I blacked out/fainted last night...

[snow patrol]

It's strange. This has never happened to me before, and to be honest, it's really freaked me out.

Last night I was just sitting at the PC, and I was reading something about someone who had committed suicide by filling their pockets with stones, tying their hands and feet together and jumping into a lake. All of a sudden, I just felt extremely sick and my head began to pound. The next thing I knew, I was coming to on the floor. I was sweating buckets, all over my body (I cannot remember ever having been sweating SO much). It took me a minute or so to realise where I was and what had happened. I must have blacked out and fallen off the chair onto the floor, although I have no recollection of any of this.

I then clambered into bed and just went to sleep straight away.

This morning, I noticed that I've got a 6 inch gash down the inside of my thigh. I just checked my bed sheets and they're covered with blood I got this cut because I took the arms off my swivle chair last week, and there's now a small piece of metal (the clip for the arms) sticking out of each side. The night shorts I was wearing are also totally screwed now (hugh rips).

I just really don't know why this might have happened. I hadn't been drinking, and I'd eaten fairly well yesterday. As a few of you may know, I've been a bit depressed recently (well, over the last 6 months really) and I must admit, the thought of taking my own life has entered my head once or twice, although I don't think I would ever seriously attempt it. Maybe reading about someone who had actually done this and the full realisation of their actions and what it actually meant triggered it?

I wasn't going to post anything about this (re: Isla's attention whore thread ), but I just was hoping to hear from anyone who might have had a similar experience or knows what might have caused it or what action I should take now..

Thanks..

 

[MichaelD]

First, did you clean out that cut? How deep is it? Do you require stitches?

Secondly, passing out like that is far from normal. If you were not drinking or doing any drugs, then it could be any one of a hundred reasons why you blacked out. How are you feeling now? A trip to the ER would not be a bad idea.

BTW, don't snuff yourself. You have a whole life ahead of you.

 

[Adul]

whoa, man that is freaky. are you going to need stiches or anything? damn you are lucky it wasnt anything more serious cutwise

 

[UglyCasanova]

I would be telling this to a doctor. That's not normal. You could have had a small stoke or something.

 

[propellerhead]

Was there "Call 911!" smeared in lipstick on your chest? Was your liver surgically removed? -- Just kidding.

I never get queasy looking at blood and guts on TV. I remember eating pizza while watching Faces Of Death. But this one time (not at band camp) I got cut on the arm and I was watching the ER Tech put five stitches in my arm. No big deal. I was even talking to the guy as he did this. Next thing I knew, I was waking up to four ER Techs in the room. They said I passed out. The weird thing is that I didn't even feel it coming. I was just sitting there watching my flesh get sewn up. Then BAM! I was out like disco. The ER Tech said it might have been a reaction to the anesthesia. I'm not too sure about that since I've been to the dentist a lot and never had a reaction.

Nothing like it has happened since.

 

[Kadarin]

One time about three or four years ago I'd gotten up to pee, and went into the bathroom to do my thing.. the next thing I knew, I was waking up after having fallen backwards into the bathtub, taking the shower curtain with me.. weird, had no memory of what happened, and I attribute it to temporary lack of oxygen to the brain, given that I'd just gotten up from watching tv or something. Perhaps your case could be similar, or perhaps some nutritional issue?

FYI: it's "fainted". The word "feinted" has an entirely different meaning, having to do with combat tactics.

 

[BarMan]

Drugs are baaad... M'Kay

 

[snow patrol]

nope, I don't think stitches are needed. It's not bleeding anymore any way, and I don't think it's that deep. Thanks for the concern though

I also never feel sick watching horror movies or things like that (my stomach is hard as nails )

 

[Moonbeam]

Snow Patrol, were you eating pretzels. I hear they can do that.

Seriously, I once saw this happen to somebody. They fainted right in their chair in front of me. It was obvious to me, but not to anybody else for reasons of experience or delusion, you'll have to make up your own mind there, that what was happening was that the person was experiencing, or was about to experience powerful feelings and passed out to prevent that from happening. In my opinion depression is the supression of feeling. It's feelings that are being depressed or suppressed. You have to make up your own mind about these things, but if I were you I would seek out a therapist who works to hepl people get in touch with their feelings. My opinion is that we hate ourselves and don't want that feeling to come to consciousness. That's a big mistake because the feeling is a lie. the problem is that our conviction that it's true is powerful and profound. I can only say that when feelings are repressed the result is a kind of madness, tremendous fear and anxiety and as they surface you feel as though you are loosing your mind. You're not loosing your mind, you lose the ability to control, to supress. It's horrible; generally there's a lot of violence and anger and a desire to act out, anything to keep the feeling down, but when you break through into the real actual thing you really are feeling, it's like a profound and unimaginable relief. It might only be the time you got beat for peaking under your sister's dress or God knows what. Simple human stuff.

In a theraputic setting with the right person you can get into stuff a bit at a time and grow in confidence that you really are ok. What you don't want to know isn't true anyway.

You might want to check with a medical doctor to make sure nothing physical is happening to be on the safe side too.

