BS: Fainting

Subject: BS: Fainting
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:23 AM

How many of you have never fainted?

How many just once or twice?

How many of you faint regularly?

I am wondering because my younger twin son is apparently now "prone to fainting" (funny, I thought he was prone *because* he fainted, but hey), having once, in 4th grade during a concert in which he was singing, fainted off the stage from not moving his feet enough, and now he just fainted again in the hospital cafeteria where I work (in the hospital, not the cafeteria). He had had breakfast and drunk water just before biking the 2-3 miles to see me for lunch in very hot weather, went into the cafeteria to buy lunch, and fainted onto his face, taking a cereal tree with him. All is fine fine fine, but I'm curious. YES we went to the ER, he is really fine fine fine. But...

I used to faint at needles - not shots, but anything involving my venous system. I could faint when they shot stuff into my IV tubing, let alone when the IV went in. I don't anymore but from age 10 to about 35, I knew better than to try to do anything like that without lying down first. Then it just stopped, and now I don't even get dizzy... so again, I'm curious.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:40 AM

Never although I have gotten lightheaded once or twice.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:45 AM

I've done a few ' feints ' in my time.

eric

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Newport Boy
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:50 AM

A few times. Once more than 60 years ago - can't remember why.

Once aged about 20. In a crowded Central Line tube. Probably the result of a couple of pints of beer after giving a pint of blood, but I blame the lack of ventilation on the tube.

A handful of times over the years - at needles. Mostly the dentist, but the most recent 2 years ago at the epidural for a hip replacement.

Three mystifying occasions over 3 months the winter before last. Once driving, twice at concerts. Sitting each time, plenty of warning (so the driving was OK) and only out for seconds. Dozens of tests showed nothing.

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:54 AM

I fainted once when I had the flu/food poisoning. I fainted once after giving blood. I almost fainted once while hiking in a high mountain area in Idaho. Now I am sure that it was caused by dehydration.

Choir directors warn singers not to lock their knees, because that can lead to fainting. That might be what happened at the concert.

The second incident might have been caused by lack of water or lack of salt, but I would expect the ER people to catch that.

If I were you, I would forbid bike riding in really hot weather and watch your son carefully for any further signs of trouble. You can't risk him getting woozy on his bike when there might be cars around.

Make the prohibition on bike riding apply to the whole family so he doesn't feel singled out.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Becca72
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 11:28 AM

I've never actually fainted, though I've felt like I was going to a handful of times (light-headed, ringing ears, shortness of breath) but it always passed without incident.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 11:41 AM

Never

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Acorn4
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 11:43 AM

When I was at school, we had to go through a ritual torture on Thursday afternoons that they called the CCF. (Combined Cadet Force).

Every year there was a ceremonial parade where we would be inspected by a Brigadier or such like. If it was a hot afternoon, many of the assembled cadets would keel over.

When we were in the first and second form you didn't have to join yet and would just watch the parade from a grassy bank. It was quite fun to try to predict which would be the next skittle to keel over, especially so considering the rather boring nature of the spectacle, but we of course knew that our turn would come when we got into the upper school.

Many of us picked up the tip that by tensing the muscles at the back of the calves, the blood could be forced up , as the fainting was actually caused by the blood not pumping up into the brain, the assuming of a horizontal position being nature's way of correcting this.

Thus I managed to get through without keeling over. Health and safety would have a field day nowadays!

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Amos
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 12:19 PM

IF it is caused by heat and the person has taken liquids, it is usually a need for ordinary salt or potassium -- as in a banana or watermelon. A pinch of table salt can do wonders under those conditions.

But if that is not a uniform index to the episodes, a set of medical tests might be in order.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 04:35 PM

I'm neither a mad dog nor an Englishman, so I don't go forth in the noonday sun.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 07:16 PM

I fainted quite a lot at one point. Turns out I had a heart condition that meant when getting up from crouching, the heart didn't pump fast enough to get blood up to my brain so I keeled over. It's always worth getting these things checked out!

My first faint was when I was 11. I remember it vividly because I came over all clammy and couldn't go into church with the rest of the choir for evening service. I went home and was 'resting' on the couch watching 'Thunderball' starring Sean Connery. I took one look at that hairy chest and the pattern of my life was set.


LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 07:56 PM

I have, yes, but always from a known condition..giving blood in a very HOT room, heat exhaustion, etc. I've always known exactly why I fainted. Very weird feeling

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:00 PM

I have fainted several times in my life. I think I can remember every time.

The first time was when I was about 5 years old. I was in the hospital to have my tonsils out. While I was being admitted, they pricked my finger to draw a blood sample. It was some time afterward, while my mother was helping me into bed, that I "went limp."

The most recent time was maybe 10 or 15 years ago. (I'm 60 now.) I was in a clinic having some blood drawn for, I think, a cholesterol test. Now, I had had blood drawn many times before with no problem, but this particular phlebotomist was new to me. She seemed young and inexperienced, and gave me reason to doubt her competence. She kept rubbing my arm, trying to get a vein to appear. (No phlebotomist had ever had trouble finding a vein before.) She said repeatedly, "I hope I don't have to stick you more than once." Several times she gave the rubber tourniquet a jerk—trying to adjust its position, I suppose—and each time she did, she pulled a couple of hairs out of my arm. (That had never happened before either.) Finally, she found a vein and drew the blood. As it happens, she did not have to stick me more than once. When she was done, she said, "OK, you can go now." I said, "If you don't mind, I'd rather sit here a while longer" because I knew I was feeling woozy. She said, "That's fine," and went away. The next thing I knew, several nurses had gatherer around me, and one of them was slapping my face and calling my name.

I don't know how long I had been out. I suspect it was longer than usual. Normally, when you faint, you go into a horizontal position, and this is actually good for you (assuming you don't hurt yourself when you fall) because it allows blood to resume flowing to your brain even though your blood pressure is very low. Therefore, you're likely to recover quickly. However, I was seated in a chair that was specially designed for this purpose. It has a bar that lowers across your lap after you're seated, which provides a table-top-like surface for you to rest your arm on, and prevents you from falling on the floor if you faint. By keeping you in a semi-upright position, it also keeps you unconscious longer.

For whatever reason, this time it took me a much longer time to recover than other occasions when I have fainted. For a long time afterward, I felt—for want of a better word—drained. Sort of like hung over, but without a headache. Sort of like being extremely tired. Sort of like when you're slowly recovering from the flu. Although I could walk steadily and think clearly (I think) and I no longer felt as if I were about to faint, I had a vague feeling of being very weak and vulnerable.

A nurse escorted me to a room where I could sit in a recliner chair, and where she could watch me while she did some paperwork. (She didn't want to leave me alone, and I didn't want to be alone.) She gave me a couple of cans of orange juice. (I hadn't had any breakfast that day, because I was fasting for my cholesterol test. That might have made my blood sugar low, and might have had something to do with why I fainted, and why the phlebotomist had trouble finding a vein—although I am not, as far as I know, prone to hypoglycemia.) It was nearly an hour before I felt strong enough to leave the clinic. Altogether, it was a very unpleasant experience.

Since then, whenever I need to have blood drawn, I always ask to do it lying down. The technicians are always happy to accommodate me.

Backtracking a bit, several years earlier, after a fainting spell, I went to a clinic, and was examined by a doctor who happened to be a heart specialist. (I don't think I necessarily needed to see a heart specialist, and I don't know why he was assigned to me. Maybe they were short of doctors that day and he just happened to be available.) His name was Lillehei—I have forgotten his first name. He was not the famous C. Walton Lillehei but I think it may have been his brother. I believe there were several doctors in the Lillehei family who practiced in the Twin Cities.

He listened to my heart for a long time and told me I had an unusually active vagus nerve. (The vagus nerve regulates heart rate, among other things.) He based this judgment on the fact that my heart rate would speed up and slow down in sync with my breathing, whereas most people's heart rate was steadier. He said this meant my vagus nerve would overreact to stimuli. He said it was just an idiosyncrasy, nothing to worry about. I think he made a facetious remark like, "Try to pick a soft place to fall down." He then changed the subject and began to lecture me about smoking, which he said was a much more serious problem. He had noticed the pack of cigarettes in my shirt pocket! (I did quit smoking a year or two later.)

While looking up "vagus nerve" I also found vasovagal syncope, which is worth reading.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:02 PM

Real men don't faint...

