To ask if you've ever had a near death experience and what went through your mind?

[Flufferblub]

I have a medical condition that sometimes brings on seizures. I have stopped breathing a couple of times in the past. I felt really unwell in a hospital waiting room one day (best place to be I suppose), and after waiting hours, I got up to speak to the receptionist to tell them I was feeling really unwell. I collapsed in the middle of the waiting room. I was aware, but things around me seemed a little distant. I noticed that I wasn't breathing, and I really thought that I was going to die. My mind was very calm and willing to go along with it. I thought Oh well, that's that. I was 32 at the time.

Any way, the doctors rushed over and got me breathing again. I find it a little bit reassuring how calm I was. But also a little bit scary how little fight I have to survive.

Has any one had any experiences like this they want to share?

I collapsed with sepsis 12 years ago and was admitted into a ICU. I am not sure if I was close to dying, I don’t remember the first 10 days in hospital. I don’t think I was but I do remember this awful feeling of impending doom before I collapsed. I remember saying or maybe I imagined saying it ‘oh no, oh no’ over and over again. For some reason this has played on my mind far more than the 6 weeks I was ill in hospital, I got over the sepsis and recovered fine but I do get scared even now years later that when it is time I will have that feeling again. Apparently this feeling is common with sepsis and anaphylactic shock so I am hoping it’s not a death thing. Very disturbing.

That film is called Touching the Void. It's brilliant.

I was in my early 40s, and I had a very severe asthma attack - thankfully I was put on better/stronger meds for it after. And I have never had one since - in over a decade. But DH had to call 999 and it was established (when the paramedics came) that my lung capacity was down to about 15%. I fought to breathe and felt like I was being strangled. It was terrifying. Only my blue inhaler stopped me from dying.

I did NOT feel at peace and think 'well this is it!' I was fucking terrified, I was scared I was going to die, and I was determined I wouldn't. There was no 'acceptance' or 'peace'' or 'hey what the hell, y'all die eventually right?!' I did NOT want to die. No way would I have been at peace with dying, in my early 40s, with 2 school age children!

I went to A&E with a dvt and ended up collapsing with a PE while I was there. I could hear everything but couldn’t move or make any noise. I was completely calm. I wasn’t scared or panicked. It was just dark and peaceful. I remember then that I stopped hearing anything, like falling asleep, and then being wide awake, wearing an oxygen mask, surrounded by doctors and being hooked up to all sorts of machines. The consultant told me I only survived because I’d collapsed in the right place, but it wasn’t until a while later that it sunk in how lucky I’d been.

I had gas too, several times. It was one of the most terrifying things I've ever endured. I didn't know kids died under it.

Yes. I'd always been terrified of death to the extent that it had an impact on my living. I'd had a headache for a week which kept getting worse, the night before I'd been unable to sleep and was listening to the news coming out of Norway about Anders Breivik which felt unreal both because it really should have been and my lack of sleep. I woke up and got ready because I was going to be moving the next week and a friend was coming to help me with some packing. She arrived and I wasn't making any sense. I was to me, of course, but. I had a major seizure at home, paramedics came, blah.

Later in A&E I continued having seizures, was given a CT scan - which I don't recall, I don't recall much about that day, was still making little sense and then the headache got worse and worse. I'd been very cheerful, which I do remember, thinking that it was nothing to serious, but as the pain got worse I knew it was. I lay there thinking that not only was I going to die but that I couldnt' bear the pain any longer so I wanted to die. As it turned out I was closest to death at home. If my friend hadn't arrived before the first massive seizure and the paramedic not been there to inject me, with I'm guessing adrenaline, I would have died at home. It was full on, I was in hospital for a month and eventually got "better", but the wanting to die/ thinking that I would die because how could I not, was ultimately a "good" experience. I no longer felt afraid of dying. I currently have a relatively unusual cancer although more common in men. I want to survive, I hope I will survive but I'm also pragmatic about it. If it turns out that treatment doesn't "cure" me and I'm going to die then I'll face it because there is nothing else you can do. Being close to death and surviving can be a really positive thing in your life. Also, if you're scared of dying, honestly, it's not the worse thing. It's sad, you'll be no more but if you allow the fear of death to be too much a part of your life then you won't appreciate and enjoy your life as much as you can and really, really should.

