Posted 10/10/2008 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all. I am new to the forum and searching for answers. I hope I am in the correct area.
I'm 55 and about a month ago the VA discovered I had a low heart rate. In the past it ran in the 60-70 range. Now, it is in the 42-55 range. My BP has always been fairly good, normally in the 120/65 range.
Anyway, the VA scheduled me for a tilt table test today. I read up on it and saw that it could produce some nausea, maybe a headache and possible fainting. I was not prepared for what happened.
With the table horizontal, my HR was about 44 BPM. When raised, no medication, HR raised to 55. Then they gave me the nitroglycerine. Holy crap...
At first I felt a slight twinge of nausea and a slight headache. Then, like getting hit with a baseball bat I lost my vision completely for a few seconds and then I could only see black with bright blue dots. I had extreme nausea, terrible muscle cramps and sweating like crazy. I can't say that I ever actually fainted, but I wasn't really sure what happened. I had a massive headache and I felt like I was being beaten. This all lasted about 5 minutes.
After it was over, they told me that both my blood pressure and heartrate dropped really fast. My BP dropped to about 70/35. My heartrate dropped to 38. The doctor said this wasn't supposed to happen like that, but the results were "positive". Being the VA, the doctor disappeared and the nurse didn't seem to know anything.
It took me about an hour to get halfway back to feeling normal. I left and came home. I have had a splitting headache all day and have had 2 fainting spells. Normally, I might get 1 every 3-4 days. I still feel like I've had the hell beaten out of me.
Has anyone else had this type of response to the tilt table, and if so, what happened or what can help.
Oh, I do have an outside doctor, but cannot see her until next week.
Thanks in advance,
Dave