First let me tell you that I did try to go to my doctor but they couldn't see me. They referred me to a walk-in urgent care who did check me out and determined I wasn't in any immediate danger/safe to leave but had to follow up with my doc (who still couldn't see me). I have an appointment on Wednesday morning but wanted to see if you wise ladies had any experience/idea of the cause.
I am a healthy 42 yr old with no issues except for allergy induced asthma (which is actually so under control that I don't take anything for it unless/until I have an issue). When I woke up last Wednesday, I felt fine. While standing in my kitchen, I suddenly passed out...no warning except I felt nauseated for a few seconds and then I woke up on the kitchen floor. Aside from a few seconds of feeling disoriented (all of the following was going through my mind...why was someone calling my name/waking me up, did I over sleep, hey...wasn't I just having a conversation in my kitchen, wait a minute...I'm on my kitchen floor...why?) I was ok except a little shaky and feeling completely overheated. Continued laying down for a bit and was ok.
This has never happened before (or since at this point) but two months ago I did feel like I was gonna pass out (but didn't), felt sick, and shaky. Chalked that up to my cycle as it was the first day of it and I was having craps too. The first day is always very hard on me. This time I am not on my period....no other symptoms.
Any ideas?
Episode happened on 12/17 and urgent care cleared me as far as stable and safe to be released. EKG was perfect. Follow up doctor's visit was 12/24 and blood work done on 12/26. Spoke to my doctor this morning and EVERYTHING in the blood work was perfect, no reason for concern...not blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, thyroid, liver, kidneys, etc. Unless/until it happens again, it looks like it was a fluke...but a bit worrisome none the less.
As for my doctor not seeing me sooner...I wasn't happy either. I did speak to the nurse cause work in appointments have to go through the nurse. She said no one could see me til the following week. The person I typically saw was the PA (liked him better anyway) but he retired last year. I am now in with their newest doctor...I like her so far.
Thanks for your advice and concern. Have a Happy & Safe New Year!
There are many different things that can cause you to pass out. You will know more with blood tests, etc. from the doctor.
This has happened to me several times (months or years apart), and it runs in my family, rare but weird fainting, usually soon after waking. Nothing has ever been found. The official diagnosis I got was "You fainted". Its very worrisome to faint for no apparent reason. I hope you find some answers.
Blood pressure, blood sugar, heart arrhythmia, vasovagal syncope, caffeine withdrawal, hormones, stress, the flu starting up… anything.
Get checked out. Have someone drive you until you are evaluated.
A friend has vasovagal syncope from (probably) self-medicating with "all natural" sleep products like valerian root and others - but with no awareness of their manufacturing quality or their interaction with each other. She had an immediate drop in blood pressure, and nearly hit her head in the bathroom. She came to immediately but it happened again in the hospital with the doctor right there watching the machines show a momentary stop in her heart rate and a drop to 0 blood pressure. The biggest danger is that you will hit your head or crash your car in the moments after an episode like this. She was not allowed to drive or swim for a while until she got herself back on track.
Don't fool around with it, but don't panic - just take precautions until you can be seen.
Low blood pressure, hypoglycemia are the only things that come to mind. I have sometimes fainted when hitting my knee in a certain excruciatingly painful spot, but I have learned that when I hit my knee and I begin to feel woozy, I try to become alert and move around, and that stops me from fainting.
But you should talk to your doctor.
I'm an EMT so all I want to do is ask you questions. :-) I can't really offer any advice without a better idea of your situation. I would write down everything you can remember, as well as what your family saw before, while you were unconscious, and after, and bring it with you to your appointment. Also, could you be pregnant? And does anyone in your family have a history of seizures?
i don't like that at all!
and i'm pissed that your doctor isn't seeing you for something this dire. a sniffle can wait until wednesday. passing out with no warning is a 'get in here now' situation.
please start keeping careful track of your daily food and activity intakes. may not be connected to them at all, but it's a great place to start. if you're becoming hypoglycemic, or it's connected to your menstrual cycle, or whatever, the best place to start is 'what did i eat? how long did i go between meals? what was i doing in the hour prior to the episode? how well did i sleep the night before?'
please keep us posted, hon. this has me a bit worried.
khairete
S.
