Question about getting dizzy!!!
 

You guys have such serious stuff going on that I even hate to bring anything this trivial but I'm a bit concerned that Alan got dizzy for about 10 seconds today.

It doesn't happen often, (I asked him), he said "Oh this happens every couple of months". I said what happens? and he said "well, today I was sitting in the chair (he was in NYC attending some seminar). He was sitting in the chair (not rising up or anything like that), but just sitting , when he said he began to feel light headed. I asked him "did you turn your head or anything?" and he said "well, I don't know what I did but all of a sudden I got light headed and I just gripped the chair and I was fine in a moment".

So we have this dizzy thing happening every few months or so, (the last time he got up fast from the bed, and that lasted for a few seconds), and that was last month or so. But this time, it happened for no reason.

He does have a history of being dehydrated. He DOES NOT DRINK FLUIDS like I do. That much I know. And oh, he is on a no-salt diet for almost 2 years now, every since the stent (and way before, when he got the vertigo and went to the doctor and was told he had Menieres). She there is virtually no salt in his diet.

Now he does take metoprolol (25) once a day. He has never been on blood pressure meds in his life before the stent. His pressure (before the stent) was always 100/65 or thereabouts, so this guy NEVER had any kind of blood pressure thing going on. But when he got the stent we were told that once a stent goes in the body, the body's blood pressure rises, and you need the meds. So he did what he was told.

Now he will be seeing Dr. Fred next week to pick up his plavix. He's going to tell Dr Fred what happened and they'll check his blood pressure.

Oh, he has no headache, his balance is fine. He's inside eating some yogurt and watching tv and seems fine. So this spell (for lack of a better description), lasted a moment or two about 5 hours ago.

But usually, every time he gets a blood test, they always say "you're dehydrated". Can this cause occasional dizzyness??

Thanks much

Melody

Melody, as a diabetic...YOU
 

well know how the 'intake' and outgo affects how well one functions? Well, IF Alan hadn't eaten, nor hydrated properly for quite a while before his 'event'...it's not rocket science...
As for blood tests? One cannot slurp too much water prior? Unless advised otherwise...You gotta get juice into your veins to get them easily 'tapped'. No ands, ifs, or buts. More juice in 'em, easier the process. Same goes for infusions? Give them 'juicy' veins and the rest is easy..if not problems can occur.
I used to be and maybe still am hypoglycemic...kind of the opposite to Diabetic, but actions, reactions are similar? The key is the getting foods into you that are processed correctly and at the right rates...Too much or little at the wrong times...well KABOOM! Flat out cold or near so...Not pretty at all. Now, Alan's a grown person...tell him to either let you know or let you know when he's gonna be in situations where this mite happen. For me, such situations are kinda predictable...as in no food for key periods of critical times? For my Hypo condition, well, I just tote some crackers and cheese slices [about 3-4] to get me over any 'humps'. For a Hypoglycemic, the processing and sugar/carb curve goes slower with the carbs. For a Diabetic, such a solution would NOT be the best approach...I'm not well trained in that quarter.... I just wish I could be more useful?
Doesn't mean that I don't HATE those passing out sessions tho! Those aren't fun for any reason, wherever and however they happen! Here is to them NOT happening again? - j

Dahlek:

Trying to get this guy to listen to me is, well, forget it.

Today it was snowing, hailing, sleeting, raining, HORRIBLE HORRIBLE WEATHER. I had just left the house to go to the laundry. Alan had told me he was going into NYC. I said "don't think so, look at what it's starting to do". It was only starting at the time, and he would be leaving in 30 minutes.

So as I get to the laundromat (5 minutes from my house), I can't begin to tell you how the weather changed. In the 5 minute walk to the laundromat, the sleet that came down into my laundry bag, well, I could not believe it. I almost slid off the sidewalk but by that time I was in front of the laundromat. Everybody looked outside and we were all going "holy cow, they said it was going to hail, but jeeez". So naturally I call up Alan and I'm saying into the phone (he always lets the machine pick up", so I'm saying "you better be still in the house, because you can't walk with your neuropathy, you'll fall in the street". He calmly picks up the phone and says "of course I'm going, don't worry". I said 'don't worry?, do you see what it's doing outside??" He said "nah, don't worry".

