I am a 27 year old man from Indiana. For the past three years I have been to two family doctors, two neurologists and three cardiologists because I have fainting spells on average every 4-6 days. From November 1998 when they started to January of 2001, they have maintained this "schedule"; however, on January 15th, 2001, I had a fainting spell and when I "woke up," I had lost feeling and function of both of my legs. This has continued with every blackout I have had since.
I do have warning signs before the blackouts occur. I get dizzy, lightheaded, and have blurred vision. The last sign I have before I faint is tingling or numbness in my hands and feet. These warning signs happen every time before I have a blackout. The blackouts, according to those people around me when I have them, last 10-15 minutes. Periodically, my feet will turn blue for no reason and this does not happen during a blackout or just before one either.
The diagnosis for my problem is neurocardiogenic syncope, although the cardioloigsts are not confident in this because I do not recover quickly after a blackout. It takes up to 48 hours sometimes to recover from a blackout.
The current cardiologist I have started me on beta blockers (Atenolol first and then Betaxolol), which have caused a complete loss of energy. The cardiologist took me off of those and put me on Florinef, so that my blood vessels would remain dialated. This medication has caused my blackouts to occur more frequently. The next stage the cardiologist has suggested involves a drug that causes hypertension and can do damage to my heart, which he is retisent to put me on because of my young age and because I suffer from hypotension.
For your information, I have had the following tests, all which have come back negative: EKG, EEG, MRI on my brain and my thoracic spinal cord, Doppler Arterial Flow on my legs and arms, blood tests for my thyroid and diabetes, treadmill test, and electrocardio catheters checking my heart and valve function. I did have two tilt table tests, both of which came back positive for neurocardiogenic syncope, which is the only test I had that has come back positive. During the EEG, my first cardiologist found I had an arrhythmia.
I would appreciate any suggestion you may have on what is wrong with me. If my current cardiologist does not put me on the drug that causes hypertension, then he has suggested sending me to the Mayo Clinic or to Cleveland Clinic, which is why I am posting this question.
Thank you for reading this question and I would appreciate any information you could offer to shed light on this problem I am having.
Jay27