They pass the heck out...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:05 PM

Recently I've fainted or been light headed quite a lot but I'm fairly certain that is down to a dodgy heart, which I know about. It tends to happen if I change position suddenly or being horizontal, such as going to bed or changing positions in bed. Not pleasant but I've learned how to cope now.

How your son gets sorted out soon.

Blessings
Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:43 PM

I was told a long time ago that I was "vaso-vagal", in that, if you insulted my vaso, I got all vagal. Or if you talked about gruesome attempts to insult YOUR venous system. Or if you dealt with something that I knew was already attached to my venous system. But when they took blood for the first pregnancy test, I didn't get woozy, and I never have since. And even during my fainting years (where I fainted each and every time blood was taken, for about 20 years) I didn't faint at *blood* - like from bad cuts or blows to the head - just at needles puncturing veins.

Vasovagal syncope is what they said about Tim, but I'm not sure where the vaso part came in unless is was the move from hot to cold, which would be annoying to be sensitive to... and yes, they did an EKG and checked him out six ways from Sunday. It's not his heart.

And it is apparently terribly dangerous to faint and not be able to lie down! No wonder you were off for a while, Jim Dixon!

I also have a large (6'3 or so and *big*) friend who faints at medical stuff and who fainted in a tiny exam room and went down in such a way as to completely block the door with his large unconscious body, and they couldn't get in to help him and his head wasn't down... he did wake up while they were wondering if the fire axe would be needed.... a funny story now that he's fine!

Never occurred to me to try anything recreational with needles, though!

However, I've had some rather interesting losses of consciousness.

There was a while when I would get woozy holding bong hits with one friend at his house - never at my house, or anywhere else, there must have been something about *his* bong, and once I actually fainted for just enough time to wipe my working memory clear so that when I looked up, who was this person and why was I sitting with them? until they spoke and suddenly I knew where I was again... (I have a form of prosopagnosia that without context makes faces hard for me to recognize). He hadn't noticed that I'd been out...

Once I got "orthostatic hypotension" (if I stood up, I fainted) but unlike your usual faint, falling itself was horizontal enough to bring me round and I'd come to just *before* hitting the ground, which was completely obnoxious. This one was iatrogenic too - a reaction to IVP dye, which I had not known was a possible complication. Apparently my uncle almost died of the same sensitivity to iodine... during this I heard a blood pressure readong of someting over 25 (!) as I went down... this took days to resolve, while I crawled to the bathroom since if my head wasn't higher than my head I was fine, and I didn't want to be bedpanned.

But once while in an apparently very deep faint I now think was prolonged by my being on steps with my head higher up than my body, but I didn't think about that then, I heard the EMT say "I'm not getting a pulse!" ...

This was another "thinking of" faint - it was fairly soon after I'd had my gall bladder out and I'd had to kind of trot to the bus stop to get to my tutoring for the football players, and I got a little sharp pain inside my abdomen that I started wondering was because I'd torn an internal stitch or something... so by the time I got to work and was sitting in study hall, which was an amphitheater so rows of tables in arcs with a step between each row. I remember putting my head down, and apparently slipped off my seat and onto the floor and was out long enough for them to decide to call 911... but it was the recovery that was so fascinating. Long story coming up!

Usually, when I came to from fainting, I would open my eyes and wonder what I was looking at... oh, it's the grass, sideways. Oh, yeah, I fainted again. And I could usually get up and walk away as long as I didn't get up too fast. But not this time.

This time, I'm not even sure how to phrase what happened, but I didn't "come to" at all. I suddenly appeared out of the darkness and was a point of radiating light and its rays. I remember thinking "this is wrong! There should be stimuli impinging!" and a little while later I thought "No, that's redundant. There should be *stimuli*." Then I thought well, at least I have my intelligence - and that's when I realized I knew who I was. But I was still a radiating point of light and its rays.

Then all of a sudden I could *hear* (Dick Francis once wrote "hearing, as always, came back first" about falling off horses), and *with* hearing came all the ken that comes from hearing - I could tell the voices were somewhere "above" me and somewhat "to my right" (which was fascinating to me as a scientist, as I was still a light-ray complex and had no self to have others be above and to the right of); I could understand what they were saying and knew they were speaking English.

They were discussing whether I was going to wake up or whether they should call 911.

