Giuliani: Hospital visit was a result of a “headache worse than I’ve ever had”

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Giuliani: Hospital visit was a result of a “headache worse than I’ve ever had”

December 22, 2007 1:39 PM

ABC News' Jonathan Greenberger reports: Three days after turning around his campaign plane and checking into a hospital after experiencing flu-like symptoms, Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says he is in "fine health."

"I feel great now, I feel terrific, I've been tested out, everything came back 100 percent," said Giuliani, in an exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.

Giuliani said his hospital visit was prompted by a "terrible headache" that began developing Wednesday morning while he was campaigning in Missouri that got progressively worse.

"It got really bad at night, when I was speaking to a crowd and did a press conference," said Giuliani. "I got on a plane -- I imagine what happened is the pressure of the takeoff made the headache worse than I've ever had."

Giuliani told Stephanopoulos he did not black out, and he made the decision six or seven minutes into the flight to turn the plane around, return to St. Louis, and check into Barnes-Jewish Hospital for a series of tests.

Until today, Giuliani and his campaign had not discussed the details of the tests he underwent, but in his interview with Stephanopoulos, Giuliani said he was checked for "everything."

"I mean you'd have to ask my doctor everything they checked for. I mean he put out a statement that I'm in very good health, that every test came back normal," said Giuliani. "They tell me I'm in very good health."

The statement Giuliani referred to was not, in fact, issued by his doctor. It came from his campaign.

Giuliani, who survived a bout with prostate cancer seven years ago, also admitted that he has not released all of his medical records from the past week in part because he is still waiting to get some of the cancer tests back. He said he expects the full medical records to be released sometime after Christmas.

For now, though, Giuliani said he’s been given a clean bill of health.

"I saw those doctors, they released me," said Giuliani. "I saw my doctor again yesterday and the only thing they advised me to do is to take one aspirin a day -- which is not even a prescription."

The full interview with Stephanopoulos airs Sunday morning on "This Week."

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

Stephanopoulos: One big question this week – how you feeling?

Giuliani: I feel great now, I feel terrific, I've been tested out, everything came back 100 percent.

Stephanopoulos: Take us back through it, because the symptoms on Wednesday night must have been so severe to have you turn around that plane. What was going on?

Giuliani: It was a terrible headache, I mean all day -- it got worse all day. It got really bad at night, when I was speaking to a crowd and did a press conference with Sen Bond. Got on the plane. I imagine what happened is the pressure of the takeoff made the headache worse than I’ve ever had.

Stephanopoulos: Did you black out?

Giuliani: No. My staff was very concerned so we turned around. I actually made that decision. Were only 6 or 7 minutes out. It actually made no sense to get on the plane. I probably thought of it. Once I got on and the pressure got worse I said let's turn back. They decided, you better really check him out. And they did really check me out.

Stephanopoulos: So what did they check for? What were they worried about?

Giuliani: They checked everything. I mean you'd have to ask my doctor everything they checked for. I mean he put out a statement that I'm in very good health, that every test came back normal. What I'll do now is – there's also, I’m a cancer survivor. So there's always the issue of cancer, so I'm going to have him put out a statement and then you know make everyone really comfortable that I'm okay. But they tell me I'm in very good health.

Stephanopoulos: Yeah, we'd actually like to talk to your doctor about it to find out what kinds of tests were performed, what the results were, what the final diagnosis was.

Giuliani: After Christmas he can address this himself.

Stephanopoulos: After Christmas?

Giuliani: Well, he’s tied up until then and also I've got to make sure I get all the cancer tests back, and he's going to put together a complete picture. So that he can address himself to the whole thing so people can be assured –

Stephanopoulos: So you will put out all the records after Christmas?

Giuliani: He's going to put out everything that's appropriate to show that I'm in good health.

Stephanopoulos: There were some questions, though, about why no one was allowed to speak with the doctors on Thursday. Why the delay?

Giuliani: I don't –

Stephanopoulos: Why the delay in talking to the doctors, finding out what kinds of tests were given?

Giuliani: I think the statement was put out right away.

Stephanopoulos: Well the bottom line was put out, but no one knew what kinds of tests were performed.

Giuliani: I see, I see. Well, he'll address all that. He'll address it all also in the context of having had cancer, what my situation is right now, that I'm cured of cancer. And that my PSA test has come back negligible. The whole group of things like that he'll address himself.

Stephanopoulos: But you saw the doctors in St. Louis, your saw your doctor on Thursday in New York, yesterday --

Giuliani: I saw those doctors, they released me, said I was in fine health, nothing to worry about, no prescriptions even. So –

Stephanopoulos: And you saw your doctor again yesterday?

Giuliani: I saw my doctor again yesterday and the only thing they advised me to do is to take one aspirin a day -- which is not even a prescription.

Stephanopoulos: And you're back on the trail?

Giuliani: I'm back on the trial, ready to go, hail and hearty, feeling great and you know actually reassured by the fact that I had so many different tests and they all came back 100 percent.

December 22, 2007 in Dodd, Chris | Permalink | User Comments (67)

User Comments

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I flew with a sinus infection once and thought my head was going to explode. He could have had something like that. Tis the season for viruses and flus.

