To ask if you've fainted

[HalloweenGhost]

I've always had lowish blood pressure and have had a number of funny turns - pre stage of a faint, head hot, dizzy, desire to lie down right now in the middle of this shop sort of thing.

Today however I experienced a true faint three times, properly losing conscience.

Has this happened to you? I keeled over and was launched into a lovely dream each time (now forgotten), that seemed to last ages - long enough to be really calming.

Husband said I was out for only about 10/15 seconds each time and he was calling me to wake up - I heard nothing - but woke to find him lifting me onto a bench or into the car each time.

I couldn't help but wonder why he didn't leave me in the lovely dream, it was much better than feeling so ill.

Why do we as a rule rush to wake fainters?

In the ambulance they were keen to keep me awake too.

Yes. I have low bp too.
You’re lucky you fell in soft areas I guess.

Once. Around twenty years ago. And I still remember really enjoying the dream I had! Came round in my friends kitchen sweating buckets.

Once , I was on an archaeological excavations and pushing a barrow of spoil over a trench, I wen one way and the barrow another, luckily I wasn't injured.

I used to faint quite often when younger (and thinner with low blood pressure).
I went to the GP after one event and she was keen to check it was 'just' a faint and not a black out.

I used to have syncope (faint) and pre-syncope episodes a lot when I was in my teens and during pregnancy, but have t had any in years now.

in an ambulance we’d try and keep people awake and responsive as we obviously haven’t got X-ray vision so whilst we might assume a syncope episode we don’t know for sure the underlying cause

Several times, I've woken up in the bathroom in the corner wondering what the hell happened, no booze or drugs involved. Very concerning.

Yes, I have low blood pressure. My mum used to faint daily until she was in her late twenties, I haven't been that bad but I am a fainter. My dd has followed suit.

I used to faint quite regularly, in my teens and twenties. I had low bp too. The last one I was out for a few seconds getting my blood taken and I told the nurse I am going to faint now. My bp is more in the normal range now am in my 40s. I guess that makes a difference.

Fainted once and i had been out for a number of minutes. I distinctly remembered shaking quite violently as I woke up. So I told the hospital I thought I'd had a fit (didn't wet myself but I had been on the loo minutes before so there wouldn't have been anything to come out anyway) but they didn't take much notice and said it was just due to tablets I was on. Been fine since...

Hope you're ok, OP!

Only once, when I was about 10 and made to stand in the very hot sun for Sports Day at school for a couple of hours. I just collapsed on the grass. I think I was probably dehydrated.

I used to pass out. Period pains. Once did a face plant landing on my chin (still have a scar) and sheared off my back tooth. I dudnt have any nice dreams. Everything went white and that was all I knew til I came round.

I used to faint on the train to work in the mornings, if it was very hot.
Only time I ever got a seat!

I have fainted probably 10+ times in my life. Mostly in my mid teens and that was low bp related caused by an eating disorder. The later fainting episodes happened during a period of extreme work related stress.

I’ve fainted once I got no dream I just a buzzing in my ears feeling funny and sweaty and I just remember falling forwards and waking up on the floor with my head just below the sink the way I fell my head just skimmed the side of the sink the second time I managed to get myself sat down and didn’t pass out. I have no idea what caused it either time but it’s never happened again.

Oh - what's the difference?

I've fainted quite a few times but don't really remember what it's like, I can only remember waking up and being very confused for a few seconds before either being told I fainted or realising I fainted.

I’ve fainted a few times, usually drug or starvation-related, and it’s the most amazing feeling just before conking out - I can hear/feel my heartbeat and people’s voices sound very distant. Never dream while I’m out though, and always feel really embarrassed and shaky when I come round.

Also conked out a few times from vaso-vagal attacks when having physio after breaking all my legs, which was much less pleasant.

Whenever I have a general anaesthetic I always ask the anaesthetist to “push it [the drug, obviously] in really slowly”, to replicate and relish that fainting feeling, where you seem to fall down through the trolley/operating table. Being the best doctors of all, they always oblige.

Bloody hell! I hope you don't get that anymore x

Regularly fainted as a child and teen. In church/ in queues/ anywhere l had to stand too long. I had low blood pressure and it was specially bad when l was pregnant when l fainted at the drop of a hat. Often fainted after getting out of bed too quickly. In my 60s now and much better.
I absolutely hated the feeling just before l fainted knowing it was going to happen.

No, never fainted, but I did once throw up on entering the room for my AN appointment at around 22 weeks. My BP was 80/54. I still occasionally have dips when I feel queasy and woozy and have to sit or lie down till it's passed. Making sure I've eaten and drunk something helps, particularly a salty snack like cheese, crisps, crackers etc.

I used to faint quite a bit when I was a teenager, I once fainted for 3 weeks in a row in Food Tech at school because of the heat I think. It happened a few times at work in my early 20s, thankfully not for years. I never went to a Dr, I think it was a combination of food restriction and possible anaemia from heavy periods.

I can remember literally feeling faint- hot all of a sudden, unwell, lightheaded and dizzy. I used to try to fight it because I didn’t want to say, maybe out of embarrassment. Then I would get a buzzing in my ears and I could feel my vision closing down - like blackness coming from above and below narrowing my vision. Then bam, out cold on the floor.

Yes, I have anaemia which is now well controlled but I had a couple of episodes of everything going all far away and pixelated somehow and then coming round sweating buckets. I don’t like it at all.

Yes quite a lot, high HR, low BP. I don't think I'v ever had a dream whilst I'v been out of it though.

Interesting that pp likes the moment before fainting, I hate it.

I also have low BP and when I was about 25 i fainted in a shop queueing at the till and was out for about 20 mins. Now I can recognise when it’s about to happen so I can sit / lie down first.

Yes I used to do it all the time. I got really good at knowing exactly how long I had before I was going to go, so I could usually tell someone, or if on my own get myself somewhere private and get in the recovery position! It stopped in my early twenties, barring a couple of times while pregnant. I've never once dreamed while out though.