Community Chat

[ruthbe]

Has anyone had a Tilt Table Test??  My cardiologist has recommended that I have one.  I have had issues with high and low blood pressure and issues with high and low heart rate.  So far they cannot figure out why.  I have already had an echo, stress test, holter monitor, cardiac cath (had a high troponin level from hospital stay).  Yes everyone is different from their own experiences.  But I was curious. 

[on the bay]

@ruthbe

My daughter had one after all of what you had and it turned out to be orthostatic hypotension.

Her blood pressure drops, then her heart pumps faster to try to raise the blood pressure-she gets dizzy, sometimes has fainted.

Medication has helped a lot and she sees a cardiologist who was able to diagnose it.

[Snoopp]

This test is routinely used for diagnosing orthostatic hypotension.  There are things that you can do with your doctor's approval, like adding more sodium, raising the head of the bed, drinking more water, or Rx drugs.  Sorry she is having this issue.  You too aruthbe.

[mistriTsquirrel]

@ruthbe

Yes.

I had mine done at a hospital.  They told me no food or fluids for a certain number of hours beforehand.  I went in, they put an I.V. in my hand, and they strapped me down to a table.  My arms were free though, and they did not strap me down tightly enough for my claustrophobia to flare up. 

Anyway, they told me they would let me lie flat for 10 minutes and take baseline measurements of my blood pressure and heart rate.  Then they would tilt the table to a fully upright position.  If I did not pass out within 10 minutes, they would give me something through the I.V. and see if I passed out.  They keep track of blood pressure and heart rate during all of this. 

They stood me up and I felt light-headed right away.  The nurse kept asking me questions about how I was feeling, and I got more and more confused.  I was feeling very hot and was shaking.  It was really uncomfortable to have to stand there and wait to pass out, but thankfully it only took about 6 minutes for me to pass out.  So they never gave me whatever they give the people who don't pass out on their own.

After I passed out they put the table back to a flat position and gave me fluids through the I.V.  Was still not feeling good, so they wheeled me out in a wheelchair.

It was unpleasant, but it was not the worst procedure I've ever had.

If you want to know more about this topic, I would suggest you go to DINET.org.  There is a forum there where you can talk to people who have P.O.T.S. or other forms of autonomic dysfunction.  I learned a lot more there than I have from any doctor.