Some seriously good news for Sarah today. For the past several years I have felt kinda off. Not myself at all. I have gone to the doctors over and over trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong. I have had blood panel after blood panel, after EKG, after ultrasound, after MRI.... It's been frustrating.
The trend has been that I start to feel kinda crappy and I head to the doctors' office. After about 25 test that prove nothing, I have give up and just accept that this is my fate. About 2 months ago the cycle started again. I have been so tired. Those of you who know me well can attest. There have been nights when I have gone to bed at 5:30 in the afternoon, not to wake up until the next morning. I have battled my own brain trying to figure out what was going on. I had actually convinced myself that it all may possibly be in my head. Maybe I was too out of shape. Maybe I was just a big lazy bum who couldn't even drag her sorry self out of bed. I even thought for a minute that maybe I was just depressed (don't they always say that makes you tired) But no matter how many mind over matter experiments I tried, I just couldn't shake it.
My poor friends have been ultra patient while watching me fade into incoherent oblivion at about 8:00 every night. And Ryan... well, Ryan has been such a sweetheart. He has helped me so much in the past few months with my kids and my household duties.
This time I decided I wasn't going to stop until I got an answer. I headed back to the doctor only to start in the exact same place testing hormone levels and thyroid. Everything came back normal again, but I refused to give up. My doctor finally referred me to a cardiologist who actually knew what he was doing. I found out that normal people down black out every time they stand up. People don't usually get dizzy going down stairs. Who knew? Am I dumb that I simply figured this was completely normal?
The cardiologist suggested I get a tilt table test. I have felt like I'm on a never-ending wild goose chase trying to figure out what's wrong. When I found out that the test was going to be $200 out of pocket, I almost cancelled. I didn't want to waste $200 on something that was sure to lead me nowhere. Ryan convinced me to do it anyway and that it would be worth it. I'm so glad he did.
I went in for my test today. I didn't know what to expect. I probably should have asked more questions before I got there. I didn't know I was supposed to have someone come with me. I didn't know that they were going to stick a catheter in and run it up the artery in my arm. And I certainly didn't know they were going to give me a drug that would stop my heart. It was not a pleasant experience by any means, but I survived.
The point of the test was to see how my body reacted to being tilted from laying down to an upright position, and to see if it would make me pass out. As soon as they stood me up it all went downhill. I started blacking out, I got so incredibly nauseous, they doctor was shouting at me to cough so that I could 'restart my heart'. I was so completely disoriented. The next thing I knew I was laying on my back in a groggy fog with cold compresses all over me.
They told me that I failed the test, and had fainted. I went from having a blood pressure of 120 while laying down to only 77 when I stood up. Ah-ha! That must be why I've been blacking out! They also told me that I have something called Neurally Mediated Hypotension (NMH) and that people with this condition fatigue extremely easily. He gave the example of a normal person going shopping and coming home feeling tired, but rebounding in 20 min. or so. But people with NMH take an average of 72 hours to recover from any physical activity. My poor body has been trying to play catch-up for so long that I've been left in a constant state of exhaustion.
So the good news is I finally have a diagnosis. The better news is that it's completely treatable with medication. I couldn't be happier right now. I feel like my own personal mystery has been solved, and I can't wait to get back to my old self!
4 comments:
SO glad you got your answer and hope that medication starts helping! When I finally got diagnosed, I was stressed out and emotional about my celiac disease, but at the same time - SO grateful that I finally had an answer and knew how to get healthy again! Glad you got your answer as well and that it is easily treatable!
I'm so glad you have an answer, and we'll be able to do more stuff again (not that you've been the hold-up lately.) I'm happy for you!
I'm so happy they have been able to diagnose you. I wondered why you didn't blog for a few months. I've had similar problems saw lots of doctors and we never figured it out. Hopefully you don't have any side effects to the medication.
So happy for you that you took that test and got this all figured out. I can't believe you went so long feeling that way! How awful for you. You are a trooper!
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