Posted by Snoozy on April 15, 2003, at 19:15:08
In reply to Re: Sorry, new to CFS... what's a tilt table test?, posted by Snoozy on April 15, 2003, at 18:41:15
> A tilt table test tests for neurally mediated hypotension. If you've ever found yourself standing in line, and after a few minutes felt like you would pass out, that's a symptom of nmh. Or if you get faint in a hot room. What happens when you have nmh, to simplify, is if you are in an upright position and not moving, your blood pools in your legs and doesn't circulate the way it should and your blood pressure drops.
>
> I actually got this article from a local CFIDS group some years ago. I'll quote a bit of it:
> "Results of a new Johns Hopkins study show that chronic fatigue syndome is strongly linked to a common and potentially treatable abnormality of blood pressure regulation...In the Hopkins study, 22 of 23 patients with CFS tested positive for neurally mediated hypotension. After treatment, nine patients reported full recovery from fatigue and seven others noted some improvement."
>
> What happens during a tilt table test is: you are strapped to a table which is tilted until you are almost fully upright and stay there for a while. Your blood pressure and heart rate are monitored. If you have the condition, your bp will drop. If not, it's totally painless. (It's not painful if you have it, just uncomfortable).
>
> There are several treatments for nmh, some of them non-drug.
>
> Looking through the article, I also note that it says many chronic fatigue patients take tricyclic antidepressants, which can exacerbate the glitch in the nervous system that causes drop in blood pressure.
>
> I don't want to go on too long here, but if this sounds familiar, I'd be happy to provide some more information.
>
> I see you mentioned guaifenesin - I was talking to someone recently who had a very positive experience with it. I'll have to ask about it.Here are a few sites that provide good basic information on nmh, one of them from a fibromyalgia perspective:
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mecfs/general/nmh1.html
http://www.nfra.net/LowBlood.htm
poster:Snoozy
thread:219607
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030411/msgs/219649.html