February 14, 2025
For four long years, Emily lived with a series of mysterious and debilitating health issues that left her feeling hopeless, lost, and at times, completely defeated. But thanks to a dedicated team of doctors at CIS, she is now living a completely transformed—and sweet—life.
The Onset of Life-Changing Symptoms
It all began in February of 2021 when, at age 37, Emily began experiencing fainting spells and frightening seizures. It appeared that she was suffering from a neurological disorder, so she was treated for epilepsy. But even with medication, her condition worsened as her seizures continued and were more frequent. Emily would have multiple grand mal seizures in a row, where she would lose consciousness. As a school teacher, Emily faced immense challenges during the workday, having to pause her lessons and step into the hall when her seizures would hit.
By that summer, Emily was having up to three seizures a day. She was in and out of the hospital being treated with no real answers about her condition or why it couldn’t be controlled or managed. She consulted a blood oncologist and was put on medication for a blood enzyme hoping that would treat the seizures, but her condition persisted. She saw many physicians, including general practice doctors, neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and cardiologists, but the complexity of her situation left a puzzle that no one could put together.
“No one was listening to me,” Emily said. “They didn’t believe me, and they didn’t understand.”
In December of that year, Emily suffered six seizures during a single workday and was taken to the emergency room, having a seventh seizure on the way in the ambulance. Tests revealed that she had high blood pressure, but there was no evidence of any abnormality in her brain or skull. Her risk factors included being overweight, smoking, sleep apnea, and a family history of heart attack and diabetes. She remained in the hospital for seven days undergoing various tests. It was found that she had a complete heart block—meaning that the electrical signal of her heart was not passing properly from the upper to lower chambers of the heart which often results in patients experiencing low and irregular heart rates. That’s how she met Dr. Marc Saad, electrophysiologist at Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) in Lafayette.
Uncovering the Layers of a Complex Condition
Dr. Saad told Emily that, at her age, she was a candidate for a Micra pacemaker, a leadless pacemaker about the size of a vitamin capsule. He performed the procedure, and Emily became one of the first in Acadiana to receive the Micra pacemaker.
“I was a teacher at the time,” she recalled. “They gave me a sample to show my students. It looked like a bullet and a fishing hook had a baby.” With the pacemaker, Emily felt significantly better. Combined with anti-epilepsy medication, the pacemaker seemed to relieve at least one of the triggers that was causing her seizures, bringing Emily a sense of relief for the next few months. But a root cause still needed to be identified. To assess her case further, Dr. Saad ran a series of tests to rule out electrophysiological pathologies that could have explained Emily’s mysterious seizures.
“Once I got to Dr. Saad, I knew there was a doctor listening!” she said.
Emily’s Rock Bottom
As more months followed, Emily continued to see her physicians, including a neurologist, but many questions about her health remained unanswered. In May of the following year, Emily was back in the hospital after multiple seizures within one hour. Her seizures had returned, and this time, with a vengeance. In the coming weeks, she would be back in the ER constantly. On top of it all, the medication she was taking for the blood enzyme was causing her to lose her hair and feel weak. She was deteriorating fast, and she seemed unresponsive to her medication and treatment plans.
“I started having seizures again, and I was collapsing more,” she said. “I had spikes in my heart rate from 172 down to 42.” Emily’s complications with heart rate variability seemed to trigger her daily seizures again. She noticed her heart rate fluctuations on her Apple watch, and she knew something had to be wrong. She was still teaching, putting further strain and stress on her situation. “I’d have 9-12 seizures a day,” she recalled. “I would collapse at school, have a seizure in the hall, come back to, and go back to teaching.”
She did this for a year, unable to truly function day to day. Everyday tasks were dangerous for her. “I would fall into things and get bruised up,” she said. “I couldn’t drive at night, and I had no social life.” Emily was at her worst, and she didn’t know if she would make it.
Even her friends and family began to doubt her. “It was lonely and devastating,” she shared. “People left me along the way. They got tired of hearing me say I didn’t feel well.” Her psychiatrist offered to commit her, worried that she would die if she continued living like this. “At that point, I had lost my job and my passion to teach. I was truly at rock bottom.”
Emily’s case was rare and no treatment seemed to help. She was losing hope. “I kept telling them something isn’t right!” she said. Emily refused to give up, and she kept fighting for herself. “Patients need to advocate for themselves,” she said. “CIS was the first group of doctors to look at the entire picture and not dismiss me,” she added.
In November, she visited CIS for a follow-up with CIS cardiologist, Dr. Wade May. She was experiencing some chest pain and her heart rate was up and down. Dr. May diagnosed Emily with tachycardia and bradycardia, a rapid and slow heart rate respectively. But even with these conditions managed, her seizures continued and were still unexplained.
The Turning Point
CIS cardiologists Dr. May and Dr. Saad were determined to help Emily. They collaborated and worked together to evaluate Emily’s unique case and coordinate her care. They reviewed her history, her symptoms, and her previous medical records. In addition to her passing-out episodes, Emily had also begun to experience significant leg pain and swelling in her left leg, accompanied by extreme fatigue and tiredness. Due to her leg pain, and her history of blood clots, they referred Emily to Dr. Amit Amin, CIS interventional cardiologist and vein specialist in Lafayette.
