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20 year old female with odd symptoms
My girlfriend is 20 in 6 days and has had a variety of symptoms, that have gradually gotten worse over the past few years. I am very concerned for her, so any help at all will be greatly appreciated. And before you take the time to say that she needs to just go to the doctor, please know that she has no steady income except for a job during the summer and winter break between college semesters, her parents refuse to take her to any doctor and will not pay for anything for her, and the money she does gain is used for school.
She has had "exercise induced asthma" and has needed an inhaler for the majority of her life, but within the past 2-3 years her condition and symptoms have gotten worse.
At first, she would only faint when she ran or exercised too much, but that would only sometimes cause her to faint, it mostly just made her hyperventilate and need her inhaler.
Around 2.5 years ago though, she started to be able to feel when she was going to faint, and she would faint after either exercising like before, getting too hot (I've read about conditions that cause people to pass out by being too cold or hot, but she does not pass out if she gets too cold), and over time she would faint just by standing, sitting, laying, walking for too long, or by having heightened emotions (anger, sadness, happiness, stress, etc) so it really was inevitable no matter what she did. Her mom finally took her to the doctor and they diagnosed her with vasovagal syncope, but the doctor was concerned because unlike with vasovagal symptoms, my friend passes out while simply laying down (the doctor said this would be a concern of the brain because you cannot faint by laying down with vasovagal, laying down should stop the person from fainting). The doctor ordered an MRI on her brain because she did not believe it was vasovagal (dealing with the heart and vagus nerve) but that it must have had something to do with her brain. Her mom cancelled the MRI though because she thinks it's unnecessary and that it's no big deal (which really made me angry).
Within the past year and a half, it has gotten to the point where any of the previous causes, along with just a slight bump on the head will make her faint. But now, along with just the fainting, dizziness, lightheaded ness, the extreme warm feelings before passing out and the extreme coldness after waking up, she has major headaches (more often than not they are in specific places such as the back of her head, the area just above her forehead, or the side near the back of her head), she sometimes gets a feeling of what she describes as bubbles of liquid forming inside the back of her head and she said it hurts like crazy and she just wants them to pop. When they do "pop" and sometimes without the popping sensation, she describes a feeling of liquid running down the inside of the back of her head. A lot of the time when she feels like this, we both know that this means when she passes out, it's more likely than not that she will wake up and have amnesia-like symptoms. These symptoms include her not remembering me or where she is at, she sometimes doesn't remember anything at all(not even the meaning of simple words like 'hurt' or 'pain'), and sometimes she will be in the mindset that she is anywhere from an infant (she ***** her thumb and gets upset if she doesn't get 'held' or she tries to grab things like necklaces or hair or random objects she sees and puts them in her mouth) to 5 years old to being just a few hours before the time that it actually is. Sometimes she remembers everything perfectly except for one event that happened on a random day or time. While she is unconscious lately too, instead of the normal vasovagal time of fainting being no more than a few minutes, she can be unconscious for up to a few hours, and her amnesia symptoms can last anywhere from a few minutes up to a few months.
Something that started just a few months ago is that she will start to feel like she's going to faint but when she feels this type of it coming on it really worries her and she tries to hide it from me. She starts by hyperventilating, and losing the ability to move her body and her eyes roll back into her head then she passes out. She is out for usually 10-15 minutes (she won't wake up to the things I usually do to wake her up like lay her down and raise her legs above her head and heart, or blow cold air in her face) and then wakes up but can hardly open her eyes, she can't move anything and she makes a small, quiet whimpering sound every few seconds like she's having trouble breathing or in pain. She is conscious for a few minutes but then faints again and this repeats 4-5 times and usually lasts no more than 2 hours. But when she finally comes to again and can move and speak again, she is very very weak (like she is any time she wakes up from fainting) and she almost always says something along the lines of "it took all my energy but I heard your voice and came back to you, I got really warm and just felt happy overall and I was in these really bright lights. I think you almost lost me" but I constantly check her breathing and her heart beat and her heart never speeds up or slows down except when she's hyperventilating.
