Problem with girlfriend (medical)

MacBaine

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Aug 23, 2001
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So about 2 months ago, my girlfriend passed out on a school trip to Canada, then again at work a week later. Since then she has passed out about 3 other times. One time I was with her and called an ambulance. At first we thought she was hypoglycemic or something, but then she went to like 3 different doctors, and each had a different story. The first said her thyroid was hyper something, the next doctor said hypo something, and the next said her thyroid wasn't working at all. She was just put on perscription about 3 days ago... and just about 20 minutes ago I found out she passed out again. I am worried because none of the doctors seem to be able to make up their minds, and the next time she passes out may be while she's driving. Anybody else have a problem like this before? Any suggestions? :(
 

Isla

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Sep 12, 2000
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great.

The one topic that gets my attention and it's a false alarm!

:p
 

Azraele

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Nov 5, 2000
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Have her see a specialist? And tell her not to drive until this is resolved.
 

BCYL

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Jun 7, 2000
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It might be a good idea for her to get a complete physical done... Once all the tests are done they should know exactly what's wrong...

In the meantime, I dont suggest she should drive...
 

MacBaine

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Aug 23, 2001
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Have her see a specialist? And tell her not to drive until this is resolved.

She is supposed to see one soon, but she can't just stop driving... it may be months. She has a job, plus several out of school activities. I would drive her but I don't always have access to a car.
 

Koing

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Oct 11, 2000
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dam man thats serious.

I'd go and make an appointment with a Dr again and see if they can REALLY do something. Tell them about it and that you are very concerned for her.

You definately need to know what happens........

best luck....
 

madthumbs

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Oct 1, 2000
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Is she passing out while sitting down? Passing out just after standing up? Are there any possible triggers?
 

Isla

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Sep 12, 2000
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OK...

I don't know anything about your girlfriend but I do know about eating disorders. Diet pills, laxatives, and the like are hell on the body, but it is a dirty little secret most of us keep to ourselves. You would be amazed at what ballerinas, gymnasts, etc go through to be thin.

Any chance she has one? Doctors don't always detect them because patients are not exactly honest about them.

I'm not saying she has one... but if she does, she won't exactly tell the doctor about it.

Good Luck to you both!
 

Azraele

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Nov 5, 2000
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I can see her dilemma here about the driving, but she's not just endangering herself with this, she's endangering others. What if she passed out and hit a car and someone was killed? What if she killed a kid? Someone's mom or dad? That's not a risk she should take.
 

kranky

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Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: MacBaine
but she can't just stop driving... it may be months. She has a job, plus several out of school activities. I would drive her but I don't always have access to a car.

None of these are legitimate reasons for not seeing a doctor ASAP. She might stop driving anyway...if she passes out while behind the wheel. It just won't be voluntarily.
 

Miramonti

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Aug 26, 2000
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None of these are legitimate reasons for not seeing a doctor ASAP. She might stop driving anyway...if she passes out while behind the wheel. It just won't be voluntarily.
My thoughts exactly. If she's passing out randomly, be sure to kiss her goodbye, because if she's going to continue to drive, you can just as well kiss her goodbye. I don't think a doctor's recommendation is needed to make that call.
 

weezergirl

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May 24, 2000
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I know my friend had a problem a bit similar to this. He would black out for hours and wake up and wonder what had happened! This happened at a dinner get together he had with his friends and also another time when he got in his car and was about to drive. Luckily it was before he started driving. He told me what he had but I forgot, and I also forgot how he got it treated. I will ask him the next time I see him (probably tonight) I hope that what I find out will be able to help tho! what a horrible situation to be in.
 

WW

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Jun 21, 2001
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did the doctors do a cat scan? (ct scan)

not to scare you, but I just had a friend that had brain surgery for something similar (it was a tumor...biopsy results will be done soon)

get to a doctor, quickly...sometimes a week could make a big difference in treatment....


then on the other hand, the same thing (fainting) happened to another guy I know, about 3 or 4 times over a two month period, and the doctors never found a thing! this was over 10 years ago, and he's as healthy as a horse now (are horses that healthy??), and hasn't fainted since...

