Strange symptoms, weird diagnosis

[sugabuga]

It has been the weirdest week. My uncle was driving down the road and had to pull over because he had severe tightening in his chest, got extremely dizzy, limp and cold to the touch. I mean, the guy could not move. It took the paramedics 45 minutes to get him out of his truck. They touched him and said he felt dead he was so cold. Anyway, he gets to the hospital and run some tests to see if he had a heart attack and they so no, it's just vertigo. VERTIGO!! I'm having a hard time believing that one. We're taking him for a second opinion today. I'm just a nursing student so I don't have the knowledge to even begin to diagnose him. Does anyone have any ideas?

[DusktilDawn]

It definately sounds more serious than vertigo. Definately insist on a full cardiac workup when you go for that second opinion.

[Angie O'Plasty]

It definately sounds more serious than vertigo. Definately insist on a full cardiac workup when you go for that second opinion.

Agreed. Sounds like it could possibly have been an arrhythmia or something of that nature--did he have any palpitations?

[sugabuga]

I'll ask my aunt. I thought vertigo was just dizziness with a little bit of nausea. If it had been a stroke it would have shown up on the EKG right?

[sjb2005]

I'll ask my aunt. I thought vertigo was just dizziness with a little bit of nausea. If it had been a stroke it would have shown up on the EKG right?

EKGs show the eletrical functioning of the heart. If the EKG is normal, that does not necessarily mean his heart is ok. He should get a full cardiac work up with a cardiologist.

If the cardilogist determines that his heart is ok, his symptoms could possibly be related to other things like vagal nerve stimulation, blood pressure issues, or intestinal bleeding. Medicine isn't always cut and dry. He needs further evaluation.

If he suffered a stroke, his symptoms would show up on a neurological exam and he may have problems with his vision, walking, talking, swallowing, memory, cognition, weakness or poor of functioning in his limbs.

Good luck. Be his pt advocate and get him more testing.

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

I have Meniere's syndrome and have experienced extreme bouts of vertigo, which included perfuse diaphoresis, cold clammy skin and felt very weak. I did not have chest tightness. I would hope that when your uncle was seen by MD, they did a cardiac workup. Seems to me that would've been the first thing to rule out. As a matter of fact, it SHOULD'VE BEEN. Cardiac symptoms come in all shapes and sizes. Did he have a workup at all???

The vertigo that I experience can come out of nowhere in its acute phase. I don't have many bad bouts anymore because of medication that has helped, but I am "dizzy" most every day. It is more than dizziness you experience. It is a eye/ear thing that can really knock you on your butt.

My dad had the same exact thing happen to him, vertigo, chest tightness, nausea. They too told him it was vertigo, but AFTER a complete cardiac workup.