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Ptsd And Fainting Spells?

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Deleted member 10686

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced fainting or pre fainting episodes related to their PTSD. For months I have been having what my doctor determined to be presyncope (pre fainting) episodes, a few of which have ended in me actually fainting.

They are very hard to describe. They happen when I am standing up, walking, and occasionally while sitting down. It feels as though a wave comes over my head, and then a sensation somewhat similar to a head rush or vertigo, but different. My vision becomes very blurry and I am stopped dead in my tracks, swaying back and forth trying to keep my balance. The back and sides of my skull feel numb and heavy. I am not sure how else to describe these episodes, but they have become worse and more frequent (multiple times a day.) The intensity of these episodes truly scare me, they feel as though I am one second away from losing consciousness.

After my doctor running out of tests to run, etc she referred me to a neurologist. I had an EEG brain wave scan, which came back completely normal (they were worried about possible seizure activity.) I was told that my presyncope episodes were all related to stress and part of the stress/anxiety/PTSD.

Has anyone else experienced this, or heard of this happening as a result of PTSD?
 
Yes. Almost all you have said match what I experienced when everything got so bad with me that I had to seek therapy at age 19. Those fainting spells caused panic attacks and those, of course, made the feeling of fainting worse. Vicious cycle. Everything normal neurology-wise. In my case, 100% yes to it being the PTSD. But it took me only 9 weeks of inpatient therapy to get in control and I have never had it since (few times, but never as bad as then).
 
I had fainting spells for a few weeks after my last trauma. I also had them after giving birth. The births weren't traumatic at all as births go, but it is possible that they brought up feelings I was in denial of at the time, my midwife said it was probably psychological shock.

I had blood tests after my last trauma, and they showed my bp was on the low side. The nurse explained that this meant I was mostly ok, but in situations where bp is naturally lowered, it causes me to faint.

But I think if it happened as often as you say, I would want to look at every possibility before putting it down to trauma.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, I hope you'll let us know.
 
OMG! I couldn't have described it more vividly if I tried, that's exactly what happens to me! Have a lot of the pre spells, but also will literally blackout, fall to the floor, be out cold & when come round incredibly disorientated. It can sometimes result in non-epileptic seizures too, all very scary.

GP seemed to think it was my blood pressure & quite dismissive of my distress over it, whereas psych and therapist both agreed was anxiety induced & for of extreme dissociation, probably how I responded to abuse when younger. So glad am not alone!

:) But sad others have to deal with this too :( xxx
 
Hi, me too.

My legs used to buckle underneath me, I fainted on buses hitting my head and fell face first down a flight of stairs once, (carpeted thankfully).

I believe it is both blood pressure related and ptsd, because your blood pressure is regulated by your Automatic Nervous System and ptsd mucks with your adrenal levels which screw up your nervous system.

I'm glad I'm not alone too.:)
 
Yes and I have passed out several times.I start out getting dizzy but then I get really sleepy feeling though. Its scarey driving like that so I pull over and try to calm down. But driving is stressful so it makes for a long roadtrip sometimes.Lorazepam would usually snap me out of it. I used to be mail carrier but I lost my job after I lost my health insurance and couldn't afford my meds anymore. Go figure.
 
I used to be mail carrier but I lost my job after I lost my health insurance and couldn't afford my meds anymore. Go figure.


Sorry about that Toots (hope you don't mind the abbreviation or the synonym with a reggae legend ;) )

Your in the U.S. I take it? For the whining about how ill informed about ptsd the NHS is, at least I don't get charged for the wild goose chase, just the pot luck pills!

Hope something turns up for you soon. X
 
Would that be as in and the Maytals? Cause thanks! I love those guys! At least no one's getting their mail run over. That was sooo embarrassing.
 
At least no one's getting their mail run over. That was sooo embarrassing.

It would be '& the Maytals'....better than pills you could argue! :whistling: What did you do with the post, throw it in the street? Interesting departing gesture!;)

I don't know about pills for the letter ' '. Perhaps you should see a literary doctor! :D

(Sorry its late here :O_o: )
 
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