Fainting/Vasovagal Syncope

[Guest lindywig]

Anyone with some insight or experience with this one?

I am currently in the process of getting my initial FC1 physical approved by Guard Bureau. I thought I finished the process last fall with out being concerned about anything being that the medical personel said I looked "good to go" and should be fine with getting approved. Weeks later, Guard Bureau sent my FC1 back to the base asking for further documentation on a fainting incident I had 1 1/2 years ago during a guard drill.

Here's what happened during this incident:

Basically, My buddy was telling me a detailed and gruesome story about his brother during break. I was over tired and I felt myself growing faint. Even though I've heard and dealt with many gory incidences before, I grew faint and passed out.

My supervisor at the time didn't want to take any chances and decided to have me taken to the hospital to have tests done. Everything, including blood tests, EKG, was fine. Doctor said it may have been a combination of being tired and hearing the gruesome story.

After having the detailed reports sent to Guard Bureau with my FC1, they responded again by asking for (1) a physicians report on the one other time I passed out (6 years ago while in High School,) and (2) a cardio evaluation.

The incident in High School was when I was sick with the flu, and the hospital was taking blood from me to see if there was anything wrong with my blood count. Though I passed out, the doctor said I was fine and healthy.

So, with this being said, and assuming my Cardio exam goes well this week. Is there any reason I could be denied approval of my FC1 for passing out twice in my life?

- Peace Out -

[Guest Thriller]

Lindywig,

Rage and F16PilotMD are the two Docs on this site. They'll hit you up with the right info.

Fainting due to a "gruesome story" is a little unlikely if you've "heard and dealt with them before". My question would be not only how tired you were, but also what your nutrition was like prior to it occurring. Dehydration could have been an issue. I doubt it was anything psychological.

Furthermore, are you a female? If so, menstruation issues could also be a probable culprit.

I'm not a Doc, but it just seems like your Doc could have given you more probable causes than just "you were tired". If he didn't ask any of these questions, then I'm surprised.

Maybe if you can give the docs on this board a little more info on some of these things that I've mentioned, then they will be able to lead you in the right direction and give you a good answer.

Hope that helped and welcome to the forum.

Peace,

THRILLER

[Guest doctidy]

Lindy:

Sounds like a standard story and sequence of events. I think you'll end up being fully qualified.

[Guest lindywig]

Thanks for the replies fellas.

Thriller, to answer your q's; I'm male (that rules out menstration I hope). I wasn't eating properly during the first episode (being that I was sick for a while before the blood draw).

The update: My cardio eval. consisted of 1) basic ekg, 2) a stress test and 3) an echocardiogram (that was cool seeing the valves working in my heart as it was doing its thing!)

All of those tests came back normal and healthy. The cardio-specialist did say that those episodes may be syncope* spelling?. He explained that it could be linked to a learned behavior due to blood or the mentionning of it in both episodes. I still don't think that was it being that gore doesn't creep me out or anything.

Now it's time to sit and wait keeping the fingers crossed.

Love, peace and chicken grease!

[Guest lindywig]

in case anyone is wondering~

Everything came back approved! (sigh of relief)

[PaddyPilot]

I recently had an episode of Vasovagal Syncope and I don't know what the implications of that are. Is there a number or an email address for an air force medical examiner?

Also, I searched the forum and only found one thread about this. Has anyone had any similar experience?

Edited May 27, 2008 by PaddyPilot

[Guest P27:17]

I recently had an episode of Vasovagal Syncope and I don't know what the implications of that are. Is there a number or an email address for an air force medical examiner?

Also, I searched the forum and only found one thread about this. Has anyone had any similar experience?

Are you talking about an FAA AME?

The question is what caused your syncope? An uncomplicated (seizures/head injury) episode of vasovagal syncope is no big deal...it happens frequently when pilots give blood. If you had an episode for a typical/explained reason and you came around once supine you will be fine and won't even need a waiver.

[PaddyPilot]

Well, I was watching a movie about car crashes, which had actual footage of car crashes. That means brains, intestines, and other assorted internal organs strewn all over the place. I fainted because of that.

When I was about 4, I fainted for a similar reason.

When I was 12, I fainted because I had a fever.

That makes a total of 3 faints, all explained.

The problem is, I recently took a tilt table test and my heart stopped for 10 seconds. That issue is complicated because I had not drank anything in 20 hours, which is a probable factor. This whole issue is becoming a huge mess.