(No, I'm not talking about "relations" with K, smart ass...)
For someone who wants to be a physician, I find it odd at times how much I dislike going for a yearly physical. I love my PCP. I hate having a breast exam and pap smear. But, I do take advantage of some slightly less scheduled time with her to bring up issues I want addressed.
I had seen her following an ED trip for a syncopal episode at work in the past year and after some blood work and whatnot, it was more or less dismissed. No big deal to me, I wasn't sure what happened but didn't really think it was terribly important medically. Yes, it had happened before but not recently enough to make me concerned about a trend. No, I wasn't satisfied with a "vasovagal stress reaction" explanation, but how do you explain that working an ambulance call for an assault patient isn't really that stressful?
In the time since that episode, I've had two others. One was a full-on, pass out, hit my head on the countertop and the floor, unconscious period. The other was a "jeez, I don't feel too good", everyone in the room staring at me commenting how horrible I look, feeling like if I stood up I would immediately pass out, lay down on the couch, have some OJ and start to feel better after 15 minutes or so episode. Not enough to drive me to the doc for an evaluation of just this issue, but enough for me to bring it up at physical time (especially since the last one was only a few weeks ago).
So, I have a referral to cardiology next week. Possibly a tilt test coming, definitely another EKG. Probably no real answer to the issue. Send syncopal wishes my way next week so maybe they can figure it out...
2 comments:
Had a tilt test once. Right after I graduated from medic school. Another experience I wasn't wild about. Not painful or anything like that, but weird. It was part of some GI testing I was having to rule out a hot appy. Turned out to be diverticulitis instead.
Thanks for the good words. I feel much better. I do wish, though, that there was a definitive cause for my tachy-ness. Nobody could tell me what brought it on, which is somewhat unsettling. Now it's another thing I have to keep an eye on, I guess.....
Jeez...it's so upsetting to know that synocopes (is there a plural of that word? And yes, if there is one I know that I misspelled it)are genetic. I always get "red flagged" when on physicals when I write that I've lost consciousness more than once.
Fortunately, that time in the car, where I just managed to stop on the side of the freeway before I passed out, has been the worst one.
Post a Comment