I am in the ER and not happy about it.

[Bertha Venation]

Well, who would be?

At 7:15 I fainted while putting on my socks. I know what time it was because I asked Mrs. V. because I had to get to work. She said "you're not going anywhere but back to bed."

She called in sick for me, then called the doc's office. The doc didn't get in until 10:00, but the nurse said I had to go to the ER; she said the doc would say the same thing.

So here I am. So far they've taken blood, done an EKG and a CT scan, and did "orthostatic vitals," in which they took my blood pressure as I laid flat, then as I sat up, then as I stood.

But I really feel that all of this is unnecessary. I just fainted, fer christ's sake.

Have you ever fainted and just woke up on the floor? What happened afterwards? Doc? ER? Ambulance? Nothing?

[HappyMe]

1. Holy crap!

I hope you're okay!

[Arkansas Granny]

2. That has never happened to me and would likely scare me to death.

I'm glad you're getting it checked out and I hope it's nothing serious.

[hamsterjill]

3. I actually fainted in a hospital once.

Entirely different situation than yours, but hope you can get a laugh outta mine while you're waiting.

I have white coat syndrome like you wouldn't believe. And anyone who knows me well, knows about that!

Family member coming out of surgery and being wheeled into the hospital room. I usually just throw up at times like this, and I could tell I was getting nauseous. So being the polite person that I am, I made sure that I got to the door and out of the way of the people helping our patient.

Next thing I know, I hear a nurse screaming, "why is that woman on the floor" and realize my head hurts. I'd fainted dead away. I tried to get up but I had medical personnel all around me by that time.

They made me sit in the hallway of the hospital for what seemed like an enternity with everyone walking around me, over me, staring, etc. and the embarrassment of that was much more painful than anything physical. They offered me to be seen by a dr., but I felt I was fine, and was ultimately, fine.

To this day, I full admit to being a weenie!


My best to you and your situation. Mrs. V was absolutely correct in insisting that you take this seriously. And while I'm sure you're going to be fine, always better to be safe. Keep us posted and consider this my confirmation that good vibes are being sent your way.

[TrogL]

8. I did too

My wife had had her baby, I'd been up for three days straight, I was walking down the hallway and thought "Oh, this is interesting, they're tilting the hospital". Bystanders said I hit the floor like sack of potatoes. They revived me and told me to go home (with somebody else driving) and get some sleep.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. I wonder what causes that.

When I was younger, I used to not mind needles or anything like that. In fact. when I was in college we would race to see who could fill up the bag when giving blood.

Now I can't even watch a needle go in me. I have to look away. I've never fainted but I get a little uneasy - I can see how one might faint.

It must happen a lot. When I brought my buddy in for out-patient surgery, the anesthesiologist, before he IV'd my friend, asked me to leave the room if needles/blood cause me to faint. I stayed but looked away just in case.

[hedgehog]

4. Here's hoping you just stood up too fast!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Fainting is a symptom of something going on that is not good.

Mrs.V. did right.

Get it checked out...

It's probably nothing. But we want you to be safe!





It rather sounds like a vaso-vagal reaction. The vagus nerve might have gotten stimulated by your leaning over, and then boom! They will check it out.

[Kali]

6. I had low blood pressure when I was young and thin

I was always feeling faint and had my strategies for avoiding actually passing out. Now that I am old and fat and my BP is teetering on being too high it hardly ever happens.

It is usually nothing but it CAN be the sign of something serious - don't feel silly about getting it checked out.

[mother earth]

7. Listen to Mrs. V & be glad you are married to a woman who loves you & is smart enough to

make sure you don't have an underlying (i.e. ?heart issue) or the beginning of one. Preventative measures are better than looking back and saying, if only I would have....hug your wife & thank her.

[irisblue]

9. Mrs V is right

yes i fainted once. Ms wonderful had the phone in her hand and was dialing 911 when i came to. Bertha it is not a normal reaction to faint, not even from putting socks getting ready for work ( weather you like your job or not). As I recall, you've been on a diet, is it possible that some dehydration from insufficient fluid, a metabolic imbalance, inner ear problem, heart issues, a mini stroke (TIA). I would have done the exact same thing she did, so when you get discharged, please give her a hug from us. We need you here and healthy.

[fizzgig]

10. i fainted once when my husband and i started dating

i have always had low blood pressure and problems with getting lightheaded if i stand up too quickly. we were cooking dinner one night and the world started to gray out, i tried to lean on the counter to wait for it to pass but hit the floor instead. i came to and he was pretty freaked out, he carried me to bed and made me rest until dinner was ready. we had just started dating and the fact he was so concerned told me he was a good guy.

[Phentex]

16. I was trying to think of the words to describe it and

your use of graying out is how it feels to me. Almost fuzzy around the edges and into tunnel vision and then BAM!

[applegrove]

11. Vibes to you Bertha.

[TuxedoKat]

12. Actually

It happened to me almost two years ago. I realized I was going to faint right before it happened and did faint before I had time to to sit or lay down and woke up on the floor. I also had a cold/virus or something at the time. I went to my doctor's office a few days later and he told me that sometimes that happens with a cold or a virus, but otherwise he wasn't that concerned about it and said I was okay. I have been fine ever since. I never knew that that could happen with a cold or a virus though but he said it did happen. This also happened early in the morning too, right after I got up and went downstairs.

