Fainting after a poo. Wtf is wrong with me AIBU?

[PassTheSmellingSalts]

Aibu to be pissed off that no doctor seems to take this seriously?

I've been having trouble with fainting from period pain for about two years. The good news is now I'm wise to what's going on - as soon as I feel shaky and weird, I lie down and manage to not totally black out. It feels like I'm on the very edge and is fucking horrendous, but I can stave it off if lying down.

This all has progressed to feeling faint on lots of random days not on my period. The fucking best one is that having a totally normal poo (as in, not being weak from a stomach bug or whatever) can set off a major faint episode about five mins after getting off the loo.

I feel like complete shit (no pun intended) after any of these faint spells. I'm so frustrated. I'm worried it will happen when trying to cross a road, or waiting on a train platform.

Gp was nice but just said to get on with it, basically. I'm diabetic (type 1) so mentioned it to my consultant and again they were nice but just said eat more salt.

I'm wondering if I have POTS, or some other blood pressures problem.

I am also getting increasingly worried that diabetes has affected my vagus nerve, that can be responsible for bringing on fainting. Autonomic neuropathy in diabetics damages things like the vagus nerve and nerves in the heart.

But nobody seems to take this seriously. What can I do? AIBU to want to know what's happening to me so I can try to get a solution?

When my dd had episodes of feeling very dizzy (not actual fainting) it turned out her vitamin D was very low - might be worth checking if you've ruled out anaemia and blood pressure.

I had this and after a particularly nasty incident (fainted while on the toilet and hit my head on the tiled bathroom floor, lots of blood, lots of stitches) got my GP to refer me to a cardiologist. His advice was to eat more salt as he didn't want to prescribe long term medication. I salt my food now and have crisps for snacks rather than chocolate and it hasn't happened for years.

I never put salt on food! Well, except chips. Discouraged as a kid because salt is bad for you.

Absolutely CRAVE salt though. Especially pickles or crisps. Maybe the reason I have such urges is my body trying to get more salt on board!

Starting to feel more cheerful, if this gives me a license to eat as many crisps as I can manage

What I'm not clear on, is when simple low blood pressure is ok, and when it becomes POTS. No doctors seem to think it's POTS

POTS is when low BP causes tachycardia particularly when changing position ie lying or sitting to standing - hence the 'orthostatic'. I've got POTS due to autonomic neuropathy.

The key test measures your BP and heart rate lying on a table and then when you're suddenly tilted upright. This causes POTS patients' BP to drop and their heart rate to jump.

They feel faint if they they stand for more than a few minutes as the blood starts to pool in the feet.

I've had fainting related to periods and while my iron levels weren't anaemic they were near the bottom of normal. It might be worth taking some iron tablets and B12 to see if that helps in spite of your normal readings. I have cysts and one has turned out to be endometrial. I always have pain around ovulation.

Yes I was but but salt's bad for you!

Que a ten minute rant from the cardiologist about how people don't eat enough salt and the public health campaign against it has gone too far and people NEED to eat salt etc etc.

Btw I'm also diabetic but I've had the POTS for nearly 30 years and diabetes only a few.

I would be careful eating more salt because you're at risk of kidney damage as it is.

I tried blood pressure raising medication before I had diabetes but the side effects were awful. I use rosemary and liquorice tincture to raise blood pressure instead.

I should make clear: autonomic neuropathy in me has nothing to do with diabetes. I've had CFS for nearly 30 years and the neuropathy came as complication of virus/s that got into my nervous system.

I was a prolific fainter for 30 years - stopped very quickly when I was put on ADs for PND. About the only time I've felt faint since has been around periods which GP thought was hormones. Might be worth a check?

some stuff about VVS - there used to be a page which listed different triggers, one of which was pooing (along with hairbrushing ) - basically anything which stimulates a more-sensitive-than-usual vagus nerve. Scroll to the bottom of the page for what to do as soon as you start feeling faint.

