I've been having occassional episodes of blacking out for like a half a second, without warning. I'll just be typing along at my desk at work and out of nowhere I'll just feel myself starting to fall back (like when you catch yourself nodding off to sleep when you're sitting up) and I feel dizzy. I've also noticed in the past several months that my heart sometimes feels like it stops beating for a beat or two.

I've always been a healthy person, and I guess I really need to go to my doctor, but I was wondering if anyone else here had ever had any experiences like this or know what this could be. Thanks!

By Kay on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 12:58 pm:

Girl, get yourself to your doctor! Do you ever have this problem when you drive? Because if so, you really need someone to take you, for your own safety. This could be some simple chemical imbalance, or some vertigo, but don't take chances - GO NOW! And let us know how you're doing.

By Colette on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 02:05 pm:

Joy, please call the dr and get in right away. What if this happens when it's just you and your ds? or if you are driving with or without your son. Trust me, I thought my symptoms were something silly and minor and they turned out to be pretty significant and I had no idea. It could be somehting, it could be nothing, but you aren't going to know until you call.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 02:43 pm:

To echo Kay and Colette, GO to the doctor! I hope it's nothing serious. {{{HUGS}}}

By Tayjar on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 03:06 pm:

I really don't mean to scare you but this happened to a friend's husband. It turned out to be something pretty serious. I'm sure that's not the case here but I'd have a doctor take a good look just to make sure. Keep us posted.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 03:12 pm:

Go to the doctor!!!!! Ditto on not driving yourself. You probably shouldn't be driving at all!

You probably need to have an EKG done and some bloodwork to start figuring out what is going on!

By Vicki on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 03:18 pm:

For some reason, we are always so lax when it comes to ourselves. Ask yourself this....... what would you do and what would you think if your child came to you and told you they were having these symptoms? You should do the same thing for yourself that you would do for your child!!

By Joy~bundles on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 05:22 pm:

Thanks, Everyone - in reading my own post, I'm wondering why I haven't done something about this by now. I definitely would have run to the doctor immediately if DS was having these same issues!

My Doctor's off on Thursdays, so I'll be calling him in the morning for an appointment.

Thanks again to everyone for your advice and support - it means so much!!

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 06:26 pm:

Yeah, we can't help you much! LOL! People on my dog board do the same thing, describe something dire, and then have us tell them they should go to the vet!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 11:49 pm:

LOL... I really think you need to tell them what you are experiencing and get in asap. I would limit the driving,etc.. Until you figure out what is going on, you should handle things with care. Everything has seemed "minor" so far but.. What if, it isn't minor the next time?

By Bobbie~moderatr on Monday, June 16, 2008 - 11:10 am:

Have you made it to the doctor yet??

By Dana on Monday, June 16, 2008 - 04:11 pm:

That sounds very scary. It's been almost a month, have you gotten something figured out yet?

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 11:39 am:

^^Bumping back up^^

By Joy~bundles on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 12:45 pm:

I've gotten the results back on my EKG, ECG, X-rays, and blood work, which all came back as Normal. The Doctor did find "trace abnormalities" in a urinalysis but he said that it's not necessarily something to be concerned about (yet).

I'm currently wearing an "events monitor" which can record my heart rhythms and I've recorded a few heart events. My doctor wants me to finish out the month on the monitor and then we'll regroup and discuss the results of that.

I'm still having the head issues and feeling like I'm starting to black out, but the Doctor doesn't know yet if that issue is tied in with the heart issue and what could be causing either.

Hopefully in a couple weeks, I'll know a bit more from the heart monitor, but for now I'm still wondering what is going on with me! Stay tuned . . .

Thanks for asking!

By Colette on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 01:42 pm:

Joy,

If they don't find out what it is, ask to get an MRI to see if it's neurological. I had similar symptoms and it turned out to be linked to my condition. Good luck!

By Joy~bundles on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 02:51 pm:

Absolutely! Thanks, Colette!! I am definitely going to bring up an MRI if the Doctor doesn't. I'm actually more concerned about my head than I am about my heart, as goofy as that sounds.

