I have bipolar disorder so I fit in this class but I am also searching for anyone who suffers from neurocardiogenic syncope or syncope episodes period. I have this problem and I have no one who understands what I am going through. My family is great with me but they cannot help, the doctors in my area are not sure what to do with me, my therapist is worried that I am in a depressed bipolar state because of this, and I am lost. If anyone in this community has this condition or knows someone who does I would love to talk to you!

just wanted to say hello and welcome you here!

Also thank you for your thoughtful post in BlueMajo's thread

I'm afraid i don't have experience with sycope. someone here may though... or may know someone... may not know the term though... folks in general syncope is the medical term for fainting.

the docs haven't been able to help you - reduce the incidence of episodes at all? are you on any meds for bipolar?

i see in this page (you have to scroll down to the treatments section)

http://www.hrtcare.com/neurosyn.asp

that a variety of antidepressants are sometimes helpful. and, if you can tolerate them (being bipolar that is an IF), that could kill two birds with one stone - reduce incidence of syncope and reduce your depression?

wishing you well... keep posting.

~ waves ~

I am on meds for the bipolar problem and normally they work well the only problem is that I am so overwhelmed that they arent. Doctors have put me on so many different drugs for the bipolar and the fainting but nothing works for the fainting. My blood pressure is too low then fine, my sodium is low then fine, etc. Nothing is consistent. Been dealing with this stuff for almost three years now with no solution or permanent diagnosis. I have just had enough, I really just feel defeated. Most of the time I just want to sleep or all I do is cry. I am scared to walk around my own house in fear that I may have one of these fainting spells. I actually do not really want to get off of my couch it is so bad. Last week I had three fainting spells. Who lives like this? Who would want to? I know I don't!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for listening to me.
collinsc

welcome and I am sorry that you are having these fainting spells.
I am sure the doctors have recommended support hose?
they can help if your veins aren't quite what they should be.
I wish I could be more helpful...
welcome anyway!
bizi

sometimes illnesses or disturbances can peak at certain times in our lives. please keep hope alive.

i hope for you that
- the doctors will figure out what is going on and an effective treatment for your fainting spells and/or
- that this will simply pass on its own...

... i am thinking you did not always have these spells, am i right?

see i have always had migraines, but, for a time, i had them for 2 weeks out of the month... like in runs of several days, or a week at a time. but they were unforeseeable, intractable, and disabling. after a while (months) i was able to find a preventive treatment but that caused a great deal of fatigue, which was also disabling. after a year or so though, i tried reducing that medication and found i was no longer having the migraines... i stopped the med, and was no longer having the migraines. thank goodness!!!

so, i am hoping that, if nothing can be found, things will just improve for you spontaneously. with some types of conditions, that can happen.

take care. join us in the check-in thread, and let us know how you are doing this weekend?

~ waves ~

Hi,
Has any doctor considered that you might have
Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Maybe Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) ?

Do you faint when you are going from a sitting position to a standing position?

Do you have other symptoms?

(I'm not saying either one of these is it, but I wanted to toss them to you in case the info is helpful.)

also
POTS from the mayo clinic regarding Beta Blockers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ9bv...eature=related


M.

Mari,
Sorry it has taken me this long to reply to your ?'s. I only faint when I am standing and I have no warning signs most of the time. My heart rate is normal when I change positions. I do have changes in my blood pressure when I change positions though. They have me on many meds for keeping my blood pressure high enough, I am on a high sodium diet, I have a pacemaker, I where support hose, etc. Nothing helps, but thank you for asking it was very thoughtful!!

collinsc

Dear syncopy person,

The nerves controlling the heart are affected in a similar manner as the brain is so it is not too unusual for people who have neuopathies (you probably have some peripheral neuropathies, too!) to have these other things.

This sounds crazy, but I am writing a paper and a book about the subject having been a physician for thirty years: and eventually figured it out.

What are you on now? I will give you some ideas and if you think they have merit you can try them. I am ret. now, just writing, so I do not really treat anyone personally. Stopped five years ago.

You probably also have rheumatic disease of some kind, like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or something like that. Some people have Raynaud's syndrome, cold fingers, etc. That is an autonomic neuropathy.

Going to bed now....Norsk10