Vasovagal

Guess I never understand why doctors have to use words I have to look up. Vasovagal simply means fainting. So, in my on going saga, I am back on the beta blocker.

While on the new blood pressure medication my heart raced to average of 100 beats per minute, but I thought my blood pressure was stable. Seems when you faint it is a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure.  Pacemaker helps with heart rate, not allowing my heart to stop, but does nothing for blood pressure.  I hugged a file cabinet rather then face plant again on a floor.

First time it happen I have no memory of feeling faint, woke up in a pool of blood on the floor with commotion of people around me. That lead to diagnosis of complete heart block and a week later, after failing the tilt table test, a pacemaker.

So back on beta blocker, same medication I have been on since 2012 when I boiled my brain dry at the 1812 celebration at Fort McHenry. 

Due to the fact that the doctor that I had for over 10 years I lost in December, since my insurance changed and she was out of network. I wonder if history of all medications she tried before deciding on beta blocker would help. 

I feel that gonna be a lab rat for a bit until this sorts itself out as to what medication works with me and my pacemaker. 

Thanks for all your comments.  Helps to know what others experience.

2 Comments

Vasovagal

by Rhythmstorm - 2017-07-26 20:20:30

As far as fainting or dizziness, the only one I get is when I bend over for a short time and stand back up, then I get dizzy for a short. My cardio and tech told me that my pacemaker senses changes in blood pressure and reacts accordingly. My continuing pm problem is it takes off on a speed burst of 120+ when I make body position changes including rolling over in bed at night. It lasts for about 30 seconds to 3 or 4 minutes then goes back to normal. When I have the pm interrogation then I get the hr speed burst that lasts about an hour or so. Hoping for future adjustments to remedy that problem. Your not alone, my friend ! Take care.......

Syncope

by The real Patch - 2017-07-27 13:52:51

actually, Vasovagal means sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate. Syncope means fainting. What you have is called Vasovagal Syncope. When you get light in the loafers by changing position that's Positional Hypotension and just because your heart does not react fast enough to compensate for the change.

Your new Doctor should get all of your records from the old one, so he/she should already have access to your medication history. I know it's a pain in the derriere to play with meds because it can take so long to find the right combination and dosages but sometimes it pays dividends. Unless you had a negative reaction to a specific medication I wouldn't rule out trying it again. When I changed Cardiologists, we juggled meds for nearly a year and found a combination and dosages that have worked for me over 10 years. One, a Beta Blocker I had tried unsucessfully with the previous Dr ...it was dosage and time that made the difference. Point is let the new Dr choose his own path

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