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Randomly passed out at work.....

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Randomly passed out at work.....

Old 10-28-12, 09:04 PM
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Randomly passed out at work.....

So last week, I was standing in a morning meeting at work. All of the sudden I felt sort of a clammy sweat coming on and felt a little bit light headed. Then my vision went all starry eyed and I collapsed. I guess I was out cold for a few seconds. I didn't hit my head or anything. I woke up and my co-workers were standing around me, one of them was the station emt and was immediately checking my vitals. I felt totally fine within a few minutes but we have procedures to follow for medical emergencies and my coworkers did a great job following them. Since it happened at work, they were obligated to call 911 and when the ambulance showed up I had to go to the hospital. So it was quite a weird morning. Even weirder for me is the fact that my blood pressure was 125/80 and the EMT's, ER nurse and ER doctor found absolutely nothing wrong with me. They took some blood and ran some tests at the hospital and found nothing out of the ordinary. They didn't find any abnormal conditions. I followed up with my regular doctor who now wants me to wear a heart rate monitor for 24 hours starting tomorrow morning but even he said if I had an abnormal heartbeat, it would be something I would have noticed.

So this whole thing is odd. I've never had anything like this happen before. I'm not really worried since I think if it would have happened in any other situation I probably would have just sat down and been fine, but at the same time it's pretty frikin weird to just randomly pass out while just standing there. I was flying high on this being healthy thing and now this comes along and smacks me in the face! I don't know what to think.....
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Old 10-28-12, 09:16 PM
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Look for the simple first...ask any service man about locking your knees while standing at attention....some people can't take it and pass out.

i know after a hard day of riding, the next morning or later that evening, I can't stand up too quickly or I get light headed.

not that this is medical advice and perhaps you should seek a professional opinion, but your not the first person to pass out whole standing.

all I am saying is look for the simple explanation before going the oh my god I am really screwed route
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Old 10-28-12, 09:31 PM
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Well, I feel like I'm the only one being level headed about it. Everyone else seems to be overreacting. Granted, the coworkers just did what they were required to do by company policy, but I'm surprised by the amount of testing my doctor wants to do. Especially since he has been monitoring my health progress for the past few years.

That being said, some of the simple explanations don't seem to fit. I was sort of leaning on a high counter top without knees being bent. I had been standing there for 10 minutes, so I didn't stand too quickly. I had breakfast and when I got to work someone brought in cookies and I had a few so low blood sugar wasn't an issue. They had a blood pressure monitor on me within seconds and it was 125/80. The room wasn't overly hot or cold. I wasn't nervous or uncomfortable. I had a decent nights sleep. So I'll do whatever tests my doctor wants tomorrow and after that, if he doesn't find anything, I'm moving on.

Honestly, I really feel like if I wouldn't have been in a meeting, I would have just sat down and been fine.
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Old 10-28-12, 09:37 PM
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Well, passing out for no reason is far from normal, so hopefully one of these tests will reveal something. Obviously some people around you care about you so don't get too worked up about the extra attention.

Heal up!
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Old 10-28-12, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Big Pete 1982
Well, I feel like I'm the only one being level headed about it. Everyone else seems to be overreacting. Granted, the coworkers just did what they were required to do by company policy, but I'm surprised by the amount of testing my doctor wants to do. Especially since he has been monitoring my health progress for the past few years.

That being said, some of the simple explanations don't seem to fit. I was sort of leaning on a high counter top without knees being bent. I had been standing there for 10 minutes, so I didn't stand too quickly. I had breakfast and when I got to work someone brought in cookies and I had a few so low blood sugar wasn't an issue. They had a blood pressure monitor on me within seconds and it was 125/80. The room wasn't overly hot or cold. I wasn't nervous or uncomfortable. I had a decent nights sleep. So I'll do whatever tests my doctor wants tomorrow and after that, if he doesn't find anything, I'm moving on.

