i got a glimps of some results during the tests today. they won't tell me the final diagnosis until some time next week. so, i've been trying to look up things in the meantime.

yeah, did the google search thing, got tons of results, lots of important looking "words" i don't understand but nothing that really tells me what that stuff actually means ...


1. Lateral T-Wave flattening (in regards to my EKG). I found a whole bunch of diagrams that show me a flat T-Wave, great, but what does it mean? is that dangerous? what's causing it?

2. Right Basilar Atelectasis (in regards to my chest x-ray). again found thousands of results, seems like a lot of people have it, but why the hell can't anybody describe this is normal english (or german) words?


help! medical translator needed ...
Andy

Dude....call Lisa. PM me for her #

1.) T wave flattening- a non-specific change usually means nothing. Seen as we get older. If I noted a change in your EKG from last year, I would do a treadmill to make sure nothing new was going on. 2.) Base atelectasis- a lobe of your lung was not inflated when the x-ray was taken. Usually means nothing. A deep breath usually opens it up. If it stays atelectaic (closed down)on a repeat film, then I would get a CT of the chest to see why. I'm sure you Doc will explain.

thanks man ...

just being paranoid, i guess ...
Andy

how ya feelin, sourkraut?

that's "Sauerkraut" for you sir!

dunno. you ever had your arms go numb while driving?
and then your tongue goes numb and you can't feel it and you are afraid you're going to swallow it?

at this point, i wish it just had been an ordinary heart attack. i'd be either dead or out of the hospital by now.
Andy

No, its wisdom.

I'm 41 now. I never go to the doctor. As much as I resist, I am finally giving way to the idea that I need to start getting educated and getting stuff checked out. Maybe I'll go get that physical in the next couple years. I have no idea what my cholesterol, blood pressure, and all that other important stuff is. But wisdom says to get ahold of it on the front side.

Pullin' and prayin' for ya man. Keep us posted.

has it happened again?

My arm falls asleep sometime running camera, but it is raised to chin level and the shape of the hand grip seems to cut circulation a bit to the hand.

yupp, happened again saturday and sunday, with saturday being the worser (is that a word?) day of the two ...

first, the left side of my face goes numb, then my left arm, then my right arm gets really weak. i barely made it to the shop. had to sit down for an hour before i felt good enough to touch a wrench ...
Andy

Andy did you have a angiogram? Mebi test? Stress test?

The T wave is the ventrical repolarization of the heart when it's refilling. It's the bump after the up & down spikes.

Hope you are doing better Sir Andy.
Circulation blockage will make that numbness happen from time to time especially when staying in the same position for long time spans. Bending over and straightening up too fast will make you dizzy too. Faint is a better word. Everyone has these things happen sometimes so do exactly as your doctor says and you'll be around long enough to be called an old fart. How you say that in German?

Cheers and speedy recovery.

MikeCool
Oakfield, TN

You're not taking any supplements are you? Vitamins? Change your diet or vitamin regimen prior to all of this occurring? Drinking that "energy drink" crapola? Anything? I had very similar symptoms a few years back after increasing b-complex. It went on for weeks. Doc said no way b-complex was the cause. As soon as I stopped the taking b-complex it went away in a day or two and never returned.

Cooley!,

How old are you now? I think you and Bernie are our oldest members.

How are you doing? TN still good too you? Do 914 people stop in and say hello every once in awhile?


B

Andy, I had similar symptoms in High School. I was 15. It began with a slight headache. While bent over my desk doing some writing I raised my head rather quickly. A sharp pain shot from my temple around to the back of my head. Then my left side of my face went numb along with the left side of my tongue. I started to feel nauseous.

I ended up at the hospital freaking out. They gave me a sedative (shot) that put me out. The Doctors said I'd had a muscle spasm in the right side of my head that caused a major blood vessel to be squeezed shut causing what looked like a stroke.

Thank God it's never happened again. That was scary!

All I can say is bug the doctors constantly about what's wrong & how to fix it. Don't wait for them to come to you with the answers.

Take care Buddy and Good Luck.