 

[Mem]

I agree with Moonbeam that you should go to the doctor for a checkup,better safe then sorry.I do know my brother had a similar thing happen to him,he put it down to stress and being tired.

 

[TreyRandom]

Another "I was peeing and fainted" story:

Once, on a road trip, I fell asleep in the backseat of an old Volkswagon Bug. For those that don't know, Bugs are bad about putting out carbon monoxide in the back seat floorboard area. Well, we stopped at a rest area, and I got out to pee - was feeling fine. I went into the restroom, did my business, took two steps towards the door, and next thing I knew, I woke up (probably out for just a couple of seconds) in front of the restroom door. I stumbled outside - my friends helped me to the car. I was severely disoriented - my head was spinning and my ears were ringing. They sat me down inside the car. After about 20-30 minutes, I was fine again - no other symptoms. I can only attribute it to a slight case of carbon monoxide poisoning. Thank God I didn't inhale more, get brain damage or worse.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

First. You need to see a professional. You sound depressed. If you are already seeing someone then good for you and keep going.

Second. Sounds like you had a panic attack. There are some pretty good meds out for this sort of thing and can help get you back to normal faster than otherwise.

Good luck.

 

[Azraele]

My suggestion would be to get checked by a doctor to rule out anything medical going on. Sounds scary. :Q

Also, take care of the depression. If you ever want to talk, I'm just a short pm or e-mail away.

 

[snow patrol]

Thanks guys.

I need to see a doctor soon any way to get some medication. So I'll mention what happened and see what she suggests.

 

[hoihtah]

i'd say go see your doctor.
you wouldn't want that to happen again.

good luck

 

[Beau]

Could have been an anxiety attack. I have had them when I've been really stressed out (and we're not just talking about apparent stress, but also stress that is deep and chronic) and/or depressed. Your unconcious can really control you sometimes, and that story you read could have set off a trigger. Still, go see a doctor, and possibly a shrink. Or maybe just talk to a close friend.

Edit: I didn't read moonbeams post before I posted this, but I agree 100% with it.

 

[technogeeky]

You may have had a seizure. PM me the medications you are taking and the doses (if you don't mind).

You should especially watch out for Welbutrin. It's a known seizure-inducer.

 

[snow patrol]

Yep, sorry I should have been clearer about that. The medication I was referring to is not relevant to what happened. It's just asthma inhaler. I need to get some more soon though, which is why I need to go to the doctor's any way.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Go speak with the doc dude. Have em do some tests for blood clots, etc and whatever else they may find. Also, if you live in the mountains or did any extreme exercise yesterday, that could be part of it. I'd take it easy for a while...

 

[Brutuskend]

I passed out twice at the "drive-in" (anyone remember those??) years ago while I was in the service.
It really freaked me out!!

I went to sick bay and got checked out. The Doc. didn't believe me when I told him what happened. He kept insisting that I had gotten in a fight. (The first time I passed out I landed face first in the gravel on the right side of my face, the second time I landed on the left side on the concrete floor of the rest room) It DID look like someone beat the crap out of me!!

On reflection later on, I realized what had happened.

You know the notches in the lower part of your jaw, about half way back? (Your main arteries run through them on their way to supply the blood to your brain) Well I had been playing with them, rolling the vain back and forth under my thumb, and cut off the blood supply to my brain.

Boom Boom, out go the lights!!

Don't DO THAT!

But if I were you, I would definitely go get checked out...

 

[RSI]

You know the notches in the lower part of your jaw, about half way back? (Your main arteries run through them on their way to supply the blood to your brain) Well I had been playing with them, rolling the vain back and forth under my thumb, and cut off the blood supply to my brain.

lmao

 

[Moonbeam]

pardon me but I'm laughing my ass off too. You should take that over to the 'i can't sleep thread' It would be an instant knock-out, I'm sure.

 

[thirtythree]

I use to pass out regularly and I had a bunch of tests done - 2 EKGs, an MRI, blood tests, etc. - finally they concluded that it was sinus congestion. They gave me some liquid pink medicine to take for two weeks and I have only passed out once since. The most recent one was while I was going pee (at home, standing up) .. I had a bucket with me because I thought I was going to puke but I didn't, I just blacked out. When I woke up I was lying on the tile floor and my head hurt really bad. I got a big bump from that one, but at least I got to miss a day of school I think for the most part I can tell when I am about to pass out though .. I just figured it was something else that time since I hadn't passed out in so long.

EDIT: I know a few people who pass out because of things like you were reading or blood, etc.

 

[WhiteWonder]

i think i did this at my friends house, only i got really sick, and layed on a table outside.

 

[THELAIR]

only time i ever got knocked out was when i was really sick with the flu and got up one night to get a drink of seven up and the lack of fluids is what took me down.. i got half way pouring this big 2 liter bottle of 7up into one of those itszy bitzy medicine cups and i went down, taking the 7up bottle with me...

my mom said when i hit the ground she thought the furnance exploded!! woke the entire house up

i too ripped my shorts and had a gash/bleeding from hitting the oven on the way down.

drink more fluids!!