Charlie Beljan...What just happened?

[Par-A-Medic]

[quote name='Harry Longshanks' timestamp='1352528197' post='5915143']
[quote name='K31795' timestamp='1352514388' post='5914601']
Not a panic attack. Blood pressure was reported as low.
[/quote]

Not sure where you are getting your information from, but everything I heard (announcers relating events during the event) and read was that his heart rate was very high.

[quote]LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Charlie Beljan was worried about keeping his PGA Tour card when he showed up at Disney for the final tournament of the year. That changed Friday over five frightening hours when he felt a shortness of breath and his heart racing, and eventually told his caddie that he thought he was going to die.

...

[/quote]

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/8612126/charlie-beljan-takes-lead-children-miracle-network-hospitals-classic-disney-hospitalized
[/quote]

Heart rate and blood pressure are too different things. They did say his heart rate was high, and his blood pressure is low. That makes since because at a certain point your heart beats faster than the blood can flow back and fill the chambers. That's the big danger of psvt. The biggest reason people pass out because of it and become short of breath also. Your heart like a golf swing isn't always best as hard and fast as you can go.

Anxiety is a likely choice. I would just be concerned about the other things too. Psvt for example will present and then fix in its own often times. This requires wearing a monitor for about a month and hoping to catch the episode. However this is one of those things we are taught in the 3-4 week of paramedic school and surely the medics at the event would have recognized. I have a friend that has this and he often coughs hard and it goes away, sometimes he takes a nerve pill......(hello anxiety diagnosis), and once I had to come to his house and shock him with a defibrillator.

[smackygolf]

[quote name='Naughty Mazz' timestamp='1352515276' post='5914647']
[quote name='Par-A-Medic' timestamp='1352515106' post='5914641']
[quote name='Naughty Mazz' timestamp='1352514878' post='5914621']
you guys really need to be humbled
[/quote]
? I'm sorry I don't understand. I am a critical care paramedic by trade. Just speculating what's wrong with the guy. I don't think it was just a panic attack. Whatever it was he had a great round and hate to see it lost.
[/quote]

the one's who are using this thread as an opportunity to tell everyone how smart they are. pick your spots.
[/quote]

Inferiority complex much? He's not telling everyone how smart he is. You just feel dumb because you don't know any of the words. It's a YOU problem.

[station2station]

Looks like he is playing today and tee'ing off around 11 EST. Pulling for him.

I've known someone that has these issues. The odd thing is that when you are in the middle of the anxiety you don't know why you feel terrible - and convincing yourself it's a non-life-threatening anxiety/panic attack is hard because it feels so scary. And you seek medical advice - and all the tests come up negative for the traditional problems.. a vicious circle of "what is going on and why?" When you later calm down and feel better you can look back and say "it probably WAS a panic attack." But when it returns you question it again...Sounds exactly like Charlie's story.

[scotto69]

He's playing well enough to day to be right at the top of the leaderboard still...AND he hasn't died yet.

Golfchannel sure made this the biggest possible drama possible.

I feel sorry for his playing partners a little bit. They're trying to focus too, it can't help to be playing with a guy who says he might collapse and die.

[Chief Illiniwek]

[quote name='scotto69' timestamp='1352578199' post='5916507']
He's playing well enough to day to be right at the top of the leaderboard still...AND he hasn't died yet.

Golfchannel sure made this the biggest possible drama possible.

I feel sorry for his playing partners a little bit. They're trying to focus too, it can't help to be playing with a guy who says he might collapse and die.
[/quote]

+1. I was watching amazed yesterday thinking this guy was having heart problems or something. The announcers were really talking up his determination. Then today it's being called a panic attack? If I was his playing partner yesterday and I was fighting to keep my card I'd frankly be a little pissed about all the distractions if panic attack is indeed the correct diagnosis. Maybe I'm being harsh and don't totally understand panic attacks, I'm ignorant of the subject. But if you're prone to panic attacks maybe professional golf isn't for you? Will this continue to happen if and when he faces more pressure? Like a WGC or Players Sunday? Or imagine if he made it to the final group on Master's Sunday.

[Sean2]

According to Golf Channel, Mr. Beljan said he had a panic attack. It has happened before.

[Chief Illiniwek]

Ya just saw it on Golf Central. If it happens again during a round and his playing partners are doing well, trying to make a cut, etc, I think he owes it to them to WD no matter his position in the tournament.

[station2station]

[quote name='Chief Illiniwek' timestamp='1352601759' post='5917577']
[quote name='scotto69' timestamp='1352578199' post='5916507']
He's playing well enough to day to be right at the top of the leaderboard still...AND he hasn't died yet.

Golfchannel sure made this the biggest possible drama possible.