......b

Andy,
You can PM me for my phone number if you want or just to discuss anything else.

The chest x-ray results are no big deal "Right Basilar Atelectasis" is a term used to describe the lower portion of your rt. lung.....it should be nice and pointed, but if it is under inflated for whatever reason, scaring, pneumonia, etc, then it just appears "blunt" or not a sharp point.....here is an example of a normal chest film
Click to view attachment
see the sharp points at the bottom of each lung? They are just saying that the point or "apex" of your rt lung is not fully inflated.....have you had any respiratory illnesses in the past? Are you still smoking?

Your T-wave flattening could be normal for you..........do you have an old ECG to compare it to? You are a tall guy and the axis of your heart could have something to do with a normal variant of you electrical activity as seen on ECG.

Also, we see tons of people with what seems like heart attack symptoms who have spasm of their coronary arteries.....a condition which ususally can be treated fairly easily by meds.

Is there any food or meds that you are ingesting that could possibly be causing this or maybe a lot of stress?

Jenny has a great Cardiologist in your area.....maybe you should go see him for a second opinion.

Call or PM anytime for "translation"

Take care

Lisa

HUm.. your asking him about smoking?

I have never seen him smoke anything but cigars during the holidays.

Do you know something I dont..LOL

Thanks I'm worried about him.


B

I think I was making an ASSumption .....smoking is very common with European folks..........my bad.....sorry

Take care of yourself Andy!

Lisa

For the longest time he didnt drink coffee, but that fired up again 1-2 years ago. He also kept the drinking down, but each night I see him post about his "drink" has lead me to beleive he had a cocktail each evening.

He probably smoked for years and years in Germany, but I have'nt seen it here while I have known him in the states 5+ years.

Sorry for calling you out Andy. I just want you to get the best advise possible.


B

Andy,

the numbness could also be caused by pinched nerves.

BTW...I'm a Captain now and I get the keys to the drug cabinet. So what every you need....

The pinched nerve thing was my theory, but I dont know how that could make him tired.

This crap has me freaked out. I know I'm next. 35. NO problems whatsoever when it comes to health (besides mental..LOL) I get racing physicals once a year that is about it. I have never had ANY hospital stays since I was 6 months old with Spinal Menagitus.

Prime for major headache later on. Luckily I dont smoke and only have a few beers every other weekend.


B

The tiredness could be because of the extra stress of not knowing what is wrong.....

I have numbness in my left hand/arm....starts with my little finger, spreads to my second finger, radiates up the arm and when I had the damage right after my accident it was in the face and neck. Trip to the chiropractor for a tuneup and deep mussle massage (to relieve the preassure of the scar tissue) helps.

Lisa knows her stuff......
she is one gud girl to have in your court!!

and its good to hear you are kicking,and ticking....

Just my $.2 from when I had a pinched nerve...

If the numbness is related to blood-flow then your skin may feel cooler or change color. If it's nerve related then it may look more like a shot of novacaine (loss of muscle control).

Hope you get some info soon; and I agree, you often have to be your own advocate when it comes to the healthcare you are receiving. Scary but true.

Alter Furz (Old Fart)

Ich bin eine Pädiatrische Krankenschwester( I am a pediatric Nurse)

*stopped* smoking when i was 14. yepp, 14. all because of a girl ...
i smoke a cigar once every other month ...

used to drink coffee by the pot for years and years. no more. stopped a few years back. i have a cup here and there now, that's it.

alcohol. ah, yes, alcohol ... i usually have a drink or two in the evening. my weekends are suprisingly dry ...
i don't think booze really is an issue.

diet. never in my whole life liked the fastfood thing.
maybe a little high on the carbs (yummi potatoes!), but i like the green stuff just as much ...

not overweight ...

no über-stress at work or in life, not depressed ...


the only thing i am certainly guilty of is not exercising. i haven't done any in 20 years. but i don't see how the lack of exercise would make my face go numb ...


this one has me (and the doctors) stumped ...
Andy

it's all in the works ... around here, if you don't look like you're going to die in the next 10 minutes, most of your "treatment" is spent sitting around for days waiting for someone to have the time to look at you.

unless you got a bullet hole in your chest, you're not considered "high priority" ...
Andy

PS: which, btw, sort of makes sense ...

Your face muscles are weak! Girly Man! You need to flex your face 100 times a day!

How old are you now?
70 soon 71 but going on 16.

I think you and Bernie are our oldest members.
Probably right Braddo, but hands down, I am the 914 dummy.

How are you doing? Just got me another 914 last week. Makes the 34th or 35th.
72 1.7 as original as they come. Not bad for what I paid. You know it's good. It's a Texas car and I am the 2nd owner. Don't make em like they used to do they?
Needs some working on but show me one that doesn't. About a half pound of carbon blew out the exhaust but fired up 1st crank with new battery after sitting in Denton for 6 years.

TN still good too you? No, but my wife Red makes up for that. LOL

Do 914 people stop in and say hello every once in awhile?

No but the last visit was from Clay, Joe Yoder and Perry Kiehl a couple of years back. They brought me a 69th birthday present from Texas. A 75 914. I gave it away before moving up here. Guy spoke Spanish so I couldn't understand what he wanted other than only my signature on the otherwise blank title.
I moved to Oakfield TN so nobody knows where I live. It's about 35 miles from Kiehl but don't tell him. He'll move saying there goes the neighborhood.

They don't socialize with me on here either but that's cool. I still tell bad jokes so I understand. I have to ask lots of questions about 914 repairs now. I really haven't forgot because I never knew much in the 1st place.

Glad to see this Brad venture doing well. Brad has the biggest 914 heart on this site and will share it with you Sir Andy if he could.
Be well.
Damn. Did I type all that!

MikeCool
Oakfield, TN

My guess is Spasm.......

How are you feeling tonight Andy?

Well I hope



Lisa

thanks for asking ...

i got some new pills yesterday, have to take one a day, early in the morning.
and i'm feeling much better now, probably the best i felt since the "incident" ...

i have more test coming up next week ...
Andy

If you don't mind me asking......what medication did they put you on?

You can PM it to me if you feel more comfortable.

Lisa

Andy, you need to seriously walk or ride a bike or swim at least once a week. Not Olympic level or competitive just something to raise your pulse 40 bpm. Start when you sort out your current situation.

Thanks MikeC!

Good to hear the updates. Good to hear "Red" is keeping you straight. She is a strong lady. I didnt know about your move.

Andy=excersise?

His heart rate goes up when he attends a punk concert, but it is not because of the music...LOL



B

After you get this sorted out Andy, look into atleast walking for an hour 3 times a week. You can do this with your wife for fun or just go to the store that far away.
Exercise is what keeps me halfway young.

Dang we have a lot of smart folks here...and then there is Lisa, the professional genius! I am glad she works in the biz.

I just finished my last test of yr one and all of the info that I could have given you has already been given. Kinda cool. I would love to see your blood tests.
As Lisa mentioned, spasm is something to consider. If you have ever felt that faint feeling when you get up too fast then you know what orthostatic hypotension is about (lowered blood pressure due to position of the body). If you are feeling the same kind of feeling but more pronounced then a spasm could be the cause as it would change your bp up and down over a period of time. It would be like if your fuel pressure regulator raised and lowered your fuel pressure quickly over a period of time. As your blood pressure changes so does how you feel, particularly when it drops.

Dang, ya'll even knew what a flattend T wave meant and Lisa hit it with the taller stature caveot.

Have I mention today that I love this place!?

Andy, medicine is a customer service industry. YOU are the customer and you should bug the hell out of the docs and nurses until you have your questions answered to your satisfaction. You are paying for it and it is your life. We want you around for a bit longer.

Andy - hope you are feeling OK now.
Maybe get some seatbelt pads to keep them straps from pinching the chest/neck directly? If you got numb while driving it could very well be that your circulation was cut off by tight belts, I know I've felt this to a minor extent during long drives.
Hope to meet you soon, maybe B-fast next week
or AX in Sept

Here's a picture from the last time I saw you and you looked pretty good.

Maybe a little on the ripped side but good neverless.