Question About Ncs

[bttrflyamby1981]

I was just wondering if you can have NCS and not faint?

I don't faint even though I feel like I'm going to and I will fall, but I don't go "out".

Everything I read says NCS is "fainting" so why would my Dr think this for a diagnoses?

Thanks for your help.

[Dizzy Dame]

I have NCS (also called NMH by some of my doctors) but I rarely faint. In fact, I've only fainted twice since getting sick. However, because my blood-pressure dips in a way charactaristic of NCS when I stand, they gave me the diagnosis.

I think the answer does depend on which doctor you ask, though. I had a cardiologist who insisted I didn't have NCS but only POTS, but I've also had other doctors who were fine with that diagnosis.

I hope that helped!

-Lauren

[Rachel]

Hi Amby,

Many doctors say that you don't have to actually faint to have NCS/NMH. They say that near fainting counts too.

I was diagnosed with NMH as well as POTS, but I've only truly fainted about 5 times. However, I often get lightheaded and lose my vision because I'm so close to fainting.

But like Lauren said, it can depend on which doctor you ask.

Here's an article that Cardiactec sent to me once. It is written by Dr. Rowe and others at Johns Hopkins. It implies that you don't have to actually faint to have NCS. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mecfs/general/nmh1.html

Hope this helps!

Rachel

[juliegee]

Hi Amby,

My son has NMH. He's rarely fainted all the way. (Only when he has blood drawn or hurts himself badly i.e. a sprain, etc) He often has pre-syncope. He lies down and props his feet up to get blood back to his head. His DX was made on the basis of his TTT. After 30 mins of standing, his BP went from 120/80 to 45/0. He vomited and the test was concluded. I think many with NCS or NMH don't necessarily faint.

With florinef, Thermotabs, Lexapro and potassium, he is just about "normal" again.

Julie

[OCsunshine]

Well I think this just depends on what you do to KEEP from fainting. If you can stay standing up and your BP corrects itself, that's pretty normal and most women have that "whooeeyyyy" lightheaded feeling after standing up, feel a little loopey, and then after like 2 or 3 seconds, it's corrected and they are fine standing up.

With NMH/NCS, however, our bodies don't correct the problem.

I used to faint (completely black out/unconscious) quite often in my first years of having this illness.

Now I rarely faint completely, BUT it's because I can prevent it. I do feel lightheaded and can't stand up for very long, but I feel the warning signs, so I sit down or lay down RIGHT THEN and I don't faint. So, just because I don't faint much now (or if I didn't faint at all) that doesn't mean I don't have NMH anymore. That just means I am learning to prevent the fainting and have to be very careful about paying attention to what my body needs. So I still have to lay flat out- but I can stay conscious b/c of prevention measures I take.

Does this make sense... ? Hope so It's late...

[smiles]

I rarely faint all the way. I usually can prevent it by laying down but am left with residual weakness lasting for hours or days. I have had NCS for 2 1/2 hr.

[bttrflyamby1981]

Thanks,

I wasn't confused when he was telling me what happens with NCS. Until I did some research on it myself. LOL

The original EP that I had thought the same thing. So I have had 2 Dr's thinking the same thing. This makes me feel better.

Smiles

I can prevent myself from fainting but I have gotten to the point I couldn't move I was so weak.

OCsunshine

Yes that did make sense, thank you

Mack's Mom

I often feel like I'm going to vomit when I feel faint. Glad yur son is doing better on meds.

Rachel

Thanks for the link I'll have to check it out, I too get lightheaded and lose my vision. I told the Dr that I have to blink my eyes trying to clear them.

Lauren

My Dr told me that POTS and NCS go hand in hand.

Thanks

[pat57]

I have NCS and I'm no doctor, but........

with POTS the heart rate or bp goes up- IE tachy.

With me they both go down. I have orthostatic hypotension. I have never been "tachy". When the bp needs to go up the response of the vaso deppressor muscle (?) is, DROP the HR and BP.

oh sorry and , NCS is a drop in HR and BP . Don't think it has to result in faint. God knows it didn't always with me. On the TTT it did. And you haven't had one yet.

oh boy!

don't worry, I did not find the test unpleasent. Had 4 of them. You are attended by a doc, and can "pick his brains" during the test. At some point the may ask you to stop talking. But I always enjoyed having so much time to ask questions.

[bttrflyamby1981]

I actually had a TTT about 2 years ago. I was off and on meds however so I think that affected the outcome. (negative)

I have been hearing a lot how there was a Dr in the room!? Not with me! In fact the nurse actually left me alone at one point. To top it all off one of the velcro straps was broke and wouldn't have held me up if I had fainted!!

My heart rate and b/p go both ways.......I get very Tachy too.

This is a different office though, so I'm thinking things will be better. I've started to wean off the meds and I hope they call me next week to get the TTT scheduled.

[MightyMouse]

You don't have to have a full faint--just the drop in blood pressure, and syncopal symptoms (i.e. the presyncope such as sweating, nausea, dizzy, lightheaded, heavy feeling...).

I have huge swings in bp and hr, rarely faint (need to be provoked by something like heat or heavy exertion, or huge emotional stress).

I have both POTS and NCS/NMH--for my tilt, I first had the drop in bp, and increase in hr, then my hr normalized while my bp was still falling, at which point they stopped the test because by bp was not readable. I hadn't fainted but felt like ****.

Nina