constant light head/feeling faint from grief?

[summerdays22]

I lost my parent very recent and sudden & i was wondering is it normal to feel faint and light headed al day and night? I’m eating and drinking ok but when i wake up past few days its always there now. I’m scared it wont go away. i am sleeping etc i had my bloods done and everything is normal. i know grief will play a big part but i haven't heard of people having this symptom 247, just off and on so thats why i'm very scared. i feel like i cant do normal tasks with it as i feel too faint. anyone else experience this or have any advice? thank you

I’m so sorry for your loss.

It could be the anxiety that comes with grief causing your heart to work overtime and result in you feeling faint. Get checked over by your GP.

I'm so sorry about your parent's death.

I wonder whether you are unconsciously over-breathing? Hyperventilating is common in states of distress but is often not recognised by the individual.
Do you get any tingling in your fingers or lips?
Breathing in and out SLOWLY using a paper bag may relieve this sensation; if it does, you've also got your cause.
So sorry you are going through this. X

no my breathing is ok and no tingling in finger and lips. when im layin down it seems a lot better. when im walking or sitting upright its not as good

I am very sorry for your loss op 💐

I would advise going back to your gp and asking for some anti-anxiety meds or beta blockers to help you through these early weeks of grief. However, they need to check your blood pressure again first as beta blockers lower blood pressure and therefore help to reduce rapid heartbeat etc.

Stress and grief can manifest in very physical ways. If this is a shock or grief reaction; maybe it is telling you to slow down and cocoon a little if possible?

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/information/grief/physical-symptoms

Some physical symptoms of grief are listed in link above which are pretty universal. Do reach out for help when you are ready as talking and processing can help.

Hmm, that does suggest a "drop in blood pressure" cause...if you want to test it, you could either buy or borrow a blood pressure monitor, and take it when you've been lying down for a while, then again, immediately on standing, and see if there is a drop.

For some people, this is their normal, especially young, slim people. They just have to learn to get up slowly, so there is no sudden blood drop from the brain.

If you are indeed, eating and drinking adequately, your bloods are OK, and you are absolutely sure your breathing is calm and slow, i would assume this is just a reaction to grief and it'll pass in time. The body does funny/ interesting/ remarkable/ disconcerting things at times of high emotion.
Sending thoughts and energy X

I have had this when in acute grief but its more a comes and goes thing. It can be a symptom of extreme anxiety - some people might call it a panic attack but it isn't really like that for me I mention it as it may help if you are googling.

Its like disassociation. The horror of life without them is just too much to deal with so when you start to think about it, anxiety overwhelms you and you start to feel like headed, faint and out of body. It's just your body trying to cope for you - your mind is detaching from reality and making you feel light headed to reduce the intensity of the grief related panic.

I've not had the same feeling 24/7 though so I would observe to see if it really is all the time or if it is more coming and going when you are thinking grieving thoughts.

If its all the time, then I would look at others have said at basics like are you eating enough, drinking enough fluid, sleeping enough - you won't feel like doing any of these things but you do need the bear minimum to survive. Check your bloodpressure and so on.

Losing a loved parent is one of the most horrific life experiences. it is hard and I send you a warm hug. It takes a long time to get a point where it is livable with but the loss never goes.

I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my mum unexpectedly some years ago - the shock also hit me in a very physical way, I was surprised by that.

Do you have someone to help you carry on with normal tasks? If the bereavement is very recent, it’s quite normal to take a few days of doing very little aside from the administration necessities following a death.

I will never forget going round to my mum’s house to empty her washing machine and put the dishwasher on. It is surreal - one minute someone is there, and then they are just gone. No wonder we feel faint.

I hope you are coping as best you can. I felt like this constantly for weeks if not months (it is all a bit of a blur) , it eased off eventually and I just used to force myself tl do as much as I could. 2 years later and I still feel that way as times but less often. I think for me it is a subconcious anxiety effect. This might sound odd but I bought a cuddly toy in my mam's favourite colour and I sleep with it every night which does actually help.

When I lost someone close in a very traumatic way I had many physical symptoms. Often had body parts feel numb, almost as if they didn’t belong to me. Often felt giddy and lightheaded