NWR-Vaso Vagal Syncope

Anyone heard of this disorder? I have been doing web searches and have come up w/ very broard/vague info. A close relative was just diagnosed.

Re: NWR-Vaso Vagal Syncope

Vaso-Vagal is a term used when the body's nerves (which are connected to our rear's), send impulses telling our blood pressure to drop very fast and to open up all of our arteries and veins to allow for immediate blood flow. Not to get too graphic, but sometimes when a person goes #2 (I'm staying away from my medical terms for easy deciphering).....sometimes that person may feel 'light-headed' and 'woozy' after a big 'dump'. This is b/c the Vagus Nerve (which is connected to and runs up and down the spine--into the rear) was stimulated and it sends a signal to the brain to lower our blood pressure instantly. When the blood pressure drops too low, you pass out (syncope is the medical term for fainting or passing out). This is the simplest explanation...if you want more info..feel free to FM me. I can give you the anatomical details.....in any case, it's not a major issue, unless the BP and Heart Rate drop SO low, it becomes dangerous.

Edit--it's not really a 'diagnosis' per say, it's not like a disease, it's an 'episodic' incident which can repeat itself occasionally.

Re: NWR-Vaso Vagal Syncope

As someone who has this condition, it can become dangerous if the person has a fainting spell while driving or during other activities. They can take a person's drivers license away if it happens frequently enough like in my case - doctor told me to never get behind the wheel of a car without having some sodium or salt tablets first. I have fainted while exercising, while trying to play a video/computer game, while standing too long in my kitchen preparing dinner and once at a party I was hosting at my home, when sick or injured, and many, many other times - 3 times last week alone (granted one was induced during a tilt table test done by my doctor)! I must have V8 juice and gatorade everyday. My BP is normally low so they cannot put me on Beta Blockers either. I have never passed out 'dumping' that is FUNNY! Although loss of blood or any mental or emotional trauma can set it off too. Once I had a bad UTI that hurt so bad I passed out. When I get blood drawn or an IV inserted it often happens too.

Basically, the blood in the person's body pools into the legs and not enough blood returns to the brain. I'm still being tested to see if this sets off any type of siezure and just had my first tilt table test where I passed out in 18 minutes! I have a 3 day EEG (brain wave test) next week. The blood pressure drops and the pulse slows (my BP went as low as 56 over 38 and my pulse down to 26! I didn't know a person could still be alive with those vitals, but that was in a VERY controled environment). So that's what the condition is in a nutshell, there's plenty of stuff on the Web about it. The type of episodes Moosey911 mentioned happens to most people at some point in their lives, but that's not the classic condition which repeats much more frequently to the point it interferes with a person's daily routine like in my case. Hope that helps!