Impetuous1

I'm just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone.

Yesterday, while I was at work, I almost fainted. I was sitting at my desk and suddenly started getting very hot and dizzy. Then it was like I couldn't catch my breath and I started hyperventolating. So I took a little walk to the lunch room for some ice water hoping that would help me. It actually made it worse. I started hyperventolating more. So I asked to go home. I didn't even make it out to my car before I realized I was going to pass out. So I told the receptionist there and she called 911.

The doctors at the emergency room did all sorts of tests. They even xrayd my chest because one lung felt a little tight. Nothing wrong other than a low white blood cell count. I've been sick off and on for the last couple of weeks.

Needless to say this really freaked me out and I almost wonder if it was some sort of weird panic attack (I was stressed yesterday but not that stressed) or could be related to having low blood pressure (some doctors who've taken my pressure has said it was low). I'm also embarassed that this happened at work and that I had to be wheeled out on a stretcher in front of all my coworkers (yeah, I realize that's stupid). I'm in perfect health, exercise but I do admit my diet could be a little better. I wonder if it could have been food related since I had a capuccino and a pastry for breakfast and more carbs and caffeine later in the day in the form of green tea and spaghetti. I'm going to follow up with another doctor appointment next week. I took today off from work to relax and sort myself out.

So anyways, what are your thoughts?

ratbastid

I faint sometimes. I mean, not like a LOT, but in the course of my life I've probably fainted a dozen times. Mostly I can point to why it happened--being extremely grossed out, pain or hunger, holding my breath, and, interestingly enough, too much pot all at once causes me to faint. There's never been a good explanation for it. I've brough it up to doctors, and some have suggested my blood pressure might be low at those times, though when they test it, my BP is spot on the healthy range.

Plaid13

That is kinda scary. I would guess it was what you ate and the low blood pressure and being sick and the stress all just rolled into one was just too much. Take a few days off relax try to eat better and keep bugging doctors about it. Maybe even google fainting to see what else might cause it. Might want to start taking a multivitamin if you dont already.

Dissociated

I too, have a low blood pressure and I do faint probably too often. The first time being in grade 4 at an assembly, during a 2 minute silence for the ANZAC day. I went to a small school so needless to say It interrupted the silence a tad (or so I was told afterwards). It was pretty scary because I had no idea what was going on. Everything just started going black, and I heard a weird buzzing, then before i knew it my muscles gave up, and then I woke up in the sickbay. I've never had it checked out before because I've always assumed it was the low blood pressure, so if your doctor has any other ideas on what caused it I'd love to hear them!

Nimetic

Calling 911 for a faint seems an over-reaction.

I've fainted while sick (ie infection and overseas in India etc etc). I've also come close when standing up suddenly, and after exercise (but not during, oddly).

I must say, haven't ever fainted while sitting down...

It seems likely to me that this was because you've been sick. Also (since you're on the health board) what is your bodyfat? If it gets too low... can be a problem.

Grasshopper Green

I've fainted three times, and almost fainted numerous other times. The three actual fainting episodes were following typical stresses that can cause fainting (being overly hot, overly stressed, and being overly hungry and in pain at the same time), and the numerous other times are from low blood pressure. Suddenly standing after sitting can cause me to get very dizzy and have that "blackness invading my vision" feeling that precedes an actual fainting spell. If the doctors didn't find anything wrong other than your blood count...I wouldn't be too concerned. I've never been concerned after fainting...it just happens sometimes. If it became a regular occurence, THAT's when I'd start to worry.

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frogza

Fainting runs in my family. I've fainted around 30-40 times in mylife. I find that not eating well over a long period (several days) can trigger it. When I was working graves it happened a lot. So I make sure my sleep patterns are on target.

Not counting the time a few months ago (I was running a fever of 103 at the time which probably brought it on) I haven't fainted in over 2 years. I think I've finally got it figured out.

I think some people's bodies are more finely tuned than others and any deviation sends the body into panick mode.

Sultana

It would seem that way, but at the time, no one can know whether it's a faint, or a kind of seizure, a heart attack, stroke...tons of stuff. If I see a co-worker unconscious on the floor, I'm not going to hesitate to call for professional assistance.

I used to get the "darkness invading the vision", and an interesting black tunnel effect, where the person I was looking at seemed to move far away from me in the center of the tunnel, at which point I would lurch towards them...yeah, it's a great conversation piece. I think it was low blood pressure for me, combined with a electrolyte deficiency. Unless it's repeatable, I don't think there's much doctors can do about it.

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