Scary...

I took today off so got to sleep in, not one of my 3 alarms were set :cool: Woke up, was bad and played with my new phone while still in bed (S7 Active, my S5 Active was failing), got up and walked into the living room. Head suddenly felt very strange, I do get dizzy sometimes when I get up or lay flat, but THIS time I passed out! Don't think I lost complete consciousness but I went backwards hard and my head hit the floor. Thanks be to God that I missed the wooden rocker that was mere inches from my head. Laid there for a little, then got up. After a few hours I felt better, no temperature.

I don't have high blood pressure but sometimes it gets pretty low. From what Dr Google tells me this is likely what happened. I do meet with my new doctor in a week, so it's good timing. Scary, though it's likely nothing serious. I would be more concerned if I didn't have occasional "dizziness" that felt like that - it was just more pronounced this morning. Think I need to make sure I'm drinking enough water and sit on the edge of the bed for a few seconds before standing to allow my blood pressure to adjust. I do drink quite a lot herbal tea so I'm probably fine in that department but still.

Anyone else have this happen? At least I didn't get a concussion, though my head did hit pretty hard.

You can get a concussion without your head hitting really hard. If it were me, I would get assessed. Obviously, the treatment is rest and no electronics, heavy brain work, but I would want to know. When I hit my head a couple of years ago, with the car door, I am *sure* I had a concussion. I didn't go to the ER and it was probably a dumb idea.
I have low blood pressure most of the time, so I get the dizziness thing you are speaking of. My DH has it too, along with his motion issues, so he has to be extremely careful in tabata class, with all of the getting up and down.
Rest up!

Yes, all my life. Comes and goes on an infrequent basis, but I'm aware of it so I can deal with it when it happens. There is a name for the condition though I don't recall it, just now. Some things can aggravate it. Not drinking enough water, letting blood sugar get too low, changing position after being the same position for too long and so on. When happens, I make sure to either sit back down or brace myself against something so I don't fall too hard. By all means, talk to your doctor, though.

For me dizziness upon standing is a migraine symptom. It does seem to be a blood pressure drop; if I tighten my leg muscles (quads) it usually stops. Eating also helps, which is one reason I gained 10 lbs last year :mad:. But I've always felt better within minutes, not hours.

In your situation I don't know if I would wait a week to see a doctor.

Thanks for the comments! If it weren't a holiday weekend I would try and get in. I don't think it requires the expense of an ER or urgent care visit but if it happens again before next Friday will reconsider.

I DID call the triage nurse at my current doctor's office and left a message to see if she thinks it necessary and can fit me in the day before Thanksgiving.

It seems my current doctor's office agrees with you. They literally can't fit me in today but was told to call in first thing Friday morning for a same-day visit, and to not be afraid to go to the ER if something happens
:eek:

Sounds like orthostatic hypotension - the body doesn't acclimate fast enough to the effects of gravity when you stand up. Your doc should be able to take your BP laying down, and then again when you stand (while watching to make sure you don't fall) - if there's a big difference, you have it. Of course, then the million dollar question is why. Make sure you mention all meds, etc. when you go.

I wouldn't mess with a head hit either! Follow your doctor's orders but... In the mean time, get up *slowly*. Sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes and then stand for a minute or so before walking.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blueberry

Sounds like orthostatic hypotension - the body doesn't acclimate fast enough to the effects of gravity when you stand up. Your doc should be able to take your BP laying down, and then again when you stand (while watching to make sure you don't fall) - if there's a big difference, you have it. Of course, then the million dollar question is why. Make sure you mention all meds, etc. when you go.

I wouldn't mess with a head hit either! Follow your doctor's orders but... In the mean time, get up *slowly*. Sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes and then stand for a minute or so before walking.

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Catrin: I've been warned by my doctor that I don't get out of bed/lying prone position to upright too fast because my blood pressure is on low side. About 20 years ago, I did nearly faint in the washroom in the middle of the night, because of moving too quickly.

My father in his early 70's, suddenly fainted and was unconscious. My mother phoned 911, etc. (she doesn't speak much English...so you can imagine..but it's in Toronto and they do have translation back up) My father had low blood pressure for decades and this was he reason. Otherwise he was fine health wise for the next few years.

This is true about concussion: you don't need to hit your head. It's the whiplash effect of the head jerking suddenly.. confirmed by 2 doctors for me. THis all I learned after my cycling accident.

Well I definitely hit my head, sore place from the hit but no headache or anything like that.

I'm so used to getting dizzy, for years now, that I pay it no mind, until today. I CAN have low blood pressure, but not all the time. Outside of the dizziness and insomnia I feel fine but am being cautious.

Seeing my Dr first thing Friday unless I faint again or if my symptoms increase. I'm resting tomorrow, if I feel well enough to head out I won't be driving.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Hope all is well, Catrin! I get the dizziness/feeling faint occasionally upon standing but have never fainted. Knock-knock on wood.

Keep us posted.

Be sure to tell your doctor on what kind of herbal tea you are drinking and how much. In particular, hibiscus flower tea can lower your BP (if my memory serves me right).

Other food can affect you. I remember an article from about 30 years ago, a man in NYC was consuming so much tree ear, mushroom used in Chinese cooking, that his blood didn't clot very well. He was in some clinical trial for some medicine and it threw off the test so much so that the researchers looked into his diet and concluded that his large consumption of the tree ears were to blame.

Anyway, I hope you feel better.

A little better, less dizzy. They did confirm a mild concussion and forbade me reading/tv/computer/exercise until Tuesday. Yes, I shouldn't be online now but am wrapping up some things first. Thankfully CAN do some (simple) knitting as long as it isn't all day, and audiobooks. Well, for once I don't feel guilty on my somewhat lengthy Audible library, otherwise I wouldn't know how to pass the next 3.5 days. Back to work at noon on Tuesday.

They're pretty sure it's the positional low blood pressure but they're checking to make certain it isn't something else. They did take BP in various positions and also an EKG. The BP differences weren't quite enough to fully meet that criteria but they were close that she thinks it's likely. I will be following up with them.

Thankfully I mainly drink peppermint, ginger, chamomile, and rooibos teas for my herbal infusions.

I can think of better ways to spend my long holiday weekend but glad it isn't worse!

Thanks for checking in. Enjoy the audio books!

Been away and missed this, so glad you're home resting and safe!

Yikes Catrin, sorry that it is indeed a concussion. I hope you don't see this response until you are officially "allowed" back online!

Hope by the time you do read these responses, you are feeling back to normal!