I feel sorry for his playing partners a little bit. They're trying to focus too, it can't help to be playing with a guy who says he might collapse and die.
[/quote]

+1. I was watching amazed yesterday thinking this guy was having heart problems or something. The announcers were really talking up his determination. Then today it's being called a panic attack? If I was his playing partner yesterday and I was fighting to keep my card I'd frankly be a little pissed about all the distractions if panic attack is indeed the correct diagnosis. Maybe I'm being harsh and don't totally understand panic attacks, I'm ignorant of the subject. But if you're prone to panic attacks maybe professional golf isn't for you? Will this continue to happen if and when he faces more pressure? Like a WGC or Players Sunday? Or imagine if he made it to the final group on Master's Sunday.
[/quote]

Panic attacks are real and one of the most frightening things you can experience. Hard to understand if you haven't had anxiety issues. No faulting you but you must understand they can become debilitating enough to shut your life down because you don't know when you're going to have one…and when they come it's scary like a blindfolded execution.

True his playing partners suffered through their rounds as a result of his issue, but they'll be stronger for it. That's golf. Nothing Beljan could do except for WD - and by the time it was serious he was on the late in the round and leading by a ton - and also fighting for [i]his[/i] golf life. He never exhibited slow play as a result of his condition.

And you're also suggesting his anxiety issues were a result of him leading a golf tournament - not the case. He has won before and has been playing professional golf a long time. He's a calm guy with some life issues going on right now. He'll get the help he needs.

Tiger played thru vomiting food poisoning back in 2003. He layed down on his golf bag between shots. Threw up a couple times off camera, and had medical staff attend to him. He had playing partners too - and like Charlie Beltran, was leading, and won.

[station2station]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1352601885' post='5917583']
According to Golf Channel, Mr. Beljan said he had a panic attack. It has happened before.
[/quote]

Yes it's happened previously - just in the recent months. But he said never in a round of tournament golf. I think he would WD if this becomes persistent.

[Chief Illiniwek]

I truly see both sides. Yes it's a medical issue, no he didn't slow down play. But he did have abnormal distractions going on. I would say the same thing about Tiger during your example, but that was an issue that wasn't ongoing. His playing partners had to think the guy was having a heart attack. It's one thing when a guy is having stomach issues, it's another when you're distracted because you think the guy may be dying. I still lean towards him needing to WD if this happens again during competition if his playing partners are having an important round.

[station2station]

[quote name='Chief Illiniwek' timestamp='1352603973' post='5917685']
I still lean towards him needing to WD if this happens again during competition if his playing partners are having an important round.
[/quote]

I would agree. Persistent issues becomes a liability anytime he is in your pairing. WD would be the correct thing to do for sure.

[Chief Illiniwek]

Yup. Hopefully he finds the help he needs. I guess you could argue that fighting for your card is more pressure than a major, so maybe yesterday was as much pressure as he'll ever face and it'll be smoother sailing in his future.

[station2station]

true

[farmer]

If you've never had a panic attack, you have no frame of reference. If that is the diagnosis, then it can be managed with meds. Hope for the best.

[golf_fanatik]

OK, How did he do today? Don't have cable anymore!

[station2station]

[quote name='golf_fanatik' timestamp='1352609806' post='5917953']
OK, How did he do today? Don't have cable anymore!
[/quote]

He is still in first place at -13. I think the second place number is -11. Charlie shot -1 today

[Dire Wolf]

Oh look, a pro doing something incredible. Must tear it down somehow.

Unreal.

[pcirelli]

[quote name='station2station' timestamp='1352604119' post='5917697']
[quote name='Chief Illiniwek' timestamp='1352603973' post='5917685']
I still lean towards him needing to WD if this happens again during competition if his playing partners are having an important round.
[/quote]

I would agree. Persistent issues becomes a liability anytime he is in your pairing. WD would be the correct thing to do for sure.
[/quote]
Should Kevin Na withdrawn (gr?) from The Players last year? Should any playing partner of Tiger's withdraw b/c the crowds are distracting?
-Pete

[Shankopattamus]

[quote name='station2station' timestamp='1352604119' post='5917697']
[quote name='Chief Illiniwek' timestamp='1352603973' post='5917685']
I still lean towards him needing to WD if this happens again during competition if his playing partners are having an important round.
[/quote]

I would agree. Persistent issues becomes a liability anytime he is in your pairing. WD would be the correct thing to do for sure.
[/quote]
Are you guys being serious here? This guy is playing for his livelihood. Do you think he had an anxiety attack on purpose to distract his playing partners? No. Would you withdrawal potentially giving giving up over $700,000, a his full tour card? No.