 

KaBudokan

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Oct 10, 1999
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then on the other hand, the same thing (fainting) happened to another guy I know, about 3 or 4 times over a two month period, and the doctors never found a thing! this was over 10 years ago, and he's as healthy as a horse now (are horses that healthy??), and hasn't fainted since...

Was it me? (Alex) :p

I had the problem this person just described (and about 10 years ago, too) - it happened maybe 5 times over the course of a year. Doctors never found anything, and it went away and never came back. It was really weird, and definitely freaked me out, but it went away.

Not that this will, but... Well, I don't know what my point is. It was a strange thing.
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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I use to pass out as well. LUCKILY for me it went away........

I passed out once carrying my baby bro. He was about 4 at the time I *think* and I was 14. I SMACKED my head on the table and luckily hit it with the side of my face and didn't poke my eye or anything more serious. The bruise was NASTY.........
 

wnied

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Oct 10, 1999
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Dont take this the wrong way, but is she pregnant?

When my sister was pregnant with her first child, she had a bout in her third month where she passed out almost once or twice a week.

~wnied~
 

911paramedic

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Jan 7, 2002
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My suggestions are this:
  • Get a full cardiac work-up
    Have a cardiac stress test (the treadmill with cardiac monitoring)
    Full blood labs

It does not sound like a hypoglycemia problem from what you said. It sounds like she is having "sudden" attacks, without warning. If she is not having a seizure it does rule out a few conditions, but still very serious.

What you described (very little information) sounds like a hypotensive condition. That is where a persons blood pressure drops suddenly, causing a person to go unconscious. If she recovers on her own after a very short time my money is on that. There are many things that can cause hypotension and only a doctor can figure out what it is.

Like I said, very little information. You would need to disclose any other health problems, full history, medications, how it happened (at rest, exercising, etc.) how long it lasted, how she recovered, and about a hundred other questions to get a decent picture of what was happening with her. A detailed, accurate history will be required for anybody to narrow it down.

Do not let this go without figuring out what's causing it.
 

MacBaine

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Aug 23, 2001
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Sorry, I was out for a bit... here is everything I can tell you...

To answer a few questions right away, she isn't pregnant, and she isn't taking any diet pills or anything. The symptoms that occur right before she is going to pass out are she gets really dizzy, and her heart starts beating really fast. She had a CAT scan a week or so ago, and the results were conflicting with all the other tests, so that is where the problem lies.

I think her parents are probably going to not let her drive until at least monday, because her specialist is on vacation until then ...
rolleye.gif


When she does pass out, it is only for a matter of seconds. out of the 4 times it has happened, 2 were when she was at work (answering phones at a pizza place), and the other was while we were doing traffic control training at an intersection. She was sitting down in the grass, and when she stood up she just fell right back down and passed out. We were all assuming it had to do with her blood pressure or something, but it was normal when they took it about 5-10 minutes later. On top of this now she has a cold or something, because the medication she is on weakens her immune system.

My poor girl :(
 

miniMUNCH

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Nov 16, 2000
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She should see a endocrinologist...they specialize in the hormonal systems of the body, the thyroid being one of them...hope everything is cool.
 

mcveigh

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Dec 20, 2000
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one problem with seeing specialists is they want to think of her problem as something they deal with when it may not be.

for example: I work in a sleep disorders testing laboratory, my first thought is she has severe narcolepsy. A neurologist will think it's a seazure, another doctor something else. they key is if one doctor isn't working don't keep going back to them expecting things to change, find another one!

I hope it's nothing serious! My cousins had similar sypmtoms I just realized, she kept getting dizzy and a had afew fainting spells. It turned out to be a problem with a valve in her heart, she'd is supposed to get surgery this week. Just another example of so many things it could be

Please keep us informed!