1. < Heart & Blood Health

One step forward, two steps back. My vasovagal nerve

Posted by artist01 @artist01, Jun 1, 2021

Hello to all my Connect friends.
I kinda' need a boost to my morale (again).
Yesterday at 5:00 a.m., as I was preparing breakfast, I began to feel very sweaty and faint. Headed for the bathroom with BM urgency and soon knew I was blacking out. I should have laid on the bathroom floor to avoid a fall but instead, in my blackout stupor, tried to get to my recliner some 15 steps away. I didn't make it. Total blackout, really hard fall, hit my head on my walker (bleeding) and hit the floor hard, with left shoulder, ribs, knee, and shin. Pressed my life alert once I came to, staff arrived, ambulance took me to hospital. Had at least a dozen x-rays of my left side and a CT head scan. Miracle - no broken bones. E.R.doc wanted to admit me, but I came home by 5:00 p.m. I'm feeling pretty despondent about the frequency of these colitis episodes, plus all my many other issues.

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artist01 | @artist01 | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @tsc "Hello @artist01 and @kilh I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I had about..." + (show)
@tsc

Hello @artist01 and @kilh I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I had about 29 vasovagal attacks over a period of nine months before I was diagnosed with PMR and GCA, autoimmune disorders. My attacks were milder than yours. Usually, when I was eating lunch. I'd get a "squiggly" pain behind my navel, watery mouth, run to the bathroom and then have gagging attacks, most often dry heaves. I never fainted, but the attacks were draining. If the gagging lasted a long time, I'd be wiped out for the rest of the day. I'd lie flat on my back with my feet up to try and stop the attacks and do deep relaxation breathing. I found vagus nerve reset exercises on You Tube; also gargled, hummed, sang out loud and took cold showers (as tolerated) to keep the attacks at bay. I read books by Dr. Stephen Porges, "The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory - The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe" and Dr. Navaz Habib, "Activate Your Vagus Nerve." The attacks stopped about nine months ago and haven't returned. My autoimmune disorders are being managed with Prednisone. Interestingly, my brother told me he gets gagging attacks so maybe there is a genetic component. There must be doctors who specialize in disorders of the vagus nerve - neurologists, maybe?. Dr. Porges is a psychologist and Dr. Habib is in functional medicine. If I find anything of note, I will post it. My thoughts are with you both.

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@tsc and @kilh Oh, it's so good to receive your message, Teri. I'm very happy you don't have this Vasovagul situation now. Good for you!
I also have GCA, as well as Crohns, OLP, etc., all autoimmune diseases. The serious issues of passing out began at about the same time GCA and Crohns struck 3 years ago. I was hospitalized bc of loss of vision in my right eye, and had 1000 units Prednisone by I.V. for 3 days, then tapered Prednisone for 2 years. A neurologist put me on weekly Actemra injections (stopped Prednisone) at the 2-year point, and I currently have Actemra injections every 2 weeks, bc the GCA is less severe now.
When I was on the huge doses of Prednisone I also developed Diabetes, yet another autoimmune disease.
I had insulin injections for 2 years, but I've conquered that one with diet and exercise!
(and no Prednisone).
I'm grateful for your reading and YouTube suggestions and will certainly check them out. I do an awful lot of research 🙃 on all this stuff I've got, but the doctors just tell me I'm a very complex case, and they just try to manage it. (!!!!!)
Thanks again, Teri.
Hugs and good wishes. Laurie

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @lioness "@loribmt I'm so sorry to hear of your problems I just got out of the E..." + (show)
@lioness

@loribmt I'm so sorry to hear of your problems I just got out of the E R not to long ago And yes those alert systems are there for us in emergency I fell hurt my lower back thank goodness for my little device got the ambulance here right away Everyone at our age should have one A friend has a jitterbug phone that has an alert but what if you didn't have access to it I wear mine around my neck God Bless us all we are tough warriors to go through this on our Golden
Age huh

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@loribmt Speaking of alert sys My friend here has one didnt haven't it on ,fell broke her leg and laid on floor from 11-6 a.m. She,s in hospital now ,we need to wear them at all times ,we never know

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1 reply
ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @artist01 "@ess77 Thanks so much for your support, Elizabeth. I truly appreciate it. I'm texting this message..." + (show)
@artist01

@ess77 Thanks so much for your support, Elizabeth. I truly appreciate it.
I'm texting this message to egg you on about getting a life alert/alarm! Have you got it yet? Pleeeze, go out and get it NOW!!
You've already had several falls, and we don't know which one might be disastrous if we're all alone - which you are! There, I feel better now. Lol.
Please do it, Elizabeth.
Hugs, Laurie

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@artist01 and all...How thoughtful and kind of you to think about my falls and the alert system. You're a doll and thank you for caring about me. Interestingly, yesterday I called Life Alert to get more updated information and see if I can afford the cost now that my retirement funds have gone. I'm working on the issue now and think I'll get started with it in the next day or so I'm seriously concerned for my safety and will take action in the next few days.
Thanks, Laurie, for being so dear. I appreciate you. Blessings, elizabeth

