Slept for 18 hours yesterday because I couldn’t wake up - GP or A&E?

[Headproblems]

Just looking for some advice because I know the NHS is massively overstretched at the moment and I don’t want to waste resources if this is just a GP thing.

Basically for the past few months I have been experiencing lots of headaches and some dizziness and oversleeping. It hasn’t been consistent so I’ve never really got it checked out because it’s never been enough to cause huge issues.

However this week, every day I have been struggling to wake up and until at least 10am I have been in and out of sleep feeling completely without control, no matter how hard I’ve been trying to stay awake I fall straight back to sleep within minutes and have to force myself to stay awake.

In the middle of this week I walked upstairs and my ears went fuzzy and my head started spinning, it was really scary because for about 3 minutes my ears went in waves and I could barely hear, like I was under water.

I’ve tried earlier nights but nothing has been helping. I have my own business and it’s affecting my work, being unable to concentrate and missing meetings.

Yesterday I slept for 18 hours throughout the day, it was impossible to wake up I was so drowsy, at one point I thought I was awake and I was talking to my partner about ingredients (?) but I was still asleep and apparently all he could hear was muffles, and it got to a point where my head started waving and it felt like I was falling every time I shut my eyes, this lasted for about 10 minutes.

I awoke at 8pm and went back to sleep at 1am, and this morning couldn’t wake up until 11am and had to literally force myself into a cold shower to wake up.

I managed to get up and ready, have come downstairs and I am so dizzy I feel like I’m going to pass out (I haven’t), and my head feels like there is pressure around my temples.

I’ve not taken any new medication and the medication I do take I have been taking the same for about 8 years now, no changes that I can think of in diet, I do feel dehydrated from all the sleep though.

I’m unsure whether to call 111 because I’m feeling shaky and dizzy but not sure if it would be better to wait it out until Monday for an emergency GP appointment.

But not being able to wake up is scaring me and frustrating me, I don’t want to be sleeping the days away, I physically just cannot wake up no matter how hard I try.

Please if anyone can give me some advice or has experienced this before I would really appreciate it

A couple of times a year I have an afternoon/day where I lose my sense of balance. Have had it over the last 2 years. It's disturbing but I think it's just one of those things for me. I did chicken out of an MRI though.

Sometimes it can be psychosomatic with me but not usually.

There are some lovely helpful people on here and others that should really stfu and get a hobby, rather than bullying vulnerable people asking for help and support on Mn.

Do you feel like you need to lie on the floor and yet still hold on?

Could be vertigo.

There are treatments, and I would go for the MRI.

If you don't feel right, keep persisting with the doctor. They can be very quick to dismiss people, so you need to keep trying.

Do you feel like you need to lie on the floor and yet still hold on?

No it's like if I were to try and walk down the hall I could pitch into a wall, so I have to crawl. Stuff like that. I get nausea/vomiting with it too if I try and sit up in bed etc.

If I get it again I'll nag for the MRI. They made me do the basic physical thing and see a consultant the next week to check I hadn't had a stroke, that seemed to be mostly what they were worried about, but it was fine.

I'm fairly healthy in day to day life.

@Headproblems Keep on at them OP and please keep us updated if you feel able. xx

I had a bout with severe Vertigo years ago. I couldn’t move my eyes without throwing up. I actually put on an eye mask to stop it from happening. I managed to get a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a knife and a saucer and get it in bed with me. That’s what I ate for almost a week. It turned out that the chicken pox virus was attacking the balance nerve in my right ear. If it had attacked elsewhere, it would have been shingles. It destroyed 95% of the balance nerve in my right ear. Apparently the first 4 days was when the damage was done. It took me 7 weeks to recover enough to go back to work. It was an experience I would rather not repeat.

Doesn't sound fun.

Yep. As my mum would say, if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all.

Really hope you've now gotten some answers @Headproblems and are well on the road to recovery

thats shocking :/
sorry you lost your gf in such circumstances.

The update is she name changed and started a new thread. Same ailments as before but has thrown in some extra now

this is an attention seeking poster or a poster with health anxiety. Either way - I hope posters don’t invest the time they did on this thread

Where's the new thread??

Oh! I assume you've reported to @mnhq ?

Are you certain it’s the same person?

How could you possibly be sure it's the same poster?

@Nursemumma92

The content and also the writing style (kiss at the end of every post, which is v unusual on here) are very consistent with both threads, it does very much read as the same poster. Her prerogative to post more than once / name change, obviously. Just answering your question as to how someone can tell they're the same poster.

I don't believe this is the op. However if it is its irrelevant. I think its blatantly obvious the op has health anxiety based on the reactions of people in her real life her family and drs. If op is suffering from health anxiety I don't think people should necessarily be ignoring her posts and not supporting her and reassuring her. I just think people need to stop trying to diagnose her as that really isn't helpful.

I’m the OP from the new post that’s apparently name changed from this post.

I haven’t. I’m a different poster. Report to MN if you have any concerns and they will tell you so.

I just want to say I’m absolutely disgusted at some of the comments accusing me (and this poster on that thread) of being an attention seeker or making things up. Neither is true. You have no idea how hurtful some of these comments have been- maybe before you accuse people and be so vile you should check your facts. A simple report to MNHQ would have told you I am not the same poster. In fact I’ll try and get MN to comment that here just for further proof if that makes you feel better.

But thanks a fucking lot for making me feel like total shit. All because I ended my post with ‘x’.