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Original poster

Friend fainting episode

35 replies

Thingsthatgo · 13/12/2025 12:13

I was out last night with some friends for Christmas drinks. My friend, a slim man in his 40s, suddenly stood up saying he felt queasy (he had drunk half a drink). I had been with him all day, so I know he had eaten and drunk water. He’d slept ok the night before, and not had any drink or drugs. He vapes.
He suddenly went very grey, and then collapsed. He went down hard into the table.
We managed to get him into a chair and he was unconscious for about a minute. His lips were blue/grey.
I was about to call an ambulance, when he came around. His colour came back slowly, and he became aware of his surroundings.
He wouldn’t let us take him to hospital, so we took him home to his partner. He says he is fine today.
I know that I can’t make him seek medical help, but he is a good friend and I am worried about him. Could it just have been a virus or something? It’s never happened before.
I know it’s unlikely anyone can tell me what happened, but I was so scared he was dying, and it’s helpful to type it out here.

OP posts:
2chocolateoranges · 16/12/2025 22:24

My dd has fainting episodes, they happen once or twice a year. The only similarities are she overheats and it usually happens at stressful times such as exams, or times of a huge amount of course work to be completed.

it is worrying but she’s been checked over at the doctors and she can feel it coming on meaning she can sit down or lie down.

BauhausOfEliott · 18/12/2025 11:26

Thingsthatgo · 16/12/2025 08:42

@FelineFeastsmy friend is convinced that it is just his blood pressure, and is not convinced he needs a doctor. Can I ask you, how quickly do you come round after fainting? It took him around a minute, which felt like forever, and took 5-10 minutes for the colour of his face to return to normal.

Yes, a minute is a normal amount of time to be unconscious and yes, it does take a while for someone’s colour to come back. That’s all normal for a faint.

The chances are that your friend is absolutely fine. What you’ve described is pretty ordinary for fainting.

Daisywhatsyouranswer · 18/12/2025 11:29

I’ve fainted due to low blood pressure, it’s fairly common. I think he’d know best.

Misspellings · 18/12/2025 11:51

Ive had this happen to me a few times.
I have low blood pressure.
Also it happens if I'm hit with one of my many migraines.
Or if it's too hot.
It is worth getting checked.
But sometimes there is no explanation for it.

Daisywhatsyouranswer · 18/12/2025 11:57

Yeah me too, I had low blood pressure all my life, until I got fat and it went sky high, now I’m slim again it’s low again, and fainting is back on the cards. But I recognise the signs, like I was at a dinner party last week, had a solitary glass of wine, the room was warm, so I could feel myself starting ro feel, well weak, so I just went outside, got some fresh air, had a glass of water and was fine. Had I stayed where I was, and later stood up, it’s likely I’d have fainted.

Nearly50omg · 18/12/2025 12:05

I’ve got a heart condition that makes me faint as my blood pressure and heart rate drop too low. If he’s already got low blood pressure and was stupid enough to stand up when he felt faint then of course his blood pressure would end up in his boots! Tell him to eat more salt/drink salt in water and have some liquorice toffees spare to help his blood pressure go up and next time this happens to have a cup of water with salt in to drink and NOT to stand up!! He also needs to see a cardiologist not his gp

Greybeardy · 18/12/2025 12:49

If his symptoms started while he was sitting it may be worth suggesting he looks at the DVLA's advice if he's a driver. There are some 'cardiac' sounding features to what you've described and that may have implications for him driving (as well as his health obvs!).

(and for goodness sake don't encourage him to drink salty water!)

Original poster
Thingsthatgo · 18/12/2025 12:51

Thanks everyone. He managed to get a GP appointment, and is booked into for a blood test and an ecg.
I have seen people faint before, and I’ve seen two people have epileptic fits before. This felt a lot worse.

OP posts:
Daughter1234 · 18/12/2025 22:50

FelineFeasts · 16/12/2025 22:19

Hmm I always feel very light headed just before hand and (since I was about 12!) know to sit or lie down ASAP, but sometimes still pass out on the floor.

Show quote history

Exactly the same since I was about 12 too . I know the signs now, for me it’s like a whooshing backwards feeling. I know to sit down asap and if possible tell someone but I usually pass out anyway The fall is what does the damage not the faint.

Wigeon · 18/12/2025 22:58

You say that when he collapsed you "managed to get him into a chair" and then he took a minute to come round. So he was sitting down propped upright in a chair whilst unconscious? That could well be why it took him so long and his colour was particularly bad. He really needed to be lying down flat, ideally with legs elevated. Even if it was a fairly benign faint, the sitting position whilst unconscious is pretty awful for helping a speedy recovery.

Hope that the investigations confirm it was nothing serious 🤞🏼

Experienced fainter here!

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