“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Last week, while at physical therapy, I fainted and was unresponsive. As a result, my therapist called 911.
When I regained consciousness, two EMS paramedics were standing over me checking my pulse. After a quick analysis, they found my blood pressure had dropped low enough for them to insist I be taken to a nearby hospital.
So off I went, flashing lights and sirens blasting, for the second time in two months. My husband, who by now is a professional at this, followed behind the ambulance in our car.
Once I got to the hospital, the staff ran an array of test on me. After four hours of observation, all of my vital signs were back to normal but they still had no idea why I fell unconscious.
The doctors came into the room and told me I could go home and suggested I follow up their exams with a visit to my primary doctor. They concluded, the incident was do to multiple sclerosis.
I was told, “You are going to be discharged, because there is nothing more we can do for you”.
When I heard his declaration, it cut through me like a knife. I never knew words from a stranger could hurt so much. It was so strong and powerful; a deep wound was put on my hope of ever getting better.
Nicole, I certainly don’t know what caused you to faint…but I am not surprised that you regained the normal status after laying down. My guess is that you were working out and the lack of blood flow through the brain caused you to faint. I have always gotten relief by laying down for as little as 15 to 20 minutes. This is what I learned when I joined the MS study with Dr. Damadian and Dr. Rosa almost three years ago. They use an upright MRI machine that can scan you in the position of gravity…this is how Dr. Damadian observed that people with MS had twice the normal CSF pressure in the brain when upright, but had the CSF pressure return to normal when recumbent or laying down. Doctors or Neurologists (I know neurologists are doctors) are not aware of this because it hss not yet been published…but will be soon. I saw my scans a year ago when back visiting Dr. Rosa, after I shared with him that I thought blood flow was also involved. I have always gotten more function out of my body by taking powdered aspirin…I thought it was the caffeine, but more likely, the blood thinning, although caffeine does help energize. Dr. Rosa showed me a scan before I was treated by him to align my cervical spine to open up the CSF flow. I had about 10% blood flow in my left jugular vein and about 40% blood flow in my right jugular vein at the atlas disc level…after treatment, I had 100% blood flow in both jugular veins. I think the pressure created in the brain from blockage in CSF flow also restricts blood flow. This is all lots of info most doctors are not aware of but I have also been following Dr. Doug Broeska in Canada and his stem cell study which he combines liberation (CCSVI) and stem cells and has gotten remarkable results. This will all be published after the first f the year also. I am more hopeful more than ever that we will all be getting some help from these doctor’s efforts. In the meantime, don’t over exercise as it brings your internal temperature up (aerobics) and can cause you to black out. This happened to me when I was riding a bike uphill…and when I was running on an elliptical machine more than 2 minutes. I could handle it for two minutes but started passing out when I was trying to get to 3 minutes. Doctors think everything is MS and seem to run scarred or back off because there are no known fixes at this time.
Wow. I had a similar event/experience, passing out & being taken to emergency in an ambulance. The terminology the ER doc used was “vaso vegal,” which in layman’s terms means “Yeah, that sh*t happens, sometimes.” This was confirmed by my Primary Care Guy, so there you go.
The real zinger was being in the hospital for something completely different, having random doctors wander through the room, and I tell them what’s wrong, and they say, “Oh. That’s neurological. We can’t help you.” Then they wander off.
This… can be dispiriting.
Hi Nicole,
Don’t be discouraged, the only thing proven by the ignorance of the attending physicians is that we need to continue raising awareness, and educating the professional community as well as the general public, about the disease that know body really knows much about! That’s just the nature of MS and we can’t give up hope that this can change. Would you and I welcome a cure? Hell yes, but in the mean time we need to keep fighting our personal battles with the MonSter, and the race to find a cure, so that some day future generations may not have the face the challenges you, and so many of us with MS face every day! Bless you and be well.
