Blackouts - How Do You Know?

[KwanYingirl]

Too funny!!! Well doing the fingernail trick is a quick test for anemia which can be a sign of blood abnormalities. Try it on a toenail. And press down hard. It should return to pink as soon as you let go. Low B12 f*cks up blood components. Are you exhausted?

 

[sun seeker]

I can think of a few more drastic measures I could take, but I think I have to narrow it down first. Think I'll do the tape across the door for a week, and either that will tell me when it's happening, or I won't have any new bruises. Then I'll think about what to do next.

 

[sun seeker]

doing the fingernail trick is a quick test for anemia which can be a sign of blood abnormalities

I had some trouble with my toenails, but a wikipedia search told me that you can test the pads of the fingers as well as the fingernails. Mine turn pink again in about a second. Anything under two seconds is considered normal.

Yes I'm exhausted, but I attribute that to depression (had a serious breakdown less than two months ago that I have not recovered from yet).

So yes, if this doesn't resolve soon I will get nutrient levels checked, but I have the feeling that isn't what is going on.

 

[KwanYingirl]

Curioser and curiouser...

 

[sun seeker]

Sigh. At least my life isn't boring.

It's possible this is some weird fluke that will go away on its own, but I'll keep taping the door and looking every day to see if there are any more bruises. If so, I'll take more steps.

I'll let you know if anything new develops. Thank you for all the suggestions!

 

[scout86]

t's possible this is some weird fluke that will go away on its own,

If it's sleepwalking, it well might. I did it as a kid. Didn't think I did it anymore until the door incident. Since then, I've been kind of tying the door shut, figuring I might not be able to open in in my sleep. (But I've been doing it long enough now that maybe I could!) Near as I can tell, there was one other night when I might have been sleepwalking. There was a bunch of "stuff" going on at the time, and I blame it on that. My T told me that one of his sons was running in his sleep once, hit something with his foot, had a compound fracture and didn't realize it until he woke up. (T began that story with, "I wish I could tell you that sleepwalking isn't dangerous but....)

Anyway, it could be this is a rare event. From what you described with the one set of bruises, it also sounds like you might be doing something like that, while in bed, during a dream or something. There are plenty of stories about people beating up (one way or another) their bed partners while sleeping. I can't see why you couldn't be hitting, or otherwise hurting yourself, depending on where the bruises are.

 

[sun seeker]

An update: I've been keeping tape over the doorway, and so far, so good. No new bruises. Whether that means something different is happening, or that whatever was happening had already resolved before I posted, I don't know. So far, it's still a mystery.

 

[Ocean5]

That is good news! Could have been temporary illness (I hope for you.)

 

[sun seeker]

(But I've been doing it long enough now that maybe I could!)

If I understand what you're saying correctly, this is why I decided to take the tape down in the daytime and put it up again every night (though I've been remiss on following through on this). I didn't want to get into the habit of going in and out of the room during the day by ducking under the tape and getting in the habit so I'd do the same thing in the middle of the night.

 

[scout86]

I've been tying the door shut for over a year now. It's done in such a way that I can open it easily, like if there's a fire, and I'm a little concerned that I'm used to it enough that I'd open it easy enough, even if I was sleep walking. But, I probably wouldn't tie it back SHUT in my sleep, so at least I'd know in the AM that I was sleep walking. I like your tape idea! It wouldn't be practical for me. I rarely sleep straight through the night. Sometimes, if I'm having trouble getting back to sleep, it helps if I get up and walk around the house. I think I'd use up too much tape! :)

 

[Ocean5]

I didn't want to get into the habit of going in and out of the room during the day by ducking under the tape and getting in the habit so I'd do the same thing in the middle of the night.

"habit" - understand that. I use to put a chair, or ironing board, against apartment exit door with "box of cans" each night. If I moved it - figured box of cans would fall, and hopefully bring me back into present moment. It would be "out of the ordinary." This went on for years out of fear, and embarrassment, after I found myself outside apartment at night in underwear, and neighbor had to call locksmith (very embarrassing situation!)

Now I use a door stop. Figured if fire, or something, I would be shocked back into reality to know to remove it. Plus I feel safer with secure door from inside.

(I guess it's good when you can start laughing at yourself about how you deal with things....chairs, box of cans, etc)

 

[Edward Kiely]

If you have blackouts, how do you know you have them? Especially if you live alone?

I would usually...

I've been diagnost with chronic PTSD i'm a navy veteran I've been in a big ship wreck and a sever car wreck with heavy head trauma. I suffer from black out and always end up with head wounds the black outs are few and far between, but do happen. I've been suffering for more then 35 years. Two years ago I came off the streets of the Bronx after 18yrs living as a hermit in an abbandent house.