Bad episode tonight...

Heart health and blood vessels
1

I had a bad episode tonight.  I was lying on the couch, watching a movie, when my vision suddenly went wonky on me.  It's always the left eye only, but since I lose half my sight, it just seems like it messes with both eyes.  If I close my left eye, though, I can see out of my right eye okay.  When my eyesight starts going like that, I get dizzy, lightheaded, and feel like I'm going to pass out.  I get a tightness in my chest and get short of breath.  And I just feel uncomfortable.  I don't know how to explain it, just uncomfortable.

I feel relaxed before hand, and it just hits out of nowhere.  However, tonight I had noticed that I was having a lot of skipped beats prior to it.  I can't remember if I was having the skipped beats prior the other other times.  I've had this happen about 4 or 5 times over the past 3 months.  It's not done it either time that I've gone to the ER, so tonight, I decided I wanted to get a record of my BP and P while it was going on, to share with the cardiologist on the 20th.  Since these just hit out of nowhere, and they don't happen frequently like this, I thought it was important to document during the episode.  

I'm always relaxed before hand, but when my vision starts going like that, and I get lightheaded and feel like I'm going to pass out, that always scares me a little.  I don't say anything when it's going on, because I don't want to worry my kids, so I just lie there until it passes.  

My BP was fine during the episode (which lasted about 1/2 an hour), but my pulse wasn't.  When it happened, my BPs and Pulse during the episode were (and this was no activity, had been lying on the couch for an hour before the episode started):

122/61 and P was 109 (irregular)

113/62 and P was 108 (irregular)  

118/60 and  P was 108

97/58 and P was 113 (irregular)

128/77 and P was 115

107/71 and  P was 124

120/69 and P was 104 (irregular)

127/71 and P was 109 (irregular)

125/69 and P was 105

125/70 and P was 102 (irregular)

99/64 and P was 102

110/76 and P was 115

122/73 and P was 106 (irregular) 

Before I took it the last time, my vision was starting to clear up.  

My BP right now is 137/80 and pulse is 100 irregular.  I have a headache and have had one since it stopped, which has been 5 hours ago.  I'm also not sure what the "irregular" means on my BP cuff, as I accidentally threw it away the manual when I got it.  :-/  

I'm always so freaking tired anymore.  I have absolutely no energy.  I do enough to get through my jobs, but everything at the house is falling apart because I can't get the energy together to get everything done that I need to get done.  Then, when I do find the energy, I get short of breath easily, my heart starts racing, and I'm wore out quickly.  

Please just let this be stress.  I can deal with stress.  Though, I will say that my BP has been elevated recently (for me).  I have vasovagal syncope, and my BP has always been low, but it's been getting in the 140s/90s, 150s/100s.  My BP has never gone that high before.  So, anyone hear of anything like this?  Can this just be anxiety or stress?  

 

2

"Stress" is just the whitewash doctors throw at you for this stuff.  In my own case I've had episodes more or less like yours when it cannot possibly be stress.  It's organic.  I daresay the symptoms *cause* stress, but this is not some self-licking ice cream cone.

150/100 for a few minutes a day won't kill you anytime soon, a quick trot around the block might raise it that high and it would mean nothing.  Are you on any BP meds?  Perhaps you could use some, or some more, to help moderate things.

3

No, I'm not on any BP medication.  I've not been diagnosed with hypertension, as of yet.  I was actually diagnosed with hypotension several years ago.  I don't have health insurance currently.  (The company I work for doesn't offer it - small company - and out of pocket costs me a fortune due to pre-existing conditions - blood clots).  I've gone to the ER twice and Urgent Care once due to irregular heartbeats and chest pain.  I'll see a cardiologist for the first time on Monday.  BP doesn't concern me, too much, as I know it is manageable with medication.  The irregular heartbeats and other symptoms do worry me, though.  

4

Sounds like you are in the US?  "Preexisting conditions" no longer affect the price of policies, fwiw.

If your vision goes out like that you probably need some real tests, though it still could be nothing.  It turns out there is a wide variety of really scary heart arrhythmias that don't mean much after all, which is another way of saying they don't have anything simple to help, other than maybe a low-dose beta blocker.  But if you've had clots before … and are not on blood-thinners already … probably best discussed with the cardiologist.

