father has intermitant dizzy spells, nausea

[momoftwo74]

Hi everyone. My father is 61 years old, in good shape and has always been in good health. Last October he began to have dizzy spells, like severe vertigo. The first time it happened he was driving and had to pull over, almost ran into a ditch. He continued to have dizzy spells for the rest of the day, would almost fall over if he was standing or didnt have something to hold onto. His doctor did bloodwork and EKG and then sent him to Emory here in Atlanta to get MRI, EEG. All tests were normal. After a few days the dizziness stopped. Doctors gave him medicine for vertigo that they said might be an inner ear problem. Well he went a few months with no further spells. A few days ago it happened all over again. My mother had to go pick him up from where he had pulled off the road. Before, my dad says he had no symptoms leading up to the first dizzy spell. This time though, he had been feeling a little :"off" since the day before, just not feeling all that well. he thought he might be coming down with something. This time with the dizziness comes nausea. He cant stand for very long without holding on to something to keep form falling over. His doc ordered more blood tests and also did another EKG. My father was then told that his EKG results were "different" than last time. They didnt say "abnormal" they told him that the results were "different". What the heck could that mean? They reffered him to a cardiologist. My father is not overweight and heart disease does not run in our family. If anyone has any input about what could be going on with my father It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
MM

[Husbandndshlp]

my wife had very similar symptoms last fall.  they continued and then went away and came back early spring.  she wound up having a blockage in hera rtery.  that is not to say your dad has that but i'd make a cardiologist appt and follow through on any further tests they recommend.  probably an angiogramis need to check the arteries because the ekg was "different."  better be safe than sorry.
Good luck.

[sue3708]

how old is your wife?

[momoftwo74]

Hi thanks for your response. My dad saw a cardiologist. Cardiologist believes that my father probably has an ear disorder. Cardiologist decided to go ahead and do some tests just to make sure. My dad wore a  monitor for 24 hours on Thursday/Friday. Tommorow he will get an echocardiogram and stress test. My dad keeps trying to back out of those last two tests because he agrees with the doc that it probably isnt his heart. However, my mother and I insist that its better to be safe, and to kwow that it definately isnt a heart problem.

MM