Going For My First Tilt Table Test Next Week, Very Nervous

[SJSB]

Hi,

I'm going for my first tilt table test on Tuesday next week and I'm very nervous! I'm feeling better about the first part of the test but the second part of the test includes giving me a drug called Isuprel via IV to speed my heart up to see if I faint. I'm worried about this because I'm very sensitive to medications and am worried about having a reaction to it, especially related to my breathing. I'm also concerned because I have SVT, MVP and PVCs and wonder if a drug like this is safe to give to someone like me with these conditions. Any advice?

Another concern I have is I heard of someone who had fainting spells, went for a tilt table test, fainted, was diagnosed with POTS and lost her license for 6 months! Is this possible? I have never fainted but my cardiologist suspects I have POTS/dysautonomia and wants me to be tested. I do have low blood pressure, dizziness when I stand up, etc, along with SVT, MVP and PVCs. Could I lose my drivers license?

[icesktr189]

I wouldnt worry about the drug. Chances are you wont even need it, especially if you are already symptomatic. I was only on the table for 6 mins before they put me down. It goes pretty quick for most people. They didnt take my license, but I promised to them I would not drive if i was having tons of symptoms or fainting that day. I am lucky where I know at least 5 mins before I will actually faint. However, I havent drove in a year and a half because I am too dizzy now. Good luck and try not to stress out!

[corina]

good luck on your test sjsb! i agree with dani, you'll probably won't need the med, but if so, you are in capable hands! can't tell you anything about keeping your drivers license as i'm not in your country. i've always kept quiet about my license as i didn't want to possibly loose it, wasn't able to drive anyway! as there's still so much to learn about dysautonomia nobody ever asked me about it!

take care,

corina

[Godsgal]

hello...I agree with the others, you may not need that. I would just ask them if they could lengthen the test any or at the most use the spray under the tongue...which I'm not a huge fan of either. But I would personally refuse the IV medication. I have had 3 tilt table tests and I've never had that IV med you're talking about. And it's easy to say not to be worried about the tilt table but take heart in knowing you will probably be in a medical facility at the time and during my first one I almost fainted and I begged them to put the table down before I did and they listened. So try not to get yourself worked up, have faith, and go in finding peace that you can potentially get some answers. Take care

[pat57]

If you have only fainted during a TTT, you should not lose your license the TTT is a special

circumstance. Discuss this first with your Dr. I lost my license for 4 years. And even though I fainted on every TTT

The Dr. OKed me to drive because he felt I would not have fainted during the last one if I was seated.

I had 4 TTT. the first three I dropped to 0/P. 0 over palpable. The last one

due to the right med combo was 30/50 (or maybe it was 50/30)?. I would ask him first about how he views the issues.

good luck.

[Katybug]

Hi SJSB! I was diagnosed with POTS by way of 2 TTT. I had severe pre-syncope symptoms on both tests although I did not pass out on either test. I have not had my license taken away because of the diagnosis. I think the laws dictating what diagnosis doctors have to report to the motor vehicle administrations vary from state to state. I'm in Maryland for example and POTS does not have to be reported but narcolepsy (which they thought was a possible cause of my symptoms before finding the POTS) does have to be reported. I totally understand your general fear about the TTT. I was really scared too when I walked in for the first one but I was determined to find out what was wrong with me and if it meant feeling 45 minutes of knowing my symptoms were coming so that the doctors could finally have a clue how to treat me it was going to be worth it and it was absolutely worth it! My second one was conducted by a specialist in POTS and he did it a little differently but I was told before both of them at the two different facilities that if I wanted them to end the test and lay me down at any time all I needed to do was say so. I was also never left alone at either facility. I got the impression that this was common practice but if you have questions about how your procedure will be handled ask ahead of time so you can help lay some of your fears to rest. Good luck!

[SJSB]

Thank you all for your very kind and reassuring words! It's amazing how much better I feel just by hearing about your experiences and telling me all will be ok. I will remember those words as I go in for my test...I must say I've been so nervous I've thought of canceling, obviously I have some anxiety issues!! I guess sometimes I wonder about going through with this b/c I do not have any history of fainting. My only symptoms that started me wondering about POTS are low blood pressure, becoming dizzy or lightheaded when I stand up after lying down or bending over, etc. Those are symptoms I never really paid attention to until I started reading about low blood pressure. I thought everyone was lightheaded after standing, and the dizziness doesn't last long for me and it's something I've always had so I don't know any different. I also get numbness and tingling in my lower legs and feet when I am laying down to go to sleep. My big problems in the last several years have been my supraventricular tachycardia and MVP, though if I had to list all my other strange medical symptoms that I have learned to ignore, maybe they would all add up to something in the dysautonomia umbrella. I took my pulse after I got up from laying down and it jumped 30 beats, not sure what that means but maybe a POTS symptom. I'm still trying to understand what POTS is and how it relates to dysautonomia, it seems to be a form of dysautonomia, am I correct?

Here's a burning question I have.....if I have never fainted, how is it that I could faint during this tilt table test? I guess I don't understand what is so special about the first part of the test before they do the IV --you lay down and they bring you up so you are standing. If I don't faint when I stand up at home, why would I faint during the tilt table test???

Thanks everyone for listening and responding to my questions!

Sarah (SJSB)

[icesktr189]

THe tilt table test forces you to stand up completely straight without moving for minutes. Most of us never do that because we move our legs around and shuffle to counter act the blood pooling or POTS from happening.

I hate to say it, but the test brought out all my symptoms all at one time. I usually never have every single symptom ( IBS, dizziness, nausea, tachycardia..ect) at the exact same moment, but after 1 minute up, I did.

Hopefully it is short for you and just remember, once you lay down you will feel SO much better. I was actually euphoric after they layed me down haha

[pat57]

the standing still causes blood pooling in the legs which causes the autonomic system to compensate.

If the patient does not compensate properly, they can detect that.