I have had the same problem for about 25 years... The doctors act as if I am some sort of a looney tune as the pain in my chest and arrhythmia seem to come and go and they have not been able to capture it on an EKG or Heart Monitor... I get a tightness in my chest/upper abdomen and then the arrythmia kicks in. I have two different arrythmias, one a slow one that just makes me feel badly the other is a very fast and I feel as if I am going to pass out... If I move around it seems to get better... Does this sound like anything anyone out there has experienced before?
A related discussion,
Vagal Nerve was started.
I had such an episode two days ago. I farm and came in for lunch. It was hot and so was I. I opened a cold drink from the fridge and took several large gulps. I immediately got a trmendous pain in my chest and felt weak. I sat down in a chair leaning forward on my knees and then I passed out backwards onto the chair behind me. My mother, who is also a nurse grabbed me and I came to almost immediately. My sisiter-in-law, who is also a nurse was summoned and they took my BP. It was 147/96 but my pulse was 41.
I took an aspirin and went to the hospital. I had an ECG and blood work done. My BP settled at 140/70 but my pulse remained low at abot 44. The doctor referred to the hagas nerve but I did not understand. I have been searching ever since and have found this forum.
Yesterday my pulse was still low and my BP was still 140/70.
I am very active and I exercise vigorously for abot 45 minutes every morning either biking or walking/jogging. I am a 54 year old male, non smoker, 15 pounds overweight by my standards.
This has happened to me once before, also on a hot day, about 15 years ago. That time I had to lay down on the kitchen floor for a few minutes until I felt like I was back to normal.
I believe I read an article in the Readers Digest about this exact event but do not remember when.
I do not know whether this should be treated as a heart event or a single isolated event.
Does anyone have any similar experience and what do you do about it?
The doctor that treated me wants me to go for a stress test etc.
Ifp you try tying "Vagus nerve", into which ever search engine you use, alot of hits will come up. I did online research for the vagus nerve prior to esophageal surgery last year.Good luck, Tessa
Lynda312,
Thanks for the post.
Q:"Can you PLEASE direct me to where I can find more information on this elusive nerve?"
It sounds as if your grandmother has been diagnosed with "Vaso-vagal Syncope". This syndrome is the cause of people passing out at the site of blood, for example. Unfortunately, it's become a "catch-all" term, meaning that when a doctor can't determine a cause for a passing-out episode or spell, the Vaso-vagal syncope diagnosis is often proposed.
When I'm not sure what is the cause for a spell, after a thorough history and physical, I'll often pursue an Event Monitor to help with the diagnosis. If your grandmother had a spell while wearing one of these monitors, her heart rhythm during the episode could be analyzed for abnormalities.
Best of luck.