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1 reply
artist01 | @artist01 | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @ess77 "@artist01 and all...How thoughtful and kind of you to think about my falls and the alert..." + (show)
@ess77

@artist01 and all...How thoughtful and kind of you to think about my falls and the alert system. You're a doll and thank you for caring about me. Interestingly, yesterday I called Life Alert to get more updated information and see if I can afford the cost now that my retirement funds have gone. I'm working on the issue now and think I'll get started with it in the next day or so I'm seriously concerned for my safety and will take action in the next few days.
Thanks, Laurie, for being so dear. I appreciate you. Blessings, elizabeth

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@ess77. Okay Elizabeth. I'll be watchin' you! Really, can we afford NOT to get a Life alert? I know finances are always a hardship but being safe has no price tag, does it? Hugs, Laurie

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artist01 | @artist01 | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @lioness "@loribmt Speaking of alert sys My friend here has one didnt haven't it on ,fell broke..." + (show)
@lioness

@loribmt Speaking of alert sys My friend here has one didnt haven't it on ,fell broke her leg and laid on floor from 11-6 a.m. She,s in hospital now ,we need to wear them at all times ,we never know

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@lioness. I'm so happy you've added your comments to this issue, Lioness. It really strengthens the fact that a Life Alert is very important when we live alone. I've heard that story several times about victims of falls lying for hours until help arrived.

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Jan 13, 2022

@ess77 I just ordered the Guardialn system from Amazon discount of 2.00 it will be here tomorrow 25.95 monthly feel safer now.We all need to feel safe

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lioness | @lioness | Jan 13, 2022
In reply to @artist01 "@lioness. I'm so happy you've added your comments to this issue, Lioness. It really strengthens the..." + (show)
@artist01

@lioness. I'm so happy you've added your comments to this issue, Lioness. It really strengthens the fact that a Life Alert is very important when we live alone. I've heard that story several times about victims of falls lying for hours until help arrived.

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@artist01 It is so important at our age to have this feeling of being safe anywhere

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Teri | @tsc | Jan 14, 2022
In reply to @artist01 "@tsc and @kilh Oh, it's so good to receive your message, Teri. I'm very happy you..." + (show)
@artist01

@tsc and @kilh Oh, it's so good to receive your message, Teri. I'm very happy you don't have this Vasovagul situation now. Good for you!
I also have GCA, as well as Crohns, OLP, etc., all autoimmune diseases. The serious issues of passing out began at about the same time GCA and Crohns struck 3 years ago. I was hospitalized bc of loss of vision in my right eye, and had 1000 units Prednisone by I.V. for 3 days, then tapered Prednisone for 2 years. A neurologist put me on weekly Actemra injections (stopped Prednisone) at the 2-year point, and I currently have Actemra injections every 2 weeks, bc the GCA is less severe now.
When I was on the huge doses of Prednisone I also developed Diabetes, yet another autoimmune disease.
I had insulin injections for 2 years, but I've conquered that one with diet and exercise!
(and no Prednisone).
I'm grateful for your reading and YouTube suggestions and will certainly check them out. I do an awful lot of research 🙃 on all this stuff I've got, but the doctors just tell me I'm a very complex case, and they just try to manage it. (!!!!!)
Thanks again, Teri.
Hugs and good wishes. Laurie

Jump to this post

Hi Laurie. I remember we communicated in the PMR discussion group. Let's hope for a good 2022!

REPLY
tiabrooks | @tiabrooks | Jan 15, 2022
In reply to @kilh "@artist01 Sorry to hear someone else has the problem. As an adult, the problem became worst...." + (show)
@kilh

@artist01 Sorry to hear someone else has the problem. As an adult, the problem became worst. I am afraid to throw up due to pressing my vagus nerve. It must be a problem passed on. As I grew up my father had the same problems with BM movements and passing out. I remember coming come from school and he would have passed and been to the ER. The first time, he broke off his two front teeth, and the next time he broke his nose, and on it goes. For me, I would wake up looking at the ceiling and trying to remember what happened. As my daughter got older she would stand behind me and hold my head and not let me pass out. Then in my fifties, I had gall bladder problems and would throw up bile some times for 12 hours straight and pass out three times. I no longer have a gall bladder so my problems are less but that does not keep me from passing out, when the bile backs up into my stomach, I still pass out till the bile is up and out. And it comes so suddenly without any warning. It can happen any time of day or night, whether we are home or just out for a drive to see how the crops around us are doing and how harvest is coming along. then it can strick you out of the blue and now what to do. I am never prepared.

I hope you find some better answers than I have. Just live with it, I am told. I will certainly add you to my thoughts and prayers and the number of episodes will become less. I hate to hear you were hurt both in body and spirit. Any time I can help by talking, please feel free to send me a message through Connect. That is what we are here for to give support. Stay healthy and hope for a speedy recovery. KLH

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Could it be cyclic vomiting syndrome?

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1 reply
kilh | @kilh | Jan 15, 2022
In reply to @tiabrooks "Could it be cyclic vomiting syndrome?" + (show)
@tiabrooks

Could it be cyclic vomiting syndrome?

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Thanks for the reply but what is cyclic vomiting syndrome? I have never heard of it.

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