Near Faint Issue

[homesick rae]

I was in Tesco with the family on Wednesday and almost fainted - no warning at all and all over in a few secs. Went to the doc, BP fine, blood tests booked next week. Didn't think it was anything sinister and gave me a number of possible reasons. There was no chest pain, just a sort of rushing feeling - very scary. To help any would be advisors:


I have just turned 50
Overweight - can't exercise as much as I'd like due to hip problem
Don't smoke
Drink at weekends
Have irregular heartbeats (since 1998) - went for ablation but they didn't ablate as they found nothing wrong when pacing the heart
Have an excellent job where I am very happy
I am anxious however due to other reasons

Needless to say I am very worried - any pointers ( weight I understand) would be welcomed and I just wondered if any one else has suffered from similar?

Cheers

HR

[Loose rivets]

just a sort of rushing feeling - very scary.
***********
they found nothing wrong when pacing the heart
***********
I am anxious however due to other reasons

Reasons that make me think outside the box - but remember, I'm a retired pilot, not a doctor.


If all tests fail to find anything, and given your age, you might consider the possibility of having had 'a touch of migraine.'

So many people have a kind of late onset deal, where it's nowhere near as bad, but the symptoms do manifest themselves in strange ways.

Have irregular heartbeats (since 1998)

Well, this may well be a factor, but you're doing all the right things now, however, I swapped with my wife as the family arrhythmia oddity at about 55 years old. Really pronounced miss-firing sometimes.

They went away for more than a year after stress testing. So, what's the deal with your hip. Are you able to have it replaced, with the hope of regaining a level of fitness?

Are you having the 24 hour monitor fitted? I had a GP's test after the funny thing I reported on JB 18 months ago - it was fine, but I started miss-firing the moment he took it off. Has to be long term sample.

[homesick rae]

LR - many thanks for your response. Yes, due to go back to the OS in June to discuss next steps with my hip but a replacement is on the cards at some point.

I have done all the Halter tests and, like I said, they wanted to do an ablation but after a couple of hours of poking around, they couldn't find anything wrong so didn't ablate. They suggested that the top part of the heart is "sensitive" and various triggers could cause the problem. I have lived with this since 1998 and, although frightening at times, I am so used to it. I was taken OFF beta blockers after this procedure but now back on Propranolol 40mg, one a day - they make me feel pretty odd too!

Doc suggested I carry on as normal as possible but sometimes it is worrying

[gingernut]

I'm not sure if you're still flying HR, but I'd be a little careful about banding terms such as "faint" around. An isolated incident that you describe doesn't raise too many alarm bells at this stage.

Sounds like your gp is going down the correct route, maybe worth repeating an ecg also,

cheers,

ginger

[homesick rae]

Ginger - not sure what you mean - I am describing exactly how I felt - I felt I was going to pass out, faint, lose consciousness.

Maybe something very simple but as it is the first time I have felt like this it is an alarm bell nonetheless for me although I agree the doctor doesn't seem overly concerned.

Cheers

HR

[Loose rivets]

I think the thing is not to mark your records too vividly - it may come back to bite you!

A one-off near fainting experience could be caused by a very varied mass of reasons: Infection (low level), iron deficiency, and certainly migraine related issues can all cause that feeling. Nasty, but it just fades into history.

Checking your main hydraulic pump is of course important, but even in the wildest excursions from a regular beat, I've never felt faint, so the arrhythmia in itself might not be an issue. I emphasize might not.

There are other reasons to try to normalize that arrhythmia. I don't know if pacemakers are ever fitted for this alone. I now have several friends who have them. Walk in, local anesthetic, and walk out. Unbelievable compared to the early ones. They feel so much better afterwards.

If you've enjoyed good health for a long while, such an episode will seem alarming, but some people live their whole lives with fainting spells, and they carry on regardless. Clearly, they are not doing a demanding job.

[gingernut]

"Faint" can mean different things, to different people, (medical people included.) and is prone to subjectivity, a dangerous quality in a pilot's medical notes.

Not doubting your description, just flagging a warning about labelling.

[JimR]

homesick rae

I too have had "problems" with palpitations. They started many(!) years ago in my 50s. More recently (after 65) they became more frequent; quite often everyday and lasting for at least half an hour, rather disturbing to say the least. Doctor said no problem, it happens. I did have a cardiac catheritization test for unrelated symptoms, chest pains after initiation of exercise that would disappear if I kept going. Turns out that some extremely small arteries are constricted, but the rest of the hydraulics are in good shape (thank goodness). So no problems there. So I let it go for a couple of years until it was beginning to get a bit worried by them; they can escalate into panic attacks and even sensations of fainting.
Stress test fine. Doc says everything fine. BUT why the palpitations I ask; stress he says (didn't realize the wife was nagging that much).
Anyway, quite by accident I noticed that the palpitations were always more frequent if I didn't drink enough water. In addition, if I drank water at the onset of palpitations they would usually (not always) subside within maybe 20 mins. Doc says, yes that is possible. I thought he would think I was nuts if I mentioned it so was a bit surprised by the response. He prescribed beta blockers which so far have completely cured the palpitations. Now, I didn't particularly like some of the side effects and so cut down on the prescribed dosage to half his recommendation. Still some side effects, so cut down to a quarter. The palpitations returned, although very much reduced, so I increased it to 1/3. Result, no side effects and no palpitations. I don't think he was overly impressed with my experimentation but did agree with my findings! All I have to do now is reduce the stress level that I apparently have (not that I've noticed). Maybe need a new wife (or maybe none)?