I distinctly remember telling them to call my then-boyfriend, coming up with a visual of the telephone keypad and using it to recall his number so they could call, although they later said I had done no such thing (and they didn't call him, which was toute un autre histoire). I also found this fascinating because I was only just beginning to have a body again, and it was turning out that the point of light had been inside the base of the back of my head, and the rays went everywhere from there into the body that was slowly resolving itself. Pons or medulla, I think.

Anyway, the first sign of having body was a feeling of cold on my cheek. I was wondering if they were putting water on my face, but later noticeed that the cold was also *flat*. I found that interesting. Then I noticed pain, and I realized it was at the outside of my right hip, knee and ankle. Note that during this time I did not yet have legs - just unconnected pain in what were recognizably my joints. After a while I noticed that under these joints, there was flat hardness. After a shorter while I noticed that the places where the pain was coming from were in a straight line, and in line with the flat cold on my face. Conclusion logique: I was lying on the cold floor. And *then* I got my whole body back.

But by then the EMTs were there, and I was worrying (what with the No Pulse comment when here I was, living) until I heard one say to the other Hey, I think she was my TA! in a *pleased* voice, and relaxed - anybody who got through my class liking me was OK by me. I think that once they got me actually horizontal I woke up pretty quickly, but of course they were not about to let me try to stand up so I won't know.

But I think I experienced my very own recapitulation of phylogeny!

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Escapee
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:50 PM

I did it for a while. It was a blood pressure issue ( not enough ) related to incorrect medication. All better now
SKP

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Morticia
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 03:52 AM

I did, a lot, in my teenage years. Turns out I was aneamic.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 07:11 PM

Ok, really weird one: Eating very hot (spicy and temperature) soup, I swallowed a mouthful that was way too hot to swallow, and as the pain in my chest got worse I started feeling light-headed but didn't recognize that I was fainting (it had been a *long* time) from not breathing from how much my chest hurt, until I was lying on the dining room floor with my kid's voice saying Do I call 9-11? and one leg up on the chair, which I thought was a good idea so after saying No, I'll be OK, I put my other leg up on the chair which was apparently the first sign of life I'd shown so far other than some vague grunting. And I spilled all the wonderful soup (without burning anybody) and dropped the Joy Of Cooking on my face, also unnoticed. Never even heard of such a thing!

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Janie
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 07:27 PM

I've fainted twice. Once when I was very, very ill and probably should have been in hospital, and once when I suddenly coughed - apparently it did something to the vagus nerve. I dropped like a stone.


The daughter of a good friend was prone for years to fainting spells that became more frequent as she got older. Doctors said she was fine until at some point in her very late teens or early twenties, her heart started doing weird things when it happened that lasted long enough for the EMS squad to notice when they arrived. She was eventually diagnosed with some kind of heart irregularity that was corrected with not-too-intrusive surgery.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Rowan
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 10:15 PM

I've never fainted but the couple of occasions when I felt faint interested me.

As a student at Melbourne Uni I was a frequent user of the Uni Bookshop. I spent the time from late 1968 to early 1970 away in Antarctica and, when I first went past the bookshop after I'd returned, I noticed they'd done a refurbishment. So I went inside and browsed. While browsing I noticed the St John Ambulance mob had put out a new edition of their First Aid handbook, an octavo-sized edition about 3/4" thick. Now, I had had my father's edition of the same handbook for a few years and, having been issued to him in the AIF during WWII, it was small enough to fit into a shirt pocket; I wondered what had been changed to warrant the increased size.

It turned out that it was almost exactly the same except for (1) new versions of the illustrations that were now full-page and full-colour and (2) the addition of three new chapters, one of which was setting up an emergency field hospital, one was on Triage, and one was on Emergency Childbirth. I swiftly read these (in the shop, between the stacks and standing up) and, when I got to the bit about cutting the umbilical cord, was almost overwhelmed by the sensation of "about to faint"; I had to support myself against the stacks to stop falling over.

This amazed me because I'd grown up exposed to the delivering of cows, ewes, bitches and moggies and never had any such reaction. About a year later I was again in the Uni Bookshop looking for something else when I again noticed the First Aid manual. Wondering whether it would induce the same response I read the Emergency Childbirth chapter again. Sure enough, when I got to cutting the umbilical cord, I had the same response, diminished this time.

Interestingly, when it came to assisting at a childbirth (a "home delivery" of a friend of my partner) I was far too involved to even feel such a response, let alone indulge it. Ditto when it came to assisting my own partner at the births of our daughters there was no such response detected.

