All is explained - I hope!

[John Park]

A short while ago, I posted a silly message about getting absurdly dizzy flying a little trainer at four seconds a lap.  A routine blood test has just shown that my blood potassium level is too low, and the culprit is probably the diuretic I take for my blood pressure - a well-known side-effect, I'm told.  Medication has been changed accordingly, and after only two days I'm already noticing an improvement.  I'll be flying the little trainer, and the Baby Flite Streak, some time this week, so we'll see how I get on.  Since most C/L fliers are about as old as I am, I wonder whether anyone else has had a similar problem - did it make you dizzy too?  (And by the way - what's a good plug for an LA .46?  I'm proposing to run it in a wet two-stroke with a 12.25x3.75 APC prop. on 5% nitro.)

Regards
John

[Tim Wescott]

John -- good!  If you can fly some teeny thing buzzing along at 4s/lap, then you can fly a big thing at 5s/lap!

As boring as it sounds, the OS A3 -- yes, the plug that the 46LA came with -- is a very good plug.  I'm sure there's others.

[Steve Helmick]

John (and all)...I don't mean to scare you, BUT...IF your doctors start telling you that you have "electrolytes imbalance", they have trouble controlling it, and it becomes chronic...

There is a type of cancer that does that. It got my friend and mentor, Don Zipoy, and I'm pretty sure that was also the type that got George Aldrich. It's not common enough for most doctors to recognize that from the symptoms, which has not resulted in a good outcome for my two friends. IF this problem continues, get yourself to an Oncologist ASAP.

I hope the change in your BP med fixes it. Often, finding the correct BP med takes awhile, because we react differently to them. I am on at least #3, and to be honest, I didn't think I had a problem with any of the previous ones. This has lead me to think that maybe the drug salesman did a good job of selling to my doctor....or maybe made a "donation" to his retirement fund?   Steve

PS: I always used a Thunderbolt R/C (idlebar) glowplug in my .46LA, but would use any suitable OS or Enya glowplug...except for their relatively high price. K&B glowplugs are made by the same company as Thunderbolts, Ohlsson Corporation. Good stuff, IMO. Avoid Fox glowplugs at all costs, in case you stumble over some at your LHS.

[goozgog]

John,
        I was completely entertained by
your "silly" message. You obviously have
the ability to turn a phrase.
Thanks for the good writing.

Cheers! - K.

[Bill Little]

Hi John,
How's it going now my old friend?  I had a heat stroke during my Freshman year at college during football practice.  Thankfully they treated me quick and I was at the UNC Memorial Hospital.  Ever since, I have been more likely to have heat problems.  On top of it I also got the blood pressure pill problem.  That has been corrected finally but I have to be VERY careful about staying hydrated!  Several of my friends (and Aaron) can testify to the problem.  Seems I get a little "ill" from it and short tempered.  Always go to a contest now with a large cooler filled with ice and water bottles.  Plus I make sure that I drink enough to make me go to the bathroom.....  You can effectively control it with out much trouble......
Take good care of yourself!!
Bill

[Randy Cuberly]

Hi John,
I too was somewhat of a victim of blood pressure (both high and low) on various medications.  About 12 years ago my cardiologist diagnosed the problem as Atrial Fibrilation (an interrupted heart beat both fast and slow).
During that time (about 5 years) I had to stop flying completely because of dizziness and lack of coordination when the attacks came on.

A surgical procedure called "Cardiac Ablation" fixed it completely (took 2 surgeries).  No problems now but I still have to take three different kinds of BP medicine.  Much better than not being able to fly!

Hang in there I'm sure things will get better for you!

Randy Cuberly

[John Park]

Folks:

Many thanks for all the helpful/valuable replies.  I'm going to be watching this very closely until I'm sure all is well again.  Re. the cancer, I wonder if this is the pancreatic kind that got one of my favourite authors, Iain Banks, a little while ago - I'm aware of it anyway, and will make sure my doctor is as well - always assuming things don't improve.
The .46 LA, by the way, will be going into a profile resembling a scaled-up Fancherised Twister, but with an upright engine as on Al Rabe's Mustunt I.  I've done this sort of engine mount before, on a 36" span model with an OS .15, and it's very convenient for lone-hand flying.

Again, many thanks to all.

Regards
John