Posted by: Joyce- Los Angeles, CA | Dec 22, 2007 6:03:25 PM

The board is turning hateful because we are fed up with all the lies from government and all these people running for our President. We don't think any of them have the goods to deliver. At least people are venting by writing and not using violence. Freedom of the press doesn't just belong to journalists. Thanks to ABC for allowing us this freedom to write our feelings and concerns. When we are no longer to write and talk about what WE feel is wrong, lies or deceptions, we will cease to be the United States of America

Posted by: Jo T | Dec 22, 2007 6:05:40 PM

I lived in NY when Rudy was Mayor. He's kind of liberal for a Republican, but he really cleaned up that cesspool of a town. Thanks to his crackdown on crime, it's one of the safest big cities in the world. He's awesome.

Posted by: Rachel Carney Redondo Beach, California | Dec 22, 2007 6:05:57 PM

Not that i like to wish ill on anyone...but maybe it is a little black justice. He could be getting a piece of what he puts the New York Firemen through. Wouldnt that be fitting

Posted by: caradeporra | Dec 22, 2007 6:09:43 PM

My family and I wish you well.

Posted by: Lenora Robinson | Dec 22, 2007 6:14:38 PM

If Rudy is thinking of dropping out, don't let his health be a factor. FDR was extremely ill in the White House and was one of our best leaders. Without Rudy, who else do we have?

Posted by: Dick Garrett | Dec 22, 2007 7:03:34 PM

I had suffered from migraines since I was a tiny child. These involved nausea, light sensitivity. I didn't want to see, smell, touch, taste anything. I couldn't keep down any medication. UCLA doctors didn't know what to do with me. I suffered for about 35 years until I moved to Albuquerque - altitude 6,000 - 7,000 feet. It was there with the low pressure weather systems moving in so suddenly that I realized most of my migraines were weather / low pressure / barometer related. I moved from Albuquerque and have been migraine free for 2-1/2 years. I would imagine that the pressurized cabin Rudy was in did not have enough pressure and his veins/arteries expanded. There's no place in the cranium to accommodate swelling, so you end up with a killer migraine. Rudy, get better soon. Be well.

Posted by: H | Dec 22, 2007 7:09:54 PM

I'm no doc, but it sounds like a brain aneurism to me. Rudy could be a short-timer.

Posted by: Wicked Warren | Dec 22, 2007 7:12:12 PM

A brain aneurysm, along with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), would be one of the first things the docs would check for - after his complaints of such a severe headache.

Posted by: Fenway | Dec 22, 2007 7:20:19 PM

Hope it's not the cancer or the crap he inhaled after 9/11. He needs to take care of himself. He's no spring chicken any more...

Posted by: strut2k | Dec 22, 2007 8:07:47 PM

Taking 'aspirin' has also been proven to be a large negative - per papers in the JAMA - look it up.

Posted by: JA | Dec 22, 2007 8:28:23 PM

I think he'd make a good President but his health - or anyone's health - comes first. It's amazing once it goes how everything else that once was important fades into the background. Plus he could be in remission from the cancer for seven years and it's just not detected growing by standard tests. Tests don't find everything, not by a long shot.

Posted by: Sally | Dec 22, 2007 8:32:40 PM

The severe headache symptoms - including blinding pain caused by pressure change in an airplane - are identical to those that I suffered from for over 10 years - until I saw an otolaryngologist and had an operation to clear out my sinus cavities. I had it done a year ago - have flown a dozen times since then - and NEVER experienced any more pain.

Posted by: frebo3 | Dec 22, 2007 8:36:52 PM

he looked pale. we need a younger president.

Posted by: Xiaer | Dec 22, 2007 9:12:56 PM

Sounds like a migraine and could be a cluster migraine which is very bad because of the pain level, and difficulty in treatments. Pressure points can be the back of head when laying down, so the person cannot sleep laying down.

Posted by: William F. Hachmeister | Dec 22, 2007 9:18:34 PM

Sounds like an unrepentant guilty conscience strategically suppressed out of direct consciousness. "The checks" didn't turn up the real source of the problem. Does America deserve better? We will see.

Posted by: honest | Dec 22, 2007 10:03:27 PM

yep he will bow out soon,and i cant wait hes one of the worst headaches ive ever had

Posted by: dave | Dec 22, 2007 10:18:26 PM

Could Guiliani's bad headache with flu like symptons be a sign of the cancer returning? He has been okay for seven years, so it could be a warning. Your body knows better than the docters test sometimes, docters don't always get it right? He should really drop out since his pass is catching up with him anyway, because the chances of getting the nomination are slim at the moment.

Posted by: Alessan | Dec 22, 2007 10:34:57 PM

It certainly sounds like he had a migraine, which could have been brought on by all the strains he is experiencing on the campaign trail.

A migraine, in and of itself, probably would not have been enough to turn the plane around, however. It's more likely he was also suffering from nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, etc ... all of which can be consistent with migraines and can make them seem all the more serious. And thus we arrive at the "flu-like" symtoms that he initially complained about.

His doctor likely advised him to get a little more sleep, eat a little healthier, keep hydrated, and to avoid foods that may trigger migrains (like chocolate, caffeine, dairy) etc. And that "aspirin" a day is probably not exactly "aspirin", but rather migraine medication.

Posted by: Rich Farr | Dec 22, 2007 11:17:45 PM

One Excedrin Migraine over-the-counter tablet a day thins the blood and prevents a migraine. I know what I'm talking about. I'm a former migraine sufferer -- that one little pill once a day works. Don't make so much of this. It's honestly no big deal.

Posted by: Anne | Dec 23, 2007 12:20:13 AM

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