My Protein Shake Tried to Kill Me!

[sistasassy 6]

So I come home from church this morning and fix my Protein shake (am on pre-op diet), take it to my room, settle in to watch some shows on DVR, and take a drink of my shake. Instant brain freeze. Is ok. Have had brain freeze before, so I recover. Take another drink only smaller and slower. Instant brain freeze only THIS time it is coupled with my heart flipping totally out.

I have PVCs in my heart anyway from time to time. This time my heart was "missing" and then it would go really fast and then really slow. I figured I glitched something somewhere and it would rectify itself in a matter of minutes. My PVCs usually do.

Well, I waited.....and waited...and waited somemore. I finally tried ignoring the whole mess and 4 hours later finally broke down and had my hubby take me to the ER which was PACKED.

Well, considering that it was a heart thing and the symptoms they felt I was showing, I was immediately bumped to the front of the line and given a room and all the normal "we think you are having a heart attack but not going to tell you that" tests began.

My ER doc comes in after a bit (poor guy was crazy busy) and plopped down in the chair to tell me that my EKG was fine but that I was definately kicking out some major PVCs. We start talking again about what was happening just before they started.

Finally he puts me on a heart monitor, brings me a lovely GI coctail (no umbrella in the glass - I was sad :biggrin:) and tells me AFTER I drink it that my mouth and throat will go numb and I will feel like it is all closing up on me but not to worry about it . Okay.

I soon adjust to the numbing and realize I will live to see another day and begin to wait again.

Doc comes back in, checks on me about 30 minutes later (I was feeling much better by this time), and informs me that he believes my Protein Shake caused spasms in my esophagus which sent a signal to my brain (along with the brain freeze) via the vagus nerve and then my brain sent a signal to my heart telling it that it was Freak Out Day and that it could do what it wanted....and it apparently chose to dance.

Anyway, all is well now. I am back home with a box of Prilosec OTC to take daily for the next two weeks to reduce any swelling there may be in my esophagus so I will be ready for my surgery. Sigh.......long day.

[MyTurn 4]

I'm glad everything turned out OK. I think everyone has an ER story! Maybe we should start a thread about them and put it in a book. Or make it into a TV sitcom!!

[crzytchr 3]

Doc comes back in, checks on me about 30 minutes later (I was feeling much better by this time), and informs me that he believes my Protein shake caused spasms in my esophagus which sent a signal to my brain (along with the brain freeze) via the vagus nerve and then my brain sent a signal to my heart telling it that it was Freak Out Day and that it could do what it wanted....and it apparently chose to dance.

Anyway, all is well now. I am back home with a box of Prilosec OTC to take daily for the next two weeks to reduce any swelling there may be in my esophagus so I will be ready for my surgery. Sigh.......long day.

:eek:WTH!!!!!! Preop diet sucks enough without it trying to kill you!!! Geez. Good Luck with that. BTW, did doc tell you how to prevent this in the future?

[sistasassy 6]

LOL A book of the funny/weird things that happen along these journeys would be good. 'The Humerous Side of the Lap Band Journey"

[sistasassy 6]

The doc said to not drink things that are that cold. I had used Protein powder, milk and ice in the blender. He said my body must not like things that cold and to opt for warmer things.

So weird....today and my body.

[KayleighsMommy 16]

WOW!!!! How crazy :confused: I am so glad it was just the drink, and nothing more serious :thumbup:

julie

[Laurinda 1]

Bless your heart < no pun> I am glad your ok!!!

I always said that pre-opt diet was gonna kill me but GEEEESH nothing like proving it aye *wink* Glad all is ok!!!! Good-luck to you!

[aprilapple 1]

sassy, that is sad and sit-comish at the same time. I'm glad that you feel better. You took it like a champ!

[MissMom24 2]

YIKES!!! I am glad that you are OK.

I do a Protein slam (I get mine at GNC and I do peach or fruit punch) mixed with Crystal Light and it is much easier going down then the Protein shake...plus it is not all slushy like the other shakes.

[antiquejunckie 0]

Glad you are doing better. Which doctor put you on pre-op Protein Shakes? What is in it (how do you make it?). I am new to this whole thing.

[*slim* 2]

OMG! I am so glad that you are ok. That had to be awful. I know it is very funny now, but I also know you had to be scared during. I hope everything works out ok for you.

[Jaymie72 0]

WOW!! That is scary. I have PSVT which is a condition of the heart that causes it to start beating at about 230 beats a minute. It is really scary but I know how to get myself out of it now. I also worked in an ER for 8 years before we started our ambulance company and Sundays are the busiest days. No doctors offices are open so everyone comes to the ER. Also it seems like everyone would get hurt on Saturday and then wait over night to see if it got better then come to the ER. Crazy busy place!! It is really hard to understand why things happen the way they do in the ER unless you have worked in one.

[sistasassy 6]

I feel so much better after a good night's rest. Ended up with a monster headache (figuring it was from all the stress of the day), took a couple of Tylenol and went to bed.

I am now sipping a nice Protein drink with no ice. So far, this one has not launched any attacks.