I went to see another specialist on Friday to try to figure out why I’ve been fainting. It has seemed to get worse over the last few months, but test after test has turned up nothing – until now. This doctor is confident he knows the cause. He said he believes I have Vasovagal Syncope. Which means that the nerves that control the function of the heart and blood vessels aren’t working right when I’m standing. This makes my heart slow down and blood pressure to drop. I then get nauseous, hot and sweaty, sirens go off in my head, and then everything seems to close in around me and I faint. Just a note about when I faint: I still can hear everyone talking. No matter how hard I try to respond I can’t. I may be able to lift my arm a little, but it will drop back to the floor. I can’t open my eyes. I can’t talk, but I can hear everything. I’ve also been told I get very white.

The Doctor has me going to get the Tilt Table Test done at the hospital this week. The test sounds very interesting. I will have electrodes placed on my chest to monitor my heart. A blood pressure cuff to monitor blood pressure and an IV line inserted so if medications or fluids are needed they can be injected. I will then lay down on a table that has a foot board and safety straps that will come across my chest and legs. At first I will just lay there and they will monitor me. They will then tilt the table up almost as if I’m standing. I will then stay in this position until I show signs of fainting or for up to 45 minutes. They will be monitoring me the whole time and if I experience fainting symptoms they will lower the table to the flat position which will restore normal blood pressure.

If after 45 minutes I haven’t fainted they may decide to do the second part. They would lay me back down and inject a medication called Isuprel through the IV line and then tilt the table back up. Isuprel is supposed to be like your own adrenaline. They say adrenaline is produced when you exercise, are angry, excited, or under a lot of stress. After the Medication is injected they will tilt the table back up to standing and wait another 45 minutes or until fainting symptoms occur.

Anyway it just sound like they try to reinvent what brings on the fainting, but in a controlled environment were they can monitor exactly what my body does. They said they are usually able to lay the table down quick enough that you don’t reach the point of fainting. I’m grateful for that. I really hate the thought of fainting again. It is horrible to have no control over your body. To feel so helpless or vulnerable. At times I’ve wished that when I fainted I would black out completely and not be able to hear anything. I relive the times I’ve fainted and what everyone was saying over and over again in my mind. I think of what I wanted to say or do and how I couldn’t.

I’m very excited that they may have finally figured out what is going on. It feels as if a weight has been lifted off my chest. I’ll let you know how it all goes. And if I truly have it, how we fix it.