By Pamt on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 09:10 pm:

Ditto Colette on the making sure it's not neurological...and rule out a seizure disorder,

By Joy~bundles on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 11:05 am:

I had my follow up with my doctor yesterday. The heart monitor I wore for a month yielded nothing abnormal even though I recorded a few episodes, and in conjunction with the EKG and ECG that I had, my heart is apparently in fabulous shape!! So that's pretty strange. The doctor said that during the course of a person's life, it was possible for the heart to have palpitations or heartbeat irregularities from time to time, and that it's not necessarily an indication that something is wrong.

At this time, we're keeping the heart issue in mind, but we're now going to focus on the head issue. I was absolutely stunned when the doctor said that I might be having mini-seizures (Pam had suggested this)!! I've never had seizures (that I'm aware of), and there's no history of seizures anywhere within my family. So I'm going to have an EEG which measures brain waves, and an MRI which will take a bunch of images of my brain. It kinda disturbs me that I've been healthy my whole life and now I might suddenly be having seizures - where did that come from? The doctor said that concerned him as well, but said that both of these tests should be able to determine something for me one way or the other.

I already have my follow up appointment scheduled with my doctor for July 30th to discuss the results of the EEG and MRI. So the saga continues . . .

By Luvn29 on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 11:10 am:

Glad you are following up with a neurologist. Most people don't realize these things can totally be neurological. I started having problems with my heart rate and such all of a sudden. They, or course, automatically assumed it was my heart. Turns out my heart is perfectly normal. My autonomic system, which controls heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, along with just about every other body function, is whacked! It's a neurological thing.

So, they diagnosed me with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS. My heart rate goes way up just because I am in an upright positon. I've gotten it pretty under control now, but for a long time, I had a lot of problems out of it.

Google Autonomic Dysfunction or Dysautonomia and see if your symptoms match up...

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 11:41 am:

I'm glad it's not your heart. Keep us posted on the results of the other tests, though.

By Colette on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 11:55 am:

Good luck Joy. I'll be thinking of you.

By Joy~bundles on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:23 am:

Another update: My MRI came back as normal, however my EEG results were abnormal. According to the report, I'm having "sharp waves in the left anterior temporal region, consistent with a partial form of seizure disorder".

I'm still so shocked! I've been totally healthy my whole life, and there's no history of seizures in my family. So once again, I'm wondering why this is happening now. My Family Doctor asked a couple times if I'd ever had any head injuries, but I haven't. I even asked my Mom if I'd hurt my head in any way as a child, but she said no.

My instructions are to follow up with the Neurologist within the week, and apparently he'll be able to delve deeper into the issues and answer lots of questions (I have so many!) about why this is happening. He may conduct more tests on me, and I guess there's the possibility that he could put me on medication.

I'm still trying to absorb all this and I'm a little scared, too. I'm not sure if this is a serious problem or if it's just something simple that I'll have to live with.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 09:30 am:

Of course you're scared. And waiting for the appointment, and maybe more tests, doesn't help. You'll be building all kinds of "worst case" scenarios in your head while you wait.

Please, try to assume that it will be something simple, that you'll learn how to live with and cope with and manage. You've taken all the right steps, done a bunch of rule-out tests, and now you have a beginning of a diagnosis so that you can get a handle on things. That is a whole lot better than having things happen and not having a clue, which is where you were in May.

My favorite prayer, at times like this, is simply "Lord, give me strength."

Oh - and I suggest that you NOT do any internet research until after you've met with the neurologist. No point in loading yourself up with all the could-be things to worry about until you at least know what to worry about.

By Dramamamma on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 10:02 am:

Good advice Ginny...

Thinking about you Joy and please let us know what they say at the neurologist.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 10:21 am:

Ditto Ginny!

{{{Joy}}}

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 11:59 am:

I have a question... They really checked out your heart, right?? I am only asking because we were watching the discovery channel the other day, they had two different shows on where women were having seizures and it had turned out to be their heart that was causing the issue. I thought about you while watching the shows, so I thought I might suggest it.. They would go into an arrhythmia, creating a blood flow issue and then a "seizure". One woman had been treated for epilepsy since childhood. The only way they caught her issue was because she had been brought in during a seizure, they had her hooked up to a heart monitor with the doctor in the room and she had another attack and he noticed her heart stopped for a few seconds. They were never able to DX it prior because she was always seen after an attack, never during one.. I don't know, but I just thought I would throw it out there.

