can anyone shed light on LIGHTHEADEDNESS??

[MJ968]

Im 31yoa male,  I had a head injury in late 2007, from passing out on driveway and hitting head on the concrete.  For 2 years after that I was fine, with no symptoms of anything and back to NORMAL.   Since late 2009 I have been getting lightheaded off and on.  Now days the lightheadedness has been coming about everyday.  I have done every medical test under the sun and everything is showing normal!??   My cardio. Dr. has just ref. me to go to Vanderbuilt for Autonomic Dysfunction testing, to see if they can find anything.    Has anyone else out there ever had this symptom and how was it fixed.??  Also is Vanderbuilt good at this kind of thing??????
Thanks for any help.  

[LivingInHope]

When your heart races, that can make you get hot.  And the body's intolerance of standing up can cause light headedness.  

I know you are a guy, but  you still might want to get an iron panel done (ferritin, iron saturation percentage, T.I.B.C. and blood iron).  I went anemic and they couldn't figure out the cause, which made things worse with the orthostatic intolerance.  Iron deficiency can cause light-headedness according to Mayo Clinic's website & it's something to check.

[MJ968]

I haven't done just an Iron test that I know of??  I have done tilt table, full cardiac work up, full head work up.  My new cardiologist is the one who ref. me to Vanderbilt and I thank him very much for that.  My lightheaded spells are just about everyday now. And here recently I have started getting "hot flashes" that will bring on the lightheaded stuff due to nervous about it.   Thanks for the reply.

[LivingInHope]

So you had a complete iron panel done?  I get light headed myself.  I have inappropriate sinus tachycardia and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (and more than once had things complicated by iron deficiency).  I have a sibling who was recently diagnosed with P.O.T.S. and N.C.S. (neurocardiogenic syncope).

While you are waiting for your appointment at Vanderbilt, in addition to the recommendation Marie made of staying hydrated, if your blood pressure is low, make sure you are taking in salt and try some support compression hosiery.  Pump your leg muscles when you start to feel light headed too to try to prevent pooling of blood in your lower extremities.  Perhaps you are already doing things like using a shower chair, not getting up too soon after a shower or eating a large meal, sitting on the edge of the bed for awhile before getting up, and trying not to reach your hands above your head?

[MJ968]

Thanks  I was ref. up to Vanderbuilt in July and my appt. is not until Dec. 26.   So the waiting *****, but at least "PRAYING" they will find what ever it is and I can try and get back to normal for me and my family.  I just hate waiting that long to go, but I have been dealing with it for this long I guess another 3 months wont hurt.  Thanks for your reply and I will keep up to date with this.  This is very scary and I would not wish this on anyone.  Have a blessed day!

[mtgardner]

I meant to say my HRate does not speed up when my BP drops.  marie

[mtgardner]

Cleveland, Vanderbilt and Mayo are considered by many to be three of the best in this area.

The good thing is you are going somewhere that can define the problem.
Once defined you will know your options.  There can be potentially many depending on cause. Most of us with these types of symptoms have had many tests to rule out other things like ECHO's, brain scans, stress tests, blood tests, sometimes small biopsies, EMG's etc.  Often many are normal. Going to a good place for analysis is key as you waste a lot of time otherwise seeing doctors who don't have the expertise to figure out your problem and present ways to work with it.

I get lightheaded when my BP falls. I  have orthostatic hypotension.  It is complicated by small and large fiber neuropathy and some other health problems.  Finding the  right medication and staying hydrated and knowing what to do when it falls was key for me and I only found out those things by going to a center and finding a doctor that specialized in autonomic dysfunction.  Some people on this forum have POTS where their heart rate goes really fast.  I have the opposite in that my BP won't speed up and compensate for the change in BP.  I can get really high or really low BP too from norepi surges.

Keep us posted on how things go.  I hope you find out what is causing this and that it is something you can get help with so you are safe.

I am sure they have ruled out seizures already and you have had a tilt table test and been tracking your BP.  If you track your BP and take it with you when you go to Vanderbilt I am sure they will find that helpful.  Good luck to you.

Marie