My husband has been dizzy, what can I do to make him safer?

My friend has that BBPD -she suffers greatly at times. I did not know it could be cured! Good to know.
My husband had a few vasovegal episodes. OH MY they scare me!!! The first was actually at his 10 year high school reunion. He had a slight cold and we were all in a smoky bar( small school) and I was talking with some girls I didn't know and he was sitting at the bar talking with some guy he went to school with. I looked up and saw his head bob. It was weird. I knew he wasn't drinking because he didn't feel well and was driving. I kept watching him and his head did it again and then he got a funny kinda look in his eyes. I went over to him and asked if he was OK and he could not focus on me!!! And he could not talk!!! He stood up ( bad thing to do we fond out) and his knees buckled and he kept trying to talk and couldn't -I started to freak out-and I yelled someone call 911. This was before cell phones-- I launched over the bar just about to grab the bar tender and said "YOU call 911!!!"and he actually said "NO" I was flummoxed !!! I did not know you could even say NO! I guess he just thought my husband was drunk but I knew he wasn't and I knew something was going on!!! I screamed at the guy "if you do not call 911 I will sue your a22 so bad!!!" he got really mad-grabbed the bar phone and threw it at me. I was shocked!!!! By this time my husband was starting to recover some and he said-"I just need some air. Get me outside" so I glared at the bartender and took my husband outside(geez, I am tearing up just remembering this. I was so scared) and he sat outside and said he felt better. All his stupid classmates kept asking if he did drugs!!! ( he did-does not) well I took him to the ER and I was just ready to hear that he had some horrible brain tumor or something and the doc listened to him- how he was sitting in the bar and all of a sudden it felt like he was going to poop his pants-sorry but you it is what happened and one should know-- and then the guy he was talking to -his voice started to fade in and out -- and then he felt like he was going to pass out-- The doc looked at him and said-"You fainted like a pregnant woman". And then he explained about vasovegal ( I have been calling it vessel vegal -good to know the real name). He said that some people at prone to these. That when they get a stomach problem the body sends all the blood there and forgets about the head causing the passing out. I, of course, asked if he was going to die because I have a very low freak level and go right for the scariest possibility. The doctor assured me that he would be fine!

Needless to say we did NOT go to his 20th reunion. Nor have we ever gone back to that bar but I wish we had and I would have punched that bartender!!!!!

Please check ALL the prescription drugs that your husband is taking and find out everything about them pertaining to side effects. A simple search for NAMENDA shows that. " According to MedlinePlus, common symptoms of Namenda include headaches, vomiting, confusion, coughing and constipation. It can also cause extreme fatigue, drowsiness and back pain. Drugs.com states that it can cause weight loss, joint pain, anxiety, aggression and frequent urination. Other prevalent side effects include swelling of the hands and feet, weakness and easy bruising or bleeding. These symptoms are benign but can pose serious health threats. Call your doctor if these symptoms get worse."

"According to Drugs.com, Namenda can cause such harmful side effects as chest tightness, fever and cough. It can also cause tachycardia (fast heartbeat), decreased urination, lack of coordination and pale skin. Other dangerous side effects include confusion, hallucinations, fainting and hypertension (high blood pressure). Symptoms of high blood pressure include blurry vision, numbness, seizure and severe headache. These symptoms can be lethal, so see your doctor for an evaluation."

"The National Library of Medicine states that hypothermia (low body temperature), heart failure (inability of your heart to pump blood to your body), bradycardia (slow heartbeat), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in your lungs) and convulsions are some side effects of Namenda. The drug can also cause cerebrovascular accident (stroke), melena (black stools), anemia (low red blood cells) and leukopenia (low white blood cells). Namenda can affect your personality and cause nervousness, apathy and paranoia. Other side effects include pneumonia, cataracts and conjunctivitis (eye infection)."

"Avoid Namenda if you are allergic to its ingredients. You may develop difficulty breathing, swelling of your throat, face and lips or hives."

According to a book I am reading by, Sherry Rogers M.D. ALL prescription drugs POISON the biochemical pathways of the body and actually force the body to work against itself thus causing all the side effects listed above. Unfortunately, most doctors are trained to ONLY prescribe drugs that work to ONLY lessen or HIDE the symptoms but NONE of the drugs address the cause for the illness. I don't know about you but if this were my husband, I would immediately DEMAND answers from his doctor and if those answers still include using ANY prescribed drugs, I would do my own research since there are other substances out there that are good for the brain including coconut oil, curcumin (BCM 95), etc. and DUMP his doctor and find a good naturalpathic doctor. Remember, the US medical system is the THIRD leading cause of death in the US after heart disease and cancer and over 100,000 people die each year due to taking drugs as prescribed by their physicians. Good luck and hope this helps.

The short answer is to call your doctor and ask what might be causing dizziness, new drug, drug interaction or something else.

And you can take all your husband's meds up to your pharmacist , including any vitamins, and have the pharmacist evaluate them for you. They should do it free of charge. Tell you if there are any interactions. But then go to the doctor.

