Ever Faint and Wonder if it Was MS-related?

[Page.One]

A year ago I fainted without injuring myself. I went to neuro and was checked out for seizures and was given a heart monitor to wear. Everything appeared normal. In September I fainted again and fell flat on my face, waking up to find I had knocked my front teeth loose and was bleeding and bruised (face, gums, lips, nose). Only because I was worried I had fractured my face did I go to the emergency room where the hospital insisted on admitting me to check for heart problems. Three days of cardio testing (including stress test) and everything checked out, except I flunked the tilt-table test. (Blood pressure drops and you get dizzy because of your positioning). I take Synthroid for hypothyroidism, so thyroid was OK, blood sugar OK, everything OK. So no more medication for me.

Problem is that I'm still having problems with getting extremely hot and feeling like I'm going to faint again. Sometimes it's when I eat something (anything) that makes it happen and sometimes it just happens for no apparent reason. I have a long history of episodes of vertigo, but vertigo and fainting is totally different. I don't get hot, feel like I will pass out or get sick at my stomach with vertigo, but sometimes can (not always) get sick at my stomach (like food poisoning) and hot flash when I get dizzy and feel like I'm going to black out.

Could an MS plaque be in just the right area of the brain to affect your blood pressure (causing it to bottom out for no reason)? If not, then surely something with my thyroid, diet, heart, (menopause?), infection, must be causing this, but I can't figure out what. Any thoughts about blaming extremely low blood pressure or fainting on MS alone.

[SalpalSally]

Could an MS plaque be in just the right area of the brain to affect your blood pressure (causing it to bottom out for no reason)? If not, then surely something with my thyroid, diet, heart, (menopause?), infection, must be causing this, but I can't figure out what. Any thoughts about blaming extremely low blood pressure or fainting on MS alone.

To put it short and not so sweet, yes, a plaque in just the right place in the brain can and does effect your blood pressure. Low blood pressure is a known cause of blackouts/dizzyness.

Your Neuro should be well aware of this danger and give you something to regulate your blood pressure. If it gets too low, it could be fatal.

See your Doctor right away and let us know how it goes. We worry about our Family here.

Hesaling Hugs,

[dizzyintx]

One though is your autonomic system is on the blink. The relationship between MS and the autonomic system is well known, but poorly understood. I have this, it started out just getting dizzy and it has deteriorated from there. There is not anything that can be done for it. Over the years, I have learned to do things, like bend down and get up slowly or to avoid bending over entirely. It is worse when I have laid down and have to get up in a hurry, like to go to the bathroom. UGH, the room turns black and I get so dizzy. Now, it affects my body ability to regulate the temperature in my surroundings. Not just a little, but a lot. I pulled this up for you from Pub Med. Good Luck!

Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: correlation with orthostatic intolerance.Flachenecker P, Wolf A, Krauser M, Hartung HP, Reiners K.
Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg. k.reiners@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de

Autonomic dysfunction is frequently observed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but clinical studies disagree on the frequency and type of abnormalities in autonomic function tests. Orthostatic dizziness (OD) has been reported in up to 49% of patients, but the pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. This study investigated cardiovascular reflex tests and their association with OD in patients with MS in order to examine the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system is specifically involved in these patients. Forty patients with clinically active relapsing-remitting (n = 27) and secondary progressive MS (n = 13), aged 35.0+/-8.5 years, were studied by parasympathetic (heart rate responses to the Valsalva maneuver, deep breathing, and active change in posture) and sympathetic function tests (blood pressure responses to active change in posture and sustained handgrip), and by spectral analysis of heart rate variability during rest and during standing. Results were compared to those obtained in 24 healthy volunteers, aged 29.4+/-7.2 years. A standardized questionnaire was used to evaluate symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. Abnormal responses on at least one cardiovascular reflex test were observed in 40% of MS patients, compared to 17% of the control group, with a statistically significant involvement of the sympathetic vasomotor system. Orthostatic intolerance was reported in 50% of patients (controls: 14%, P<0.006). Subgroup comparison of patients with and without OD suggests that orthostatic intolerance results from impaired sympathetic vasoconstriction. These results provide further evidence that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in patients with MS.

PMID: 10463360 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[lady_express_44]

There is nothing scientific about what I am about to say :) , but I have found some things that help me with fainting.

I too have had this problem, and other then generally low blood pressure, I have no other medical conditions that should contribute to this occuring, ie. no diabeties, seizures, heart or lung problems, etc.

Sometimes it is the position I have my head in. I'm guessing that might have something to do with the lesions in my spine . . . If this is the cause (feels like vertigo/dizziness), I just change positions and sit down.

Other times I seem to need a sugar fix or something, so I guzzle a big glass of milk as soon as I see the stars coming. :D

I sometimes have some warning that I just don't feel right, and I generally take this to mean that my blood pressure is low. Since I do not ever have problems with high blood pressure, I start eating salty foods when I feel this way, usually pretzels.

I can remember having this problem long before the dx, and have blacked out several times. Since I've started using the above "tricks", I very seldom do any more.

Good luck,

Cherie

[agate]

Episodes of loss of consciousness that I've had are probably not regarded as fainting, but I'm not sure. I think of fainting as a situation where you have warning signs--light-headedness, a feeling of "I think I'm about to pass out."

I didn't have those warning signs, but long before MS was diagnosed, I did have vertigo and blacked out and fell face forward, affecting 6 front teeth (4 were smashed, and two more had to be filed way down to almost nothing to support the bridgework, which cost beaucoup $$$).

The other time I passed out was a few years ago, a few hours after an Avonex shot. I fell onto the bathroom floor but luckily got only some bad bruises.

[curiousforever]

failing the tilt table test - i did that after I fainted twice.

I'm taking toprol xl for tachycardia. (high pulse) my blood pressure is fine - I got checked out by a cardiologist.

I still fall over (but don't faint)- fell in the shower - but that only happens if I close my eyes and don't lean on the wall to wash my hair.

[BBS1951]

Pageone: What meds are you on.

Long time ago I took Loestrin. Every month, I'd wake up in middle of night with terrific leg cramp and vasovagal reaction (clammy, nausea, diahrrea and near fainting) which lasted about 20 minutes. Not every day, just once a month. Finally a pharmacist pointed out that indeed it is a side effect of Loestrin.

Other than that, I have Low BP and will occasionally start hearing drumming in the ears, and feel like I'm going to faint , heart rate speeds up, probably to try to counteract the sudden drop in BP. Is it MS? Dont know. It might be separate issue, or due to MS (autonomic problems can be due to MS). Call your neuro again.

[cricket52]

Hi Page.One:

I came across an article about a disorder called autonomic hyperreflexia. Maybe it's possible in MS if there is a lesion on the spinal cord.

A full stomach could trigger it, so can full bladder or bowel or meds.

http://health.discovery.com/encyclopedias/illnesses.html?article=538

Self-diagnosis is risky, your neuro should be the one to determine what is triggering the fainting.

I hope you feel better soon and are able to get some answers.

Take care.

[fallenangell]

I've passed out 5 times in the last 2 years, only twice getting checked out by a doctor. The one time I passed out I was walking out of the hospital from just being discharged after having pnemonia, and passed out right at the front door of the hospital and gave myself a severe concussion and ended up being admitted right back to the hospital. They had no idea what happened or why I passed out.

I've passed out at home and only one other time did I see a doc for it, and he said maybe it was my MS, maybe not...not too much help there!! I just pray that it doesn't happen when I'm doing something like going down the stairs or driving.

I haven't passed out in the last 9 months or so, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that whatever it was, it has resolved and it won't happen again.

Good luck and I hope you figure out what is going on.

Angell