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My last blackout was in October 2006. After several trips to see various GPs at my practice I was referred to a neurologist. The GP was concerned that I still pass out while lyingflat on the floor in the recovery position and vomit while not fully conscious. In Feb 07 I saw a very nice Neurologist who felt my problem wasn't her area but referred me onto Cardiology and Gastroenterology.
I had the Cardio appointment come through first and went along alone as I expected it to be ruled out as the reason for my being sick and passing out. The Registrar I saw was very enthusiastic and felt, from the description I gave him of what happens ( I had used the Stars Blackout checklist), he should arrange for me to have an Echocardiograph immediately. I'd just had an ECG before I saw him! Both were normal and nothing showed up as being a problem . He wanted me to have a Tilt Table Test and probably an Insertable Loop Recorder ( an ECG monitor placed inside the chest area ).
On May 3rd 07 I went into the Cardio Day Unit for a Tilt Table Test. Everything was fine lying down, fine standing up, and fine for 9 minutes after having 2 squirts of Nitro Glycerine under my tongue. At this point my heart rate rose to 145/minute then dropped below 60. My blood pressure fell to below 70 systolic and the pulse rate continued to fall until my heart stopped and they terminated the test. I began to come round to find one of the technicians standing over me and I was lying flat again. As usual I was sick as I came round and felt terrible. I was taken back onto the day unit where I went into shock--whole body 'shivering' and was given an injection to stop this. I used to have these shakes after a blackout but had thought I was shivering and not in medical shock.
As I was not recovering as expected it was decided to keep me in overnight on the Cardiology ward so they could keep me under close observation incase anything else happened. It didn't and I was ok. The Registrar came to speak to me and my husband and told us that I needed an immediate operation to put a pacemaker in. They didn't have the model they wanted in the hospital so it was ordered and I would be contacted as soon as it arrived.
On 15th May 07 I went back to hospital and in the afternoon I had the pacemaker fitted. It was more uncomfortable than I expected having it done, but this was as the doctor had some problems getting leads in place and a more senior member of staff needed to take over the operation. Back on the ward I felt dreadful but was told this was an after effect of the sedation used.
The following day I was very very tired and everything seemed like a huge effort. Walking across the ward to the toilet was like climbing Mount Everest. I was taken in the afternoon in a wheelchair to the Pacemaker clinic where they set the pacemaker, after phoning the manufactuerers to be talked through how to do it! The Pacemaker was a brand new model and they'd not seen one before.
I felt really ill in the clinic and on being taken back to the ward a doctor came to see me to find out what was wrong. When I described the pain I had along my left ribcage and side, they listened to my chest and sent me for a chest x-ray. This showed my lung had been punctured during the operation and the escaped air had filled the chest cavity collapsing the lung. I had to then have a chest drain put in. This involves a tube going in through your side just under the armpit through into the chest to allow the air to escape. It was very painful but immediately the air began to bubble out into a bottle of water attached to the other end, my breathing improved. The drain stayed in for about 24 hours.
I was discharged from hospital after 4 days and came home to recover.
I found it difficult to understand just what had happened to me - my stomach upsets had resulted in my needing a mechanical box sewn into my chest and 2 wires hooked into my heart – I was struggling to understand why. I found recovery slow but now believe a lot was due to the lung damage and emotionally I was a bit of a wreck.
Now 5 months later I am still trying to find out more information but, physically, I am well. I am doing everything I did before the operation and enjoying all the new friends I have made through the Stars Message board. With the support of Jenni and Trudie and the wonderful people on the board, I look forward to reading the messages, posting my own and learning all the time about our slightly unusual conditions.
I have a Dual Chamber Medtronic VERSA VEDRO1 pacemaker which will kick in on demand if my heart rate drops below 60 beats a minute--it will make the heart beat at a higher rate to try and stop the blood pressure from dropping. As yet I've not had an 'episode' so I don't know if I am 'cured'.
I did see the Gastroenterologist but as it was just a couple of weeks after my operation she just took some details and arranged to see me in November which I was more than happy to agree with. Since the operation I've not had any stomach problems---I wonder if there is a link!
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