Over anxious and worried

[Loveheart123]

Was wondering if anyone has suffered an syncope blackout... I'm so anxious about moving even since I had one .. it was very scary ... how do you cope any advice ..?

[Hidden]

Syncope is the medical term for fainting, which is another word for blackout. You would either say you had an episode of syncope, or you fainted, or you had a blackout. How to prevent more episodes depends on why you fainted in the first place: did the doctors give you any indication of what they thought the cause to be? Staying hydrated, getting up slowly from sitting or lying down, and not crossing your legs can all help reduce the risk of fainting if the cause was related to sudden, low blood pressure and/or dehydration. Some arrhythmias can occasionally lead to fainting, including AF, but usually in older people or those with other health issues. My understanding is that, occasionally, someone can also faint when their heart reverts back to normal naturally, without medical intervention, following an episode of AF, due to what’s called a conversion pause. Fainting is a common thing, though, and can occur for all sorts of reasons, including just getting a bit overheated or even stressed.

[Loveheart123 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the info ...

[bantam12 in reply to Loveheart123]

The pauses I had due to 2nd degree block caused pre syncope, I now have a pacemaker which prevents it happening.You need to know why it happened and if it was heart related or just a random faint. It does zap your confidence and takes a while to get over.

[Loveheart123 in reply to bantam12]

Thank u

[Annie-blue]

Hi Carmen. I have fainted regularly ever since I was a child. It happens much less frequently now but takes a lot longer to recover when it does. Last time was 2 years ago and unfortunately I banged my head when I passed out which produced a lot of blood and my partner called an ambulance.

In my experience it is rare that fainting happens without warnings so its helpful to understand the warning signs and deal with them promptly. Lie down and if that doesn't sort the dizziness and nausea, try sitting with head down between your knees. That should solve it eventually. Two years ago I was stupid enough to get up and attempt to get to the loo before I was ready - result was complete black out, head banged, ambulance called, blue light trip to hospital and three staples in the back of my head. Most of the time that level of drama can be avoided if you know the symptoms and how to deal with them.

On the positive side that night 2 years ago led to an astute A&E Dr finding a murmur she didn't like and several tests later a Severe Aortic Stenosis diagnosis. So now I know what I'm facing, and I have a whole new set of symptoms to look out for. Getting old sucks!

[Loveheart123 in reply to Annie-blue]

Thank you take care of yourself ... 😊

[Harrysgran]

Hi Carmen, i had pre-syncope which eventually was found to be due to chronic dehydration. I had been on more than double the required dose of diuretics for 3 YEARS! And had numerous other problems and seen different drs untill finally one realised ! Luckily i didnt blackout completely but its not a nice feeling. This was just my experience but others have posted excellent advice and i agree that finding the cause is the most important step to take. All the best xx

[Loveheart123 in reply to Harrysgran]

Thank you and stay safe 😊