UNUSUAL SYMPTOMS AND NO ANSWERS

[clarissa4]

I have had these spells for the last 18 years. I don't know when they are going to hit me but I feel them coming on. The symptoms are always the same. First I get lightheaded and if I am walking I start to stumble, I get very weak and have severe nausea. I get a weird and tingly sensation that runs throughout my body,have difficulty breathing , I sweat profusely from head to toe and people have told me that I turn gray and seemed zoned out.I can hear people talking but I  can't talk. Once the sweating starts if I am not on the floor I will pass out. The dizzziness seems to be the start of it and the sweating is when it is at the worst.  Once the sweating starts I am unable to do anything but lie on the ground. Once the sweating stops I am able to talk but I am very weak for days afterwards.
One of the last spells I had I was driving and had to pull over on the side of the road and roll out of the car and lie on the sidewalk until the sweating stopped. The last spell I had I didn't make it to the ground before I srarted sweating and I passed out and hit my head. I was in the hospital for five days and still no answers.
These spells have ruined my life and have contirbuted to my severe depression because I know something is wrong but no one has answers

[clarissa4]

Hi
Thank you for your reply. I just wanted to let you that I have had the tilt table test, the heart monitor, had my sugar checked and was checked for diabetes and other blood work, heart echo, my heart muscle is weak and only the top part of my heart beats. The bottom part is is gray and looks like a long tongue sticking out and just lays there.
At the moment I don't have any doctors because I lost my job and insurance. When I have these spells it dosen't matter if I am standing,lying down, sitting or driving. I have had my ovaries removed. I am just trying to eliminate things. I check out everything that people tell me.  Any other suggestions? Thank you!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
The symptoms could be due to postural hypotension (blood pressure falling with change of position), internal ear problems and cervical spondylitis. Other causes are anemia, GERD, hypoglycemia or low sugar and some endocrine problems. Dehydration, certain medications, heart problems, untreated diabetes, and nervous system disorders can all cause this. Blood pressure monitoring, tilt table test, EKG, heart echo, ambulatory blood pressure recording are all required.Also get a hormonal assessment and look for polycystic ovary.
Hope this helps. Do discuss this with your doctor and get yourself examined or if possible please seek another opinion. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[clarissa4]

Thank you so much for your reply. The medical profession has not been able to diagnose me. They did tell me that for some reason my blood pressure just bottoms out. My blood pressure has been high since I had mitro valve replacement surgery four years ago.
The heart doctor and the neuro doctor said these spells were not caused by my prior heart attacks or strokes. Since I have experienced heart attacks and strokes I know what they feel like and these spells are different than anything I have ever felt. I do feel that is it neuro related. I will keep looking and praying for an answer. Thanks for your help.

[Johntsp]

I am sorry if this is completely wrong as i am not a nurse, doctor or paramedic. But You stated that you feel them coming on but cannot stop them from happening and lose all motor function. This almost sounds like epilepsy, it is common for people to feel the seizure before is actually happens. Then there are so many different effects of seizures, anything from "zoning out to the violent shaking on the ground". My thought about the second part of it is that it almost sounds like vasovagal syncope. Which is when the vagus is stimulated for some people it can cause a drop in blood pressure, causing fainting, Nausea, sweating, dizziness ect.

Putting that together could the seizures be Stimulating the vagus nerve causing vasovagal syncope. But the week long recovery is a mystery to me. Like i said i am not a doctor so take what i said with a grain of salt and leave it to the professionals.