When my Mom was down I freaked out because she wanted to take more Requip than her bottle prescription said she was allowed. I could not get a hold of my Dad at first and she was getting angry about me for not letting her take another pill after she had just taken one. this was at night . I called Walgreen s 24 hour pharmacy and explained what was going on and the nice pharmacist assured me my Mom would not OD on another dose but could be a fall risk but as she was in bed and does not get out of bed unassisted that was OK. They helped in a pinch. Mom was getting combative over not getting another pill.

Oh, friendly guy- you reminded me of something. With my Mom the PT woman said when she goes to walk a few steps -she has a little mobility with much help- we are to let her stand still for a few -maybe 20 seconds -from the sitting position to let the blood flow -It does seem to help her walk. She is often dizzy. And shuffles her feet so much. I think she has vascular dementia but am not getting answers from my Dad. anyway-let him stand still once he raises from a sitting position before he tries to walk. And hold onto him.

My father had Parkinson's and falling was his first real symptom. He fell in the mall and in the yard. His balance was greatly affected by the disease. He did not have the tremors as much as a balance issue.Has your husband been checked for this condition?

Listen, I realize people sometimes feel they HAVE to convince others that their way is the only way because it makes them more secure on their own decisions. I get that. But what you need to realize if that I am a third generation OCD gal. I have had OCD since I can remember . I have diary entrances from when I was 10 begging God to help me. No one knew what was wrong back then. We were just worry warts-and me the wartiest of them all. I suffered from bulimia (a very common thing for OCD peeps like me p) and alcoholism ( again common), and well, other forms of self medicating that was harmful. I tried all kinds of therapy-wore rubber bands on my wrist to snap when I had one of my bad thoughts, I jazzersized until ever time I heard a friggin' Britney spears song my body would start doing the routines on its own-doesn't matter if I was in the mall, in an elevator or at home and I ate only fish fowl and veggies I tried vitamins and meditation and prayer and still I ended up in bed , shaking non stop until I lost 20 lbs in two weeks, defecating on myself while shaking. BUT-yeah, go ahead and tell me I am wrong. You know better. You and Tom Cruise. Because I love the 30 lb weight gain from Paxil and the fact that I cannot fully enjoy my love life and all the other lovely side effects. I choose those instead of vitamins for sh* T's and giggles.
Your post is dangerous. I am mad. I would be dead now if not for Paxil. I would have committed suicide. How dare you spread the notion that we can fix ourselves with food and vitamins.

Mishka M - hugs to you - sounds like you have been through a lot and ended up deciding to take medicine (it is medicine after all...not drugs..but medicine) to help you with a medical problem. In my book that is what medicine is for. Konacaregiver: some folks can bring down medical issues through eating better...others need to take BP meds or insulin. Bottom line is that medical technology exists to help cure many things that cause harm. It is a personal choice.

Is this the same Dr. Sherry A. Rogers who got her New York licensed suspended in New York for serious infractions? The same who had to pay many fines for her lack of medical skill?
kona-you are NOT on here as a caregiver looking for support. You are on here to sell your naturalist ideas. I looked on your profile. Almost ALL of your posts are about the dangers of meds. You are on here with a personal agenda. A very specific personal agenda -whether because you are financially attached to it or you just need to justify you beliefs or you truly want to spread your philosophy -(because that is what it is -a philosophy-a belief. Unless you are a doctor you cannot say otherwise. ) That is not what this forum is for, to come on and sell your one belief. IMO. BUT , if you must, if you feel that strongly and are that worried about the pharmaceutical companies than , may I suggest, that you simply start a thread. Start a thread about natural approaches to disease and share your views there. Keep it updated. I am sure that many posters would fully enjoy that. It would be your thread. Just, don't , please, don't jump around from thread to thread saying the same thing. And , please, try and remember there is more than one answer out there. You have strong convictions, I actually like that in a person, but what I do not like is when a person with strong convictions tells others that their strong convictions are all wrong. Sooo , please, can you just start a thread but please do be careful because I researched some of the natural cures you mention and they can be very dangerous. They are unregulated and , just because they are natural does not necessarily mean they are safe. I mean oleander is natural. Poisen Ivy-natural. Silver colloidal is VERY dangerous. So I ask that you please be careful.

And I would like to learn more about which vitamins are good for you and what supplements help. I think that it would be a great thread that would last a long time.



Peace.

kona,

For someone who claims to be a caregiver and contributing countless posts to many threads articulating your belief in the danger in trusting doctors and taking prescribed medications, I find it ironic (and scary) that the one physician to whom you hold up as exemplary (Dr. Sherry Anne Rogers) is the very same MD whose medical license was revoked in 1999 for 8 counts of MEDICAL MISCONDUCT.

Seriously? I hope that others who read your posts recognize that your advice needs to be questioned for it's efficacy and validity. You're probably sincere in your desire to "help" others. Please consider your comments and the impact they may have on "gullible" members before pressing the submit button. It's a question of social mores and ethics.