Wow. What was *that* all about?

[Aspigander]

I'm trying not to get anxious here. I just had something weird happen with my body, I think I'm coming out of it, but it's weird and has me a little concerned.

I got a little lightheaded. Not overly lightheaded, it was very slight. I'm not even sure if lightheaded is the best word although it's the best word I can come up with. I was feeling kind of cold. I still do a little bit. The lightheadedness seems to have gone. I felt slight pressure (not pain) in the chest and some mild palpitations. I still have the slight pressure.

I went to webmd.com and used their symptom checker. I know that's not an official diagnosis but it does have me concerned because the list of potential things that can cause that are different heart problems (no history thereof, and I'm kind of young for that kind of thing) and anxiety. Now I deal with anxiety. A lot. And I've been amazingly calm throughout this event (I say amazingly because one way to ramp up my anxiety levels is if I think there's something going wrong medically). I started getting a little anxious but I think I'm doing pretty well at keeping the anxiety under control. I've had similar symptoms as described above during an anxiety attack, but in those instances I feel anxiety, and generally BEFORE any of the physical symptoms.

So, that's weird, and not sure quite what's going on. Just trying not to get anxious, as that really wouldn't help.

[Nikabee]

I'm not a doctor, so I'm no help, really. But I just wanted to check back and see how you're feeling now.

Now, I actually have a mild heart condition with similar symptoms, so I know how freaky those feelings can be. (I'm not saying that to freak you out - I DON'T think you have what I do!) Anxiety will bring those symptoms on and so will.... caffeine! Have you had any today? ;) Honestly, the best thing you can do if it's not life-threatening is to lay down and rest... Oh look! We should both be in bed by now anyway! :D But let me know how you're feeling now, ok?

[tgrimes]

Maybe because you were just reading about 'passing out.' I think a lot of people do that, they see a symptom and then check themselves for it unconsciously. Like in nursing school :) Do you think that could be it?

[Aspigander]

Nikabee,
I think I'm almost if not totally out of the episode now. Slight amount of caffeine, not much, and not an amount that has ever caused these symptoms before.

Tgrimes,
I don't know. Could be. But then again, I can stand to read a lot of stuff. And I sometimes watch medical type shows on TLC, and don't suddenly have symptoms popping up. So while I suppose that could be it, I'm not totally sure it is. I think I'm okay now though, whatever it was.

[Nikabee]

I'm glad you're feeling better. :)
It could just be that you're over-tired and you're body is trying to get your attention... huh, I suppose I should listen to my own body now! lol Good night everyone!

[roadracer]

Everyone, and I mean everyone at times has a little heart flutter, because the time between beats is never exactly the same, sometimes those beats get a little off and your heart corrects itself, sort of like reseting itself, can cause a little flutter fealing and what you describe. If that is the case it is totally normal, but can be caused by to much caffeine or whatever. As long as it does not come back, and it was only that one little thing, I would not worry about it.
Now, I actually have a mild heart condition with similar symptoms, so I know how freaky those feelings can be.
I have heart valve prolapse that cause the symtoms, heart skips a beat everynow and then, and feels like someone punched me in the chest. Curently it is still mild so I can still do everything like bike racing and everything, but it has slightly got worse over the years, so I am supposed to monitor it to avoid future problems.

[roadracer]

glad your okay

[Aspigander]

Yep, I think I can safely say I'm out of the episode. That's good. Hopefully it stays that way. :)

I think I'm going to take Nikabee's advice and go to bed (which I should have done 3 hours and 16 minutes ago anyway lol).

[roadracer]

That reminds me, AspiG, did you ever find out what was going on, when you had the vision thing going on got the mri???? You got the results back from that????

[Keggy]

We did a little survey here a few years back and found a lot of us had mvp. Although I had flutterings and weird movement before that, mine started in my twenties.
Interesting you brought up the visual disturbances, docs say thats unrelated but I don't think it really is.
I just wanted to add that for me it started out with flutterings, increased too mvp, later mvp regurgitation (where you have to take antibiotics at the dds) and then later it changed added more symptoms etc.
So there has to be a first time... this could be yours.;)

[Kristen (ColeysMom)]

I get heart palps & things...have a little murmur, etc. And when I get REALLY stressed, out of control, I have anxiety symptoms, although with a self-assessment I don't consider myself anxious. Anxiety can be a weird thing, so it's possible that it maybe your anxiety along with tired or something...

But the thing that sticks out to me is the feeling of being cold. It sounds like it could be low blood sugar to me. When was the last time you ate before this happened (what did you eat)? And then also consider your cycle too.

Hope you are feeling better now and that as RR suggested, it was just a fluke thing!!!!

I would suggest that you write this down, incase it does happen again, you can give the doc some good info...

KJ

[mrsdoubtfyre]

If you are taking any drugs like Abilify, or Seroquel , or Zyprexa or
Risperdal, and have heart beat events, you need to see a doctor ASAP and have an EKG...These drugs all prolong QT, and need to be monitored by a doctor more closely. They can cause sudden death, if mixed with other drugs, or when the patient becomes dehydrated or low in potassium and magnesium.

