Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

My Wife Has Dizzy Spells And Colapse/Blackouts

Firstly i would like to appolagise for my spelling mistakes in advance. And please bear with me as i am going to start right at the begining just incase it has any refrence to her problem with dizzy spells/blackouts.

In november 2009 my wife started with a server back amd hips problem, after a exray in Feb this year a exray showed spondilic changes and her doctor (GP) said it was Arthritis, she was of work for a while as she couldn't walk without servere pain, in may she was layed of work because she could not do the job that she was employed to do. Things got worse and was sent t a MSK specialist, his conclusion was that it wasnt Arthritis but a machanical problem, he recomended Phisiotherapy, only 3 week into her phisio she started to loose controll of her blader, not to the stage of just no control, but if she didnt get to the toilet within 30sec of the feeling to go she would loose full control. My wife told the lady at phisio and she warned her this could be dangerous and i am refering you back to the MSK specialist. The appointment came very fast within a week, he was very concerned and requested a blood test and a MIR scan as a matter of urgency, she had both done within 3 days and it was then a case of waiting, she got a phone call from the specialist to say he needed mor tests as her Calcium levels were high, my wife explained that she was going through the menapose and asked if this was the cause of the calcium levels, NO he replyed, there to high for this, she went for another blood test and we were awaiting results. With her back problem and her dificulty to walk without server discomfort she was getting dizzy spells which she had been getting since the back problem started, this with the strain and sweating through the acctuall exersion  we thought was making her dizzy.
A couple of week ago my wife got out of bed to go down stairs, which was not unusuall, she did this most nights because the pain was so bad, she needed to move about. Early in the morning she came upstars and said to me she had just woke up on the floor in a pol of blood, she said she hasnt got a clue how she got there, she had a bruesed eye and a cut to the head, she said when she woke up on the floor she got to her feet and went into the kitchen to wipe her face as there was blood on it, she then says she woke up on the kitchen floor, she had colapsed in the kitchen also. I rang the ambulance imediatly but as we were waiting for it to arrive she was about to fall and i caught her, i layed her on the couch and she came to but breathing erratically, ambulance arived she had another one while they was there. While she was in hospital the found out she had a prolapsed disk so we now know what is causing the pain in her back, the also diagnosed thet she has Hyperthiroidism wich is the cause of her high calcium levels, regarding te blackout she has been refered to a specialist (neuroligist) and are waiting for appointment. She is getting really worried now as the dizzy spells are more frequent about 20-25 a day, she is scared of going out incase she colapses. If you could shed any light on this we would be most gratefull. If you need any more information i will be happy to give it you.
Best Answer
Avatar universal
Dear Paul,
Thank you for your extra info, and I'm sorry you two have suffered so much.  An endocrinologist can check her thyroid, adrenals, there are a dozen various glands in the body that regulate energy, temperature, and so forth, and as I said before, even if it's not menopause doing this to her, those levels still need to be checked, as do her blood vitamin and mineral levels.  I think it's her chemistry that is out-of-whack, and with a history of her female glands going haywire, so it follows her other glands could be bothersome, plus the docs need to also do labwork for vitamin and mineral levels, and signs of infection and other abnormalities in her bloodwork, as well.

Now, if her back is somehow making her pass out, the neurologist will know.  I just threw out the endocrinologist idea because reasons for fainting include low levels of thyroid and magnesium.  Hope you all get resolution for this.  She got well before, so she will eventually get well from this, too.
GG
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Sorry forgot to mention, she is seeing a

DR M D LITTLEY regarding her thyroids / high calcium on 15th Oct as a out patient.

DR. K. S. RAUVALA on 19th oct Neurologist as a out patient.

DR. SIMON MORRIS on the 28th Oct regarding her prolaped disk (now confirmed)

The Cardiology Department for a Echocardiograph on the 2nd Nov.

Hopefully we will get some answers.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Right, since her last colapse and hospital visit fhe has had another 4 episodes of colapse. When she was rushed in last time a consultant mentioned virtigo but said that before a virtigo attack you know that you are going to colapse, in my wifes case there is no warning, or she cant remember anything before the incident. They have made her a appointment for a Echocardiograph, i was wondering if you culd shed some light on this please, why a Echocardiograph on her hart.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Again for your reply, i will keep you informed of her progress and any symptoms they come up with, just for your record.

Paul
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thankyou both for replying to my post and for all the information.

ggreg....My wife has been going through the Menapose for 5 years now and she is only 45 yrs old. She had some real problems 20 years ago, she was going through some really bad pain (abdonimal) really bad bleeding even when she wasnt on her period, every night almost for 10 years i would go down stairs to find her layed out in front of the fire, crying and curled up with pain, if this was a animal they would have put her to sleep, out of its missery so to speek. The didnt want to do anything drastic because of her age (only 25 ish) but it got to the stage she was so bad and i kept ringing the ambulance they did somthing about it, in 1999 they did a partial istorectomy, only taking out one overy which they said was in a right mess, in 2005 they ended up doing the other one and she said its the best thing that as ever happened, well wrth the pain of the oporation. The doctor took her of the hormone patches 18month ago, apparently linked with cancer.

Dr. A. Srivastava.........You are probably right regarding stress ect, alot of things have gone on with my wife as you can see, but i think the cancer scare tipped her over the edge. The appointment to see the Neurologist is October 19th, i wish is was earlyer really but that nhs.

Thanks again to you both.
Paul
Helpful - 0
1093617 tn?1279302002
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi, Thank you for your question. Your symptoms might be due to postural hypotension or vasovagal syncope. This is triggered by stress, sudden onset of extreme emotions, sudden standing-up, prolonged physical activity with hyperthermia, and even seeing non-pleasurable event etc. This pre-syncope (like lightheadedness and dizziness) is very early stage of syncope which may last for few seconds to minutes and can be prevented by early interventions measures like lying down, elevation of legs, deep breathing, immediate glucose drink and inhalation of any stimulant like spirit of ammonia etc. Please arrange an appointment with a neurologist who will evaluate the further prognosis here and can provide you an appropriate treatment. Hope this helps.


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Menopause has been linked to thyroid problems and changes in mineral levels.  But no matter what the cause, for example, if a person is low on magnesium, it can make them feel faint and cause the heart and breathing to become erratic.  Generally all this settles down a year or so into the change in a woman's life, in which case sometimes temporary help is needed with supplements and medicines, or if the cause of thyroid problems or mineral levels is something different from ordinary menopausal changes, then more permanent treatments are needed.

I think it would be wise that, in addition to her seeing a neurologist, she might should visit an endocrinologist, he can watch her thyroid levels for a while, he can give her some modest, temporary medications, perhaps.  It would also be good if the endocrinologist would please check her blood vitamin and mineral numbers, and he can recommend or prescribe some temporary vitamin supplements suited just for her, and keep an eye on those numbers, too.  

I am not so sure her back problems are associated with the passing out or with the thyroid or calcium thing, but she will be visiting a neurologist, so he will be the one to determine that, in addition to handling the prolapsed disc situation entirely.  But indeed someone has got to be sure about why she's passing out, be it something simple like low magnesium, or something more involved.  So, just in case, have her go to an endocrinologist in addition to the neurologist.  You have been a good husband to her and wish you both the best.  
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Neurology Community

Top Neurology Answerers
620923 tn?1452915648
Allentown, PA
5265383 tn?1669040108
ON
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease