RE: Passing out

November 29, 2002

I remember reading very recently about someone passing out several times

and not knowing why but I can't find the message. I had my RNY in June

of '01 and just today I had a very scary and first time ever experience.

I ate some candy (nothing new there, I dump but not badly) and a short

time later I felt crampy. I went to the bathroom to see if I could

empty anything out but no luck there. I came out of the bathroom and

felt lightheaded, hot, clammy, and nauseated. I went back to the

bathroom and the next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor with

freaked out people all around. I was out for less than a minute but I

don't remember going down and I was totally out. Paramedics came and

all was fine so they left. I felt queasy for awhile after that but I

got better. My dad is a diabetic so he took my blood sugar and it was

174 right after I woke up. A half hour later it was 135.

One thing the paramedic said is that people with my surgery sometimes

have a syndrome that I can't remember the name of - G something Reflex,

I think. She said when you strain to go to the bathroom or vomit it

does something to a nerve and lowers the heart rate to the point of

passing out. Once you fall everything normalizes and you wake right up.

I didn't think I strained hard at anything but the rest sounded like

what happened. Does anyone know what this condition is called so I can

do some research?

It doesn't look like I was hypoglycemic so has anyone else experienced

anything like this? I felt a little dehydrated, I had eaten healthy a

few hours before (not counting the candy) and that is all I can think of

that's relevant.

Any insight would be much appreciated.

in Ortonville MI

November 30, 2002

In a message dated 11/29/2002 7:56:59 PM Pacific Standard Time,

wkopera@... writes:

> It doesn't look like I was hypoglycemic so has anyone else experienced

> anything like this? I felt a little dehydrated,

I have passed out once - in the middle of my commute on the train! The

experience was just as you described. I felt nauseous, then got sweaty and

clammy, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up. I came close one other

time, but recognized the symptoms and sat down immediately with my head

between my knees.

Both times I had let myself become dehydrated. My doc suspects that because

I have low blood pressure to begin with, becoming dehydrated really

exacerbates the problem. That combined with being tired and standing

probably did me in.

Kate

November 30, 2002

......can't help you with the name, but I have heard of the problem

before!! As far as I know it isn't just typical to WLS people. There is a

vein that runs very close to something else and when we " push " to much or

too hard it temporarily cuts off the blood flow to the brain...causing the

passing out. Another woman on a list I belonged to a couple of years ago

had the exact same thing happen and the paramedics told her the exact same

thing!! Sorry I can't help with the name. You could probably call the

paramedics back.....should be written in the records!! P.

RE: Passing out

> I remember reading very recently about someone passing out several times

> and not knowing why but I can't find the message. I had my RNY in June

> of '01 and just today I had a very scary and first time ever experience.

>

> I ate some candy (nothing new there, I dump but not badly) and a short

> time later I felt crampy. I went to the bathroom to see if I could

> empty anything out but no luck there. I came out of the bathroom and

> felt lightheaded, hot, clammy, and nauseated. I went back to the

> bathroom and the next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor with

> freaked out people all around. I was out for less than a minute but I

> don't remember going down and I was totally out. Paramedics came and

> all was fine so they left. I felt queasy for awhile after that but I

> got better. My dad is a diabetic so he took my blood sugar and it was

> 174 right after I woke up. A half hour later it was 135.

>

> One thing the paramedic said is that people with my surgery sometimes

> have a syndrome that I can't remember the name of - G something Reflex,

> I think. She said when you strain to go to the bathroom or vomit it

> does something to a nerve and lowers the heart rate to the point of

> passing out. Once you fall everything normalizes and you wake right up.

> I didn't think I strained hard at anything but the rest sounded like

> what happened. Does anyone know what this condition is called so I can

> do some research?

>

> It doesn't look like I was hypoglycemic so has anyone else experienced

> anything like this? I felt a little dehydrated, I had eaten healthy a

> few hours before (not counting the candy) and that is all I can think of

> that's relevant.

>

> Any insight would be much appreciated.

>

> in Ortonville MI

>

> Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

>

> Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

>

November 30, 2002

The vegas nerve is the nerve which can get compressed, cause your heart rate

to drop, and cause you to pass out. I forget the name of the " reflex " but

this happened to my daughter when a friend tried to give her a massage and

compressed the nerve, and she went down like a sack of potatoes. I was at a

wedding shower for my other daughter when I got the call that they were

taking her to the ER in College Station, 3 hours away. They were releasing

her just as we got there...they were concerned by her very very low heart

rate, but she runs marathons and is very athletic and her heart rate is

always low. anyway, I learned about this nerve from her experience.

KC