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Original poster

To ask if you've fainted

96 replies

HalloweenGhost · 24/04/2023 23:06

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.

OP posts:
anonymous98 · 24/04/2023 23:53

I'm quite scared of fainting, honestly. Both times I've done it were mortifying.

ladyofshertonabbas · 24/04/2023 23:55

Yes, twice when D’s was a baby- no sleep. Have a low heart rate.

NEUserNamesNotTakenJeez · 24/04/2023 23:57

Have fainted twice, both times getting the hot head etc, general symptoms. No dream state during them though! But... When I was a teenager at my then bfs house, I went for a midday nap in his bed. I remember feeling extremely comfortable and content. Happy, floaty, perfect temperature etc. Can only describe it as to what a baby must feel in the womb, I had no pressure anywhere on my body.
Woke up to the bfs dad shaking me roughly, his family all around staring at me all relieved because they thought I was dead! Apparently they'd been trying to rouse me for a good five mins 😂 wonder if that's similar to the 'dream' feeling maybe?

APurpleSquirrel · 24/04/2023 23:58

I've fainted once - in my then BF now DHs kitchen when we were in our early 20s. I hadn't eaten for ages so think that's why.
But yes, honestly it was the nicest, warmest most cosy sleep I've ever had. I distinctly remember feeling incredibly calm, warm, comfortable, relaxed etc & then being rudely pulled out of it by a frantic DH, to find I was on a very cold, hard floor in just my nighty!
I've been unconscious before, for medical reasons & they have never been as nice/relaxed etc as that one faint.

anonymous98 · 24/04/2023 23:58

Sorry for your loss OP ❤

strangerperson · 24/04/2023 23:59

I have low blood pressure too and fainted in my gp's surgery last year. Before that, I have fainted in a aeroplane as I felt hot and bothered claustrophobic, I've fainted opening the door and a cold wind hitting my face for some reason triggered it but this was because I heard the postman knock and I was asleep and suddenly woke up to answer the door where I fainted.

NEUserNamesNotTakenJeez · 25/04/2023 00:01

Sorry, just seen your earlier comment. So sorry to hear about the miscarriage ❤️

TheOrigRights · 25/04/2023 00:02

I am so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I hope you feel stronger soon.

Why do we as a rule rush to wake fainters?

I don't think we are, are we? Most people come round from a faint pretty quickly - the drop to the floor, or to having your head between your knees if you're quick enough, will resolve the faint and you'll start to come round.

If someone doesn't come round quite quickly then it may be an indication of an underlying medical problem.

TheOrigRights · 25/04/2023 00:04

I've fainted a few times and also managed to stop a few by sitting down, or steadying myself. I never feel dreamy or even have any recollection of anything beyond feeling like "oh I'm going to faint".

MouseKeys · 25/04/2023 00:05

I’ve fainted a few times over the years including several times when I was pregnant, I had to lie down with my head hanging off the sofa as soon as I felt it coming on or I would black out. My FIL loves the feeling you get when you faint / have a general anesthetic but I absolutely hate it, I hate the dizziness and the tunnel vision and the sweating that comes with it.

My most memorable faint was in our family doctor's office, he was explaining the reasons for my low iron levels to me but I was feeling poorly before I went in and for some reason his description of the blood cells tipped me over the edge and I crashed to the floor only to be woken up a few seconds later by him slapping me on the cheek and calling me by my MIL’s name which made me so confused (he has known my in-laws and their whole family for years and obviously forgot I didn’t take my husbands name when we got married ) He then called my husband to come and get me while feeding me sweets to get my blood sugar levels up again, it took me quite a while to live that one down!

MouseKeys · 25/04/2023 00:06

Oh, I’ve just seen the reason for your faint, I’m so sorry for your loss x

WhiteBloatus · 25/04/2023 00:08

Only a few times when pregnant and on a hot train. I remember a sick, dizzy feeling, then my vision going wavy. Remember coming to lying on the floor of the train, hearing voices, feeling very relaxed and thinking I was waking up for the first time that day and then slowly realising what had actually happened!

