Passed Out Cold

Yesterday was the big day. I went home Thursday night and prepared myself for the next morning as best as possible by eating steak, rice, rolls, peanut butter cups, chips, strawberries, cupcakes, ice-cream...basically anything I could manage to put in my stomach before midnight. Plus I was at home and when you are at home you have to raid the pantry and fridge. : )


I got up and we headed to St. Lukes. I must admit I was a little nervous. Passing out sucks and that's when you don't know its going to happen. I went into a tiny room with a table. They hook you up to a machine that monitors your heart-rate, blood pressure and oxygen and take a beginning test. Then they tilt the table. I didn't think tilting it would make me pass out. But if you think about it. There is no natural way to stand at 70 degree angle on your own.


Your body literally is incapable of such a thing. Within 4 minutes I wanted to sit down and felt extremely sleepy...the nurse told me this was normal. Every 2 minutes it would take my blood pressure. My heart rate was steadily increasing the more I stood there. By 18 minutes I wanted to cry. I told the nurse that and she said she would page the doctor to go onto the next step. He came in and we went over what all my papers said (apparently he didn't read them) and then he started rubbing on my neck. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE TOUCH MY NECK. It was awful. I wanted to throw up but at the same time I was unable to swallow. He kept asking me, "You going down?" I kept trying to laugh but the more and harder he rubbed on my neck the less together I was. After 7 minutes of pure torture I passed out. The nurse kept telling me to keep my eyes open. Do you know what it feels like to pass out and not be able to sit down? It is the creepiest feeling...I was sweating everywhere then I was freezing...it was awful. Granted, that means the test was positive and they can understand why I pass out so that is good but I would NOT recommend this to anyone. The total test took 27 minutes before I passed out. I was really thankful for that. I was worried it would take the full 1.5-2 hours!


Now I just have a follow up appointment with my cardiologist for her to analyze what the results said and put me on some meds. The doctor who did the test said he thinks it is just i have overly sensitive carotid arteries in my neck and that certain movements of my neck cause me to pass out.