[MiddleFingerMom]

13. I read "fainted" as "farted", which was especially good when I got to...

.
.
.
... "Have you ever farted and just woke up on the floor?"
.
.
.
Yes. Yes, I have.
.
.
.
I hope you're fine and good for Mrs V for making sure that it IS just nothing!!!
.
.
.

.
.
.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

29. Well, who HASN'T farted while pulling on their socks?

And then feinted by pointing at the dog?



(Hoping both you AND Bertha are staying away from hospitals for a while)

[HopeHoops]

14. Not when I wasn't drunk, but I HAVE had full-blown seizures and awakened days later.

It's a little surreal to wake up drugged out on who knows what in a hospital room with a bunch of shit hanging out of your body.

[Phentex]

15. Hope you are better...

I haven't fainted in years but it is a scary feeling.

Take care!

[WillParkinson]

17. If you WERE happy....I'd be worried

But you're not supposed to be happy, you're supposed to be there so that everyone else can be happy that you're OK.

[rurallib]

18. not since that party at the frat house

take care of yourself!

[petronius]

19. I never have, but my wife did - bonked over flat, sat up, said

"What the hell are you looking at me like that for!?" and then keeled over again. She was barely aware that anything had happened.

Turned out to be dehydration (IIRC - something minor, anyway) but we went straight to the ER.

Best of luck to you, hope it's ultra-not-serious!

[blueknight]

20. hurry back bertha

and take care of yourself

[Incitatus]

22. No, but it can indicate a cardiac problem.

It isn't something you should ignore if there was no apparent reason for it.

[Major Nikon]

23. Some states will take away your driver's license for unexplained syncope

[Baitball Blogger]

24. Check the blood sugar.

It may be that you had a hypoglycemic situation while you were sleeping!

[noamnety]

25. Used to happen to me regularly.

Started when I got pregnant. I blacked out in the middle of walking across an intersection on time. I got good at recognizing the warning tunnel vision, and just dropping to a squat position til it passed. Didn't matter if I was out in public, in a hallway at work, wherever - I would just drop because it's better to do that and explain, than actually pass out.

It stayed with me but not as crazy often after I had my kid. I think it was a combination of low iron and low blood pressure, maybe low blood sugar mixed in. I could almost make the blackouts happen on demand by getting up too fast.

Diagnosing and treating endometriosis with an ablation last summer seems to have cured me - a nice side benefit I wasn't expecting.

[hollysmom]

26. Been there.

I came back from vacation and felt ill. I can't even explain it, I just felt wrong. Called the doctor expecting to get an appointment, she called me back, talked to me and then said I sound funny too, so go to the ER.

I went there, they were telling a guy with a gun shot he had to fill out forms before they could admit him. So I started to get my insurance out, when the aide grabbed me and dragged me into the service area. They said I looked funny, very white. They hooked me up to the machines and a constant blood pressure machine and I sat there watching it fall to almost zero and then passed out. Turned out my heart stopped. Kind of weird, but my heart stopped. I saw the crash cart coming int before I passed out, and thought = this is interesting, I wonder what they are going to do, Oh, well, Maybe I will just sleep for a bit and they will tell me later. Boom they resuscitated me. The problem was I was talking my blood pressure pills without checking my blood pressure and I was not at work, hence not really stressed out - so I should not have been taking any, after a week, I must have OD'd. It took 3 days until I was conscious again.

You never know, if the doctor tells you to go to the ER - GO!

Also, My aunt passed out once, her daughter told her it was no big deal, didn't even call a doctor - but it turns out it was a stroke warning, she never got another chance, the next one crippled her for life, where as when my mother felt dizzy, I took her to the doctor ASAP and she lived healthy for 20 more years.

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. Did you suggest to Mrs. V that

maybe you didn't faint? Maybe you were just really tired and wanted to sleep in.. on the floor.

But seriously, I hope they sort things out for you quickly and that it turns out to be nothing serious!

[sgsmith]

28. Blood bank

Last time I gave blood at a drive, I passed out on the table, with a partial fill of the bag. Time prior to that I passed out after the draw, getting up having the cookies and orange juice. Felt good and .... kerplunk.

The nurse told me to never give blood unless it was life and death. I concur.

[Callalily]

30. (((( Bertha Venation)))) and ((((Mrs. V))))

[sakabatou]

31. Kinda

I can have a seizure, and then not know where I am

[Taverner]

32. OMG BV take care!

Be safe!

[femmocrat]

33. Hope you are feeling much better, Bertha!

Keep us posted, OK?

[Blue_In_AK]

34. I used to faint quite a bit,

but there was usually a pretty good reason for it. The first time I ever fainted was when I had my eyes dilated. I've also fainted after giving blood and getting shots. I also had a tendency to faint during my pregnancies.

[schmice]

35. It happened to me. The ambulance came and I was taken to the ER and then kept overnight.

I was stuck like a pincushion etc. Nothing found. Oh yes, the cost? $14,000.

[Flaxbee]

36. Any updates? How are you, Bertha?

to you and Mrs. V. Would love to know how you are.

[marzipanni]

37. How are you doing, Bertha?

I hope your visit to the ER was unremarkable, as the docs say, and you're having a nice weekend with Mrs. V. and the kitties.

[TeamPooka]

38. fainting is not fun for anyone there...

the times I fainted in my life I found quite embarrassing but the people around me were freaked out.
Once when I was in forth grade I passed out while the teacher was talking about blood.
Then once as a teenager I passed out waiting for food at a McDonald's after ordering.
Both times I woke up to a crowd of people around me.
Weirdest feeling ever.
Hi people looking down at me here on the floor....