a question... and I have a question

Since I was first diagnosed with left sided heart failure - due to mitral and aortic regurg - I've had random episodes where it feels as though my BP is dropping through the floor. The colour drains from my face, I start to shake and get nauseous, my heart does flips and goes very fast, and the only way to make it stop is to lie down.

I then fall asleep within seconds and am exhausted for a couple of days afterwards. These episodes seem to have no common denominator other than they're more frequent when I'm overtired, but they can and do happen at all times of the day or night.

They last only a few minutes but while they're in progress, I can't stand or I'd fall down and often, I feel like I'm about to die, but as I've got more used to them happening, I mostly know I just have to ride it out and wait for it to stop.

So... does anyone know what this may be and is there a name for it that I can go to my doc and say 'test me for X as I think I have it'.

That's the only way to get my docs to do anything. When I mentioned this to my cardiologist, he shrugged and said he didn't have any idea what it was and wasn't at all bothered.

Any ideas very gratefully received folks, thank you.

Lynn

 

[Nancy]

Sounds like you need to have a heart monitor for a month, or an event monitor. To me, it sounds like some sort of rhythm problem. If it is causing you to almost pass out, this is not good. I guess I just don't understand why some doctors ignore something like this. It could cause you to have an accident injuring yourself or others. What if you were crossing a busy street when this happened, or were on stairs, or driving?

If the event or heart monitor shows nothing, and you know you have had an episode, then you probaly should be seeing a neurologist.

You and everyone else reading this knows this isn't normal. Why can't your doctor figure that out and get off his rear and help you???

 

[ALCapshaw2]

YEP, it sounds like some sort of Arrhythmia. "Passing Out" could be Dangerous.
It would be wise to go to the ER if / when this happens again.
Get someone ELSE to Drive or call an ambulence (- it would help if your insurance covers that).

Stress, Caffeine, and others I have long forgotten can be triggers.

You should see your Cardiologist ASAP to get evaluated. In complex cases, you may be referred to an ElectroPhysiologist
(Cardiologist who specializes in the Electrical Functions of the Heart)

'AL Capshaw'

 

[tcopel]

Left heart failure, simply by itself can predispose individuals to cardiac dysrhythmia's. The feeling you describe as if your face is drained of color and you get nauseous combined with weakness suggests that your blood pressure is dropping, just as you suggest. A fast heart rate from ventricular tachycardia or supraventricular tachycardia or a excessively slow heart beart from a 2 or 3rd degree heart block can potentially cause those symptoms you feel. The only way to know is to do a holter monitor or an event monitor (the latter is the one most likely to catch any heart rhythm problems since you only record when you actually feel your symptoms). It's hard to say that is actually is going on but, if it were me, I sure would want to check into it as there are therapy or medications that can help it. You wouldnt want to be driving or something when an episode hits you. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[lynnconnolly]

Thank you all for your replies; as ever, your help and advice is invaluable. As to a Holter monitor, I did actually have one for a month when I was newly diagnosed as I had one very severe episode in hospital and it was thought I'd had a stroke. I suspect I had a TIA although my collective doctors didn't thinks so following a CAT scan.

However, as is Sod's law, not one single thing happened when I had the monitor, and given the state of the NHS, they wouldn't let me have one long-term. And the problem is, I can go six weeks, even two months and not have one of these episodes, then I might have three in one week. They're so random and apparently triggerless - other than extreme tiredness setting one off - but I will ask if I can have one for as long as it takes to catch one of these episodes happening.

But as I mentioned, my cardiologist just looks at me blankly when I ask him about these episodes. I don't know if he's being deliberately obtuse or maybe he thinks i'm being a hypocondriac, but my GP is great and always takes notice, so I'll approach him first.

Again, thank you so much and now that I have some 'terms' to go to the doctor with, hopefully they'll have a clue what to look for.

Lynn xxx