Your Friend,
Tim
#MSRunnerDude
Hi Nicole,
What unkind and hurtful new! thank you for letting us share your anguish. I often feel that doctors and nurses should be made to experience for one week what we feel like and then they would have more compassion. I have started having dizzy spells and that’s why I walk with a crutch to help me not fall – because i would be to busy laughing and my doctors have told me there is nothing I can do about it. The neuro says it’s MS but he doesn’t know how to stop it other then to suggest more exercise. My psychiatrist says it’s probably medication related but her can’t offer me any idea as to which one. i have become rather fond of my crutch and hang on to it in case I stand up too quickly and have an episode like you did. Thanks for sharing and get well soon. I find eating a bit of liquorice helps stabilise my blood pressure but that’s a tip I get from someone who is not ill but has low blood pressure and not something your doctor/s would advise.
Nicole, I wish you would catch a break already! I’m sending you good wishes and good energy. Once again, your husband is a champ.
Nicole,
I am glad you were released from the hospital and able to return home. It is distressing that ms can disable our body. I stopped breathing 2 months ago but my neighbor ran over with some benedryl.
I was diagnosed with PPMS nine years ago. My oncologist diagnosed me and told me there was nothing they could do for me. Two neuros later we have come to the same conclusion.
This is a disturbing fact of MS. I have come to terms with no treatment. People say MS doesn’t have them but I know it has me in it’s grasp. I am grateful for all the years I got to live being oblivious to MS. Ignorance can be bliss.
Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
Emily dickenson
This is a verse that for some reason has given me hope throughout the years, I fall back into its beauty.
Sometimes people, doctors included, say things off the top without considering
who they are speaking to, sometimes it doesn’t even mean anything to them, they just throw out words. Know that you are moving forward in so many ways and that this was just a coment of the moment, not a statement of your future.
You are a wonderful writer, don’t let someone who knows very little about you
direct how you will live your life. You have had this happen in the past and it is ovious that someone needs to figure out why your blood suger drops so suddenly, however listening to the voices of others who know you not, is not a good place to go. This blog, shows you that you are much more than your illness, you give hope to others all the time in how you live your life, stay strong and know there are many out there who say there is much that you can do and will do, to find a way when it appears there is no way. You have proved this many, many times Nicole and we all admire you for it.
Amen , amen.
Nicole, that was an unkind thing for them to say. There must be a reason for your fainting spell. have you seen a naturepath or a functional medicine doctor? What is your diet like? I think there are always things we can do to make ourselves feel better even when others don’t think so.
Dearest Nicole,
I am sorry you are feeling discouraged. My therapist reminds me when I am feeling hopeless – Just because this it how it is at the current moment, doesn’t mean it will always be that way — She reminds me not to project the current moment onto the next one – that is a difficult trail to go down and really makes moving forward difficult. Remembering this has helped me when I am confronted with the more challenging aspects of MS. You are a strong, blessed woman who is winning every day through your attitude. Please keep sharing your journey, and know that we send you loving support!
I’m living with MS AND going through trying times right now. Your post was VERY encouraging.
“Just because this it how it is at the current moment, doesn’t mean it will always be that way — She reminds me not to project the current moment onto the next one ”
Thanks
I’ve gone to the doctor and the nurse could get neither a pulse nor BP. And I was sitting up, talking. With MS, the autonomic nervous system (controlling things we do without thinking – BP, breathing, etc.) can be damaged. I’ve had ms for 43 years!!
Nicole, you are so brave! Thanks for sharing your life with us. I’m glad you didn’t have to stay at the hospital overnight and got to get back home. No, the hospital staff cannot do anything for our MS, but the beauty of that is we are in God’s hands and He can do all things! You are in my prayers, we will get through this with each other and God!
I am so glad you’re okay now. I wish they had a better idea of what happened though. How scary!?!?!?
Oh my gosh…how awful. I hope they can figure out what triggered it. I am so sorry that you are going through this. Get well soon.