Okay, your heart stops working, when an engine stops working it is because it runs out of fuel. The fuel for your heart includes creatine phosphate and that can be boosted by taking creatine monohydrate, a natural compound your body makes less of as you age, and coQ10 which is also important for energy production and which you also make less of as you age.

Specialists have said my heart electrics somehow get weak in early hours of the morning, causing heart
to stop for short time. Then reboot. Funny thing is I'm a Born n Bred Electrician.
Medication has stopped the Blacking out. But still doesn't explain the CAUSE.
They've also said increase magnesium potassium n salt intake. Should increase conductivity n stop my heart getting to slow idle mode as easily.
Anyway that bit seems under control.
Just the fitness is my issue...
Time for a few slow laps of the pool. It's a tropical 26'C atm.

As a water man SUP is a great all round form of exercise. Paddle into the breeze for as long as you can and throw in a few short bursts of speed along the way. When you have done just cruise back with the wind behind you. Also power walking in waist deep water is a good way to build strength and stamina. I have been on my arse for long periods over the last 4 years and still have ongoing issues so know exactly where you are coming from. I know I will never get back to my previous form but I'm happy just to get out and do what I can when I can.
Good luck getting a firm diagnosis and effective treatment, I have long given up as no Dr or specialist I have seen seems to have a clue with anything a bit out of the ordinary.
Hope you get some TOW soon.

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
Specialists have said my heart electrics somehow get weak in early hours of the morning, causing heart
to stop for short time. Then reboot. Funny thing is I'm a Born n Bred Electrician.
Medication has stopped the Blacking out. But still doesn't explain the CAUSE.
They've also said increase magnesium potassium n salt intake. Should increase conductivity n stop my heart getting to slow idle mode as easily.
Anyway that bit seems under control.
Just the fitness is my issue...
Time for a few slow laps of the pool. It's a tropical 26'C atm.

Both of those supplements will help with energy for exercise too! That is why I always take creatine before windfoiling, gives me more energy and endurance. Also take 100 mg coQ10 at least once a day, more if I am feeling tired (every 4 hrs or so).

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
Alcohol also a trigger. Had 2 Wild Turkey cans n during the night I'm blacking out again. Havnt blacked out since getting my licence back. Phew, some freedom!

Funny that. That is the same as me. So I have to manage it. I'm not sure why, as I believe my issue is purely mechanical.

That is double edged sword of sleep issues. If GP makes diagnosis official, a caveat goes on driver's licence. But without official diagnosis, no official help from employer.

Lots of good ideas presented in this thread. I hope you get it sorted and get your fitness up

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
OK somebody has to be the pessimist.
This sounds like it sucks oldskool but man, its serious. NOT A doctor BUT really, people saying its lack of fitness? No, that weight gain and not doing stairs is a symptom not a cause....... I lost my fitness and became a fat carnt but I didn't black out 61x in 5mths and the docs are unsure why.
Blackouts (in my limited understanding) are oxygen/heart, or brain electrical storm like epilepsy and others.
You don't go from normal (and I'd say you were probably fitter than normal) to 15 stairs feels hard, in 5mths.
You don't pass out when not exercising, and blame fitness (alone) surely??
I have sleep apnoea almost as bad as it gets (die for one minute out of every two and restart = no deep sleep, ever) and its fatiguing but not in that way. My mates with it don't report things like u r. So I agree if your results are neg, and even if you had a bit of OSA its not going to do this stuff.

Cardiologist and neurologist and don't take no for an answer from them

Sorry- harsh post but I'd hate you to blame the disease on a symptom (weight gain/ fitness) and just think eating better and running around will help. It might not, and those who say just fitness (only) are being disingenuous

With sleep apnoea that bad it sounds like you could beneift from a CPAP machine.
Made a dramatic difference to a family member who was stopping 11 times a night prior to CPAP.
10 years + now and never sleeps without CPAP.

A fan in the bedroom does the same thing. I wake up frequently through the night, but I discovered not on warm nights when I have a fan on.
Possibly due to the constant low noise stopping me noticing distant sounds, or maybe the air circulating keeps fresh air closer to my air intake.