Another of life's little mysteries.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 10:19 PM

I've never fainted.

During my high school days we used to march in a June parade in wool uniforms complete with hats and a wool overlay...beautiful but really HOT. Several kids passed out due to the heat...I used to wish I was one of them so I could get out of my uniform too! Never happened.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: open mike
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 10:21 PM

once when i was visiting a chiropractor
i was getting on a table to get x-rays
when (apparently due to the back pain-
which was why i was at the chiro.) I
passed out...i had bumped my head on
the x-ray machine and was immediately
referred to a clinic to see an m.d.
as she thought i may need stitches in
my head.

another time while during that same
period of time, i conked out in a
restaurant rest room. the last thing
i remember was seeing car head lights
flash in my eyes as a vehicle came out
of a parking lot across from where I
was sitting in the restaurant. I have
heard that some people are prone to
such reactions after seeing strobe
lights. When i worked with disabled
students, we had to be very careful
when we took them to the science
museum where there were strobe lights.

fainting is known as Syncope, syncopy
or syncopal episode.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Syncopy

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: EBarnacle
Date: 01 Nov 09 - 10:28 PM

What it really comes down to is: Get a full cardiac evaluation with stress test with imaging and perhaps a neurological workup. All we can do is speculate. Your doctor may not be distressed but he is not the one having to wonder when the next fallout may come. If it is correctable, get it corrected.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Stower
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 07:26 AM

If he is generally tired also for no apparent reason, unexpectedly and suddenly, which can sometimes then lead to loss of consciousness, have his thyroid checked. My underactive thyroid, before diagnosis, led me to lose consciousness. Once it happened at the wheel of the car, once standing up in water (but not standing for long). Only by luck did I not get seriously mangled in the car or drown.

Mrrzy, I had to push and push to be taken seriously by an incompetent GP. Please get this sorted and do not take no for an answer.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Bettynh
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 10:03 AM

Are your twins fraternal?

One of my twins was a bedwetter, much to his brother's consternation. This progressed to sleepwalking, which really alarmed me. My husband's family considered this completely normal (my husband's sister broke her nose while sleepwalking, and had hair-raising stories about walking outside the house. Bedwetting was almost universal in a family with 8 kids when they were little.)

We all learned to cope, and I haven't heard about sleepwalking since their early teens. They're 27 now.

I guess what I'm saying is that your son needs to keep his inheritance from you in mind, and most likely he'll be fine, as you are. Learning and avoiding possible triggers is the biggest thing to keep in mind. vasovagal episode gives a good overview.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Stringsinger
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 10:07 AM

I've recently had this experience. I fell off of a horse. The saddle shifted and I couldn't extricate my foot from the stirrup. I was in pain and passed out three times in the barn.
Three weeks later I am healing.

No broken bones. I was lucky.

Years ago I had three incidents. Once on a public train going to work with the flu.

The other, staying up too late and eating too many sweets.

The third spraining my ankle on a staircase carrying too many instruments down it. I don't do pain well.

Fainting may well be a protective aspect of the body. It fights pain and bodily abuse.

When I had a heart problem years ago (blockages in arteries calling for a angioplasty)
I did not faint.

These are my experiences. Otherwise I have been told by my doctor that I am healthy.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 10:21 AM

Yes, fraternal. It's the tall one who fainted/faints. And gets nosebleeds, now, too. I think he's literally altitudinally challenged!

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 10:37 AM

Oh, yeah, the soldiers-standing-at-attention thing - when I was a child in West Africa, the school I attended was named for Jean Mermoz, who was kind of the French Lyndburgh/Amelia Earhart, the first to fly hither and yon with this or that cargo, usually the mail I think. Anyway, we had to "faire l'avion" out in the hot tropical sun for end-of-school festivities, which involved standing for hours, it seemed, with your arms on your side-neighbors' shoulders if you were in the wings, and on the shoulders of the kid in front of you if you were in the fuselage. They used to drop like flies towards the end, but I never fainted from that. Although that is pretty much what happened to Tim during his concert...

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 01:21 PM

Only a couple of times when I was pregnant. Passing out due to anaphalactic shock doesn't count does it? If so I can count the times. 7 maybe 8 in memory.