5

I agree with jx41870 about checking with your cardiologist, but in my opinion you shouldn't wait until the 20th to at least call him/her. Do it tomorrow to let him/her know what is going on with your vision and other symptoms. 

Sometimes when blood pressure is low, your body will sense sense that possibly blood supply isn't getting to parts of your body well enough, and will speed up your heart rate. Maybe that could be part of what is going on. Your blood pressure seemed to be bordering between close to normal and low pressure. I'm not sure how that would affect your vision. When I had my high blood pressure episode, one of the first things the hospital did was check my eyes to see if anything was going on with blood vessels in my eyes. Thankfully nothing was for me. 

From some things I've read, blood vessels in your eyes can narrow and cause vision problems. Not to worry you, but considering your other symptoms, and just to ease your mind if nothing else, make a quick call and let your cardiologist know what's going on. Then you'd have peace of mind, or if you need it...more help.

Good luck....and try to relax. Let us know what you find out, ok?

6

benni777...The bp readings you posted are just fine, but the pulse rate would be considered to be in the high-normal range. You really should be discussing this situation with your Cardiologist. This is happening too often., & shouldn't be ignored.

I'm not aware of anyone here in the forum who are doctors. We're hear to help one another, put forth suggestions, compare side effects, etc...but we are not qualified to give medical advice. What one person experiences & gets a diagnosis, could be quite different for someone else.

Go to the phone...call the Dr.

7

Thank you, lubyj2.  I had let them know about the episodes prior to scheduling the appointment, trying to get in earlier, but the 20th was the earliest they had and they would not try to squeeze me in.  Since I don't have health insurance, I can't afford to keep going to the ER.  I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar symptoms.  The ER started me on Xarelto, which has the added bonus of preventing any new blood clots for me, but my BP was fine while I was in the ER, so they didn't start anything for BP.  This morning BP was 145/87 and P was 115 irregular.  No other symptoms except I've still got the headache.  I appreciate all the information.

8

I am in the US.  And when I was pricing insurance, it was going to cost $600 to a $1000 per month when I checked "yes" to preexisting conditions.  Without pre-existing conditions, it's $99 per month on up.  These are the short-term insurances that are available when it is not open enrollment.  For the ones without pre-existing conditions, the lower end ones have a deductible of $12,500 and a limitation of $100,000 to $250,000 that they will cover.  The higher priced ones have lower deductibles and will cover up to a million on health care costs.  

Info on short-term plans:  Short-term plans are allowed to exclude those with pre-existing conditions and can base rates on an applicant's medical history. They don't have to offer comprehensive coverage and they can impose annual or lifetime limits on benefits, meaning they may only pay out a set amount -- often $1 million or less -- leaving the policyholder on the hook for the rest. Also, they don't have to cap the amount consumers have to pay in deductibles and co-pays every year.

I will discuss with cardiologist, thank you!  In my previous post, someone had mentioned stress can cause irregular heartbeats, so that is what I was wondering, if it's similar to stress, and I guess just needing some reassurance and support.  It makes healthcare tricky when you don't have insurance and you can't just call your doctor and say, "Hey, I have this going on."  I'm just trying to keep my sanity until Monday.  But last night did scare me, as it lasted longer than the previous episodes like that.  

9

Thank you, Mike.  I will discuss it with the cardiologist.  I've been to the ER twice, and both times, they've told me to follow up with a cardiologist.  I've mentioned the symptoms, etc., and "follow up with cardiologist".  When I called cardiology to schedule the appointment, I told them the symptoms, and that the ER doc had put "urgent" down on the referral, the 20th was the earliest they could get me in.  I'm not wanting a diagnosis, just wondering if stress could cause that, as someone mentioned stress in my first post here.  And that's what I'm hoping it is.  I can deal with stress.  And I guess just feeling a little scared about this.  Already having one condition that can kill me at any time (the blood clots) is bad enough, don't want to add heart problems to that mix.  So, guess I was just looking for support and reassurance.  I will call them today and let them know what occurred last night.  I appreciate the advice.