So he left. He came home at 5:30, (it was pouring rainy sleet by then), all drenched. He said "see, what were you worrying about?" I wanted to bang him upside his head.

I cannot wait to see what the orthopedic surgeon says to him on Tuesday. That's when we find out if he gets an operation to shave down the bone thingee under his foot ulcer. So far, he hasn't bled in 5 days and is just wearing the orthotics. I don't care, I want him to be examined by the ortho guy because he's has this thing since May of 06.

It's time already.

God, I sound like a mother instead of a wife.

lol

Thanks much
mel

this should be reported...
 

to Alan's doctor.

Getting a moment's dizziness upon standing up suddenly, is probably due to the blood pressure medication.

But getting dizzy sitting in a chair doing nothing is another. If he bends over to pick something up from the floor,
that is similar to standing up, and may be part of the blood pressure med.

Momentary dizziness can be due to sinus congestion or a plugged up ear.
But it can also be from too low of blood pressure. Or from A-fib..in the heart.
I suggest you have Alan log these episodes with a time of day and where they happen. If it is A-fib, (atrial fibrillation) that can be serious. It is a good thing he is on anti-clotting therapy...that reduces the risk of A-fib.

After I had my baby, and was still in the hospital, they overmedicated my blood pressure which had been elevated. I started seeing spots when I looked at the white walls, and once I fainted sitting up. So they tapered one of the meds off, the hydralazine. I was very happy to see that one go..it was nasty.

Melody
 

As Mrs D said - definatey report to doc - could be many issues.... my "theme" song is "Dizzy" - I get dizzy from my heart med that I have to take for arrythmias so have to get up slow - but since PN sometimes get very dizzy just movimg - and the docs say its an autonomic dysfuction of my heart due to neuropathy - my blood pressure doesnt adjust when I get up and stays low - thus the dizziness and possible fainting.... they sent me to cardiologist for a tilt table - who after just doing the lay down, sit, stand blood pressure testing and seeimg no change in pressure (it should adust to your altititude) - said he didnt need to put me thruogh the tilt table - he knew I'd pass out and throw up - and he didnt want to subject me to that.... instead just be very careful moving...

But again, could be many many issues.... and important to try to figure out what!

:winky:

Mrs. D.

The day Alan listens to anything I say, well, give me a million dollars. He was fine immediately after this "spell" happened. He came home, ate like a champ, no problems, nothing.

Just now, I told him "the guys on the boards say you have to re-hyrdrate and drink and eat sensibly". Then he says 'well, I cheated yesterday". I said 'you did what???" You can't cheat, you have menieres and a history of vertigo (which, truthfully he hasn't had an episode in over 3 years, but still.....)

Anyway, I said "what did you cheat, what did you eat"?.

Get this. He's at the seminar and he says "well, I had a cookie, a brownie, and a coffee roll" oh, a diet coke too." I just looked at him. The sugar content alone (thank god he's not a diabetic), but really!!

All this (maybe not the coke), but all this has sodium). He's not supposed to have sodium. Because practically everything you buy outside of your house IS LOADED WITH SODIUM, I can only imagine what was in the cookie and the brownie and the other thing he at.

And forget about him telling his doctor. I thought he was going to the doctor today to pick up his plavix. No, he's going to the pharmacy to get it filled.

He looked fine, he said he feels fine (except his psoriasis (ever since he had the ivig last week), well, it's BAD!!!! He has terrible dry skin. I'm always brushing off his clothes. It's like his skin cells are on overdrive.

Before i went to the couch and there were all these flakes all over the couch. I told him. "you better start putting lotion or baby oil on your body". I tried giving him a facial the other day while he was on the computer. I put some baby oil on my hands, warmed it between my hands and put a bit on his bald head and gave him a facial. He couldnt' stand it. (Now who on earth wouldn't like a facial from me, I give good facials). No beauty creams or anything like that, just light massage and applying the baby oil to his face and skin. Very gently. He coudn't stand it. He doesn't go for this stuff (or so he says). So I give up.

I know there is a disease where your skin falls off. I don't think he has this. I once knew an elderly woman (I must have been 17 or so). She was obese, and over 80. Every time she got up, her skin was left behind. Her daughter explained that she had this disease that her skin would peel off.