Refined sugars in your diet? Alcohol?

We lose fitness levels fast just like it only takes a couple of days to decompose. The energy required to keep anything alive is quite something!

Creatine most definitely gives you energy. I drink coffee after dinner, but I will only take creatine after breakfast, else I don't sleep

I take it you are looking for any and all ideas. There are some vagus nerve exercises you can do I stumbled across them on YouTube. They work and are super simple. Try just looking up and to the side for a minute until you sigh, for example.

As for fitness High Intensity Interval Training is the bomb. But with your condition ask a doctor first. Don't train every day, you'll hate it. Train as often that you enjoy it and want more. That's the true/revealed/secret/ancient lost art to getting fit.

Select to expand quote

evlPanda said..
As for fitness High Intensity Interval Training is the bomb. But with your condition ask a doctor first. Don't train every day, you'll hate it. Train as often that you enjoy it and want more. That's the true/revealed/secret/ancient lost art to getting fit.

Sounds a bit like Windsurfing

Or surfing.
I agree Evil certainly don't want to do it every day. The recommendation I posted was 1/2hr twice a week.
Of course that was for over 70s, but it maybe applicable for somebody younger starting from a lower base.
I think I was doing too much, it got me fit but also made me tired, so didn't help much. doing it less often, I feel better.

So im still having blackouts. I go about 70-80 days. Then WHAM! im blacking out for a day. Then nothing again for another 70-80days. Went to get out of bed one morning. Blacked again n put my head thru the plaster! No damage to me. Then carrying 2 litre milk bottle in the garage at my folks house. Blacked again bounced off the fridge n landed on the milk bottle. BOOM !! 2L milk everywhere! Dinted the fridge! Bahaha!! Still no damage to me. So thats been 96times if blacked out. Almost a Century!
Still no closer to a solution though Eating well taking my chems from Dr. Also trying Accupunture which certainly helps.Fitness is off the chart BAD. 15 stairs still have knocked up. Checking out dietician n fitness experts next.
Windsurfing seems a far far away Dream.

Select to expand quote

Mr Milk said..
A fan in the bedroom does the same thing. I wake up frequently through the night, but I discovered not on warm nights when I have a fan on.
Possibly due to the constant low noise stopping me noticing distant sounds, or maybe the air circulating keeps fresh air closer to my air intake.

I always run a ceiling fan at night, in Summer it pushes air down, in Winter I switch the rotation so it pulls up and does not cool me so much, but still provides the background noise that blocks out more distant sounds.

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
So im still having blackouts. I go about 70-80 days. Then WHAM! im blacking out for a day. Then nothing again for another 70-80days. Went to get out of bed one morning. Blacked again n put my head thru the plaster! No damage to me. Then carrying 2 litre milk bottle in the garage at my folks house. Blacked again bounced off the fridge n landed on the milk bottle. BOOM !! 2L milk everywhere! Dinted the fridge! Bahaha!! Still no damage to me. So thats been 96times if blacked out. Almost a Century!
Still no closer to a solution though Eating well taking my chems from Dr. Also trying Accupunture which certainly helps.Fitness is off the chart BAD. 15 stairs still have knocked up. Checking out dietician n fitness experts next.
Windsurfing seems a far far away Dream.

maybe wearing a heart-rate monitor will give you a clue, and a warning, of a coming blackout so you stop doing things and sit/lay down.

After a random 2am interweb hunt, it looks like one of the medications im taking for cholesterol has many side effects. Im experiencing about half on the list. Stomach pain, nausea, muscle aches, loss of cardio n muscle fitness, the list goes on.... canning that crap!
EUREKA!! Hopefully im a step closer to getting fit enough to get back on the water.

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
After a random 2am interweb hunt, it looks like one of the medications im taking for cholesterol has many side effects. Im experiencing about half on the list. Stomach pain, nausea, muscle aches, loss of cardio n muscle fitness, the list goes on.... canning that crap!
EUREKA!! Hopefully im a step closer to getting fit enough to get back on the water.