I have 2 colleagues who faint due to low blood pressure. Terrible. One keeps gettng head injuries when she falls in faint. In the tub, on the pavement waiting for bus, etc. She just gets no warning that she is not feeling right and should sit down. She is 60 so it is a worry re potential brittle bones.

They put her through battery of tests every time she gets an injury. Not epilepsy. Just low blood pressure. The NHS does not treat low blood pressure. I understand it is treated in Europe.

I was a sleep walker and talker through ny mid 30s. I have awakened more than once sitting on the front porch with car keys in my hand. Scary.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: GUEST,Bizibod
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 02:01 PM

As 11 / 12 year olds me and the gels went through a phase of hyperventilating, then being squeezed hard from behind until collapsing in a heap.
No idea where we got the idea from or why we did it, except it was exciting and we knew it had to be kept secret !
Actually sounds pretty tame compared with todays shenannigans, but felt very dangerous and bad to us at the time.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 04:06 PM

Last year I fell down suddenly without the familiar symptoms of a faint. Felt for a pulse while lying on the ground and didn't have one. Pulse came back after several more seconds.
Had a hell of a time convincing everyone in the intensive care section of the hospital that it was quite unlike a faint. Until I conveniently did it again with a monitor on. Heart block. Now a pace-maker keeps me alive 90% of the time.
Funny idea. Scary.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 02:11 PM

Joybell! I know from experience how terrifying it is when you know something is wrong but the med professionals only patronise.

I have periods of unprovoked shooting blood pressure that has only been witnessed once by an out of hours doctor in Feb 2009 (it was 245/120) and since then I am awakened 3 to 5 times a night by palpitations. EKG tests inconclusive. My GP prescribed antacid, which only gave me stonking headache. I know I don't have reflux. Had it my 30s and know what it feels like. A completely different kind of hell.

I wish I would faint during one of these episodes. Maybe someone would take notice.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Joybell
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 04:51 PM

Good luck with the help, Virginia. I understand the cause and effect thing relating to palpitations. I did have similar symptoms as yours. Easy to see in retrospect. Now I have proof that the FEAR was caused by my heart stopping and not the other way 'round. Yes, I am very, very lucky.
I was actually treated well -- and with respect but it was frustrating. I could tell "anxiety attack" was in people's minds. My blood pressure was doing strange things too.
My heart over-compensating as it turned out.
A mobile EKG monitor over a period of time is used sometimes to sort out heart beat irregularities. Tricky thing dealing with the system.
I do understand and again -- good luck. Wishing you luck in finding a doctor with the skills to help.
Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 05:52 PM

Joy

Yeah I had working and resting EKGs, ultrasound on my neck because the palps are really loud in my ears, not felt in my chest, and a 24 EKG.

Thing is I was not feeling bad any of the times those tests were being done. I had normal amount of ectopic hearts beats for a woman my age.
Ultrasound showed nothing. Not had results of MRI on my neck back yet.

Rheumatology nurse thinks it is the osteo arthritis in my cervical spine putting pressure on carotid artery.

When I feel very bad it shows. My face turns grey, and I feel utterly awful. A kind of "I can't put my finger on it" but I think i am dying awful.

"Are you in pain?" No "Does your chest hurt?" No. "Left arm, jaw pain?" No, And so it goes. My chest sometimes feels full or feels like I am carrying a small child on my shoulders. That is when my GP said acid reflux.

I have discovered that my really bad episodes are food related though. I just cannot have too much salt. I rarely have salt in anything. But restaurant food is packed with it. So when we go for a meal out, I have to keep it very plain. Salad and jacket potato.

Chinese takeaway is my fav. I only eat a third or half the chow mein and rest is plain white rice and extra water.

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: Neil D
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 09:09 PM

If I am under tremendous stress, or having a medical procedure done, I will pass out and have a seizure.Doctor just calls it stress induced seizures.
My brother passed out after burping, right into the lap of the president of his company, something about irritating the vegal nerve.

                                        Christina

Subject: RE: BS: Fainting
From: GREEN WELLIES
Date: 05 Nov 09 - 04:41 AM

My mom who was 85 at the time, was in Selly Oak Hospital A&E having a huge gash in her forhead stitched after falling. She was, as usual, taking it all in her stride, chatting away to the staff. I looked round to see the first stitch going in and promptly passed out on the floor sending trolly and chairs flying.