Charlie is a good guy and you are making him seem like a villain to his partners if he keeps playing.

[station2station]

[quote name='Shankopattamus' timestamp='1352647400' post='5918623']
[quote name='station2station' timestamp='1352604119' post='5917697']
[quote name='Chief Illiniwek' timestamp='1352603973' post='5917685']
I still lean towards him needing to WD if this happens again during competition if his playing partners are having an important round.
[/quote]

I would agree. Persistent issues becomes a liability anytime he is in your pairing. WD would be the correct thing to do for sure.
[/quote]
Are you guys being serious here? This guy is playing for his livelihood. Do you think he had an anxiety attack on purpose to distract his playing partners? No. Would you withdrawal potentially giving giving up over $700,000, a his full tour card? No.

Charlie is a good guy and you are making him seem like a villain to his partners if he keeps playing.
[/quote]

It's your responsibility to read the entire thread when you hop in to voice your opinion. Nobody has said he faked an anxiety attack to distract his playing partners. We backed him up. Maybe you should go read post #34, [b]#39[/b], #40. You actually quoted some of the same things already said.

Fully understanding what you are reading is important. Note we said "PERSISTENT (long term) issues become a liability to his playing partners." Not just a one time thing but ongoing...into the future - consistently having trouble during tournament play. But we stated that this hasn't happened before in his previous tournament rounds...so unlikely.

[boxerjoe2011]

[quote name='Par-A-Medic' timestamp='1352514502' post='5914609']
Paroxysmal super ventricular tachycardia is also a good guess
[/quote]

Supra-ventricular-tachycardia or SVT. I would like to know who these medics were. All of his symptoms are of cardiac suspicion, if he was AOX4, he can AMA, but I think he said he had no memory of the back nine on Golf Central, which leads me to believe he was altered. I'm surprised these "medics" didn't get in some trouble for this. Of course, we don't know what his vitals were, but still. Sketchy medicine.

[Chief Illiniwek]

Wanted to chime back in with my opinion as well. I know it's a real medical issue and I hope he gets better. He also seems like a genuinely nice guy. What I'm saying is if he starts getting into high pressure situations consistently ie final pairings and starts consistently having these attacks that truly give the appearance of life endangerment, I think he should WD until he can get a handle on it. Kevin Na didn't look like he was going to die, Tiger didn't look like he was going to die. Being paired up with someone who looks like they're having heart problems, complete with constant medical supervision is beyond what his fellow competitors should have to deal with if this starts becoming a reoccurring situation. Just my opinion and people can disagree. Bottom line I don't think a guy should have to play a tournament, which has it's own distractions and pressures, and also having to worry that their playing partner looks to be jeopardizing their own health.

[tbowles411]

But with the win, all this is moot. Talk about a stress reliever. Definitely one of the more memorable wins on Tour.

[PingG10guy]

so does he really have a condition or is he just a country club kid who hasn't been through anything?

[station2station]

[quote name='tbowles411' timestamp='1352670811' post='5919677']
But with the win, all this is moot. Talk about a stress reliever. Definitely one of the more memorable wins on Tour.
[/quote]

He played well. Congrats to him and hopefully he uses this going forward to knock back his demons or illness.

[scotto69]

Nice post, station2station.

Considering how many times players have come up short trying to win events in the last couple of years, for a player to deal with all this drama and still hold the trophy is pretty impressive.

[tbowles411]

[quote name='PingG10guy' timestamp='1352671503' post='5919711']
so does he really have a condition or is he just a country club kid who hasn't been through anything?
[/quote]
1. Newly married
2. 7 week old baby
3. Playing for your job

If that doesn't qualify for huge stress, I don't know what does. Other dad's like me definitely understand. True?

[profsmitty]

I had to clean this thread up a bit to keep this thread on some kind of track . I will take firmer actin if I have to. Please keep your posts on the topic. There is absolutely no need inject personal attacks into this conversation.

[station2station]

[quote name='tbowles411' timestamp='1352675073' post='5919963']
[quote name='PingG10guy' timestamp='1352671503' post='5919711']
so does he really have a condition or is he just a country club kid who hasn't been through anything?
[/quote]
1. Newly married
2. 7 week old baby
3. Playing for your job

If that doesn't qualify for huge stress, I don't know what does. Other dad's like me definitely understand. True?
[/quote]

Well said.

[MtlJeff]

this is one of the stranger stories i've seen in a while. First the actual panic attack and then the almost unbelievable fact that he actually won the tournament despite everything. I mean how you go through that and hold it together for a win? Just a crazy story

you have to be a little concerned on some level though. Especially if it's happened before. I mean i'm sure he's under heavy stress but there a ton of people under stress like that these days. I hope he can get some help