Near faints

[Mikamoo2]

Hi for the last 5 months I have been having 'episodes' a strange feeling comes over me then I get a rush to my head that goes down my body I then go very weak as if I'm going to pass out I am very tired for a while after. The episodes have become more frequent & are worsening. I have had an ambulance twice & both times my heart rate spiked to double during the episode. I have become very anxious & am now having panic attacks & can't go out. My gp has referred me to cardiology but said will most likely be after Christmas before I'm seen. Has anyone else had anything similar? I have had myocarditis & pericarditis in the past but am told this is snot related. Sorry for the long post but I am struggling to cope. Thank you

[FeetheBookworm]

Hi Mikamoo. I hope you are feeling better now. I have had something similar but they have both been in hot weather. First was at an indoor concert in London last yr when it was v warm and I fainted. First time ever! I suddenly felt v strange and boiling hot and dizzy and can remember sliding down a wall and nothing else. My husband, the chap standing next to us and the first aider apparently got me out of the hall. Luckily the first aider was a nurse and she plied me with orange juice and sat me in a very cool air conditioned room until I had cooled down. I did feel v strange and my pulse was all over the place. She very strongly suggested we go home rather than even attempt going back in to the concert, which we did.

I’d had the same thing earlier in the year when we were in Corfu and I had the same thing at breakfast but managed to sit down before I went down. Again plied with orange juice and when able to move just lay down and rested. Felt strange all day but luckily have had no recurrence.

I told my heart failure nurse who thought I had just got too hot and nothing to worry about.

Luckily it hasn’t happened since but it does make you feel quite strange.

Is there a nurse at the surgery you could talk to?

Hope you feel better soon.

Fiona

[Grandma63]

Hi I do have similar episodes. My cardiologist referred me for a tilt table test. My blood pressure dropped to 37/26. I was diagnosed with reflex syncope. I also suffer from CMVD and microvascular spasms. My episodes usually follow an angina attack. They are quite scary as they make you feel so weird, faint, nauseous, weak etc. My cardiologist reduced my angina medication but that didn’t help, it just made the angina worse so back to usual dosage now.

[CretanBob]

Hi Mikamoo2,

I had been struggling withe few seemingly unrelated issues prior to experiencing fainting/passing out feelings, I had to finish work early, then a couple of syncope episodes. Normal everything, non smoker &fit. Nothing wrong with my heart apparently right upto my heart attack and cardiac arrest. My tiredness issues continue and my cholesterol is still slowly rising. It appears that it may be linked to inflamation and particularly arthritus (proriatic in my case). It's only a possibility, but worth asking. Take care and good luck with your quest!

[Stanley18]

Hi,

I suffered from pre-syncope nausea unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. Words like dread and dreamy come to mind followed by a physical sensation travelling down my left arm, like a rush of blood. I wouldn’t always black out. I was diagnosed with sinus node bradycardia and fitted with a PM.

These “weird” onsets, each lasting about 45 seconds and leaving me feeling drained, but only for a short time, continued post-procedure. That was over a year ago and I still have episodes, but only very occasionally, and nearly always at night.

The doctors didn’t have an explanation for me, but I suspect that it’s a sign of a sudden change (fall, in my case) in heart rate which, clearly, my PM now mitigates. (You, however, indicate a fast heart rate.)

You don’t mention having actual faints. My advice is nevertheless to stay safe; one of my blackouts was at the top of the stairs and I’ll bear the scar for the rest of my life. I wish I’d wrapped myself in cotton wool suspecting that I had a heart problem.

Be positive about your cardiology appointment. It’s the first step towards a well heart and peace of mind. I felt fear and even a little despair at times, but when I was in the hands of the medical team I soon found hope, and it’s hope that will stay with you.

Take care.

[Ianc2]

After a sudden faint I was told to drink 3 pints of water in addition to my normal fluids. It is quite a lot and it seems to pass through me quite quickly, but I have not felt at all faint since. What drugs do you take? If you have a fitbit you can keep track of your fluid intake. The fitbit looks for you to drink at least 2.2 litres a day.

[Grandma63]

Forgot to say my cardiologist recommended keeping fluid intake up and having a little salt on my meals. For years I had been having Lo-salt instead thinking it was better for me.

[mistymolly]

Sorry to hear this. I know how you feel. I'm 59 and started to suffer from off the wall weakness at 52. I was diagnosed with a myocardial bridge. At 57 I became a prisoner in my own home for several months and had a few hospital appointments so I bought a rollator (small walking frame with seat etc). I didn't like using it but the support it gave me was a Godsend. I wish you luck as I know how scary the episodes are.

[Kitty-soft-paws]

Hey Mikamoo

I have a condition called dysautonomia and there is a “part” of this named POTS postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Ask the cardiologist about this.

I had to go through quite a few non invasive tests but got there in the end. Good luck 😉