Good Morning,
I just wanted you to know that every time I read or hear anything of interest on fainting I post it. I hope this helps people with this condition. Too many people are told by their doctors that it is all in their heads.
If you've read my last post on swallow syncope you'll realize how many people have different triggers to fainting episodes.
Beth
Hi,
I had a new medical procedure done this week. I have always had trouble with heartburn and the doctor wanted to perform an endoscopy but I was always too afraid. Who wants a tube the size of a garden hose going down your throat. I even have problems swallowing a vitamin pill.
First of all they put you to sleep during the procedure and secondly the scope going down your throat is the new and slim model. It takes about an hour from the time you arrive until you leave and there was no sore throat afterwards. The only post procedural side affect was a little bloating of my stomach and I was sleepy the rest of the day. You must bring someone with you to take you home.
The doctor said I had a moderate amount of erosion of my lower esophagus and a hiatal hernia. He took some cold biopsies and I should have the results by next week. The whole point of getting a endoscopy is to determine if you have esophageal cancer or have indications that you might get cancer in the future and try to prevent it.
I am now taking a drug to prevent acid from forming in my stomach and am supposed to change my diet- no citrus fruits, chocolate, caffeine, spicy foods. Also I am supposed to eat smaller more frequent meals. This is supposed to stop reflux of food into my esophagus (GERD).
I will post results of the biopsy next week. Wish me luck.
Beth
Its been a few months since I have had an episode and am feeling better in general. This week, however, I was out after a snowy day headed toward a Greek restaurant in Montclair, NJ and slipped on some ice in a parking lot.
It was one of those falls where you go up in the air and fall flat on your back. It looks funny in the movies but I was in excruciating pain. My husband helped me up and glutton that I am I wanted to still go eat. I walked a few steps when I started to feel light headed and said I felt faint. Sure enough I blacked out.
My husband said I was unconscious for about 2 minutes. A woman walking by called an ambulance. A young man from the YMCA across the street came over as well as some very nice policemen. I didn't want an ambulance as I knew how expensive those are even with good medical insurance.( one charged $2200 to drive 3 blocks from my gym to a hospital after fainting).
The policemen helped me into my car. It was so slippery that they said they had slipped too.
When I got home I lied down for a while on the couch and when I went upstairs to the bathroom I again felt nauseated and dizzy and had to lie on the bathroom floor to stop myself from passing out again.
I guess what I'm getting at is pain seems to trigger passing out as some of your comments suggested.
I'm still sore but I'm up and around. I take Advil when I tighten up and use some ice packs when th pain is bad.
Wishing you all a healthy, happy new year.
Beth
Good morning,
Yesterday I had a new medical test called an MRA. It tests the blood flow in the brain. It was in a closed MRI machine and I was a little nervous about it but it lasted only 8 minutes. The technician told me that the doctor would have the results by today. That's a first. It usually takes a week before I know anything. Hmm, is that good or bad ?
Tomorrow I have an eye exam. It's a good thing I'm retired or I wouldn't have time for all these appointments.
Wish me luck.
Beth
A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled. Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. When startled, younger goats will stiffen and fall over. Older goats learn to spread their legs or lean against something when startled, and often they continue to run about in an awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.
Slightly smaller than standard breeds of goat, fainting goats are generally 43 to 64 centimeters (17 to 25 in) tall and can weigh anywhere from 27 to 75 kilograms (50 to 165 lb). They have large, prominent eyes in high sockets, and exist in as many colors as standard breeds do. Hair can be short or long, with certain individuals producing a great deal of cashmere during colder months. There appears to be no angora strain of the fainting goat. Common coat colors are black and white, however, most possible coat colors are found in this breed. Their life expectancy is 12 to 15 years.[1]
The origin of the fainting goat is peculiar. The goats appear to have arrived in Marshall County, Tennessee in the early 1800s, courtesy of a reclusive farm worker named Jon Tinsley who was most likely from Nova Scotia. Before he left the area, he sold his goats — three does and a buck — to Dr. H.H. Mayberry, who bred them.
Fainting goats have many other names, including Tennessee (Meat) Goats, Nervous Goats, Stiff-leg Goats, Wooden-leg Goats, and Tennessee Scare Goats. They are smaller and somewhat easier to care for and maintain than larger meat goat breeds, which makes the fainting goat desirable for smaller farms. They are also raised as pet or show animals as they can be friendly, intelligent, easy to keep, and amusing.
I really have been feeling a lot better and hope my illness is going away. I never got any answers from doctors or medical tests explaining my episodes of near passing out. For those of you who haven't read my past postings, I was sick almost everyday for about nine months feeling ill and collapsing. Everything triggered my attacks-heat, exercise, stress, even going to the bathroom.
The last test I took was an MRI which showed no abnormalities. I just was approved by my insurance company for an MRA to test the blood flow in my brain. I also have an appointment with an eye doctor this week.
Before last year I was really healthy, going to the gym, hiking and leading a really active lifestyle. This year has been a struggle, feeling weak, scared of my episodes and discouraging all around.
Now I feel pretty good. I have periods of the day where I feel odd, my neck tingles, my eyes feel a little blurry and sometimes my stomach starts this pumping that usually would have made me collapse but now seems to end if I rest.
I am going back to the gym and leading a normal life now.
I have been hearing from some readers who have fainted since they were children and it seems to actually run in some families. They are not alone. I read an article about fainting goats. Who knew?
Beth