I cannot understand why a doctor would not want to see you ASAP after unexplained passing out. Good thing you did not hurt you head. I have passed out in the past due to low blood pressure. Usually it was preceded by light headedness and then tunnel vision. Heavy periods and allergies can add to feeling dizzy or passing out. I would have your blood pressure checked. If OK and no doc can see you soon, ask someone to be with you. Don't drive until resolved. Good luck.
My first thoughts were low blood pressure, low blood sugar and dehydration. Have you been drinking enough water lately? I know when things get hectic, I'm not so good about my water intake.
Low blood pressure perhaps? Low blood sugar? I'm not sure why, but I find it appalling that your doctor would not work you into the schedule. This sounds serious.
I would suggest you call your doctor's office again and ask to speak to the nurse. The nurse might be able to expedite an appointment.
In the meantime, as a precaution, you might want to consider having someone with you at all times until you can sort this out, just in case.
Good luck.
The hard part about this type of situation is that by the time you get to a dr - even if you called an ambulance and went straight to the ER - whatever triggered it is likely over and so the dr can't see the problem.
There are so many possibilities: low blood pressure, low blood sugar, heart arrhythmia, an inner ear issue, seizure, etc.
I would suggest you write down everything you can remember in the 24 hours before it happened to take to the dr with you. When did you eat, what did you eat, do you have a cold, allergies, sinus pressure, headache, light headedness, dizziness, exercise, how much sleep, have you been feeling extra tired or stressed, did it happen after you stood up fast, any supplements you take, anything you can think of. Also, as several have mentioned, when was you last period? I too found out I was pregnant exactly this way for one of my pregnancies.
It is possible that your dr will not be able to sort it out. But you and your dr will have a better shot at figuring it out if you bring as much info as you can.
Good luck!
Low blood pressure or low blood sugar or a cardiac electrical issue. the first two are easy to test and rule out or confirm. If it's not either of those you'll be referred to a cardiologist. Regardless of which it is it can be addressed and corrected.
You can have a wonderfully strong heart, great blood vessels but if there's a mis-timing of the electrical impulses it can make you drop to the floor without warning. This was happening to my mom and eventually she got tot he cardiologist who said her cardiac plumbing was fine but her electrical system needed attention. The cardiac electrician is called an Electrophysiologist. She had test done and it was determined she needed a pacemaker. But most electrical issues are resolved with medication. And even if a pacemaker was needed they are TINY now and once installed are adjusted and checked online or just by sitting hear the doctor at his computer aided cardiac-thingy-machine.
I'm sure you'[ll do well once they find out what's going on with you. Take is slow in the meantime and let someone else handle the holiday! GOod luck mama!
I had something similar happen and went to the ER. I had an EKG and a head CT scan - all came back normal. My blood work was also checked and of course all was fine. In the end the only answer I was able to be given is that sometimes these things happen to healthy people just make sure I follow up with my doctor to alert them to the incident. I was told that unless it happens again that no further action needs to be taken. *shrugs* Who knows what happened?
Hope you find answers in your case and there isn't a repeat occurrence.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. It sounds really scary - you could have busted your teeth hit your head. I'm glad that didn't happen when you fell.
Look up something called vasovagal syncope. You need bloodwork done, a medical history, etc. If you have a vaso-vagal issue, the doctor will need to determine that by ruling other things out.
There are ways you can mitigate it. The doctor can tell you. But first, rule out other problems. It's really important.
Sometimes you can have a heart arrhythmia that will cause those symptoms. My mother had that and they really couldn't do anything for her. It's hard to diagnose because unless you are going through it, they don't see it on an ekg or other test.
It might be a one time thing, but I would definitely follow up because it might be something that heart medication can help.
I've had that happen due to low blood pressure.
Did they do a pregnancy test? I was in line at a jewel and passed out. It was how I found out I was pregnant lol.