I cannot thank you enough. My elderly dad is terrified of dying and I'm going to read him your experience.

@TheRealKatnissEverdeen

You Rock !!!

I too had a really horrendous birth experience, massive PPH that they couldn't get under control and all sorts of associated drama, I too was very calm as it was very much like my body had taken over and any outcome was well beyond my control, I honestly just thought 'oh well, this is what it's like at the end then...' Very odd indeed.

During childbirth with DC1. As everyone around me panicked and my DH cried, I turned to the midwife and said “don’t worry about me. Please just save my baby”. I felt oddly calm and was thinking how my DH would look after the baby. They then put mask over my mouth (general anaesthetic) and I woke up hours late and was handed a baby.

Yes. I was crushed at a music festival. And was suffocating. On the floor with the crowd on top of me.

I don’t know who it was but someone never let my arm go the whole time. And if it wasn’t for them I’d probably be dead.

it was the worst, most scariest moment of my life. The world fell completely silent. After a while I didn’t feel I was struggling as
much as I felt. But I hones believe it was
me slipping away. I was then pulled from the bottom and thrown on top of the crowd and over the barrier.

And I’ve never stepped back into a crowd again.

I’m also terrified and that is the most comforting thing I’ve ever read.

I breathed in a drop of water while swimming, my throat closed up and I couldn't breathe. I was trying really hard to inhale and my throat just wouldn't do it.

I was extremely calm - I am the most anxious, cautious, risk averse person in life but I was completely calm, thinking 'hmm, I can't breathe. I don't see how this is going to end well. I'd have thought I'd have passed out by now, wonder why it's taking so long?' just completely calmly.

The lifeguard was trying to get me to get out of the pool and I was just thinking he looked pretty panicky while I was as cool as a cucumber,and another swimmer was talking to me and trying to answer her (to tell her I was fine!) somehow kick-started my breathing again and then I could breathe.

There must be a chemical or a process in our brains or something that gives that calm feeling in extremis, so many have described it on the thread, it can't be coincidence.

Yes about 12 years ago I was extremely ill and in intensive care at hospital. The doctors were around me and trying to stabilise me. I felt so ill and just wanted it to stop. I was calm and not anxious at all and happy for it to end. Of course I am here to tell the tale but I hate the fact that I was prepared to leave my DC! It still makes me feel terrible and cold to think I really felt like that. I did have counselling after but still it haunts me.

Not sure if it's considered a near death experience or not - but I choked on some garlic bread a few years ago, I was eating just at the dinner table with my family. It got stuck in my throat and I just panicked, got up from the table, don't remember what I did but remember thinking "this is how I die". My husband gave me a whack and it flew out my mouth and I cried my eyes out for a bit. I had also wet myself in fear . The stupid thing was, literally the day before I'd watched a YouTube video about how to save yourself if you choke when alone. It was hours before I remembered that.

I also remember thinking I was going to die when I was raped at 20. Obviously I didn't, but I still remember his hand over my mouth and nose. That was pure panic as I could breathe, I just thought he might kill me to cover his crime

Me and a group of friends went for a good friend’s wedding in Cyprus. Glorious time with fab friends on the beach the day before the wedding.

Two of our group came running over saying that they’d just paid for a paraglide and they were taking me with them, but we had to leave now as the weather was changing. It was a three-seater paraglide and I was put in the middle of my two friends.

As we were in the air we looked down and realised something was wrong. We were in the air on top of the boat that was pulling us, and we could see frantic phone calls being made. The boat below was coming out of the water due to the wind, so the boat cut our rope. As we were coming down, I remember saying to the other two “don’t worry, it’ll be OK”.

Yeah right. As soon as the parachute touched the water we were swept by the wind. Massively swept. Imagine being water-boarded for 20 minutes. One moment under the water, the next trying to grab a breath. I tried turning to face the water, but all I could see was my friend bobbling seemingly life-less next to me.

I didn’t have the strength to turn to see my other friend. I have been a professional diver and I put it down to that that I was able to breathe and take a breath whenever possible as we were bashed by the waves. I remember thinking that it would be ironic if I died ABOVE the water rather than under.

