Vagal Nerve Help

[Lynda312]

I am having a terrible time finding information on Vagal Nerve disorders.  My grandmother has been diagnosed with a "vagal nerve problem".  Twice now she has had episodes where she gets very faint, her breathing becomes very labored, she's clammy and can't really talk.  Both times we have called 911, she has been taken to the hospital and both times they can pinpoint nothing wrong.  EKG, stress test, blood work, etc. always comes out fine and she is feeling better in a couple hours and back to her normal spry self in 24 hours.  The last time we were told that this could possibly be attributed to her vagal nerve problem.  Can you PLEASE direct me to where I can find more information on this elusive nerve?  Thanks!

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

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.

[tessa0825]

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

[hydrocool]

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.

[cuddles_99999]

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?  

[tmarieq]

A related discussion, Vagal Nerve Help. Syncope with cold drink was started.

[bill145]

A related discussion, Vagal Nerve was started.