If you read the possible side effects on medication you wouldn't take any! The ironic thing is sometimes the medication they give you to fix a sympton has the same side effects as the sympton..( eye roll).
It's certainly a balancing act as you get older..

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
After a random 2am interweb hunt, it looks like one of the medications im taking for cholesterol has many side effects. Im experiencing about half on the list. Stomach pain, nausea, muscle aches, loss of cardio n muscle fitness, the list goes on.... canning that crap!
EUREKA!! Hopefully im a step closer to getting fit enough to get back on the water.

Your doc may not have mentioned explicitly enough but lots of statins have side effects for certain people which can be avoided by switching to another, related drug. Lipitor (simvastatin) causes me severe muscle aches and cramps, but Rosuvastatin (Crestor) doesn't. For some people it's just the opposite. It's worth getting your MD to help you experiment because nobody does well with very high cholesterol.

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
After a random 2am interweb hunt, it looks like one of the medications im taking for cholesterol has many side effects. Im experiencing about half on the list. Stomach pain, nausea, muscle aches, loss of cardio n muscle fitness, the list goes on.... canning that crap!
EUREKA!! Hopefully im a step closer to getting fit enough to get back on the water.

The best cholesterol reducers are from plants, including beta-sitosterol and policosinol, inexpensive and have no side effects according to my Dad.

^ Yep im more inclined to adjust my diet further, naturally, than ingest more chems. Which seem for me this time around have more negatives than positives.
Time will tell....

Whats your cholesterol numbers ? .... If fairly high but HDL high , and Hdl to trigs is good . The whole 'high cholesterol' argument causing heart disease is becoming more and more flimsy ... There's some ridiculous statistics around statins , along the lines of 'it only ACTUALLY changes the outcome of 1 in 50 cases ' ! , yet has so many negative very bad side effects ... Are your trigs and LDL off the scale ?

Maybe you've got a hiatal hernia (which can pressure vagus nerve to start glitching and causing heart palps / heart electrical issues ... look it up , maybe there's some gastric issues ? do you get alot of acid reflux ?

A crook neck would also trigger episodes , I've had a bad neck for years , and around 7 years ago went to a chiropractor for several sessions to basically wear down the bone that was locking my neck up , and giving me a myriad of dodgy symptoms ...

Select to expand quote

Sparky said..
Your neck theory might be on to something, I am a chiropractor and see these symptoms at times when people have had a neck injury. Along with headaches, nausea, blurred vision, etc.. would be worth getting a good local Chiro to check your neck. I also wonder about your pituitary gland? Have you had blood tests for hormone levels and a brain scan to check your pituitary gland?

I've never had blackouts but do occasionally get nausea, vertigo caused by my neck, chiro does a great job and is an instant fix in my case until I pop it out again.

^ Yep. 2015 boating injury. Successfully Duckdived my 23ft platey in 8ft surf.
Ahhh Whoooops!!!
Got knocked out when chartplotter hit me in the face. 8month recovery learning to walk n balance n back to work. 50k to rebuild my boat.Thats when i met the SB Crew. Decided to sail again to improve balance.
Currently accupunture n chiro keep me in line.
7days since last 'Statin' tablet. Energy levels returning, no sore muscles, stomach settled down.
Even got out for a 40min sail on my RB with the Sandstone crew.

^
Good to see your smiling mug out on the water

^ Thanks mate. Good to catch up with you guys again. Sandstone is a nice easy place to sail n camp.

The following is not medical advice and consult with your treating physicians. For Education and information only.

From a clinical psychology perspective the vagus nerve is one of the few ways you can access the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The slow breath out (Lengthy exhalation) is seen as the vagal brake (Parasympathetic Nervous system - PNS Inhibitory system), putting the brake on the heart rate, you can feel it slowing down as you do long slow breaths out, I use breathing exercises to help trauma victims slow their heart rate and deactivate excessive stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS- Excitory system). To stimulate the heart to make people more alert, you would do more lengthy Inhalations. A technique such as The Box Breathing method for stimulation would be something Like this = Breath in count of 6, Hold Count of 6, Breathe out count of 3 Hold count of 3, repeat 15x.