This is not what I'm referring to with Alan. He has dry skin. He has patches of it on his forehead and he has the psoriasis. This is auto-immune right??

He's tried all the meds for the psoriasis. Nothing has worked. This morning, I rubbed the A and D ointment on the patch on his leg. It's really nasty. It gets all red and scaly, and then it gets better, then it comes back.

I know it's his body attacking itself. It's not the worst thing in the world compared to the pain of PN, this I know.

Oh well. He's at the gym trying to bring oxygen to his blood cells.

We'll see.

Melody

Salt
 

Melody - another thing - salt - when I get very dizzy my docs have my salt load - it helps...

kmeb:

See what I just posted.

What does Salt Load mean??

Thanks, Melody

Salt
 

When I'm having BP problems and get dizzy - the docs tell me to drink salty broth - not being medical person not sure why - but the salt is important in keeping my BP up.....

we have to have some salt...
 

This intense restriction of the diet, appears extreme to me.

I was on a restricted diet when I was pregnant. No pickles, canned soups etc.
It was 2gm daily max. (this is no longer done in pregnancy BTW)

Please read these:
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/hyp...a/saltwars.htm

Not everyone is salt sensitive:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...indexed=google

http://drmirkin.blogspot.com/2007/06...wer-blood.html

Moderation is the key word. No pickles, canned soups etc...(although new ones are very low sodium now), and things like pretzels/chips, salted nuts.

But without sodium you cannot maintain enough blood pressure to get to the brain. And with working out and sweating, I'd think some sodium is needed.

It only takes one faint to hit the head, and kill you. My husband's mother hit her head in the bathroom, and was dead in 12 hrs, at age 42.

Oh, I get it. His pressure is usally 100/69 or therabouts and he is on 25 of the metoprolol. He was told no-salt by the cardiologist when he had the stent. and he was told no salt when he got the menieres and the vertigo.

Something about vertigo and salt (the two don't go together).

I'm going to take his blood pressure when he gets home.

He does put ketchup on his food (that has some sodium). I just don't cook with any sodium.

But foods that he does eat, like at Dunkin Donuts, (well there's sodium in that),

In this house, I don't cook with salt, and he doesn't put it on his food.

Can a person who has a stent, well can that person ever go off the metorolol?? I once asked Dr Fred's partner in the office this question and he said "no, you have a stent, you need to be on blood pressure meds".


And since he has been put in the hospital with Vertigo and then the ear nose and throat guy said "you have menieres", that means reduce your salt. So we did and he hasn't had a bad bout of vertigo ever since we reduced the salt.

Well, now I'm confused. Is he getting that dizzy spell because of the low-sodium diet. Or did he get the dizzy spell because he cheated and ate stuff with salt??

See the oxymoron of this whole thing.

No concrete answers.

I'll tell him to go to Dr. Fred and get checked out.

Like he's going to listen to me. Yeah, right!!!

??????????
mel

basically...
 

the word is moderation.

(I hope I get to finish this post....the red X's are coming now!)

No ADDED salt. No foods really HIGH in salt...pretzels, soups, etc (there are new low salt ones).

Just the salt in your food. Avoid high consumption of processed foods.

But a brownie here or there? or a piece of cake? I don't see these as evil...only if eaten in excess. Give the guy a break... let him have some fun.

Doctors ALWAYS say avoid salt. Because in the US people OD on it.
But it only has a negative impact on people very sensitive to it...for example African Americans are considered salt sensitive. Since his BP is low anyway, I'd let him have some things here and there.

Very low blood pressure does not deliver blood to the brain, and people with Adrenal malfunctions are given salt to RAISE blood pressure.

Since you can take his BP...do this: Do a log for a week. Take BP first thing in the morning, and several times of day, and at night. You will find it highest in the morning, and lowest at bedtime. See how much it varies, and test it with some salty food once. See if it goes up. Better to know what is happening than restricting him willy nilly when it might not be needed. IMO.

I cannot edit....
 

I get red X's when I try to edit....

Moderation means....do not SALT your food, or eat salty snacks, or pickles, etc.

Only obtain salt from your food (and not highly processed foods).

