Dizziness from meds vs. dizziness from HCM

[BlueDevil]

I'm known for coming up with cockamamie questions, but I'm going to ask anyway...

Since yesterday I've suddenly become dizzy if I get up and move too quickly, and I also experience a measure of lightheadedness when I'm at rest. Dizziness has never really been something I experienced a lot with my HCM symptoms. It's only just occurred to me that this could be the medication(s) I'm on. I am hoping it's not an indication of my HCM worsening.

I'm taking Altace (5mg), amiodarone (200mg), and Toprol (I started at 50mg and was increased to 100mg a couple months ago; I did get headaches and slight nausea for a few days following the increase).

So, my question: Is there a difference in how dizziness feels between medication side effects and HCM itself? I'm starting to panic a little bit here because I'm due to fly out of here at 9:30 tonight and probably can't get in to see the doctor...

[Reenie]

I'm sorry that I don't have any answers for you. I hope someone can pop in who knows more than I. I hope you have a good trip!

Reenie

[aaron]

Blue,

If you are unable to see your doctor right now, I would suggest at least getting your blood pressure checked at one of those stations at a supermarket (if you have one available where you live). If there has been a significant drop, I wouldn't travel until you get it checked out.

I started taking Toprol 100mg about a year ago and experienced some similar symptoms. My doctor told me that I should stand up more slowly so that the blood would have a chance to get into my brain properly.

Definitely set up an appointment with your doctor to discuss this with your doctor.

Aaron

[BlueDevil]

Hi Aaron:

Thanks so much for the response. We actually have a blood pressure monitor here in my workplace, and that was the first thing I thought to do. My reading was 117/68, so it was normal. I also checked my pulse while seated, and it was a bit on the low side: 50bpm.

This is just disconcerting to me because I generally don't get side effects from medications. At least, I didn't until my HCM treatment ramped up. When I bumped up to 100mg of Toprol XL from 50mg, for about 3 days I had a constant low level nausea and headache, and I was really wiped out. It was very much how I felt for almost 2 weeks when I started amiodarone.

-- T.

[Glen Beamish]

If your heart rate is down around 50 like mine is, then getting up may cause some lightheadedness.
And I did get this more often when I started Amio because it slows the heart even more.
I know the docs don't want my rate to go any lower as this the bottom end.
I need more meds and they may have to add a pacemaker to accomplish this.
But in your case I would say more meds that HCM. You just have to get up a little slower until your system gets used to the Amio.

[BlueDevil]

You just have to get up a little slower until your system gets used to the Amio.

Actually I've been on the amio for not quite a year yet. I was put on it before I was on the Toprol. I was put on the Toprol a few months ago.

The dizziness and light-headedness seems to have let up quite a bit, though...

[Linda]

What is your pulse during the dizziness? There may be a great variation in your pulse and BP when you go from sitting to standing. I'm glad it seems to be resolving, but check your pulse and BP occaisionlly, just to see what's happening. Call your doc if you need to, you don't want to get in trouble in the air. I hope you can enjoy your wkend - Best wishes - Linda

[Pam Alexson]

I am wondering if you got a little more dehydrated during this episodic event. Could that be a possibility? I hope you continue to improve.

Pam

[BlueDevil]

Hi Linda: I got up at one point and moved around at one point and walked to the break room at work. I had 54bpm, and I was still feeling dizzy. I didn't check the BP, though. :(

[BlueDevil]

Hi Pam: Not sure on that. I know I don't drink a lot of water, but I've never thought that I was dehydrated. No dry mouth or anything like that. So, who knows? :(

It seems to have abated somewhat. The real test will be at the airport when I walk to my gate. I am going to San Francisco...I really don't want this to affect my trip!

[Largehearted]

Hey Blue.

I know that I have to be quite careful regarding proper hydration. I feel it mostly in the summer when I sweat more, but I can get very dizzy at times when I have not taken in enough liquid. A couple of years ago we thought our daughter was beginning to show signs of HCM. She was dizzy, would run out of energy etc. She was clear, but the Dr. told her to drink more water. Sure enough as soon as she began drinking more her symptoms cleared up.

I hope you will find an answer soon.

Peace,

Leon

[Laoshur]

Hi! I always wonder when someone mentions dizzyness, exactly what they mean. I think that we use the word dizzy to refer to two (actually more, but the others are irrelevant) different sensations. There is the "I'm going to faint, if I don't sit down right now" kind that is particularly associated with heart problems, blood pressure problems and medications that affect these thngs. The other is the "My, the world is spinning round and round. I better sit or lie down or I am going to fall over." kind. This is more often associated with an inner ear problem. Either of them can be exacerbated by sudden changes in position. If yours is the former, I would get it checked out before you fly if at all possible, because lower oxygen levels in flight might make it worse. If it is the second kind, I would still get it checked out because if you have fluid in your inner ear (viral cause is most common, I think, but there are other possibilities), flying can cause pressure changes which might set off this kind of problem and make life very unpleasant for you and for your seatmates.

Rhoda

[Pam Alexson]

Tim ,

I hope all is much better today and your flight went well. I know it can be a scary sensation and so aggravating to interfer with best made plans. Let us know how all went.

Pam

[BlueDevil]

Well...I wish things WERE better.

I made it to CA safely, but the trip so far has not been without some scary problems. I'll go into more detail later, but I've been feeling a multitude of symptoms all at once, in addition to the dizziness. I also think my ICD might have fired or done something last night while we were driving into San Francisco. My first thought was this is stress fallout from the events of last week.

Either way, we are less than 10 mi. from Stanford in case there's an emergency...

[Linda]

I'm glad you posted - I was thinking about you. I hope things settle down now and you can enjoy your visit - Linda

[BlueDevil]

Oooooooooookay, now that I have a few moments, I thought I'd post about the flight out here.

Put simply, it was the longest four hours of my life. I'd been feeling slightly dizzy while sitting at work which would sometimes intensify upon rising from my chair. (Note to Rhoda: When I say "dizzy," the best way I can describe it is a similar feeling to being slightly buzzed from alcohol. Perhaps "lightheaded" is a better description. :-))

It never let up all the way even after I got to the airport. As I was walking to the gate, I felt very much how I would have felt pre-ICD/pacemaker: a little short of breath, an ache in my upper back all the way across. It was hard to tell while in the air, but I felt as if I was having an irregular heartbeat. I felt better about an hour from landing.

Cut to yesterday. I was doing OK in the morning, but when we left to run some errands, the dizziness/short of breath started up again. (I should explain: when I mean "short of breath," it's as if I can inhale OK, but it doesn't seem as if I can exhale completely.) My heartbeat was quite forceful as well. We were driving into San Francisco, and the dizziness intensified until at one point I felt an odd sensation in the middle of my chest that spread outward. My first thought was "I'm going to pass out." Didn't happen. I was shaky all the way to the restaurant, but I started to feel much better during dinner. Today I feel better than I did yesterday, but I just don't feel "normal" at all.

So, this all has me pretty well freaked out, especially since I'm far from home. It HAS been a very, very, VERY stressful week for me, and I wonder if this is fallout from that. It's just disconcerting because it all has come on so quickly. I can't even hazard a guess as to what's going on: it could be stress/anxiety attack, it could be my medications, or it could be the ICD isn't working. (The voltage had been turned down a little on my 2/24 follow-up.)

I'll be talking to Maron's office this week in regard to the transplant business, so I will ask his nurse for advice. For now, I am trying to stay calm.

[Laoshur]

I'll be praying that you get better and get good answers.

Rhoda