Lightheaded Help

[gman]

Hi, I am a 29 year old male, who up until recently been feeling pretty good. First some background: I have been on Lopressor for about 8 years or so for irregular heartbeat due to MVP (100mg once a day). Lopressor has seemed to work out good for me over the years. It has just about eliminated my irregular heartbeat.
But recently I have had some health problems. One of the problems is I have become very tired. More tired than usual, I even had to change my work shift to come in an hour later because I could not get up on time. 2nd is that I have become Lightheaded a lot, and i know this sounds crazy but I especially get dizzy right before I have to go to the bathroom (BM).
So I went to the doctor, he has ran some tests (Blood lab, heart ultrasound) and they could find nothing significant. I have been taking my blood pressure all week and it has been between 100/60 to 125/75. I only have on real bad health risk and that is that I am overweight by about 100lbs (I weigh 295lbs). I do not smoke and i dont drink all that much. I have weighed 295 for many years and until now have felt pretty good. One other thing that has happened right before I started feeling dizzy is I gave Blood at a blood drive (about 3 weeks ago). I was wondering if this could be related to my dizziness? also my doctor wants to work me off of lopressor, he said it is not so good for a young person to be taking it, he thinks it may be cause of my symptoms. (also my latest heart ultrasound did not find any MVP) But my question is why now? I have been fine with it for years. Could it be the Blood Donation? And why does the dizziness seem to be worse right before I go to the bathroom?. Thanks in advance for any help.
G.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear G.
Of course we can't make diagnosis over the internet but perhaps I can help point you and your doctor in the right direction.  It may be that you are having some 'vasovagal' type symptoms.  These are not uncommon with using the bathroom.  Of course it could also just be side-effects of the beta-blocker.  I would recommend that you ask you doctor about getting a 'tilt-table test'.  If this is positive then it is most likely vasovagal symptoms, if it is negative then I would proceed with coming slowly off the beta-blockers.  I don't think the blood donation had anything to do with this.

[stevebu]

Gman  I have read on this forum that many people in the 80's that were diagnosed with MVP have later been found not to have MVP.  I think this was discovered with better equipment they have now.  When were you first told you had MVP?  Anyway, maybe you could take your doctors advice and try life without the meds.  You might feel better after a month or so.  I have been off cardiac meds for 3 months after having rf ablation to correct SVT and I have never felt better.

I hope the forum doctor has an idea about your light headedness because I can't imagine giving blood would give you a long term problem. Anyway, good luck to you.

[gman]

I was originaly diagnosed around 86 or 87.

[gman]

What exactly is vasovagal?
Never heard of it.
Thanks a bunch.
G

[bill]

Gman,
  Vasovagal refers to the feeling of having not enough blood going to the brain when you get up too fast, etc...  I had one of these episodes after heart surgery.  I kind of blacked out and thought I was dying.  Two days in the hospital - vasovagal reaction.  A nurse told me to pump my legs before I get up from sitting a long time or from bed.  I do that all the time and it really does help.

[Lai S N]

Steve< Iam like to learn from you how to off from med. I did my af ablation 6 weeks ago. It did cure my heart palpitation. However my last ECG shown Iam still having ectopic beats. And my doc, advised me to carry on my med.(amiodarone and aspirin)and have been in this med for about a year, Iam afraid of the side effects but I dare not to off from med. All readers are welcome to email me: ***@****
Thankk you