You know a serving of Low Fat Ruffles potato chips has very little salt.
A serving has 180mg of sodium. That is pretty LOW.

http://www.fritolay.com/fl/flstore/c...ts_ruffles.htm

www.nutrition.org
is a good resource to check content of foods. Check out sodium there.

There hasn't been a potato chip or a pretzel in this house in 2 years. No kidding!!!

He doesn't add sald to anything because he likes everything sweet, because of the taste perversion thingee going on since his fentanyl patch days.

We don't use soups. I cook fresh for EVERYTHING. Nothing is processed.

I am going to to the blood pressure check thing and keep a log.

How soon after he eats some salt should I take his blood pressure???

Thanks,

Mel
P.S. I really do mean THANKS, believe me!!!

Psoriasis is definitely autoimmune. Psoriasis is a systemic disease, not just skin disease.

I get dizzy not matter what position I'm in...it comes and goes without rhyme or reason.

Allen will need to learn some lessons on his own.

You need to devote all that caring energy towards you. Cantankerous men need to learn their own lessons.:hug:

do the log...
 

get several days done, with numbers that seem consistent.
Then eat salt one day, and see if tomorrow it is elevated.
Blood pressures go down at night..so the same night may not
show much. The next morning will however, since morning pressures are
higher anyway..after a salty day it should be higher. IF he is salt sensitive that is. There may be no effect. This does not mean he can go crazy with salt,
but he won't have to give up everything, either, perhaps.

watch for hidden salt too. here is a pretty good article that gives you different names. plus..if you ever eat out...who knows how much you are getting.

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdsodium.html

Aiming to get some idea of a food's sodium content, consumers knowledge able about sodium-restricted diets looked for names like sodium caseinate, monosodium glutamate, trisodium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and other sodium-containing ingredients, including salt (sodium chloride).

Mel

If you get Allan a skinny tire racing bike.....I can see him now as a bike messenger in NYC or Lance Armstrong II:eek:.....and who will be worrying...him or you??

I wonder what you have to do to get Allan to worry about you as much as you do him.....hmm...the lycra and bike did it for me...(now I need a new gig).:D I won't subject any one to me in lycra right now.

HIDDEN SALT! - maybe OT?
 

This is OT in some ways but relevant in others...
A couple of years ago DH & I were out of town and ate at Chain restaurant...well we got their 'special fries' with our orders...Couldn't touch them! Tasted like PURE SALT! Might've just shoved spoonsfulls of salt down our throats? As a result, now I just order mashed or any appealing vegie other than squash...most places don't know how to cook it well. Sigh.
Another thing? Go to the grocery store and look at the salt contents of the same brand of Tomato Juice, but in the different size cans...if you can compare the 6, 10 and 30 odd ounce sizes, well, it can be a SALT experience! The %'s of salt per serving vary VERY widely. Scary but true?

Curious that site and your quote, are too true. Isn't it the same for sugars and the 'substitutes or alternatives' as well?

Melody, Yes you take super care of Alan, BUT, when is he going to take on the responsibility of taking care for himself? Goodness forbid, but if anything happened to you, well he would be totally helpless! Train him, to at least try? Please?

I do cook lo to no salt, adding only usually at the end to taste. I find that there's enuf salts added to canned or some prepared goods to keep me 'salty' enuf for quite a while! All the extra hidden salts as well...When you really look for them, you can find them. Next, I suppose we'll be asking where the SALT came from? Realities intrude. Melody, You do inspire me to cook more fresh, more often. For that you are a gem! Have you checked out D-Life.com's recipies? Some of them are good and EASY! They are criteria that are key in my cooking. Hugs to all! - j

yep j...and fats...artificial sweeteners too. basically if the name sounds like a science experiment...they are probably hiding soemthing. pretty sad. :(

:hug:

here is a good list...
 

Cheeses are very high... check out cottage cheese! 850mg/cup!
Compare to one serving of low fat Ruffles at 180mg
So a natural food is far higher than the dreaded chips, in this case.

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4059.htm

I think the list Curious gave is good. The worst offender is monosodium glutamate..this is in alot of foods and in high amounts.