We eventually got rescued. We all survived, but arriving back to our country afterwards we were checked out at the hospital to find that one week after the event, the levels in our blood tests and bruising were way off the chart. After a week. And two broken ribs.

We didn’t want to cause unnecessary drama for wedding so didn’t say anything at first. Told my partner, who didn’t speak to me for the rest of the trip. Three years on, I and my friends are all alive; the marriage in Cyprus has now been dissolved and I am divorced. Note: never go paragliding on holiday. Was I serene at the point of really thinking I was going to drown? Nope. I thought what a fucking stupid way to die.

Adding paragliding to the list of things not to do ✔️

💐💐 to so many of you.

I choked on a piece of meat a couple of years ago - well it was more stuck and I just couldn’t dislodge it. Eventually dh realised and slapped me several times on my back.

My dad had to be resuscitated twice. He said he was no longer scared of death as what he saw was so beautiful. I hope that sustained him when he was actually dying.

I had a large pph after a homebirth 40 mins from hospital and I was certain I would die I was absolutely terrified and I’ve actually found it hard to get over it even though it was 6 years ago, a picture of the midwifes frantic face in the ambulance when nothing would get it under control is forever ingrained in my brain.

Not a NDE as such but when I was being wheeled in for c section for placenta praevia I knew there was a chance (small) that either me or dc or both wouldn’t make it. I felt strangely calm as I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

I was swimming with friends in a lake when I was 10, I had my head just above water, then all of a sudden, I was under water, and I couldn't reach the ground. I couldn't reach out, I was fighting and fighting to try and get back to where I was. Fighting for what felt like ever. I felt tired, and a sense of calm came over me.
The same sort of calm I now think of when I'm put to sleep before an operation. It was OK. I'd stopped fighting and I accepted that was it.

Then out of nowhere there was this green, light? Aura? I have no idea, like paramedic green, but brighter and I was out. Something pushed me... my mum. Mum couldn't swim, and was shorter than me. She wasn't watching us, and even if she was, she was ahead of us, not even in the water. No idea how she got behind me.

Weirdly, I'm not scared of death since..
I've never seen that colour green again in my life though. I've been looking for that exact colour for the past 23 years, since it happened.

Turned out that lake had a 20ft drop in it. Lots of bodies have turned up in it over the years...usually not in the height of summer like it was when I nearly died there though.

Similar. Near drowning in similar circumstances. Trapped under a boat. I tied to escape by swimming out. I felt calm acceptance that my time was up when I couldn't. Then was pulled out

What a fascinating thread, thank you!

If you like this thread you'll like a book called After by Dr Bruce Greyson who is a leading researcher on NDEs. One of the most interesting and beautiful books I've ever read.

I had a random seizure once and went to this kind of timeless black void, like outer space, for what felt like a very long time. I tried to explain what a profound experience I had when I came round but you can't really. But that book has a few examples of this, as well as of the kind of journey @SerenityNowInsanityLater described. Turns out I was only unconscious for seconds with that seizure.

@SerenityNowInsanityLater thank you for your incredible story. I'm glad and grateful you came back to share it. ❤️

Heartbreaking to read the ladies who have survived violence. Likewise so glad you are here to pass on your survival stories ❤️🪷

I don't think this was a NDE experience but it has made look back and think. I went into early labour with twins. Twin one was delivered. Twin two would not come. My blood pressure kept dropping and I was in and out of consciousness and I was exhausted and did not care and wanted to remain in the unconscious state. There was a room full of people and lots of activity. Everyone in that room were willing me on. They kept me going. My poor dh could not get near me. Somehow I managed a natural delivery albeit twin two was in hospital for a few weeks.

I had a choking incident, on a boiled sweet, when I was alone, with no help within reach. No air moving at all. I remember just going calmly logical. Can't administer myself a back slap. Or a Heimlich. Hang on, there's the self Heimlich technique over the back of a chair. Damn, wrong sort of chairs. Wait, there's a blank wall. Used what energy I had left to run backwards at it, which worked. I don't recall being worried about dying, though I was concerned for the person who was later going to find me dead on the floor.