fainting

hi

i wonder if anyone can advise me on my tendency to faint.

i fainted when i was 14 and started menstruating but nothing afterwards until recently (i’m now 54)

i fainted on thursday morning and cracked my head open on the kitchen floor (quarry tiles)

ambulance came and took me to A & E. they checked my heart, did a chest x-ray, took a urine sample and stitched my head.

but i’m feeling really insecure. every time i bend my head i feel like i’m going to go again.

i have an appointment with my gp on thursday and i’m going to ask if it could be low blood sugar, low blood pressure or what ?

look forward to some advice

carole x

Hi Carole and OUCH poor you. Hope your head is feeling a bit better now.

I am an expert fainter and would put a Victorian lady to shame I keel over at the drop of a hat and have always done so but in my case it is due to low blood pressure. Very annoying but not much I can do about it.

The most common reason for fainting is dehydration. Not enough fluid will lower your BP and cause a faint so do make sure you are keeping your fluids up.

Another really common cause of fainting is a change in medication. A lot of meds affect blood pressure and can cause light headedness and faintness as a side effect. Have you started a new med recently?

And another common cause is a virus. Starting a bug can sometimes cause a drop in BP too.

And yes, you are right to ask your GP about blood sugars too. Skipping a meal or having a snack high in sugar can cause a faint as the sugar will burn off quickly causing a sudden drop making you feel faint.

And then there is postural hypotension which is a drop in blood pressure caused by a sudden change in our position from sitting to standing. Sometimes as we get older the valves in our veins get weaker and and can take longer to accomadate the extra load required and therefore blood can succumb to gravity and drain away from our brains as we stand up. So, in the mean time, get up very slowly from a sitting position, giving your BP time to adjust. Try not to bend over but if you can, bend your knees and squat so the your head is always above your heart and be ready and SAFE to sit down again quickly if you feel giddy.

Hope you feel better soon and ley us know how you get on at the GP,

B xx

thanks brog

i have had low blood pressure since at least 1988 because when i was pregnant with my 2nd child i used to dash into the antenatal clinic carrying my 5 month old and a dozen rolls of wallpaper. the nurses said “whoah your blood pressure is going to be through the roof!” but it wasn’t

i havent changed my meds

i have been plagued by UTIs and feel that i always have one

the thing about standing up though rings a bell because i have noticed this a few times

i can’t wait to see the gp and i’ll let you know how i go on

carole x

hi brog

just been to my gp and he checked my bloods (all normal) approved the anti biotics that i was given at the hospital and said that the only thing showing on my bloods is an infection. so its probably caused my fainting. i have 6 days left on anti biotics and should see an improvement

he also mentioned hypotension (clever you!!)

carole xxxxx

Thanks for letting me know, Carole. Glad it is nothing worse. How is the noggin now?

Do take care to get up slowly from a sitting position if you have hypotension (low blood pressure). Don’t want you clonking out again

B xxxx

Cant see much point asking people to speculate on this one Carole, might just unecessarily feed anxiety, but I guess its worth prompting the GP to consider whether MS could be involved.