Has anyone had this?

Hi everyone. Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who wrote back to me after our house was targeted by someone who threw a lump of concrete through our front door & living room door (both glass) & almost killed me, 2 weeks ago. All your kindness was very much appreciated by me & all my family. Thank you.

I have a problem I wonder if anyone could help me with.

I'm 7 weeks post ablation for focal atrial tachycardia. For those of you who have been following my story, I am now back at work working my full hours. I had a 2 week phased return, then went back to my normal hours (8.30-2.30 daily). It's great to be back at work & fantastic that I can now do my job without having any chest pain or breathlessness etc. I've had no arrhythmia symptoms as such since my ablation (5 hour procedure). It's great news.

However, I continue to have a problem I have had since my ablation. I am dizzy a lot. It started off with it happening when I stood up. My GP checked my blood pressure & it was very low at 80/50! The dizziness got worse & I got in touch with the specialist arrhythmia nurse who looks after me at the hospital. He asked me to go there for an ECG & I ended up having an urgent treadmill/exercise test as well. The specialist registrar looked at all the results & said they were fine in that my arrhythmia wasn't showing up on the tests anymore (post ablation). He told me to try drinking more water & see if that helps improve my BP. If not, to get back in touch with them as I'm not due back at the hospital until November (3 month post ablation check-up).

The dizziness is getting worse & I wondered if anyone has experienced anything like this? I now get dizzy in the middle of walking. For example, I might be at work walking around doing my job & suddenly feel dizzy for a few minutes. Then it goes away. And I still get it when I stand up, but not always. I never had this dizziness before the ablation. My BP has always been at the bottom end of normal (90/60) & I'd never get symptoms then. But since the ablation it has dropped very low for me & I have no idea why.

I'm seeing my GP next Tuesday to ask him to check my BP & see how low it is now. I haven't been in touch with the hospital again yet, bit scared in case it's to do with my heart again.

I was on Plavix post ablation, for 6 weeks, but the hospital Dr's said this would not cause my BP to be so low. I came off the drug a week ago & in fact the dizziness continues to get worse, so I don't think it was the Plavix causing it. I'm not on any other medication either.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very welcome & much appreciated. Thank you. I am quite concerned.

Best wishes
Janey

4 Comments

dizzy

by thomast - 2010-09-15 07:09:48

With the medications I take my BP is very low, usually about 90/60. I was taking 2.5mg accuprill twice a day and 12.5mg coreg twice a day. I started getting dizzy and light headed as my BP was getting down to 80/555. The doctor reduced my accuprill to 2.5mh once a day and I am doing much better.with BP of 92/60 or so. accuprill is an ace inhibitor and coreg is abeta blocker.

Thomas

I have a question

by pacergirl - 2010-09-15 07:09:59

Are you eating properly? With what you have been through your body needs fuel to heal. I often time find that I forget to eat. In fact my Dr. has me on a diet to get me up to 1200 cal. per day! So far I have gained 5 pounds! So much for eating 3 meals a day... anyway I used to skip meals to keep my weight down and when I did I would get dizzy.
It could also be your medications. I have that happen to me as well, especially high blood pressure meds.
I would recommend paying attention to what you are eating, what meds you are taking and also what you were doing when you get dizzy. All are imp. clues for your Dr and you to figure it all out and get you going again.

So glad you are feeling stronger though.
Take care,
PG

Further info

by Janey L - 2010-09-16 05:09:02

Hi. Thank you for your replies so far. That's the thing, I'm not on any medication since the ablation so I can't say it's that causing my low BP.

At work I do eat in my breaks, to give me the energy to keep going. My job is quite hectic. If I start to feel hungry, I tend to feel shaky (rather than dizzy) so then I know I need to eat something. I do eat 3 meals a day.

I meant to say in my original post that the dizziness is lightheadedness. It is not vertigo, which I know is different. The dizziness makes me feel faint, but thankfully I haven't fainted yet. A few times at work I thought I was going to though...scary!

I'll keep you posted!

Best wishes
Janey

my opinion

by Pookie - 2010-09-17 09:09:03

ask for a tilt table test, a blood pressure monitor, and ask to see an ENT and/or a Neurologist.

dizziness is one of the hardest things for a doc to diagnose.

I was really dizzy after having my pacemaker, prior to the pacer I was what I would call lightheaded.

After 2 yrs of being dizzy, I was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota (I'm from Nova Scotia, Canada) and the tilt table test and seeing a Neurologist was the way I found out what was causing my dizziness. Unfortunately, for me, it was 3 different medical diagnosis.

Meniere's Disease
Hypotension Intolerance
Neurocardiogenic Syncope

If you want I could also send you (via private message) the questionnaire that the ENT and the Mayo Clinic had me fill out...it was very helpful to me and them.

I also had a couple of tests here at my local hospital that my ENT suggested...I can't remember the medical names, but one was spinning in a chair, the other was I was fitted as though I was going to jump out of a plane all the while I was standing on a platform that would move, all of this was for balance. Another test was having water put into my ear...I think, if I remember correctly, that was called a choloric test. My memory is shot lately....sorry.

Anyways, if you need more information and you think I can help, by all means, just send me a private message and I'll dig up all my medical information for you.

There's always an answer out there - the problem is finding it:)

Take care & good luck.

Pookie

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