Fainting Spell
Mar. 12th, 2014 10:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormdogMore about health stuff!
As I've mentioned to a couple people, I've been feeling a sort of flutter in my chest for the last couple of days. It's something I'd feel once a month or two, and which I gather is not uncommon or problematic. For the last couple of days though, I've had that feeling rather frequently, and for periods of several to five minutes.
This afternoon in the archives, while moving a few boxes, I had what I guess I'd describe as a fainting spell. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. It was kind of like the feeling I get when I stand up quickly sometimes, but more so. And this came with tingling and weakness in my legs, which has not been associated before. I stopped moving so I wouldn't fall over. In a minute or so I was feeling better, so I picked up a box again and the same feelings came back.
I sat down in a chair, and it took ten or fifteen minutes to start feeling better. Even then, I didn't feel up to driving, or even walking, so I called my brother J. His girlfriend was nice enough to give him a ride over, and then he drove my car with me in it to urgent care. Prior to that, the archivist went all the over to the other end of campus to get a wheelchair for me, which they took me to the entrance in.
By the time J got there, I was rather better, and I was rather embarrassed that my parents were waiting for me at the clinic, though I also really appreciate their concern and care.
Anyway, the first person who saw me said that she thought my heartbeat had irregularity. The second person, a nurse practitioner, listened with a stethoscope and thought it was ok. My pulse was low at 52, but ok for someone athletic. But I was also feeling better by then, and wasn't feeling the same flutters. He thinks it might be anxiety and/or stress which is actually what Danae suggested last night when I called her, in a fit of worry, for an opinion. I'm going back in the morning for bloodwork regardless. He said that we could do an EKG, but in his opinion it isn't needed since I'm otherwise fit and in good health.
For my part, I still feel a little skeptical of the stress answer. It kind of feels like a 'we don't know what else it is' response. And I'm a little nervous of having another unexpected lengthy fainting spell. Especially if I'm on my bike or, even worse, driving a car. I'm also a little worried about something serious going wrong with me while I'm in Mexico. But I'm reassured that nobody seems to think it's something serious and immediate; in April, once I'm finally covered by Badgercare, I'll probably follow up further.
(Oh, I didn't mention. Ironically, I received a letter in the mail yesterday saying I'll be eligible for Badgercare Plus [state health care coverage] starting on the first of April. Knowing that, I cancelled my enrollment appointment with the local sliding scale clinic, and am waiting for April to get set up with that.)
I wonder if it's possible that this really is stress. I don't feel more stressed and anxious lately than I usually do during school. In fact, I kind of feel like I'm managing it better than I was early in the semester. At the same time, I do have a crap-ton of stuff to do and won't have my Spring break to do it in, and that makes me anxious. I wonder if I might be more stressed than I consciously realize, or if I'm just used to a high level of stress and it's not in my conscious thoughts.
I should also thank my parents and brothers, not to mention the archivist, for all helping out. I was kind of embarrassed by the attention, but very grateful for it. And my dad even paid for my visit to the urgent care center. I have wonderful people in my life.
---
In the meantime, I'm really hungry and can't eat 'cause I'm fasting for bloodwork. *laughs* It's probably in my head, but I could so use a few pieces of pizza or something right now.
As I've mentioned to a couple people, I've been feeling a sort of flutter in my chest for the last couple of days. It's something I'd feel once a month or two, and which I gather is not uncommon or problematic. For the last couple of days though, I've had that feeling rather frequently, and for periods of several to five minutes.
This afternoon in the archives, while moving a few boxes, I had what I guess I'd describe as a fainting spell. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. It was kind of like the feeling I get when I stand up quickly sometimes, but more so. And this came with tingling and weakness in my legs, which has not been associated before. I stopped moving so I wouldn't fall over. In a minute or so I was feeling better, so I picked up a box again and the same feelings came back.
I sat down in a chair, and it took ten or fifteen minutes to start feeling better. Even then, I didn't feel up to driving, or even walking, so I called my brother J. His girlfriend was nice enough to give him a ride over, and then he drove my car with me in it to urgent care. Prior to that, the archivist went all the over to the other end of campus to get a wheelchair for me, which they took me to the entrance in.
By the time J got there, I was rather better, and I was rather embarrassed that my parents were waiting for me at the clinic, though I also really appreciate their concern and care.
Anyway, the first person who saw me said that she thought my heartbeat had irregularity. The second person, a nurse practitioner, listened with a stethoscope and thought it was ok. My pulse was low at 52, but ok for someone athletic. But I was also feeling better by then, and wasn't feeling the same flutters. He thinks it might be anxiety and/or stress which is actually what Danae suggested last night when I called her, in a fit of worry, for an opinion. I'm going back in the morning for bloodwork regardless. He said that we could do an EKG, but in his opinion it isn't needed since I'm otherwise fit and in good health.
For my part, I still feel a little skeptical of the stress answer. It kind of feels like a 'we don't know what else it is' response. And I'm a little nervous of having another unexpected lengthy fainting spell. Especially if I'm on my bike or, even worse, driving a car. I'm also a little worried about something serious going wrong with me while I'm in Mexico. But I'm reassured that nobody seems to think it's something serious and immediate; in April, once I'm finally covered by Badgercare, I'll probably follow up further.
(Oh, I didn't mention. Ironically, I received a letter in the mail yesterday saying I'll be eligible for Badgercare Plus [state health care coverage] starting on the first of April. Knowing that, I cancelled my enrollment appointment with the local sliding scale clinic, and am waiting for April to get set up with that.)
I wonder if it's possible that this really is stress. I don't feel more stressed and anxious lately than I usually do during school. In fact, I kind of feel like I'm managing it better than I was early in the semester. At the same time, I do have a crap-ton of stuff to do and won't have my Spring break to do it in, and that makes me anxious. I wonder if I might be more stressed than I consciously realize, or if I'm just used to a high level of stress and it's not in my conscious thoughts.
I should also thank my parents and brothers, not to mention the archivist, for all helping out. I was kind of embarrassed by the attention, but very grateful for it. And my dad even paid for my visit to the urgent care center. I have wonderful people in my life.
---
In the meantime, I'm really hungry and can't eat 'cause I'm fasting for bloodwork. *laughs* It's probably in my head, but I could so use a few pieces of pizza or something right now.
