Feeling like passing out

Peter Noyes

Hi guys. I am the kind of person that will pass out at the sight of my own blood. I broke my collarbone 3 days ago. At least twice a day I am having an episode where I become pale, get tunnel vision, ringing in the ears, and nausea. I haven't passed out yet but I got really close yesterday. It is triggered by doing something like changing my shirt, I can even trigger it by thinking about the broken bones in my shoulder. Is there anything I can do to stop this? Would zofran help? I starting to feel better but each time this happens it feels like a big setback.

tim cronk

@Peter I suffer from the same thing.... I'm quite a pansy When injured , all of a sudden I will get pale, nauseous , dizzy, and break into a massive sweat.... Not sure what brings it on or what to do about stopping it... For me I thought is was the pain and the pain medicine... I actually did pass out twice the first night with my broken collarbone and then again in the xray room a couple days later .... The first night I had Heather in a panic because the main concern is unforseen head injury and both times I passed out I was trying to get to where I could lie down and never made it (that really sucked because I was falling down with broken bones in my body = not good) .... During the xray I was actually able to tell the tech's while I was standing, I passed out in a seated position with them holding me... After surgery and no pain/or meds I felt great again!

Did you hit your head in the accident? That would be the main concern. Obviously you can't do anything like drive until these sessions pass but its probably just the pain/meds.....

Peter Noyes

I did hit my head but they did a CT scan and it was fine. I have always had these spells, I passed out when the doc removed my nose packing after surgery years ago. These episodes are just very annoying.

Leslie Knight

You guys are suffering from what we docs call vasovagal syncope.  Basically, it's a nerve reaction to the sight, feel, or even the thought of badness- such as blood or pain or other gross stuff.  We don't really treat it with anything except prevention. It very rarely happens with no warning at all, and once it starts, you can't stop it by hoping for the best, or willing it away, or walking to get somewhere to lie down.  When you feel it coming on, immediately lie down right where you are.  If that's too dangerous (Who cares about practical? The other option is you pass out in an unpractical place vs lying down in an unpractical place), simply stop in your tracks, bend your knees, and bend over so that your head is below your waist.  This will send the blood to your head and hopefully keep you conscious until you can walk a few feet to lie down.  Just sitting down doesn't do it.  

There's a certain medical procedure I used to have to do that makes me faint and I used to have to do this sometimes.  Good luck and be careful!

GMAN 19030

I got all kinds of thoughts about this. It is vasovagal syncope. Leslie is spot on. If anyone remembers my summer medical drama last year that's what it was all about. I will type more later when I got time.

Robert Sabo

So what Bob is saying is don't drink a few beers and get in the hot tub. At least not anytime soon. ??

GMAN 19030

That too.

Dino Sarti

Could be the pain meds too. If you are still on those, side effects can have place and sick. Or, perhaps you are "kicking".

steve Beyer

X3 what Leslie said. After my hernia surgery, I tried to "tough it out" without any pain meds(went with a regular repair, rather than a mesh so surgery little more involved), and had 2 episodes before giving in and taking the prescribed pain med. Point is, it was vasovagal rather than pain med. induced.

GMAN 19030

Now for my more detailed response.  I had a lot of issues with vasovagal syncope last year, so much so the docs thought I might have some other contributing heart condition.  I do have a bradycardia but I guarantee the rest of you reading this do as well as it's very common in endurance athletes.  Having a heightened vasovagal sensitivity and bradycardia is an interesting mix.



The sight of blood or fear of injury are leading causes of syncope so that's what Peter is dealing with.  Unfortunately there's not much that can be done to combat it besides knowing the triggers and having the foresight to know you might trigger an episode and be in a position to deal with it.  Syncope in and of itself is not a big deal.  Your body is reacting to some trigger which causes your heart rate to slow, your blood vessels expand in your lower body, your blood pressure drops, which lowers blood flow to your brain, and you pass out.  The scary part is the passing out part.  If you're sitting on you couch or laying down it's no biggie.  If you're standing, odds are you're going to hurt yourself when you pass out and fall (ask me how I know).  Seems Peter's trigger is worrying about hurting himself when dealing with his injury... putting on the shirt may cause him pain and stuff like that.  Smart move is to put on your shirt while sitting down.  You just need to think one step ahead.



There's not really any medication that helps.  There is one drug out there used to treat people that have abnormally low blood pressure that may help, which is something my cardiologists recommended as a possible course of action if my situation worsened.  Wouldn't help in Peter's case.

No beers in the hot tubs until this subsides. 

Caltri

What Leslie said. Actually very common.

Dino Sarti

Wow, Bob. That's quite an ouchie you had there....

GMAN 19030

There's a pre-stitch picture floating around EN somewhere. It's was a pretty good gash to my noggin.

If you ever stay at the Residence Inn-Mont Tremblant, the elevator to the right was the scene of the crime. Head wounds bleed a lot and the elevator floor looked like someone had just been murdered. My wife almost vomited when she saw how much blood was in the elevator. Her quote went something like, "That all came from you?"