feeling faint standing up - normal?

[scarediwastedtime]

Been out in the garden cutting grass, doing washing etc.

Sitting down watching TV - cross legged on floor as I’ve moved house and don’t have a sofa yet. It’s bloody hot here, which I’m not used to (from northern Scotland, always freezing).

Stood up from sitting for about 90 mins - probably too fast - and had to sit straight back down before I fainted. Funny feeling of heart pounding, confusion/deja vu type feeling for about 30 seconds.

111 are saying they think drop in BP/vasovagal, triggered by meds, heat and having a period - and to get a cold drink, and move slowly.

does this all sound normal? I’ve got horrendous health anxiety and my mind’s hit the panic button a bit.

Sounds right to me.

I always get this but I have very low BP, used to faint a lot as a kid in assembly and have had anemia - you could be low on iron if you aren't normally like this.

If it keeps happening speak to your doctor about POTS.

Well that would be completely normal for me - but I have low BP and atm I'm borderline anaemic too - which doesn't help!

I get this all the time well to be more realistic several times a week to almost daily.

it’s happened since childhood.

askedgp once and he said nothing to worry about medically speaking jstbe carful moving until it has past incase you fall over.

less medical people usually say something like oh you just got up too fast if it happens in public or it happens to come up in conversation. Lots of people over the years have said it’s happened to them but not as regularly as me.

as for your health worries is it reassuring to hear I’m not dead yet 😂 and never had any consequences from it or had anything like a fall from it.

Hi OP

See the gp for reassurance etc. But, when I am feeling low - fried white bread, loads of bacon, sunny side up eggs or pached x 2 large eggs and beans - gets you going

Thanks. I’ve managed to sit down on my bed as that’s comfier than sitting on the floor at least! POTS has been suggested before because this has happened after eating, and positional at times as well. It’s a weird feeling, could hear pounding in my head.

It definitely doesn’t help that I’m on 6 meds a day all of which say can cause sedation/low blood pressure (two anti depressants, diazepam, codeine, cyclizine and bisoprolol).

Do have a family history of B12 anaemia (4 generations) - was told about three years ago I was B12 anaemic, mum and grandmother both had the jabs - but the GP said when they diagnosed me that they don’t treat it anymore, just told me to buy supplements and eat marmite/liver.

It does get worse in heat too. Just take everything slowly and up the iron is my advice, also drink a bit more because low BP and dehydration is not fun.

I get this a lot at the moment, dehydration makes it 10 times worse, if I’ve drunk enough water it doesn’t happen. (I do have low blood pressure too).

They do treat it - my DH gets quarterly injections. Only been diagnosed a couple of years. Can you ask GP again?

I get this, particularly on my period. Heat makes it worse, I assume because I get a bit dehydrated. I have to make sure I keep an eye on my water intake and then it's alright.

This has happened to me - it’s horrible have you got someone with you? I think it’s the loss of temporary consciousness is just really weird.

The world goes black when I stand up, just for a second. I have very low BP naturally.

Not only does hot weather make you more likely to be dehydrated, heat also causes you blood vessels to dilate (widen), which will also have the effect of lowering your blood pressure further.

I suffer from something called vasovagal syncope, I've had it for as long as I can remember and I'm very prone to fainting/dizzy spells, especially in the sort of weather we're having at the moment.

As long as you have no medications or health conditions that this could cause issues with, here are some things you could try out: increasing how much salt you eat can help as it makes your body hold onto water and this helps increase your blood pressure, drinking plenty of fluids will also help to increase it, get up slowly and gradually if you've been sat/lying down a long time as your blood is all pooled in your legs already and when you stand suddenly then the remaining blood in your top half also drains to your legs and this can cause what's known as a standing (postural) drop and it's hard for your body to adjust to it VS if you get up in stages, make sure you get plenty of sleep and eat enough - I am always more prone to episodes if I am exhausted and if I haven't eaten much.

If despite that you still really struggle with episodes of it happening, ask your GP for advice - there are medications they can try that could help with it if it's really bad/very frequent.