Fainted yesterday

[Kim M]

So I got up and was getting ready to go to work. I was feeling okay and suddenly my hands up to my forarms became ice cold as well as the top of my head. I got clamy and new something was wrong. I headed for the bed and remember stumbling and hitting my nightstand and then blacked out. I guess I was out for a few minutes. I opened my eyes and just kept still for awhile. I then sat up for awhile. I went into the bathroom and I was ghostly pale. The other syptoms passed, but I immediately got a headache. I was able to go to work and was okay with the exception of the headache. I called my PCP today and she wanted to see me. My exam was normal and she did an EKG which was also normal. She did some routine bloodwork which I will proably get the results in a few days. I am eating as instructed, taking my vitamins and drinking my water. The only other time I fainted was when a had the flu many years ago. This was a strange feeling. Anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

[NanaG67]

I can honestly say I have never had issues like this. I have been lightheaded a few times, and I have had some blood pressure issues, but I had those prior to surgery.

 

[Javajoy]

Kim,

I find myself wondering about low blood sugar, and my second choice would be hypotension (low blood pressure) related to posture. Sometimes your BP will drop when you stand up. It is good that you have contacted your PCP and testing is being done. Keep us posted and hope it doesn't happen again.

Joy

 

[Pat99]

Kim-It wouldn't hurt to monitor your blood sugar level a couple of times a day. You don't need a prescription to buy a monitor or the test strips but if your doctor writes a prescription your medical insurance should pay for it, less any co-pays.

 

[I-Did-WHAT]

I feel so bad for you and hope you are truly OK.

If you ever feel like that again, sit down immediately, even in the middle of the street. The very act of standing up demands blood pressure.

I was caring for my mother's now-husband who fainted from low blood pressure. He fractured his ankle and hurt himself in other ways because he kept trying to get up.

Also, the detection of a heart attack that's already past is not an EKG; they measure a chemical in your blood that shows up within 24 hours of a heart attack. My husband didn't show the chemical when he went to the emergency room and I think I remember his EKG was okay. Lucky for him, they decided to keep him until morning—which is when his blood results tested positive for the heart attack. Immediately he was rolled into surgery and they cleared a 90% blockage from one of his arteries (the others were fine) and installed a stent.

You're a mystery that I hope your PCP figures out immediately. If I were her, I wouldn't have let you out of my sight for at least 24 hours.

Said with the utmost care and highest hopes,
Sandra

 

[Kim M]

All tests came back normal. It has not happened again. I was told if it does to see my cardiologist. I don't really have a cardiologist as I only needed clearance before surgery. Hoping it was a one time event. It did freak me out a bit. Thanks for the suggestions and concern.

 

[mergatroid]

Kim, good to hear all the tests are normal. And congratulations on you weight loss thus far! You're almost at your first goal weight!!

 

[Pat99]

All tests came back normal. It has not happened again. I was told if it does to see my cardiologist. I don't really have a cardiologist as I only needed clearance before surgery. Hoping it was a one time event. It did freak me out a bit. Thanks for the suggestions and concern.

Kim-I'm happy to hear you went to the doctor and that you are feeling better. However, something cause the fainting and this would be of great concern if it were happening to me. Please be deligent in trying to find out what's going on. Did your doctor run a blood sugar test. If so was if for A1C levels (long term average) or was it just an immediate reading? The reason I am asking is if it was done as an A1C, this might be misleading if you have been maintaining a good level up until the day you fainted. This one incident wouldn't affect your long term average. I still think it would be a good thing to get a blood sugar monitor and do 1 or 2 tests a day for at least a couple of weeks then test once a day for the next month. I was a type 2 diabetic pre-surgery but no longer need to take medication for this If you decide to test yourself ask your doctor what the best time would be for you to test. I tested 2 hours after eating and I varied my schedule so that I would test after breakfast and dinner one one day then maybe switch to testing after breakfast and lunch on another day so that I covered all possible scenerios in the course of a week.