Honestly, I really feel like if I wouldn't have been in a meeting, I would have just sat down and been fine.
locked out knees is a possible reason and why BP returned to normal quickly....just my opinion...nt an expert r a doc

keep us posted
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Old 10-28-12, 09:39 PM
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This may sound weird but how hot was it inside, compared to out ? I have pass out cold before due to a combination of things but the trigger was cold out side to a hot room.
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Old 10-28-12, 09:55 PM
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Ill be having good thoughts...
Hope everything turns out okay.
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Old 10-28-12, 09:55 PM
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Back in 1999 I was entering an ampitheatre-style lecture room at my university, got halfway down an aisle, blacked out, and fell down 2 rows of seats. I don't have a clue why it happened, but when I came to a few seconds later I felt fine. Brushing off concern from my fellow students, I took a seat.

It's never happened again.


My best theory is that maybe I was malnourished. I was eating a crappy diet at the time. Anyway, it happens. I wouldn't be concerned unless it happens again.
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Old 10-28-12, 09:57 PM
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Probably mid 50's and raining outside to low 70's air conditioned room inside. I had been inside the room for about 45 minutes before passing out so I'd say I was acclimated. I really don't think I locked my knees just because of how I was leaning. Plus my doctor said that gets blown way overboard and that locking knees is almost never a reason someone passes out.
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Old 10-28-12, 10:12 PM
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That being said, ever since I started taking beta blockers I often feel like fainting if I stand up suddenly... but that's a well-known side effect. Could be medication if you're on anything?
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Old 10-28-12, 10:27 PM
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Dehydration?
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Old 10-28-12, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Mithrandir
That being said, ever since I started taking beta blockers I often feel like fainting if I stand up suddenly... but that's a well-known side effect. Could be medication if you're on anything?
Sometimes I get light headed if I get up too fast in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. It's like my body needs a few extra minutes to equalize blood flow or something.

Did the ER check your blood sugar?

It's a double-edged sword: True, passing out is usually indicative that something is wrong, but then again, I've come to the conclusion that sometimes the body just does weird sh*t every now and again for no reason...

All else aside, be glad that you're not in CA. Here, if you pass out for no reason and it gets reported, they pull your license for 6 mos, unless they can find a definitive reason why you fell out...
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Old 10-28-12, 10:33 PM
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I used to take Toprol for blood pressure but stopped about 6 months ago under the direction of my doctor and after losing over 100 lbs. I discussed the possibility of that being an issue, but doc said if I was gonna have a problem stopping a medication, it wouldn't take 6 months. It would have happened immediately. All I take now is a multi-vitamin and an additional vitamin D supplement in the winter due to living where the sun never shines. No prescription meds at all.
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Old 10-28-12, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Axiom
Dehydration?
Blood pressure wasn't fluctuating between sitting and standing at the ER. Apparently if it does, that means you're dehydrated. Plus, a big part of my diet is to always drink a lot of water. I had already drank a bottle of water that morning on the way to work.
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Old 10-28-12, 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by RunningPirate
Sometimes I get light headed if I get up too fast in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. It's like my body needs a few extra minutes to equalize blood flow or something.

Did the ER check your blood sugar?

It's a double-edged sword: True, passing out is usually indicative that something is wrong, but then again, I've come to the conclusion that sometimes the body just does weird sh*t every now and again for no reason...

All else aside, be glad that you're not in CA. Here, if you pass out for no reason and it gets reported, they pull your license for 6 mos, unless they can find a definitive reason why you fell out...
Paramedics tested it in the ambulance. 145. Tested again maybe half hour later at the hospital. 115. I don't know jack about what good or bad blood sugar numbers are, but the ER doctor and my regular doctor agreed those numbers were fine.
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Old 10-29-12, 01:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Big Pete 1982
Probably mid 50's and raining outside to low 70's air conditioned room inside. I had been inside the room for about 45 minutes before passing out so I'd say I was acclimated. I really don't think I locked my knees just because of how I was leaning. Plus my doctor said that gets blown way overboard and that locking knees is almost never a reason someone passes out.
hmmm ok