POTS otoh is where the autonomic system isn't working properly (either the system itself is faulty, or the signals passing to and from the brain aren't getting through correctly). You can have both (DD has a mixture of the two, plus some psychogenic fainting). Ideally you should see a specialist if you suspect POTS, but they are few and far between (and the best one in London has an NHS waiting list of over two years for an initial appointment and well over two years for follow ups). Try a "poor man's tilt test" - lie down for 5-10 minutes and relax, take your heart rate. Stand up (carefully if you have faint-ey symptoms!) and take your heart rate after 5, and then 10 minutes. A rise of 30 bpm is indicative of POTS. A specialist referral is needed to rule out heart and other nasties though.

POTS is also linked with hypermobility, so if you are a fainter and are particularly bendy, that might be your diagnosis. Lots of lifestyle things can help with POTS - increase fluids, salt if not otherwise advised against, aerobic exercise, calf strengthening exercises, breathing properly (through your nose, not your mouth, POTSies tend to over-breath apparently) and regular routines. Caffeine can be either very bad or very good, alcohol probably advised against. Diet - low carb/low GI, 5-6 smaller meals a day rather than 3 bigger ones, avoid too many carbs in one meal. IBS something else to look at (although DD only got a dietitian referral from her consultant, GP couldn't help with that ).

For VVS, increase fluids, and use the counter maneuvers on the STARS website (pump feet, tense and release bum muscles, go from lying to standing slowly, avoid standing for long periods and particularly standing still, get jiggling about).

POTS UK have some downloads for GPs which might be helpful, your GP most likely hasn't heard of POTS (although should know about VVS), adn maybe have a look at your local hospitals websites, which might list consultants special interests - you'd be looking at cardiology or neurology as a starting point, then maybe gastroenterology (POTS doesn't fit into any particular speciality annoyingly), and if you're in the SE, I can let you have the details of DDs guy. POTS UK has a list of recommended specialists in different areas too (not sure how up to date it is though).

Just wanted to reassure you though, that fainting after pooing is an actual thing, and not necessarily something serious, a sensitive vagus nerve is quite common .

oh, also fainting at certain points of your cycle is also a thing, and i know of a lot of women who take the pill back to back for a few months at a time to minimise symptoms.

This sounds very similar to what happens to me when i get hurt recently when i landed on my bum rollerskating (really really painful) or when i whacked my funny bone and seemed to pass out for a few seconds, though i have slightly high blood pressure.

Are you standing up from the loo too quickly and having a bit of a head rush? Rather than fainting after a 💩?

Hi it does sound you have some form of Vasavagal Syncope - there is a charity for this - the Syncope Trust and Reflex Anoixic Seisures ( STARS. If you speak to someone there they will tell you which doctors in your area will be able to diagnose you. Most doctors aren’t as well informed as they should be in this instance - speaks from experience.

This has been fascinating! I never knew about the vasovagal thing. Explains lots of other symptoms for me. Thank you all. Good to know I'm not abnormal anyway 😀

I have low end of normal blood pressure and faint a lot (or at least feel faint and am able to stop myself by sitting/lying). I've had all the tests for POTS and other potential causes and apparently there is nothing underlying for me, I'm just a fainty person. The specialist related it to the birth of DD as it started shortly after she was born 3 years ago, but has no real reason as to why.

Push for all the tests you can. They should be taking fainting seriously.

Some people have just have low BP which makes them prone to fainting. Or VVS on its own. POTS is specifically low BP + tachycardia (i.e. fast heart-rate) and other autonomic dysfunction such as gastroparesis, absence of sweating, poor temperature control etc.

The fact OP says 'no doctors seem to think it's POTS' indicates it's prob not. They won't know for sure unless OP is specifically tested, but it's not very difficult to get a rough idea - they just make you lie down and take your BP and heart rate as soon as you stand, then after 5 mins etc.