DS just fainted 3 times!

[crisisofidentity]

Ds has been getting head rushes a lot and occasionally blackout. Just getting out of the bath he blacked out, got up, blacked out 2 more times and banged his head hard. Says he is ok.
He says it wasn't a very hot bath, I tell him to eat a bit more, is it low blood sugar?
Any ideas if it could be more than this and I should be worried?
I am worried already of course. He's 17.

get him to the out of hours doctor or phone NHS direct and see what they say.

Tell him to go to his gp.

and I mean today.. don't leave it.

I'd be tempted to take him to A&E. It's not normal to faint repeatedly.

Sorry forgot it was a bank holiday.

I just realised it all happened at once. Take him to A&E.

Yes he says he's fine but we tend to be quite stalwart. He Seems ok. Is making somethingto eat. I will phone NHS direct. Thanks everyone.

I would get him seen to. Could be anything from low blood sugar to low blood pressure. Or even an ear infection can cause it.

It's a Bank Holiday so you will wait a loooooong time for a callback from NHSD, who will very likely advise you to go to A&E.

Best go to A&E now, they will get busier as the day goes on.

I think it's called vasovagal fainting/episode, common and can be caused by, among other things, headrush i.e. momentary drop in blood pressure after standing up. Other causes could be sudden trauma/stimuli etc. I had it once after closing door on my thumb- fainted three times in a row (and I'm not prone to fainting)

So while it's always good to check out things like that, there's no reason to panic.

From the NHS website page on fainting:

In cases of repeated fainting and some other cases, is important that a healthcare professional investigates the cause of the fainting episode.

Spoke to the nhs they advised him go to a&e, he says he is fine and doesn't need to, He will go to the GP tomorrow. I have told him what I think, it is most probably this vasovagal episode winniebella describes. But there is a chance it might be something else. He needs to get checked over. Thanks everyone

I hope he gets on OK tomorrow and everything checks out OK.
Thanks for giving us an update.

Doctors today x

look at STARS for more info on different types of fainting. Be prepared to be fobbed off with "oh, it's "just" VVS" though, but be pushy for a thorough investigation, and possible referral.

Due to his age I would say make sure you push for thorough investigations. Don't want to worry you but many undiagnosed heart defects start with symptoms of fainting.

If GP draws a blank, get him to check your DSs Bilirubin levels, my DS1 used to have fainting episodes at 16, turned out he has something called Gilberts Syndrome, a hereditary condition which is stronger in males and appears in the second decade of life. Through his diagnosis, we discovered we all have it without knowing.

No biggy, but if you don't eat regularly, which teens tend not to do, it affects you badly.

Thanks all, I think I will accompany him to the docs tomorrow even if it makes him cringe. It's easy to get fobbed off when you're inexperienced.

A good friend of mine had this happen throughout her teens and into her twenties, it turned out she had a heart defect. She is now on medication and perfectly fine, but these things need to be checked.

how did you get on crisis?

He went to GP - alone - I caved in straight away, and they sent him off for anaemia blood test and ECG , ( I've had a 24 hour trace in the past and have an innocent arrhythmia ), also found he had low blood pressure.
He let me come to the hospital with him this afternoon, so I'm not completely redundant
Thanks!

I'm glad they have found a reason for the fainting - hopefully your DS will be feeling A1 again soon.