I remember they had you on a halter, but if you didn't have an episode while wearing it, then they wouldn't have picked up an arrhythmia. The arrhythmia in the one woman was not a regular miss beat.. Her heart beat was normal and with in range, up until the heart "miss fired". Which is why they had never caught the cause of the seizures before. Her seizures weren't regular, so the "miss fire" wasn't something they would have suspected, like I said her heart beat appeared normal until right before the seizure hit.

Not trying to scare you, or add more to your burden, or play doctor. Like I said, I saw the shows and you came to mind. Your update brought it back to mind and I thought I would mention it..

I truly hope they can figure out what is wrong.. I so know the fear, frustration, and confusion that occurs when you find out you are "sick". ((((HUGS)))) Please keep us posted, and make them rule out everything.. I have discovered that many will treat the surface issue and not delve deep enough to find the route cause...... I am currently looking into other conditions for myself and I think I might be miss diagnosed and I am getting ready to call my doctor for an appointment and see what he thinks about what I have found. My fingers are crossed for us both....

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 12:23 pm:

It's frustrating to not know what is wrong. Will keep you in my prayers.

By Bellajoe on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 02:39 pm:

I hope everything works out and that it's nothing serious. I will keep you in my prayers.

If I were you, I'd be scared too. (((HUGS))

By Joy~bundles on Friday, August 1, 2008 - 08:29 am:

Thank you all for the prayers and support!! My appointment with the Neurologist is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, so hopefully I'll find out a lot more then.

Ginny, I'm trying to be good and not look stuff up on the Internet, although it's very tempting!

Bobbie - I think I have seen the shows you mentioned. I'll definitely bring the heart issue up again with the Neurologist and I'll see what he thinks.

Thanks again!

By Colette on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 03:52 pm:

Good luck tomorrow Joy!

By Karen~admin on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 07:32 pm:

Ditto Colette!!!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 07:46 pm:

In my thoughts.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - 07:50 pm:

Thoughts and prayers for you tomorrow that they find the problem and it's not serious!

By Joy~bundles on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 09:53 am:

Thanks, Everyone!! I hope I can get some answers today!! I'll let you know how it goes.

By Debbie on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 10:09 am:

I will be thinking of you. I hope you get some answers today!

By Colette on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - 07:36 pm:

How did you make out?

By Joy~bundles on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 10:15 am:

The neurologist spent almost an hour with me. He was very thorough and knowledgeable, and asked many questions about my past, my family, and my current life and lifestyle. He asked tons of questions about my symptoms and whether or not I was experiencing this or that. He performed a general examination and reviewed the MRI films and lab work I brought from the hospital.

In the end, he was quite baffled and said that my situation was really unusual and that I was in very good health. He said the MRI didn't reveal any tumors or other abnormalities, and in light of the fact that I haven't had any head trauma, he couldn't really explain why this has been happening. Frustrating!!

For now, he's prescribed a very low dose of a medication called "Keppra" and wants to see how I respond to it. I'll be going back in a month so he can evaluate how things are going for me, and he would re-adjust the dosage at that time, if it was necessary. He said in six months, he'd like me to have another EEG to see if my brain waves have stabilized.

So, on one hand, I'm happy to hear that I'm apparently healthy, and then on the other hand, it's frustrating to still not know what's causing this! I'm gonna start taking the Keppra tomorrow night so I can have the weekend to see if I have any side effects or find out if it makes me groggy etc.

I don't really feel like I have closure yet. I still wonder if something more is going on inside me, and yet according to all the testing I'm okay. For now, I'm going to take the Keppra and see if I feel noticeably different and see if it stops the blackouts and dizziness, and then I'll go from there.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, August 7, 2008 - 10:34 am:

Good luck, Joy. I hope the medicine helps you.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - 12:17 pm:

Fingers crossed that this is an answer. You are in my thoughts...