dizzyness

[mbimom]

Hi I posted a little bit ago. I just had a total hysterectomy and all went well I have however been having some weird symptons since i starting having hot flashes and night sweats.Myhistory-
Succesful ablation 2001 svt, bicucuspid aortic valve w/regurgitation,physically fit, no smoking or alcohol.
  I woke up new years day and lost conciessness,the room did not spin I just felt light headed and everything went blank and was on the floor. I continued being dizzy then passed out again so I went to ER. They checked me for blood clots. EKG, chest xray and CT, and blood work.All came back ok. My EKG wasn't normal but they said it was the same as my pre surgery one. My blood pressure was high for me 150/99, I usually run 100/60. They sent me home.
  My GYN prescribed climara patch losest dose. and said come see him in a week. I saw him yesterday and my blood pressure is still high and I am still having dizzy spells. Mostly getting up and down but expecially and night in bed, every time I roll over i get a wave of dizzyness. So he sent me to faminly doc who said he didn't have a clue. My blood pressure was still high so he said to watch it for 10 days and come back.
  What would you do next?
  Could it be my heart?
  I was thinking it was the climara patch but GYN doesn't think so, Your thoughts?
  Thank you for you help

[mbimom]

I just was wondering if this meant anything I have been monitoring my blood pressure since it has bee higher than normal and I have been getting readings like 115/92. Is that anything to be concerned about?

[LynnSB]

I sure don't mean to second guess the doctor here but, while I recognized that feeling dizzy when you roll over in bed is classic for BPV, passing out is NOT part of benign positional vertigo.

If your problem is primarily dizziness and not the passing out ( which is what concerns me the most when I read your post) then check out the side effects to climara.. this is from the listed common side effects:

>>Central Nervous System: Headache, migraine, dizziness.<<

[LynnSB]

sorry. passing out isn't NORMAL... please keep on insisting someone get to the bottom of this. I'd suggest you contact your EP and/or cardiologist ASAP and get an event monitor so hopefully you can document whether you heart rhythm is doing anything funky when you feel light headed.  

I wonder about dysautonomia or postural hypotension.. yep, I hear you that your BP is high but we don't know if it was low when you got up and passed out... and anxiety about all this in the doc's office could have it artificially inflated... you might want to ask your cardiologist if a tilt table test might be appropriate.

If YOU think the Climara patch is the culprit, you have every right to stop it for a while and see what happens..although, without ovaries, you will probably not feel well.. you could try another type of hormone replacemant patch.

good luck!

Lynn  

PS did they do any basic blood work like thyroid test, cbc, check for anemia?  also you might want to ask you doc about the possibility of adrenal gland problem? just a thought

[mbimom]

Hi thank you for your thoughts. I passed out actually before starting the climara patch. The GYN thought maybe my body was reacting to the sudden loss of estrogen so he put me on the lowest dose of climara available. Since being on this I haven't passed out again I have just been very dizzy.  When I told my GYN about the dizzyness he said he didn't think it would be from such a low dose and sent me to family doc.  I was thinking about just going to my cardiologist and not the family doc but the GYN said he would only look at heart possibilties and recomended the family doc.  I think I have to many doctors.
  I think I am going to experiment on my own and take the patch off and see if I feel better. I know that I will have to live with the hot flashes and night sweats for awhile. I was having an arryhthmia with the night sweats in the beginning I could see if it comes back while I am at it. It is all very confusing. Thanks.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

mbimom,

Thanks for the post.  I answered your last post.

Q1:"What would you do next?"

The diagnosis of syncope and dizziness relies on the history.  The finding that "every time I roll over i get a wave of dizzyness" strongly implies either BPV (benign positional vertigo) or labrynthitis as the culprit.  See a good internist or neurologist.

Q2:"Could it be my heart?"

The dizziness argues against the heart, especially the changes with movement.  However, the passing out spells could be from a cardiac abnormality.  If a recent echo shows normal heart function, I would be reassured that the heart was unlikely the culprit.

Q3:"I was thinking it was the climara patch but GYN doesn't think so, Your thoughts?

I have never heard of an association between this patch, and dizziness.  Your Ob-Gyn would have more experience with this than I, however.

Good luck.