Things like the sodium ascorbate are quite low actually, they reflect preservatives only. Products that are baked have sodium and calcium in them from the baking powders that raise them to fluffy consistency.

Do you remember me talking about this with me the dizzy out of it feeling?No one could explain it and why. Mine came more often and lasted though. All my tests for blood sugar,blood pressure,vitamin so on didn't indicate why this would be. It has been a lot better and hasn't been happening as often at all. Like I have not had an episode in awhile. I felt mine had a connection to my pain. So I don't really have a point and I'm not saying to not be concerned cause your husband may be different so I always say better safe then sorry to check in with his doc. Also my gramps gets this a lot. They did that upside down test on him which I don't know the name of cause he would get a dizzy feeling and sometimes pass out and they could find the reason. Again my point I have no idea. Just some thoughts. Hope he is feeling better and never feel bad reaching out Melody. You offer so much to us well for me for sure and I am sure others. Regardless of how big or small a problem is it is still a problem and deserves help and support.

Thanks Daniella:

Alan won't go near cheese. I don't buy it. He never like it. Cheese or anything with cheese. Alan hasn't had any salty food (except stuff that already has sodium in it), for example, yesterday I bought Turkey Kill Ground Turkey.

Do you know that there is sodium in Ground Turkey??? I could not believe it. It's only 85 mg so it's NOTHING. But whoever thought that they would put salt in ground turkey.

Alan uses ketchup, and I sometimes use canned veggies (I don't buy the no-salt kind) because it's twice the price. I just rinse the stuff in the can and the fluids go down the drain and that's where most of the sodium is anyway.

No, we eat sensibly here. Fresh stuff. But Alan has a habit at night of going to the fridge. What is he picking on. "Jello fat free or no sugar puddings. And Light yogurt. And cereal with skim milk. Don't think any of that can kill him. And I'm sure this stuff does have some sodium. I looked up dehydration and his skin doesn't look fragile or anything like that. He looks perfectly fine except for the really really bad psoriasis.

Last night I took one look at the patch of psoriasis on the side of his right leg and I said 'oh my god, it's all red and flaming". He said 'oh, just put some A & D on it. This morning, it was barely red at all. His immune system must really be in over drive. And together with the ivig, well those anti-bodies are going somewhere. He goes to the Silver Sneakers program at the gym. Says it brings oxygen to his cells. He feels better doing this.

As for him taking care of himself and being more responsible. This is the most responsible he has been in years. He can't cook, and won't learn. He thinks it's perfectly fine to take off a pair of jogging pants at night, hang them up, the next day he sprays febreze on them and he's good to go.

Me?? I'm from the old school where you change your clothes every day. So he does it every other day. Thank god he changes his shirts and other stuff. It's just the same pants he wears ever day. He thinks it's nonsens to put on a new pair of pants every day. He says : "Well, that will make more wash time for you". See, he's had to stay off of his feet for 18 months so I've been doing all the wash and stuff.

But once he gets his foot (hopefully) fixed, he'll go back to doing the wash.

No, he's the kind of guy who needs to be looked after. If anything happens to me, he'll go right into a furnished apartment and eat out every day. That's just the way he is. I can't change him at 60. He's lucky to have me and he knows it.

He, he could be a lot worse. I have a friend who has a husband who never says one single word to her. Yeah, this happens.

At least we go to Dunkin Donuts every morning and socialize with the neighbors as we walk around the corner. He's much better after being married for 27 years. I think he's an aspie. As a matter of fact, I'm sure of it.

He's the type of man who needed a wife. Thank god he met me. That's what his sister always says. lol

Melody

I will explain my problem after gang leaves,it's different. Hugs Sue

Your husband sounds like my ex step dad. When my mom got divorced from him I was over his house and he went to make a tv dinner and was reading the instruction as was going to put the whole box the outside container in to. He put my cashmere sweater in the dryer. You have to watch the condiments especially fat free products like ketchup,fat fre mayo,dressing. Of course prepared product like soups,tv dinners,breads even. The fabreze thing is so funny. My ex bf it reminds me of. He would work out at the gym and spray cologne over his sweat. I used to say now you just stink like sweat with spray. Imagine how much young guys sweat. I could smell him from outside. I am like you very clean like beyond.He is lucky to have you.