I apologize for the long post but I grow more concerned every day and I really would like any bit of insight as to what this could possibly or maybe be. Once I have even the slightest idea of what it may be she has agreed to go to the appropriate doctor with me. Thank you for your time and I greatly appreciate the help.
She has had "exercise induced asthma" and has needed an inhaler for the majority of her life, but within the past 2-3 years her condition and symptoms have gotten worse.
At first, she would only faint when she ran or exercised too much, but that would only sometimes cause her to faint, it mostly just made her hyperventilate and need her inhaler.
Around 2.5 years ago though, she started to be able to feel when she was going to faint, and she would faint after either exercising like before, getting too hot (I've read about conditions that cause people to pass out by being too cold or hot, but she does not pass out if she gets too cold), and over time she would faint just by standing, sitting, laying, walking for too long, or by having heightened emotions (anger, sadness, happiness, stress, etc) so it really was inevitable no matter what she did. Her mom finally took her to the doctor and they diagnosed her with vasovagal syncope, but the doctor was concerned because unlike with vasovagal symptoms, my friend passes out while simply laying down (the doctor said this would be a concern of the brain because you cannot faint by laying down with vasovagal, laying down should stop the person from fainting). The doctor ordered an MRI on her brain because she did not believe it was vasovagal (dealing with the heart and vagus nerve) but that it must have had something to do with her brain. Her mom cancelled the MRI though because she thinks it's unnecessary and that it's no big deal (which really made me angry).
Within the past year and a half, it has gotten to the point where any of the previous causes, along with just a slight bump on the head will make her faint. But now, along with just the fainting, dizziness, lightheaded ness, the extreme warm feelings before passing out and the extreme coldness after waking up, she has major headaches (more often than not they are in specific places such as the back of her head, the area just above her forehead, or the side near the back of her head), she sometimes gets a feeling of what she describes as bubbles of liquid forming inside the back of her head and she said it hurts like crazy and she just wants them to pop. When they do "pop" and sometimes without the popping sensation, she describes a feeling of liquid running down the inside of the back of her head. A lot of the time when she feels like this, we both know that this means when she passes out, it's more likely than not that she will wake up and have amnesia-like symptoms. These symptoms include her not remembering me or where she is at, she sometimes doesn't remember anything at all(not even the meaning of simple words like 'hurt' or 'pain'), and sometimes she will be in the mindset that she is anywhere from an infant (she ***** her thumb and gets upset if she doesn't get 'held' or she tries to grab things like necklaces or hair or random objects she sees and puts them in her mouth) to 5 years old to being just a few hours before the time that it actually is. Sometimes she remembers everything perfectly except for one event that happened on a random day or time. While she is unconscious lately too, instead of the normal vasovagal time of fainting being no more than a few minutes, she can be unconscious for up to a few hours, and her amnesia symptoms can last anywhere from a few minutes up to a few months.
Something that started just a few months ago is that she will start to feel like she's going to faint but when she feels this type of it coming on it really worries her and she tries to hide it from me. She starts by hyperventilating, and losing the ability to move her body and her eyes roll back into her head then she passes out. She is out for usually 10-15 minutes (she won't wake up to the things I usually do to wake her up like lay her down and raise her legs above her head and heart, or blow cold air in her face) and then wakes up but can hardly open her eyes, she can't move anything and she makes a small, quiet whimpering sound every few seconds like she's having trouble breathing or in pain. She is conscious for a few minutes but then faints again and this repeats 4-5 times and usually lasts no more than 2 hours. But when she finally comes to again and can move and speak again, she is very very weak (like she is any time she wakes up from fainting) and she almost always says something along the lines of "it took all my energy but I heard your voice and came back to you, I got really warm and just felt happy overall and I was in these really bright lights. I think you almost lost me" but I constantly check her breathing and her heart beat and her heart never speeds up or slows down except when she's hyperventilating.
I apologize for the long post but I grow more concerned every day and I really would like any bit of insight as to what this could possibly or maybe be. Once I have even the slightest idea of what it may be she has agreed to go to the appropriate doctor with me. Thank you for your time and I greatly appreciate the help.