It wont be a cure, but might be the best exercise you can do as it directly activates the vagal nerve.

NB. Again consult your physicians, I am not a Cardiologist who may see a contraindication in what I'm talking about.

Hardie, yes breathing has a lot of merit. Haha....
In all seriousness, long slow breathing actually prevents me from blacking out when im about to go Flop.
'Long slow' is definately calming. Will try the 2 different styles you mention n report back.
Also another exercise to do when you feel about to blackout. This is for anyone...
Clasp your hands Monkey grip at chest height n try pull them apart.
Its like an instant reboot for me. Adrenaline hit.
Its been quite an interesting learn/journey. The human body has SO many amazing systems inplace to keep us functioning n alive.
Western medicine has its place.
But theres a lot more to learn by listening n learning n feeling what your body tells you n acting upon it....

Select to expand quote

olskool said..
Clasp your hands Monkey grip at chest height n try pull them apart.
Its like an instant reboot for me. Adrenaline hit.

Does this work when you are planing on a port or starboard tack?

wow Olskool thats heavy mate. Sorry to hear that. Ive been thru similar bad times. Good you drop caffeine etc for now and forever is a wise move. That stuff messes your nervous system seriously for most people.
Have you heard of withania? It is an extract of ashwaganda - Indian herb. It gives you deep slow and steady strength and helps many people recover from chronic fatigue etc. Get it from Medi-Herb (Australian) at health food shop with a naturopath. Or you can try the good trustworthy people at Herbosophy in WA. Bitter herbs heal us, espec after years of standard Aussie diet and its sugar laden processed fake foods we eat just to feel full.
mediherb.com/contact-us.aspx
Don't give up bro. Keep searching for deep natural cures and avoid all the toxic drugs drs try to shove down ya throat for a quick fix. They are like mechanics who just tell ya to turn up the radio and just be happy when your car is making horrible noises from the wheel bearing LOL. IMHO you should avoid the Clot Shot right now until you get your health sorted.
MRIs are a very shallow crude test that very frequently are used by insurance drs to tell you that there is nothing wrong. BS - you know when there is something wrong in your brain! have you had a SPECT scan done? they inject some stuff into your veins then you have a special brain scan that reveals if you have any hypoperfusion (low blood flow) amongst other things.
If you can't exercise or walk then at least keep stretching exercise every day. Keep the blood moving as much as possible. this book is a good read - Dr Kharrazian USA
brainhealthbook.com/why-isnt-my-brain-working/
Misty Mountain is a fantastic little retreat in NSW that will help you iron out any basic problems and reset your diet etc
www.mmh.com.au/
It is a wonderfully relaxing place up in the mtns behind Kempsey NSW if you can get there mate you won't regret it. Sorting out the basics can help you avoid expensive, invasive and unnecessary medical tests.
Have you tried inclined bed therapy? inclinedbedtherapy.com/
Correct breathing techniques can help reset you vagus nerve and heart like nothing else can. Deep diaphragmatic breathing with gutteral exhalation ten to twenty times once a day does wonders for your blood cells and detox rates. It is the lower portion of our lungs that does the detoxing - exactly the part we don't use when stressed out ans doing shallow breaths up in the chest area only. Proper breathing helps the red blood cells relax and separate as opposed to clinging together like scared little people after a traumatic shock like blacking out. Traumatic events like that can leave your body in a fulltime emergency mode with your adrenals working 24/7 when they should only be used for short bursts. We need to reset our bodies after such chronic trauma events like you have had. It may take a lot of effort but it is worth it in the long run to reset naturally. Im sure you will find your way back to health with some expert natural guidance.

Yeah, coffee love it, but find I need to drink in moderation with several days in between with no coffee and caffeine.

Random angle , but could you have actually done some internal damage from blacking out / fall , like fractured ribs - that has then affected your lungs - ie Lung COPD ?? probably not , but still