Tilt Table

[Jacquie802]

Hi I am due for a Tilt Table Test Nov. 28th and last time I had one done the whole time the guys were talking to me. They were younger so I dont know if they know they shouldnt be talking lol. I got borderline results and the times before I always had positive results. Could the talking have caused my borderline results and if so why would it affect the results? Thanks!

[Sunfish]

yep, it definitely could have affected things....

generally when i'm talking actively my BP is higher. i was allowed to be on the phone at one point during some of my med trials at vandy but as soon as they noticed what a difference in BP & HR it made for me that was no more.

i'm not exactly a quiet person so i've joked that i have to talk to keep my BP up....hehe....i have a medically justified reason for being a loudmouth??

talking doesn't keep my BP up enough to keep me from blacking out when standing but does generally raise my vitals when i'm seated.

we're all different, but there's a reason that an ideal tilt table test is supposed to be without a lot of talking (sometimes it's necessary to ask/report symptoms as they occur...)

hope your next test is a bit quieter...

melissa

[SunsetParadise49]

The people who were in the room with me doing the test were talking to me and I fainted twice. They weren't constantly talking but just asking like how I was feeling and I'd answer them...saying things like, "I'm dizzy" or "My vision is going black"

I guess everyone though could do the ttt's differently though and of course the amount of experiance that they have doing them plays a huge part in it.

[Sophia3]

Proper protocol for tilt table testing is a quiet, dimly lit room, and no talking.

At mine, the techs and the 'stand in doc' yakked quietly the whole time. I meanwhile went thru a boatload of symptoms like i was on an amusement park ride. Dizziness, visual dimming, nausea and I sweat up such a storm, one of the leads fell off on my hip or legs and I had to tell them.

i had VERY difficult time talking but when I felt ill like I was going to vomit but did not, they made some notes of some symptoms. Otherwise, when I whined about feeling miserable at one point, they kindly told me to try not to talk because it affected the test.

MEANWHILE Dr. "doogie Howser" kept yapping about school days at Med school in Columbus, Ohio..went to school with the daughter of Wendy's founder or something and yammered on constantly about they had the best fast food.....he was tired because he hadn't slept much, etc!! I got so tired of hearing his chatter but it WAS in a soft tone.

but my HR jumped 55 BPM as soon as they rose me for the beginniing of the test so no wonder I felt so rotten.

Still if they talk to you, they do mess with the results...but if it makes you sicker and more symptomatic, that can be a good thing.

HOWEVER I was told since I didn't faint "my test was non conclusive" and I would have to make "lifestyle changes" to handle my tachycardia. This dimwit had no clue about my disability status.

When I saw my real doc back in the office a couple weeks later, he apologized for not making the test (though warned me he may not make it as I had to go to a special hospital he rarely worked at due to HMO) he said the test was POSITIVE and concluded what he and my doctor had suspected!! I was ecstatic the test was positive even tho the prognosis was not good.

So my TTT was stressful for many reasons. Namely the dipstick who didn't recognize a postiive ttt UNLESS the patient faints. Sadly there are MANY DOCS who think like him.

Good luck with your test!! Make sure they turn off the flourescent lights and just keep necessary room lights on. My room had canned ceiling lights on dimmer switch. I DID need a Coke afterwards so my friend could help me to the car. Used a wheelchair until I got to the parking garage. Ask for whatever help you need.