Was the conversation just really boring ? and you wanted a way out and fast .
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Old 10-29-12, 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Big Pete 1982
I really don't think I locked my knees just because of how I was leaning. Plus my doctor said that gets blown way overboard and that locking knees is almost never a reason someone passes out.
Doctor has not been in the military. When new recurits first join the military they lock their knees when standing in formation and many of them pass out. There is nothing wrong with them medically, they just locked their knees which causes some people to pass out. Your doctor has never been in the military.
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Old 10-29-12, 07:53 AM
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My daughter had the same thing happen. You were lucky you were inside. She blacked out and fell on down some concrete steps on the side of her head. Other than the damage done by falling every thing looked good. They put a heart monitor on her and it was over a week till they seen any irregularities. Look up AVNRT on internet. Basically it is a short circuit of electrical system that recirculates blood inside the heart causing you to black out. Easy procedure to repair. Cardiac ablation surgery. Not saying this is your problem but let them monitor you for awhile.
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Old 10-29-12, 08:02 AM
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Most generally when a person passes out with little to no warning, it suggests a cardiac dysrhythmia, or irregular heart beat. Not everyone who has these is aware of them. They may not feel them. Your Doc is doing the right test, he might recommend a cardioevent monitor, which is like the 24 hour cardiac monitor just worn over a longer period of time. Many times a treadmill stress test to see how your lood Pressure and heart rate respond to the physical stress. If it happens again, you may need even further testing that might include a "Tilt table test" and evaluation by an specialized cardiologist with a focus on checking the electrical pathways of your heart. You have done a great job with exercise and weight loss, but that doesn't totally discount the possibility of disease. You are wise to get this checked out. It is frustrating how often this happens and the actual cause remains unknown.

Tom
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Old 10-29-12, 08:10 AM
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those are good blood sugar numbers pretty normal
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Old 10-29-12, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by TrojanHorse
Well, passing out for no reason is far from normal, so hopefully one of these tests will reveal something. Obviously some people around you care about you so don't get too worked up about the extra attention.

Heal up!
This. Passing out is not normal...unless you are a teen girl given to fainting spells brought about sightings of Justin Biever! :-D
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Old 10-29-12, 08:19 AM
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I'm going to be the opposite of everyone else and say worry a little. Follow through with any testing they want. Your body just shutting down is scary. It happened to my brother while he was driving. He ran into the back of someone as well as taking down three utility poles. Fortunately no one was killed or injured too badly. Be grateful it happened the way it did to you. They couldn't find anything wrong with him at the time. Six months later, he had an actual seizure and no takes medications for that which have prevented any further blackouts. Good luck and I hope it truly is nothing.
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Old 10-29-12, 08:36 AM
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Hello, as a past paramedic I have seen similar things like this in patients and normally it has to do from a sudden drop in blood pressure especially after standing up quickly. When you stand up quickly sometimes the body doesn’t have enough time to compensate for the change (constricting blood vessels, increasing hear rate etc.) and this causes a low level or insufficient of level oxygen to the brain and in turn the body’s mechanism for this is to pass out and in turn means you will be flat and the levels come back to normal. This is just my proffessional opinion but by law i am not allowed to diagnose anything only doctors are.
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Old 10-29-12, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Big Pete 1982
Paramedics tested it in the ambulance. 145. Tested again maybe half hour later at the hospital. 115. I don't know jack about what good or bad blood sugar numbers are, but the ER doctor and my regular doctor agreed those numbers were fine.
That sounds about right. The times I've had mine tested, they were happy if it was around 100, or so.
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Old 10-29-12, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by CoMotionRider
Doctor has not been in the military. When new recurits first join the military they lock their knees when standing in formation and many of them pass out. There is nothing wrong with them medically, they just locked their knees which causes some people to pass out. Your doctor has never been in the military.
When I asked my doctor about locking of the knees, he mentioned people passing out while standing at attention in the military. He said that is usually due to being nervous and uncomfortable more than how you are physically standing.
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