She has life threatening issues obviously, and if it isnt addressed I fear she will lose her life. If you truly care about her, you will not worry about the money issue and take her to get help. An ER visit would be a start and an MRI is definately needed. It sounds neurological, I am not a doctor though and if she isnt able to pay the medical expenses the hospital will help her to figure that out, if she dies...she wont have to pay anything, ultimately I think her life is at stake her, I pray God guides and helps you two to find the answers to her problem, my prayers are with you.
Will be sending prayers your way and so sorry to hear. I do have a lot of symptoms that you described. I can't stand or sit for long periods and have fainted before, but it comes on me at certain times. Once, I was doing it..even while I was sleeping and going myself to see a NS. I was going to a NL, but they told me that it would be best that I see a NS-Neurosurgeon instead.
That, which I experienced...I was told could be something called POTS.(Postural Orthostatic Hypertension) and it hasn't been proven that I have it...yet, but there is no other explanation. I thought @ the syncope, since I have some times where I'm dizzy, light-headed and nauseated. I've been dx'd with Lyme disease, Addison's, candida, Fibro..and a host of back issues. :/
Just pray that all will come out okay and believe. God does answer prayers, so sending some out your way. Take care and will check back with you.
That, which I experienced...I was told could be something called POTS.(Postural Orthostatic Hypertension) and it hasn't been proven that I have it...yet, but there is no other explanation. I thought @ the syncope, since I have some times where I'm dizzy, light-headed and nauseated. I've been dx'd with Lyme disease, Addison's, candida, Fibro..and a host of back issues. :/
Just pray that all will come out okay and believe. God does answer prayers, so sending some out your way. Take care and will check back with you.
dear Njfrazi,
i have seen your post just now...actually no one can comment a diagnosis without a proper medical check up...but after reading your history i strongly suspect a seizure attack rather than a vaso vagal syncope...and the cause of the seizure can be either hysterical or neurological...an MRI is necesssary to rule out neurological brain pathology...
so pls do consult a physician....nd please post back..
i have seen your post just now...actually no one can comment a diagnosis without a proper medical check up...but after reading your history i strongly suspect a seizure attack rather than a vaso vagal syncope...and the cause of the seizure can be either hysterical or neurological...an MRI is necesssary to rule out neurological brain pathology...
so pls do consult a physician....nd please post back..
We go to a college that has a on site medical building, and for the most part it is free. We move down there again in 3 weeks so I will try to get her to go there, or just the er where we currently reside.
Thank you all for the concern and help, I will update this as we find out more.
And as for the part about her parents not paying or helping and canceling the scan; they care more about saving money and spoiling her siblings when she is the only one who doesn't ask for anything and who isn't a complete brat.
Thank you all again.
Thank you all for the concern and help, I will update this as we find out more.
And as for the part about her parents not paying or helping and canceling the scan; they care more about saving money and spoiling her siblings when she is the only one who doesn't ask for anything and who isn't a complete brat.
Thank you all again.
What Jac said is right. You're a great advocate and I'm sure you can get her some help. I'm very concerned. Please post back and let us know how everything goes.
She should go to an ER and have the "works" done, they will run a battery of tests and allow her to be seen by a myriad of specialists if needed, and they should not turn her away if she cannot pay. Invida posted a reply and asked if there was a university or teaching hospital close by, that would be a good start. Some symptoms you descibed could be consistent with a seizure disorder, but may be indicative of other conditions. Good luck to both of you, she has a great advocate in you and you should be proud of yourself for helping her like this. Take care
I'm sorry that this is happening. I feel that your girlfriend needs to see someone about this urgently. I can't believe a parent would cancel imaging tests when these kinds of symptoms are happening. Are you near a teaching hospital or university with an ER? Take her, please. As soon as you can.I realize that finances may be an issue, but this all sounds very serious and I wouldn't wait any longer. I hope she will find help soon and be on her way to feeling much better.
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