Tilt Table Test

Today was the infamous Tilt Table Test which is the first step in the long road of twists, turns and road blocks for Dysautonomia patients. Each and every version of the syndrome offers the Tilt test as one of the first test to proceed with because it seems that syncope or presyncope is pretty common regardless of which ever form ANS disorder you actually have. So its a step in the right direction, hopefully one that will answer some much needed information leading to my future with this wonderful syndrome.
I had arrived early as usual and the standard prep procedures were enforced. Fasting, NPO for eight hours prior to procedure, normal and very routine for someone of my very veteran status in the hospital procedure world. I met with the procedure nurse & although I should have been flattered she remembered me from the last visit I had to the Heart Cath floor of the hospital I couldnt help but realize that here I am 44 years old and this was my fourth visit to this identical floor since 2001. She remembered me from my 2010 surgical implant of the loop recorder so I guess you could say we were like old friends.
She updated me on the expected procedure and how intensely boring it was but I had to remain unstimulated. Yep, no Blackberry, no TV, no radio, just motionless standing while strapped to a bed. Of course I can't be that normal patient that just goes with the flow I have to ask the stupid questions like "if a fire breaks out, you unbelt me before running correct"? That question didnt seem to bother her enough so the second question of "if the table malfunctions and the belts fail, should I become lodged in the sheetrock face first, does my medical insurance cover that or is that on you?" If I am going to be in a room for 45 motionless minutes with anyone, I am shooting for lightening the mood regardless. She was like Stonehenge, didnt even crack a smile.
So we got all cranked up, IV in, BP cuff on and before long, shot to upright position. I didnt realize how difficult it was to read upside down, but I was trying desperately to read her notes as he entered them, the whole time she kept asking me how I was doing. About 35 minutes in, I was burning up, I mean like frigging on fire and I remember telling her how insanely cold the room was and how the gown didnt cover enough real estate to guarantee I wouldnt get frostbite. So as I complained about excessive heat, she began to watch me more closely. Asked more questions about how I felt, why I was getting quiet etc... All I knew it was F'ing hot and I needed to cool down. Another disadvantage of Dysautonomia, it controls your core temperture. It can cook you or freeze you whenever it wants. I could remember running temps of 96.1 and swearing the temp gauge was defective then hours later be at 102.4. Stuff like that never occured to me as being anything less than just a viral hiccup but now I realize how uncontrolled my body was with dealing with issues of stress or attack to the immune system.
I made it through the first half of the test and now part two was done with Nitrolingual spray which I have had to use MANY times in the past. Hell, I have filled at least two prescriptions of the spray and three of the pills in the past years so I was like whats this for? She didnt go into detail just said it was a diagnostic tool for the test and I stated that I used to use it frequently & other than nasty headache, it was used to take away chest pain, angina. So she shot me under the tongue and we just waited. She asked me again about the heat issue and I noticed I was getting even hotter. I was explaining it to her, as the second minute passed. I wasnt watching the clock, the BP cuff was set on 60 second intervals so you knew each passing moment as your arm got the crap squeezed out of it. As minute three was coming on & just upon us, the white lights, slurring and bye bye broadway started. She jumped on that down pedal, like a four year old on a bowl of Fruit Loops. Just kept saying to me "stay with me" I was there but not, the fat lady was singing her final note but as the bed hit base, I began to regain my alertness. She was scrambling to gather all the data and quickly unbelted me. My inner dialog was still on humor, I wanted to say "you headed for the crash cart?" but the words never left my lips I was too busy clicking my heals together and heading back to Kansas.
Within five minutes, she sat me up and evaluated that I was within acceptable BP & heart function status that I could be released. I then noticed the code blue button on the wall and joked about how we forgot to designate who was going to hit it in an emergency situation. I finally broke her, laughter at last. She quickly composed herself and said to make an immediate followup with my dr and she was faxing the results to him STAT.
Now, I'm not one that over reacts or worries so to me thats just another knotch in the belt of "whatelse is new" for me. I am expecting to hear, "POTS, NCS," or something along those lines so to me urgency isnt an issue. I already know what they are and I already know what to expect, and I am already on the meds to counteract the effects so now what? But that leaves open the actual Cardiac issue. A valve issue, pulmonary issue etc... So its again, damned if you do, damned if you dont. Optimist as always, I am going NCS, the lesser of the evils. Somewhat benign, underlying, stress induced, Nuerocardiogenic Syncope. An ANS failure brought on by..........go ahead guess..............Dysautonomia. If its POTS, well it is what it is right? Either way its still causing my heart to slow down, drop pressure and make me pass out. This is bad.
In closing, I have to point out that I have a genuine fear of hospitals and doctors. I am not fond of them, hate going to them. So the fact that I have had EXTENSIVE testing, years and years of probing, medication lists that would choke Courtney Love, I do all these things because I cant live with the unknown. There is always a reason for something to happen, an action has to have a basis. So allow my experiences to be your bible & shortcut to avoid the unnecessary. I have been that pin cushion, that lab rat. In the end, I will have proven to EVERYONE that no person could ever dream something like this up in their head and subject themselves to such evasive procedures, thus placing themselves in harms way, just merely to keep a "lie" going, this is the real deal and dont EVER let anyone tell you its in your head when you know yourself you are fighting your own body daily for the answers. Thanks for reading.