Re: I passed out at work last week...

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@wonderfulworld wrote:
My sister suffers from panic attacks. It was explained to her by a psychiatrist as an over active 'fight or flight response' which was most important to cavemen but of little use now and has become much 'less' in modern man through the evolutionary and adaptive process. Some people still exhibit this response to a much greater extent than most. It also is caused by excessive cortisol being excreted by the endocrine glands.

For her they come out of nowhere but I know that my mother also had them. She takes medication daily for it.

I am not sure if this adds anything to the conversation but I have been following it with interest and thought this might add to it.
I know this is not the OP's issue. Good health to all!

@tarsmom

@wonderfulworld, that's pretty much how it was explained to me too. Too much adrenaline and cortisol. I was told this in my 20s, looong time ago ;-) My resting "calm" heart rate used to commonly be in the 90s. Besides any anti-anxiety medication, I've been on a beta blocker ever since. That takes care of the heart rate - and if for some reason I go without for a couple of days, I feel it.

I think your post is relevant in that we don't know for sure (yet) what caused the OPs faint. And whatever cause is ascribed to it may end up being the doctor's best guess anyway. Might have been this, might have been that.

Panic attacks and anxiety reactions do "come out of nowhere" in some people. They certainly often did for me, until I was diagnosed and started thinking about what a trigger might be, then I got better at realizing where "nowhere" really started.

The OP has just started a new job, trying to learn many new things. At the same time, she's dealing with a very different type of work environment (NOT being in charge/in control) and probably wondering if she did the right thing. All of that stewing in the brain that people aren't consciously aware of can very easily strike unaware. One starts to hyperventilate without knowing it (which I will do to this day) and - dizzy, faint....

So, it could be many things, but with what the OP described is her recent background re work, it wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened.

BTW I am not in the "she's too old and unstable for this" camp (however predictable on these forums it is). I wish I'd been able to do what the OP has done; I had to stay in a stressful job right up until retirement day :-(

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Katcat1 · ‎07-21-2011

You can also pass out from low blood pressure. I knew a girl that would pass out and all of a sudden when her blood pressure got too low. She was on the floor. P.S. Glad you are okay.

kindness is strength

sfnative · ‎03-10-2010

@tarsmom

I've read your initial post and all following, including many posts by others.

Having said that, I highly recommend that you obtain a referral from your PCP for an evaluation by a Neurologist. There is much to be ruled out in your case. Please do see a Neurologist.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

@hckynut wrote:
@Reba055 wrote:
I had a vaso vagal reaction once after a steroid injection in my neck. Not fun. It was scary and I felt weird for a few days but I guess part of that could have been the steroid. I'm glad all checked out ok. I have never fainted again but lately I have felt like I might. My acid reflux has been terrible and I wonder if all that pressure is causing something similar with the vaso vagal nerve. Ugh. Good luck. See what your primary doc has to say.

@Reba055

Have you had an Endoscopy, and if so are you on any meds for your GERD? I have told my story many times here and I was completely asymptomatic.

hckynut(john)