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Prolonged Tilt Table Test


ben_uk

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Hi everyone, hope you are all ok

I am going into hospital in a few weeks for autonomic (and a load of other) tests.

One of the autonomic tests is a prolonged tilt table test (and they measure adrenaline and dopamine before and after)

I think I recall people on this forum saying it is not nice.

Can you let me know what I can expect please?

Thanks!

Ben

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I've had several tilt table tests. They weren't particularly uncomfortable, even though my vital signs were very abnormal during them. Of course, I don't faint.

The only test I've had that was seriously uncomfortable was the blood volume test, the part where they take out a huge volume of blood and tag it with radioactive chromium. Make sure that you are lying down for that. During the first one, I was acutely miserable as soon as they took the big blood sample. I didn't care if they were making my blood radioactive. I wanted it back! I made sure I was lying down the other times I took it. I passed right out during the last one and didn't wake up until they put my blood back.

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Thanks.

My impression was that everyone faints on the test so it doesn't sound too bad.

I am not sure if I am having the blood volume test. Does it have a special name or abbreviation? I definitely didn't see "blood volume test" on the list.

Besides, with the amount of X-Rays and CT scans I have had recently, I would end up glowing in the dark!

Ben

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First of all, Good luck with your testing. I hope they find something wrong and are able to fix it.

When I had my first tilt table test, I was up for an hour. I'm not sure if that's considered prolonged or not, but it was longer than most of them. I didn't pass out, but my body showed signs of POTS.

When I had my second one, I was up for about 40 minutes, and I didn't pass out. My docs said they couldn't find anything from either tilt table, so I was sent back home with no answer.

It wasn't until 2 years later when I saw Dr.Grubb that he told me both of my tests showed I had POTS and NCS. But when I was there he did a mini-tilt, and I had no BP when I stood. That time I failed the test, so he concluded that my autonomic system only fails some of the time.

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I've had tests where I've been up for an hour and not fainted- they weren't carried out under the right conditoins. I get very very anxious in tilts because in the first one I ever had, I fainted quite profoundly and felt really very ill indeed.I hate having the control taken away, and knowing tha tif I do faint, I'll be at risk because I cna't lower myself to the ground. Yes, yes, I'm a control freak- I confess!

Th emost recent test I had was a month ago and becaues it was in a very calm, quiet and peaceful environment, I was more relaxed, which enabled the cardiologist to see a true picture of what really happens to me- my blood pressure flatlined.

but the tests I've had done between the first and my most recent were a cpomplete waste of time. They weren't done properly- people were talking to me, there were bright lights, it was very cramped and enclosed, I was being filmed too, which made me feel extremely nervous. It was just the worst possible combination of conditions, given that stress raises blood pressure and means that I won't become hypotensive enough to actually pass out.

Make sure you stay calm-that's the key thing. The more you worry, the worse you'll feel. I'm sure you'll be fine though- almost everyone here has been through a barrage of tilts and we're all still here to tell the tale B)

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