My Heart Issues: Stress Echocardiogram Referral & Worries

[zoobyshoe]

Hypoglycemia sounds like a good possibility to me, too. I googled a couple other sites and found headache and fainting as possible symptoms on top of the ones mentioned at Moonbear's link.

 

[Astronuc]

The symptoms are classic hypoglycemic symptoms

that and/or low blood pressure. When I was riding my bicycle everyday and exercising (back in grad school), my pulse rate and blood pressure were pretty low.

I periodically donated blood at the Red Cross. One time I rode to the place on my bike. When they took my blook pressure, a normal routine, it was 80/65, and they said it was too low. I felt fine, but they did not want to take my blood. So I left and rode my bike to back to my office, got something to eat and drank some coffee, rode my bike back. When they restested my blood pressure, it was up to a more normal 110/70.

I have had cases when donating a pint of blood that I felt like I had tunnel vision and a slight ringing in the ears. Fasting 12 hrs beforehand certainly doesn't help. When donating blood, they recommend big meals with fair portions of meat and iron-containing vegetables.

I talked with my mom who was a cardiac nurse, and she indicated that besides the heart (things like blockages, valve malfunction or electrocardio issues), they symptoms you described could be related to an endocrine problem, which should show up in a blood test. People with overactive adrenal glands or thyroid problems have similar symptoms. They may go unnoticed in most people, and only show up in athletes who push themselves - which is what one is doing with heavy exercise and bike riding.


Of course, one would want to get the pancreas checked out in order to rule out some form of diabetes.

chroot - Just curious, during the stress test, how high did the bpm go, and did it stay elevated for a relatively long time?

 

[ZapperZ]

The fun didn't stop there, of course. Even though they gave me two glasses of orange juice and a banana after the samples were taken, I nearly passed out again while driving the ten minutes to work, and almost caused a major accident.

Er... wait a second. The doctor wasn't not concerned that you passed out, and let you continue on with the rest of your day?

Then came the splitting headache. A while later, my boss came by to find me lying on the floor of my cubicle. After he roused me and I sat up again, I had to run to the bathroom and throw up my lunch in... a urinal. (Sorry, Mr. Janitor. I really didn't mean to.)

So, I left work, managed to drive myself home somehow, and slept most of the afternoon. The headache is still with me, but I'm feeling a lot better now after a decent dinner.

Wait another second! No one called the ambulance and got you to the emergency room? I mean, passing out at work and being found on the floor isn't something one just brushes aside! And they still let you drive home yourself?

Am I blowing things out of proportions here?

I hope you feel better, but I really wish you had better care than the impression that I'm getting. My doctor would NEVER let me continue on after something like that especially driving, and I certainly would HAVE to go to the emergency room whether I want to or not if I pass out at work here unless I specifically sign a waiver.

Zz.

 

[Chi Meson]

OK. Even better, not enough Gatorade! I'm glad your biking is safe.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Am I blowing things out of proportions here?

I don't think so, now that you bring attention to all these things. There was certainly a great lack of caution in the air.

 

[chroot]

Well, the people at the hospital gave me a bunch of juice and fruit and made sure I was feeling decent before they sent me off; there was no reason for them to expect I'd have another episode later.

My boss also encouraged me to go back to the hospital, but I denied it and just drove home instead.

- Warren

 

[Ivan Seeking]

When I had my glucose tolerance test, it took nearly five hours for the total effect to be felt. I was fine for the first few hours, but after the doctor sent me back to work, my blood sugar dove and I passed out cold at my desk. I now realize that my blood sugar can dive long after the consumption of a large quantity of carbs. This results from an over-production of insulin and is not a simple case of low blood sugar. This is somewhat typical of AOD - adult onset diabetes - but in my case, a little different animal.

I 've passed out or come really close a couple of dozen times at least. Fun, huh. On the up side, I have managed to control it without drugs after an intial "kick-start" with Precose.