Hi
Some advice please , Les was eating his dinner tonight when he suddenly became semi conscious, his eyes were open but he stopped eating and staring breathing heavy , I talked to him and tried to get him to respond but he kept losing consciousness again , he was like this for about 15 minutes then he became aware again and totally rejected my claims that he had been out of it . Has anyone else experienced this ?
Thanks xxx
Yes, it used to happen to my husband a lot at meal times. It’s essentially hypoxia, or “postprandial hypotension”
Digestion is a complicated job that requires precise coordination between the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems. An early task is rerouting extra blood to the stomach and small intestine. In MSA, the autonomic system that would normally handle this rebalancing task, is compromised or just not working.
He could try drinking a large glass of water before a meal, and having smaller lower carb meals, but more of them.
We used to take blood pressure before meals.
As things progressed and C was using a tilt-in-space chair, I would quickly recline the chair. Ideally, the feet should be higher than the head, to get the blood flowing back to the brain.
Something to mention to your neurologist, I would say. Very alarming first time it happens!
Could be due to blood pressure drop . My husband has them pretty frequently he has postular hypotension as well as MSA Parkinson's and dementia. It's a bit frightening when it happens. Maybe a chat with your specialist.
yes, like janel mentioned above we had these episodes for a while at mealtimes to do with blood pressure when the body sends extra blood to the stomach for digestion ( remember being told not to swim after meals!) putting the feet up onto another chair can help, sometimes I found lifting his hands above his head helped a bit.
I am sorry that he isn’t believing you, that’s hard. You could take a little video, but it depends whether he’s in denial or not if it would help to show him.
As with all these things it’s a phase and will be different farther down the line!!
My hubby did the same a couple of weeks ago. He was out for about 45 mins blood pressure went as low as48 /32 x
Hi Dee , my husband use to eat at the table but fainted when he stood up. Two years down the line we have made things easier before eating by 1) taking blood pressure 2) If low take 1 glass salty fizzy water (Himalayan salt appears to be more beneficial than table salt but they both work) 3) Small meals taken in his recliner chair with feet up. Avoid ultra process foods. It’s a learning curve and gets easier in a way but harder because there is no cure. Sorry for ending on a negative note…I am not sleep well alately but thankfully my husband still sleeps well 🙏 x
Sudden loss of awareness and heavy breathing could be concerning. It's crucial to consult a doctor promptly to rule out any serious health issues. To anyone in need of dissertation assistance. I recently used topessaywriting.org/write-m... to write my dissertation, and I couldn't be happier with the results! The entire process was seamless, from placing the order to receiving the final draft. The writer demonstrated a deep understanding of my topic, and the dissertation was well-researched and flawlessly written. Their professionalism, quality of work, and commitment to customer satisfaction make them a top choice for academic writing services.
Yes, my husband also used to have BP drops after eating. He now takes Midodrine and he doesn’t faint anymore
Thus thread is so interesting. I've not yet cone across this with husband yet, but it's good to be forwarned. I'd say definitely have a chat with his specialist to rule out any other underlying pathology though.
I would get an EEG to rule out absence seizures.
Les is already on epilepsy medication as he started having seizures in August x
Easy enough to monitor blood pressure and rule it in or out as a cause. Either way you should consult with his doctor. I know this isn't an easy road. Best wishes,
SE
Thank you
Needing opinions or facts with MSA-C
Appalling Treatment by medical professionals 
Helping my husband up from a fall