10

benni777...I'm glad you have decided to discuss your situation with the cardiologist. Waiting 'til the 20th may seem like a long time, but it's only 5 days away. 

You say you're not wanting a diagnosis, but you likely will get one. That's all a part of what a Dr. does. 

I guess I'm somewhat lucky to live in Canada where we have Provincial Health plans...We pay for that through our income tax. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying our medical care is anything wonderful, because I don't believe it is. Modern medicine isn't like it was years ago. Drs don't seem to truly give a rat's ass about things. If they can't figure something out, they label it as "idiopathic"., meaning there is no known cause, yet people are sick. Our wait times to see Specialists can take a long time...10 months, or longer, depending on the Dr. or the Specialty. You in the U.S. have the Mayo Clinic...world renown. We have no such medical facility. 

You truly are doing the wisest thing by seeing the Cardiologist. Be sure to let them know that you certainly have had more than 1 incident...it's important you do this.

Please let us know how you get on.

11

Mike, I apologize.  I meant that I didn't want you guys, on this board, to give a diagnosis.  I understood that this was a support board.  I definitely DO want the doctor to give me a diagnosis or to tell me what's going on.  As a medical social worker, I know the best route is to discuss my symptoms with a doctor and let the doctors do what they do.  It's just when these episodes hit, they scare me, and I was hoping someone could say, "Hey!  I've had symptoms like that and it's no big deal!"  biggrin  But I spoke with a nurse with the company I work for today and she said, "It is a big deal when you lose vision in one eye."  mad  So, I'll make sure to let the doctor know about all of the episodes and approximately how long they lasted.  Last night's was the longest by far, almost a half an hour.  Usually, they only last for a few minutes and it's over and done with.  She said that losing sight in one eye like that can be indicative of a clot (great) which will increase my risk of stroke.  While the ER doctor put me on Xarelto, in the past, I was always on high dosages of Warfarin/Coumadin and they kept my INR between 3.0 and 3.5 because I'd gotten clots when it was between 2.0 and 2.5.  I'm not sure how the Xarelto works, but I know they can't test your clotting levels on it, so it always worried me trying these newer anticoagulants, besides the fact that they have no long term testing on them and I'm on them for life.  But, I guess I'll wait and see what Monday shows. 

Thanks everyone for the information and support.

12

I had an episode like the one you described, losing the vision in one eye, etc., it was determined that I had had

a TIA ( transient ischemic attack).  This happened back in 2004, I should also add that I have a history of hypertension and other cardiac conditions.  Afib or atrial fibrillation was the likely cause of my TIA, it can cause clots to develop.  I was ultimately put on a blood thinner, but was taken off that some time later.  I take a 81mg aspirin every day.  I haven't had any more TIAs.  Good luck to you at your appt.

13

Thank you Scotgal.  I called my doctor's office today, to talk about the vision loss, and make sure I was okay to wait until Monday to see the cardiology.  I forgot this was his half day.  They put me through to the triage nurse at the office, and she recommended I go to Urgent, because it could be something with my retina, and if it went wonky again when I was driving (I drive a lot for both of my jobs), that could be bad.  

Went to Urgent Care and the doctor there said he'd check my retina, but he said he already knew it wasn't my retina with my other symptoms going on.  Retina was fine.  He thinks I'm having TIAs.  Since I'm on the Xarelto now, he thinks I'm safe to wait until Monday.  He said with my history of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms and not being on anticoagulants for so long, that it put me in a high risk category for strokes.  It's funny, but I never worried about getting strokes in all these years and I've been getting clots since I was 17.  In fact, I don't remember a doctor ever telling me that I was at risk for getting strokes.  

He wants me to make sure that I mention the vision issue to the cardiologist and have them check my carotid.  He said my description was a classic TIA in which the clot went into the optic veins.  It'll suddenly appear, which causes the vision loss, and then when the clot moves on, vision suddenly comes back.  I would NEVER have imagined that it could be a TIA.  

I'm supposed to be a lifetime blood thinner user anyway, so it looks like I find a way to afford the coumadin from now on.