Heart Disease Community

Did he pass out on the tilt table test?

Hi:

"Should he be attempting any sports?"

Even though his doctors approved him for wrestling, one would think not, especially since you said that each year it seems to get worse.

"He has had EKGs......Is there something more we should be doing to help him?"

As applicable, perhaps using an event recorder, or at the extreme, an insertable cardiac monitor (ICM), can confirm or rule out an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

Causes of passing out/fainting/syncope include vasovagal (the most common cause), cardiac (includes specific irregular heartbeat, typically duration-dependent), circulatory, neurologic, metabolic and drug-induced. Sometimes, there is no known cause (idiopathic), no identifiable cause.

Additionally, of the different types of heart conditions (which includes mitral valve prolapse), various symptoms can be acute (occurring suddenly), be chronic (occurring over a long period of time), come and go (be transient, fleeting or episodic, or even be silent.

Best of luck to your son down the road of life. May he live long and prosper.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)

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Be well-informed

About com

Syncope, Part 1 - Cardiac Syncope

Part 2 - Non-cardiac Syncope, Part 3 - Treatment of Syncope

http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/arrhythmias/a/Syncope1.htm

TXAI

Syncope (Fainting)

Mechanisms - History - Evaluation - Differential Diagnosis - Treatment

Mechanisms of Syncope

Transient reductions in brain blood flow may be due to a generalized failure of the circulatory system or a regional circulatory problem selectively affecting the brain.

Syncope most commonly results from a transient generalized or systemic......

http://www.txai.org/edu/syncope/mechanisms.htm

Medtronic

About Unexplained Fainting

Syncope is a widespread problem, accounting for 1.5 million physician visits per year./It affects people of all ages, with sometimes serious consequences./These consequences can be....

Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM)

Diagnosing Syncope and Other Transient Symptoms

Many people who experience recurrent, infrequent symptoms are not sure what, if anything, to do. These symptoms can take the form of fainting (syncope), near-fainting (near syncope), dizziness....

A typical diagnostic process for syncope might include one or more of the tests listed....

http://www.medtronic.com/your-health/fainting/index.htm

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WebMD

Heart Disease TYPES

Men/Women

Acquired/Congenital

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-disease-men

SYMPTOMS

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms

Mayo Clinic

Heart Disease

Definition. Symptoms. Causes. Risk factors. Complications. Tests and diagnosis. Treatments and drugs. Lifestyle and home remedies. Prevention...

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect your heart, and in some cases, your blood vessels. The various diseases that fall under the umbrella...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS01120

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He did not pass out on the tilt table test but he felt dizzy and they stopped the test. This test was done about 5 years ago. The stress test was done last year and that too caused him to become dizzy and they stopped it prior to him fainting.

He has decided for himself to stop wrestling for now because he has had difficulty already with the practices. I feel bad for him because he truly loves it and does it well (according to the coaches). He had never been approved for sports until last year when he was given a new doctor in the practice. This doctor believes he should be off the salt pills as well but agreed to leave him on them until after wrestling season to see how he does.

I have searched a lot on syncope, mitral valve prolapse, etc., but it seems to have a lot of contridictions with the way he says he feels. I have looked at a few of your links and plan to look at more, so thank you.

As for the event recorder, I believe he did that 4 or 5 years ago also. I think that is when they finally did the echocardiogram and determined the mvp....

Thank you again...

Dear Pottselady3,

I would encourage you to have your son retested. Children change a lot in five years, and tests done that long ago may no longer be valid. You may also want to get a second (or third) opinion.

When my young daughter had a health problem, it took nine doctors, two emergency room visits, and a battery of tests to get her diagnosed. This included a pediatric ENT, gastro, cardiologist, and allergist.

Don't give up--help for your son is out there.

Byroney

I had a tilt table done as well and got very dizzy. The reason I am asking is because my heart rate jumps really high when standing. Most the time if that happens they start you on salt pills. If that is the case, and the salt pills don't work (they didn't for me), Maybe ask your doctor about a medicine called Midodrine. It has been my saving grace. Hope you figure something out to help him!

Has your son been tested for Long QT syndrome.?

The doctor switched his medicine to the Midodrine, so far so good but its only been a month and he is not able to participate in phys. ed or any sports for now.

No, my son has not been tested for Long QT syndrome - I will have to look into that syndrome to see what it is....

Thank you all - I will update you as we have news!

I am thirty now and have the same problem and have had this problem since I was about 13 yrs old. I have not grown out of having the syncope episodes yet. They also told me that I would grow out of them and now 17yrs later still having to deal with it, I have learned to pay attention to my body now and I can feel an episode coming on and I know that I need to lay down for a little while and let my body almost like restart itself.... Its a scary feeling still, but I think its because you have no control over what is going on with your body....

I am 28 yrs old. I have had problems with syncopes every since I was little. I have also been diagnosed with migraines, and even though I have not been diagnosed w/ asthma I do have it. I have a mitral valve prolapse w/ regurgitation. Also the pulmonary valve and tricuspid valve have trace regurgitation w/o prolapse. I know there is more that can be done. The only problem is trying to find a doctor who will take the time and go through everything. There are not many who will. The prolapse will also cause a heart murmer even if it is so slight that it can not be heard. I have been told that I was born with this and that it will only get worse. But that it will take many years to get worse. No one else is worried about this besides me (for myself). They have put me on different beta blockers to help with the chest pain that is eventually caused by the prolapse, but I had to stop taking them because it made the circulation in my fingers and toes worse. Wrestling for your son may be alright, but it should be with extreme caution. Because even if your son is at home and not doing anything he is more enclined to passout.

My son just turned 17 and in Jan he kept passing out in wrestling...I thought Hypoglcemic too but not...It was his gallbladder full of stones the most the doctor had seen on anyone...Thinking back he had stomach pains since 5th grade and the drs blamed it on Ulcers and just eating too much...Potatoes were heavy on his stomach and he was just growing....May have them test for gallbladder---hope this helps..He also has Sports enduced Asthma..

email me if you want to talk. It is too late for my 17 year old son andreasalon@yahoo.com

Had same problems. Finally after 2nd tilt table test passed out. Had a pace maker put in 4 months ago. So far so good. Had problems for 20 years before they found out I had Cardio Syncope.