“By the time I got to Dr. Amin, I cannot describe the level of defeat,” Emily recalled. But she was willing to listen and follow their advice because for the first time, she felt doctors were truly on her side.
When Dr. Amin first saw Emily, he reviewed an outside CT scan of hers performed previously, and he noticed significant vein compression. “Her left leg was numb, and she had all of the signs of iliac vein compression,” said Dr. Amin. “Her lower left extremity was causing lifestyle-limiting symptoms,” he explained.
Dr. Amin performed a series of peripheral ablations on Emily for a few months, and she felt a little better, noting improvement with her swelling and restless legs. But her symptoms persisted, and her seizures continued. He performed another venogram (using x-ray technology), in addition to an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), to take a closer look at her iliac vein system. These tests led to shocking results— her left common iliac vein showed that it was 95% blocked!
Dr. Amin diagnosed Emily with May-Thurner syndrome, a condition in which the left iliac vein located in the abdomen is compressed by the right iliac artery, disrupting blood flow. This can lead to serious complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), a dangerous blood clot that travels to the lungs.
Once Dr. Amin confirmed that Emily’s veins weren’t functioning properly, they needed to act quickly. He told her that she would need a stent to open the vein and restore blood flow. “The iliac vein is like a five-lane highway,” Dr. Amin explained. “If you block four lanes of that highway, imagine the congestion it would cause. Emily’s iliac veins were down to one vein, and she needed a stent to get the highway system back to five lanes.”
Emily recalled that Dr. Amin never stopped trying to help her and neither did his nurse practitioner, Samantha Williams, NP. “They told me, ‘We are going to take care of you,’” she said. “The whole team really came together to care for me.” Dr. Amin was not 100% certain if the iliac stents would help the seizures, but he did recommend that it would help her leg symptoms of heaviness and pain that were limiting her daily life. He also felt her seizures could be related to low blood pressure and hypoperfusion (low blood flow) to the brain.
“That was the first time I had a glimmer of hope,” Emily said. “They knew what they were doing, and I felt like maybe this could finally be the answer.”
On August 20, 2024, Dr. Amin placed a stent for a successful intervention of her left common iliac vein, improving blood flow. Almost immediately, Emily reported significant improvement in her symptoms and a higher energy level. Within a day or two, she noticed her cognitive function improve. Her lethargy was gone. “I wasn’t a zombie anymore,” she said. “It was incredible!” For the first time in years, she felt like herself again.
“Her seizures were related to hypertension, and by correcting the lack of blood flow, she felt so much better,” said Dr. Amin.
A Fresh Start
Now about six months later, Emily feels amazing. She has only had one seizure since her vein procedure. She has no more leg pain, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Her memory and cognitive function—which had been severely affected by the seizures—came back. Her conditions are stable. It’s hard to believe what she’s been through because she looks much healthier. She’s even lost 60 pounds!
“There are no health issues holding me back anymore,” she said. “I’m so much stronger, I can dance again, and I’m giddy and joyful!”
Emily is forever thankful to Dr. Saad, Dr. May, Dr. Amin, Sam the NP, and the entire staff at CIS. “They are all angels!” she said. “These doctors worked together and it took the whole team. They are all so humble.”
Dr. Amin continues to see Emily and coordinates her care with Dr. Saad and Dr. May.
The Icing on the Cake
Today, Emily’s seizures are controllable and predicable. She takes medication as needed. And she has found a job that she loves.
Emily co-owns the Meche’s Donut Shop in Abbeville with her friend, Mitch. They are new owners and excited to share their new recipes with the community! Emily works on her feet all day, making dough, glazing donuts, and icing king cakes. And she does it all with a smile.
As close friends of Emily’s, Mitch and his wife had witnessed her transformation firsthand. “It’s been like night and day,” he said. “I could see how this affected her day-to-day before. She had lost confidence in herself, and she didn’t believe in herself. She was so turned around, but when she started going to CIS, she was finally heard.”
Mitch is amazed by her recovery. “Her whole cognitive ability has improved, and she’s on her feet every day with no problems,” he said. “And she moves at a faster pace than me now,” he added with a laugh. He couldn’t be more appreciative to CIS for helping Emily in her 11th hour. “She deserves to be happy. She does so much for others; she’s really special,” he said.
The Takeaway
At age 41, Emily has regained a sense of freedom she hasn’t felt in years. She can truly live again. Her vibrant and bubbly personality is back and beaming. She’s not just surviving, she’s thriving. “I am overjoyed to have my life back!” she exclaimed.
Emily’s journey was long and hard, but she never stopped fighting for herself and seeking answers. After countless struggles, she was finally able to find a team of doctors who not only listened to her but worked together to help her. Her story is a testament to the power of self-advocacy and perseverance. Now, Emily encourages others to do the same. “If you’re experiencing unexplained symptoms, don’t give up and find a doctor that will listen,” she urged. She hopes that her story will inspire others. “If one person sees this and starts advocating for their health, then I’m happy. I can’t say it enough.”
Emily is grateful to Dr. Saad, Dr. May, and Dr. Amin for their relentless dedication in getting her well again. “I will never in a million years be able to thank them,” she said tearfully. “They came in at the end of a marathon, like the people who come in at the last three miles to get you over the finish line.”
With the support and care she needed, Emily finally has her life back, and she is living it to the fullest. Her sweet smile says it all.