Hawkins003 · 25/04/2023 00:09

I fainted once I believe, then as I fell back and landed on the floor I woke myself up

Hawkins003 · 25/04/2023 00:09

I had my head spinning and suddenly feeling sick before it happened

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 25/04/2023 00:38

Yes once when I was 12 I'd done a dancing exam, had barely eaten or drank anything that morning. Went into town with my friend and just happened to bump into my Mum and Dad. Felt slightly thirsty so got myself a cherry coke. Took a sip of it and suddenly got this massive wave of nausea. The type where you can't work out whether or not to try and get to the toilet or throw up on the spot. Next thing everything started to turn yellow and I remember saying everything is yellow I can't see anything but yellow, then after that bam out cold in the middle of the shopping centre. When I came to I thought I was in bed and asked for jam on toast for my breakfast and couldn't understand why my blue bedroom carpet was now a white tiled floor. First aider came to check on me. My lips went blue but he said it was more than likely from the lack of oxygen. Taken to A&E where they found out my blood sugar was very low and I was dehydrated. Got given 2 big bottles of lucozade to drink down one after the other which bought it back up to a normal level then discharged on the understanding I would have something to eat. It was either that or spend the night in a different hospital on a drip. I chose to go home to my own bed via McDonald's on the way. Not fainted since but I have a quite a few near faints over the years and one episode of partial loss of consciousness after a lumbar puncture. 24 years later though I still don't drink anywhere near enough.

mightymam · 25/04/2023 00:41

I fainted in the shower once when I was 17/18. It was the best sleep I'd ever had. I woke up on the shower floor and had to crawl out of the bathroom and lie down for a few hours before I felt human again.

VanGoghsDog · 25/04/2023 00:48

I used to faint all the time, I was known for it. It has reduced as I've got older. Partly because I can tell now and I stop and sit down, plus I think I do things differently, like I don't stand up too fast.

Last time I fainted was 2017 sitting in an airplane seat. That was embarrassing, had to lie on the floor while a steward held my feet up for two hours til we landed, then noone else could get off until an ambulance came and took me off first on a stretcher. They have me a glass of water, talked to me in Italian, then said I could go.

Underminer · 25/04/2023 00:52

Worst experience for me was after an eye operation. I had dissolvable stiches in my eye. One wasn’t going so I had to go and get it removed. I was leaning face first on the eye examination thing with the weird head sling thing and the consultant kept telling me off for pulling away from him. I didn’t think I was, but it was me being woozy before I fainted, fell backwards of the chair and banged my head. Had to lie down for ages in a side room and they forgot about me! I don’t know if I fainted again or nodded off but I had an amazing dream waiting for them to remember where I was and check in!

AutumnOcean · 25/04/2023 00:54

Yes, although mostly when I was in my 20s. I get a very intense pulsating feeling in my ears when I'm about to faint, so I now know to lay down on the floor before I pass out.

msbevvy · 25/04/2023 01:02

Yes, it happened a few times when I was out shopping and in the early stages of pregnancy. I always keep an eye out for women with "baby on board" badges on public transport in case they are in the same position.

But my worst episode of fainting was when I was a teenager. I felt sick and went into the downstairs toilet. I fainted and fell forwards with my face going through the window glass. I still bear the scars if you look closely enough.

CherryRipe1 · 25/04/2023 01:02

If any of you on this topic have syncope & high heart rates after standing from sitting/lying down, ie more than 30 bpm than you normal heart rate then please get checked for PoTs or orthostatis. A GP can test it or you can purchase a cheapie pulse oximeter to test at home.

Catname · 25/04/2023 01:06

I often feel faint, and have fainted, after medical treatments involving needles, blood, discussion of what’s going on under my skin etc - I’m very squeamish. I know the signs of an impending faint and now actively try to avert it by telling someone and sitting down.

Once though, I fainted whilst making an appointment after an outpatient appointment. I talked to the receptionist, who turned round to get something. When she turned back, I was flat out on the floor.

I think I was in the middle of a lovely dream that I was lying on a Carribean beach and came round wanting all the people around to leave me alone on the warm sand. I kept my eyes shut hoping they would disappear and I could continue my dream. They didn’t 😀

FloatersintheHotTub · 25/04/2023 01:17

Used to faint monthly with period in teens and 20s. Had various injuries that way. Never investigated and interesting to hear that it’s connected with anaemia because that would make sense. I was anemic throughout my PGs. I now have a POTS diagnosis.

RoseMartha · 25/04/2023 01:22

Yes twice. Once in my 20's and once in my 30's.

SpacePotato · 25/04/2023 01:26

I've fainted lots of times during my life.

I faint when I get sudden pain or my body goes into shock.
I go on a whitey and get instant cold sweats before the feeling travels up from my chest and envelopes my head.

I usually have enough warning to be able to lie down quickly before I fall.