Fainting episodes overnight - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Fainting episodes overnight

GiraffeSquishmallow profile image

I am commenting here because I find this symptom really bizarre and I’m interested to know if anyone else has ever heard of this before or experiences it. Essentially, when I get up from bed to use the toilet between the hours of 2am and 4.30am without fail, not any earlier or later than these times because I have tried it many times and it just doesn't seem to happen any other time - I will come over extremely funny, pre-syncope, palpitations, heart beat feeling all strange, pounding, fluttering, extremely dizzy, sick to my stomach with faintness, ears ringing loudly in my head, vision loss and have a fainting episode while I’m in the bathroom either sat on the toilet or when I get up to wash my hands. This started happening in April 2024.

I’m on a long waiting list to see Cardiology for my symptoms to rule out whether there’s any cardiac cause or perhaps if I have a type of Dysautonomia because I have other symptoms that occur during the day but they’re not ever full blown fainting episodes or anything like this during the day.

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GiraffeSquishmallow profile image
GiraffeSquishmallow
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8 Replies
Quesswho profile image
Quesswho

Hi I'm not a medical expert, but if I get up to quickly my blood pressure drops, which causes dizziness, sickness, and palpitations, I've not fainted but I have fallen down. I hope you get it sorted soon, I sympathize.❤

pravinlaladia profile image
pravinlaladia

My wife has similer Syncope episodes with low BP, but cannot overcome

illone profile image
illone

Hi there, I have had similar issues, however I am on lisinopril for HBp and was taking 5mg at night and was waking with same symptoms until mid morning. Was unsure at first as I have had issues since I was started on lisinopril and statins and had major issue with palpitations and heartbeats. After stopping statins I then found taking 5mg at night was lowering blood pressure too low so felt really fainty. With advice from GP and day/ night blood pressure checks I split the dose to 2.5 morning and night, hey presto blood pressure stabilised and symptoms disappeared. Yours maybe something else if you do not take blood pressure meds. Potassium levels might need investigating as this can cause low blood pressure and tiredness.

beardy_chris profile image
beardy_chris

I read some advice some time ago - I forget where but my guess would be from BHF - if you have to get up at night, sit up for 30 seconds, stand for 30 seconds before walking. This gives your blood pressure time to adjust (and, incidentally, if it doesn't, it means you can fall back safely onto the bed). The article stated that, for most people, your blood pressure drops while you are asleep. If you rush to the toilet and urinate, your blood pressure will drop even further and you may pass out.

Bathrooms are not typically 'syncope-friendly' environments.

Jedi14 profile image
Jedi14

I had very similar episodes after my stents. It was due to my BP going down, with correct meds and monitoring BP, I am able to avoid those fainting spells.

devonian186 profile image
devonian186

Did anything change in April? Different diet? Different medications or a changed dose? Change in exercise?

Alfie33 profile image
Alfie33

I get really dizzy when I turn over in bed and get up for the toilet

2000BabyHat profile image
2000BabyHat

It could be a number of things and most are mentioned here. Postural hypotension, Statins, BP medications. It could well be an irregularity in heart beat. My sister fainted in similar circumstances and a Holster device overnight showed she stopped breathing due to an arrhythmia of some type. The solution was a pacemaker. I think you have to push things along.

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