Why Do I Faint?

T

Tedi Tabytha

New member
Hello,
Thank you for reading my post. I have had a weird thing that has developed in my body the last couple of weeks and before I go see a doctor I thought putting a post on a medical message board site like this may give me some good feedback.
I have fainted a few times in my life. Actually, I have fainted 5 times in the last 3 years of my life. I attributed my fainting or passing out to being "high" and drunk.
The last two weeks though, I have fainted while out at bars with friends. In fact, they were the same friends that saw me faint both times. It is extremely embarrassing and beyond that they are all worried about my health. I had not been taking any drugs and was just drinking vodka. I ate dinner and had been well rested both weekends.
In the past if I had drank to much I would get sick and vomit. The last two weeks it seems to happen at the end of the night and I get a little dizzy and light headed. I try to breath heavily and work through it. And then blackness.
I can usually feel myself hit the ground and I will get up very quickly feeling completely sober and having an extreme aching feeling in my left knee. It is like all the pressure from my body transfers to the knee.
If anyone can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated. I attribute this to my body's adverse reaction to something. I am not that drunk when these situations occur so I am really at a lose of words.
 
Do you sweat? Feel clammy, look pale? Are you unconscious or can you sort of hear what's going on around you even though you're "out"?

That sounds like orthostatic hypotension, sudden low blood pressure also called "parade faint" but I don't know why you'd be having them in this one situation.

I'm not sure what you mean by "breathing heavy", it might be a simple case of hyperventilation.

Overheating and dehydration would be the top culprits of OH, but there are many causes: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/orthostatic_hypotension/orthostatic_hypotension.htm
 
I would suggest you get in for a physical as soon as possible...there are a number of red flags in your post that suggest you need to see a doctor.

Bethsheba
 
Alcohol is a vasodilator - this is why it makes you flush and feel hot.
It's making it harder for your blood vessels to constrict and keep you upright. Blood vessels dilate, blood pools in the lower parts of your body, and that leaves less for you brain. When your brain suddenly doesn't get the blood flow it needs part of your nervous system is tripped - sending you to floor where while laying down blood flow is returned. Not the most pleasant way for your body to fix the problem but it is effective.

You do need to see a doctor, just in case something else is playing into this making the vasodilation effects of the alcohol more then your body can handle.

Just a little tip. When you feel like this, sit down and put your head between your knees instead of waiting for the faint to take you.
As for your knee, falling is hard on your joints. When I use to fall several times a week I would actually end up with partially dislocated joints from it.
 
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