[homesick rae]

Appreciate all the replies.

Ginger, I am not a pilot - I used to run the other side of the cockpit door - get what you mean but again just describing how I felt and what I felt.

LR = yeah you're right, if something happens that hasn't before it is very scary indeed.

Jim - if you do a search myself and several others had a thread going about the heartbeat issue. Beta blockers are weird things - had no issues previously but these are making me feel quite odd, so much so I am going to speak with the doc to ask for an alternative - they have never stopped my irregular beats but, as I mention previously, they have gone the whole hog with me and found nothing wrong "top part of the engine is sensitive"

Step by step I guess and we'll see.

Thanks

HR

[ShyTorque]

I have only ever felt faint near an aircraft once. In my case it was food poisoning coupled with very hot weather, which took me out for a couple of days.

However, an ex-colleague of mine (RAF pilot) suffered a one off "faint". He lost his medical cat and never flew again. I think this is why folk are saying don't be too vocal about this.

[homesick rae]

Another thing is that the Propranolol aren't reacting well - constant nausea and light headiness ...

Shy Torque - I get it but if you'd enlighten me how I could word how I felt then I will happily edit my post to avoid causing upset amongst my peers

Cheers

HR

[DX Wombat]

HR - it is possible that something etremely simple is at the bottom of this. Were you perhaps a little dehyrated and/or was it very hot in the supermarket? On the odd occasion when it has been freezing outside and I've been dressed for the weather, I have felt sick in the increased warmth inside but feel better once back outside in the cold. Look at all the simple things first and listen to Ginger, he knows what he is talking about and is more up to date with adult medicine and practice than I am.

[aviate1138]

I would Google Atrial Fibrillation Association and find out how many similar sufferers there are around. It seems to be an area that needs more attention from the Medical Profession.

There are non Beta Blocker drugs that do a similar job and have been approved in the EU

IVABRADINE or PROCORALAN for example.

I am utterly non medical but have AF via a viral infection of the heart.

Also check Vagus Nerve as that is a serious contender for weird feelings of non well being. It starts in the Central Nervous System and affects the heart and bowel conditions.

Being a hypochondriac doesn't help!

[homesick rae]

Appreciate all the replies - I am the biggest worryguts ever which doesn't help either!! Yes, will speak about coming off these blighters an see how we go.

Cheers

HR

[Basil]

As has been said, my layman opinion (now that's worth a lot - NOT!) is that it could be a number of things which could include a transient hypoglycemia or hyperglycemic event. E.g. if you'd been drinking alcohol the night before and hadn't yet eaten but you say it occurred on Wednesday and you only drink at the weekend.
Who knows? Sounds like monitor and see doc if it happens again.
I'd an inverted P wave on my ECG. That triggered off a whole series of tests which found yet another possible defect. In the end it was decided that there was nothing wrong and never had been

[homesick rae]

Basil, yes happened Wednesday - last alcoholic drink prior to this was Sunday. Yes, have been through so many tests over the years - could be any number of things. I guess as it was something totally unexpected it was even more scary.

[homesick rae]

Spoke with doc and explained how I was feeling nauseous since I started taking the pills so he suggested I can stop. Took half yesterday and a quarter today. Really weird light headiness going on - ears seem to be pulsating slightly I feel slightly "disconnected" - very odd.

HR

[gingernut]

Look at all the simple things first and listen to Ginger,

Wow, that's a very kind thing to say DX

These sort of things can sometimes lead to a "diagnosis by internet," which, although well meaning, isn't always that useful.

I'd stick to your GP's advice, which is likely to be both accurate and proportionate.

[homesick rae]

Quick Update

Hi,

Just had my test results back as follows:

Repeat fasting Glucose test
Make a telephone appointment with my GP

Gingernut - I' ll follow your lead on this but is this an indication of poss diabetes?

Cheers

HR

[gingernut]

It's difficult to say without knowing all the facts.

A repeat glucose is usually performed for one of several reasons:
a) There is a sampling error-ie the nurse didn't label the sample correctly and the lab won't process it.
b) You have a raised blood glucose level-in the absence of obvious symptoms (thirst, malaise etc), two readings are required for a diagnosis of diabetes.
c) The sample was a "non-fasting" sample-(or rather the doc doesn't know whether the sample was non fasting.)-and is seeking clarification-repeating the test is usually the quickest way of doing this.
d) Your result is borderline.

a&c are the usual culprits.
b usually leads to a diagnosis of diabetes. More info to follow if this is the case.
d is usually followed by a "glucose tolerance test" which invariably leads to the delightful label of "impaired fasting glycaemia/tolerance."-which roughly translates to "lose weight and do more or get diabetes in the future."

Either way, I wouldn't get to hung up, it doesn't sound like you're too ill, keep us posted