Fainting

[LouLouT]

Before my lap I had a few episodes of fainting that I thought had stopped. After my lap i started fainting again but thought it was to do with the operation (I had an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic) . Since going back to work I've been feeling worse as the weeks go on. For the past 3 weeks I get to Friday and I faint and I then spend my whole weekend in bed having a terrible flare up of endo and fatigue. This weekend was the worst it's ever been and Im now off work today 😓

Has anyone experienced fainting and found out what caused it? Could it be to do with pain?

[Hidden]

Hi LouLou,

I'm currently waiting for a diagnostic lap, so haven't been diagnosed with endo yet but have a lot of the symptoms, constant pelvic pain being one of them. I regularly feel faint, dizzy and nauseous especially around ovulation or on my period. I've fainted multiple times, and that's usually when the pain is very bad, I feel or have been sick or a couple of times during/after an exceptionally painful BM (sigh).

I've always had a tendency to faint when sick, and have quite low blood pressure. The doctor told me that because it's naturally low, it just dips even lower when nauseous/sick (and I guess pain triggers that?) and that's why I pass out. Do you know if you perhaps have low blood pressure as well?

I'm afraid I don't have any fixes for fainting, unfortunately...it's usually a good idea to lay down as quickly as possible if you feel faint. My mum has the same problem with migraines and vomiting and my sister and I were taught to lay her down and raise her feet so they were higher than her head (whilst still laying horizontal, not some weird sort of yoga pose haha). That usually worked to bring her round. But for preventing fainting...no idea. Let me know if you find anything that works! It's a nightmare.

I hope you get to the bottom of it and feel better soon.

[LouLouT in reply to Hidden]

Good luck for your lap! I hope you get some answers.

I've got endo on my bowel and POD so it's probably to do with that. I was hoping it was something I could do to fix it quickly. It's starting to impact my life, I really can't carry on like this.

Thanks, I've not been told I have low blood pressure but I'll give it a try. I vomited the first time it happened a few weeks ago, at first I thought I had a stomach bug. I get migraines too, ocular and hemiplegic migraines. I had the coil fitted in January, I'm wondering if it's something to do with the change in hormones 🤔 It could be anything I suppose.

The only thing I've found to help with nausea is sucking on polos. If I find out what's causing it I'll let you know.

Its such a nightmare, just want it to be over already.

[regina79]

Hi,

sorry to hear that hun, sounds horrible.

I haven’t fainted but I’ve definitely felt dizzy every month before my period and I’ve been feeling very dizzy too after Lap. (had mine over a week ago) too. I’m now expecting my period but I’ve also started on the minipill (progesterone only), so it could be that too. Either way I definitely felt dizzy after Lap for a week.

[regina79]

Whenever I feel lightheaded I take ginger (capsules or fresh ginger tea), liquorice (is meant to raise your blood pressure and mine is always low) and drink coconut water.

[LouLouT in reply to regina79]

Thanks regina79,

I'll try ginger capsules, not a fan of the taste of ginger it actually makes me feel nauseous. I just can't stand the taste. I had my lap in January and the coil fitted so it could be to do with that.

Unfortunately they couldn't remove very much endo so my symptoms haven't really improved. They'll be removing more in my next operation. I'm struggling to get my pain under control so it could be something to do with that aswell. Ive been referred to a BSGE clinic so I'm keen to discuss pain relief options with a specialist.

I finished my period on Monday last week after 3 weeks of hell now I'm due on again any day now 😭 This past month has been a nightmare.

[regina79 in reply to LouLouT]

I’m so sorry to hear about your constant pains and really hope that they’ll be able to remove any endo that is causing pain in the next laparoscopy.

With regards to the ginger, if you can’t eat the fresh one then just take the ginger capsules with some water and I can assure you they’re basically tasteless. You could eat something while taking them in case. Ginger is known to help with nausea and dizziness symptoms. And yeah the causes of your nausea could be many.. endometriosis scarring and pains, coil and hormones, etc.

I feel very sick just before I get my period and on the first two days. It’s a horrible feeling.

Feel better and take care of yourself xx

[Starry]

Big hugs. I don't faint since my surgery (I used to before) but I do seem to have developed chronic fatigue syndrome.

Just some ideas to explore, apologies if you have tried some:

If it's post op perhaps worth checking your iron levels in case you lost a bit of blood and that makes you anaemic or low in iron?

Possibly also worth checking thyroid, vit d, b12, calcium, zinc and magnesium?

If it's blood pressure fluctuations you could perhaps try eliminating refined sugar from your diet to reduce the highs and lows and eating low glycaemic Index bread? Also eating more frequently and not having one big meal at night?

I'm now more than 3 months post op and have been referred onto the waiting list for the cfs specialist team.

Take care xx

[LouLouT in reply to Starry]

Thanks Starry,

I already take vitamin D (only in the winter months), I take cod liver oil tablets all year round. Not sure about calcium, zinc and magnesium.

I don't really eat refined sugar, except a few squares of dark chocolate each day. I don't eat dairy, I eat a very small amount of gluten (only because it's in a soup I like), I don't have caffeine. I'm a serial snacker but have noticed recently if I don't eat regularly I get light headed and this has been getting worse to the point where if I don't eat my vision goes blurry. I had my sugar levels checked last year but not recently.

I've just had a lightbulb moment, my last period lasted 3 weeks and the fainting/ sickness started when I started my period. Maybe I've become slightly anaemic. I've got some iron tablets from just over a year ago when blood tests showed I had an iron deficiency. If they're still in date I'll start taking them and see if it makes a difference. If that doesn't help I'll try B12 tablets. Hopefully I can pinpoint what's causing it. I had my thyroid checked in December last year and that was normal.

My pain has gotten worse so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it. I've been referred to a BSGE clinic so hopefully I'll start getting the help I need. Trying to not get too stressed about missing work but that's easier said than done. Part of me hopes I'll just suddenly start feeling better but I know I need a plan B incase that doesn't happen 🙈

It's great you've been referred on to the waiting list for the CFS specialist team. Hopefully they'll be able to help.

Xx

[Lyn84]

The week after my op i felt exhausted and passed out and kept fainting every few min i was like that for couple of hrs drs couldnt figure out why and the the following week i kept feeling weak and faint its only now a month after my op that i am starting to get my energy back so im not sure if it was to do with the endo or the op

[LouLouT in reply to Lyn84]

My lap was 9 weeks ago but I had a similar thing following my lap. I was told it was because I had an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic but I had other symptoms aswell. It completely went away after 3-4 weeks until now. I think I'll speak to my GP, just to be safe.

I've taken a few days off work just incase it's fatigue. I can't pinpoint anything I've done that could have triggered this 🤔

It's really tough building up energy levels again. It's something I've really struggled with too.

I hope you feel better in your own way and in your own time soon xx

[Lyn84]

I hope you feel better soon x