Hi there
I had a tilt table test yesterday - not something i requested but the cardiologist thought might be a good idea because I am often dizzy and faint. well, so apparently the test can go on for 45 minutes, but rather dramatically I got those all too familiar signs of fainting immediately on being tilted upright and within a couple of seconds fainted. So much for standing there for 45 minutes.

The cardiologist has told me not to worry and that is was just a faint. blimey - but how come I can't last a couple of seconds but some people can last 45 mins and still not faint. They told me it was quite unusual and didn't expect me to faint at all. Here is the UK doctors do not want to listen and answer your questions (or rather they are happy to listen and look at you  like you are crazy / wasting their time) but they don't want to answer why. I was told that my blood pressure is low and I have an exaggerated response to changes in position. I saw from the chart they had done that my blood pressure dropped immediately, there was a slight increase in heart rate to attempt to compensate but then my heart rate dropped quite low, and of course then the faint. But what I would like to know is why, and is there likely to be a sinister cause or is it just the way I am.

They also did a funny massage thing on the veins in my neck when I was lying down - what was that? But that was okay apparently.

thanks for reading on and putting up with my barrage of questions. I am just one of those people that wants to understand as much as I can so I can keep myself as healthy as I can!

Hi bead, i am sorry that you went through this, but you went through it and are here to tell the tale.  One of my fears is to faint as i have the signs and symptoms associated with going to faint too, not nice, but i never have actually fainted.  Perhaps now that you have had this test you will get some answers to your questions, and you will find out what is going on and what is wrong.  I hope so anyway.  Sorry that i donot have any answers for you or any advice but i just wanted to give you my support in this and hope that now you have been tested and have results to say what is actually happening, that something can be explained to you and put your mind at rest about it finally.  All the best!