[Nikabee]

But the thing that sticks out to me is the feeling of being cold. It sounds like it could be low blood sugar to me. When was the last time you ate before this happened (what did you eat)?

Ooooh... excellent point. That is definitely a trigger for those symptoms too.

[roadracer]

We did a little survey here a few years back and found a lot of us had mvp. Although I had flutterings and weird movement before that, mine started in my twenties.
Interesting you brought up the visual disturbances, docs say thats unrelated but I don't think it really is.
I just wanted to add that for me it started out with flutterings, increased too mvp, later mvp regurgitation (where you have to take antibiotics at the dds) and then later it changed added more symptoms etc.
So there has to be a first time... this could be yours.;)

I dont have mvp, and I was born with the heart valve prolapse, and have the regurgitation, and got to do the antibiotics for the dentist, etc. The last time I was at the heart doctor, about three years ago, I remember him saying something about a scale for the regurgitation and mine was I am thinking a 2 or something like that. A good thing is that since I am so fit from years of cycling that my heart is strong enough to compensate for it very good. (at least that is my understanding)

[Aspigander]

RR,
I go back to the neurologist this Friday to get the MRI results (assuming I don't need the follow up authorized by a primary doctor, or else the insurance will authorize it directly again, as I don't see my new PCP until next Wedneday). That reminds me, I haven't had those episodes again, with the flickering and area of blurred vision, then just last night (around 7pm) I had two episodes of just the beginning stages, the tiny spot of flickering, and thought "here we go again". There were like two such episodes in around half an hour, lasting a minute or less each time, didn't spread like it had before. Interesting it happened within a few hours of the other stuff, though probably not related, since it was so far in advance.

Kristen,
Low blood sugar could be a possibility. I'm not remembering how long before the episode I'd last eaten -- I kind of eat whenever I think of it.

Mrs. D,
Fortunately, I'm not on any of those drugs (or any currently other than eye drops to control interocular pressure and antibiotic ointment for the left eye as needed).

Okay here's an update guys -- not too much of an update, though I think I may have had a milder version of the episode soon after getting up this morning. I couldn't decide if the slight lighheadedness was a factor (if so it was even more slight than last night -- all the symptoms were pretty mild last night, just there). Did get slight pressure in the chest and I thought I got a few palpitations again. I think I'll be writing all this stuff down. Hope I don't overwhelm my new doctor next week.

[roadracer]

Hope I don't overwhelm my new doctor next week.
Dont worry, I was afraid that my last doctor, once he seen my history and the hundred and one problems I have, I was sure he was going to think it was all in my head, but actually it was the total opposite, he really didnt think anything was a problem and would just brush most stuff to the side, like in the hospital with pnumonia and a temp of 106, "ah, just take some tylonal and you will be fine". So anyway it will be a good first test to see how he handles things.

[Aspigander]

he really didnt think anything was a problem and would just brush most stuff to the side, like in the hospital with pnumonia and a temp of 106, "ah, just take some tylonal and you will be fine".

A doctor was unconcerned about pneumonia in an asthmatic patient? That's strange.

[roadracer]

A doctor was unconcerned about pneumonia in an asthmatic patient? That's strange.

what was more strange is that I have a history of getting pneumonia, and no one has ever been concernd about that. I also didnt know not until recently that while eating you should not have to take a drink to be able to swallow your food and that you shouldnt cough up your food at meals, you know like stuff goes down the wrong tube and you cough, but this happens daily. I am 25 and no one ever noticed, so I never knew it was a problem, just thought it was normal, till someone actually noticed it. Then I learned that all this could be related, but have not been to a doctor about it yet, as I am still in need of insurence. Also almost forgot to add to it I have a open bite deformity, so only my back 4 teeth touch.
This messageboard is good at reminding me of all these things, I really forget about them then something on the board reminds me.

[Aspigander]

I'm not sure how old I was when I realized that most people aren't mouth breathers. I was still young, but I heard that it's supposedly not as healthy to be a mouth breather as a nose breather. This all has to do with how my nose/mouth formed during gestation. I pretty much ALWAYS have my mouth slightly open.

This messageboard is good at reminding me of all these things, I really forget about them then something on the board reminds me.

Same here.

[roadracer]

can you breath threw your nose? With todays amount of smog and polutions I am not sure if it is healthy to breath any way you do it, unless you are a lucky one with a oxygen tank, those people are lucky to get all the fresh air.

[Aspigander]

Well, I *can*, but not as well.

[Nikabee]

Huh, I wonder if the mouth-breathing is an asd thing? Kaelen does it too... you should see the crumby mess he makes when he's eating. I lift up the plate and it's like someone used a stencil to color on my table... but it's all food that blows out when he breathes.

[Aspigander]

I am the queen of messy eaters. I'm not sure if it's as much food blowing out when I breathe, or just that I'm a clumsy eater, or both.

[Nikabee]

Well, yeah... he has that to! lol :D I dread crackers! But the dog loves cracker days! :D

[Aspigander]

If I'm at my parents' house, and eating, I am pretty much guaranteed a canine audience.