Near-fainting...anyone else?

[Rooey5]

Hello ladies!

At work the other day I had two episodes of nearly fainting (work as a nurse, was helping another nurse do bed washes both times), has this happened to anyone else?

[Rivlas]

Go and get a blood test. Might be a low iron count which usually easy to fix.
It's also good for your Dr to know when these things happen.

[RoyaUK]

You may be low in iron or your blood pressure may be low. I experienced the same over the last couple of weeks and identified that i was a bit dehydrated which led to low blood pressure. I am also anaemic and taking iron supplements which help. Make sure you're drinking enough especially on these hot days and nights.

[studymum]

My blood pressure drops (it is low to begin with) usually in the first half of my pregnancy. Not much I can do about it but be careful when standing, sitting, turning my head etc, I have to do it slowly, any fast movements and the stars start a coming.

But like others said, just get it checked.

[Linzy]

Yep this happened to me at work in October and my doc put me on leave early (I work at Bunnings, concrete floors, 9 hour shifts and no airconditioning - bad combo ) but same thing as the other ladies have suggested. Mine turned out to be low blood pressure and I was dehydrated, I find I'm heaps better now but I do drink 2.5 litres of water a day now so I don't feel 'funny' anymore. Hope you find out soon what going on!

[Rooey5]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies!

I can rule out dehydration and anaemia. I drink plenty during the day and I had my bloods done the other week (iron levels were very good).

Maybe I'm having the same problem you were Linzy, on my feet all day doing lots of physical work and not sleeping very well because of the shift work! I do have low BP normally, but these episodes are happening when I'm already up and about doing stuff, not the usual presentation for orthostatic hypotension...

Me thinks I might need to go chat to my midwives or a doc!

[Linzy]

Mine came on suddenly too I had been feeling 'off' all day and it was mega busy, it wasn't from getting up from a sitting position or turning my head, I was half way through helping an elderly couple buy a mower. In the end I ended up crouching beside the mowers still talking to them but just in case I was sick I got down low lol. Luckily they chose one quickly and left the aisle and I made it to the staff room in time, where I lay drinking a can of soft drink and eating a chocolate bar as I thought I was having a sugar hypo. Didn't help I ended up going home and felt nauseas for days before I saw the doc and she told me it was low blood pressure combined with dehydration for me though.

My blood pressure has gone back up now (as I hear it often does at this time, but we are all different I guess) and I'm not feeling as bad, though I can't spend more than an hour on my feet in a shopping centre anymore, or I get sick. Making it very hard for me to buy baby clothes and things, I have to send DH out and he knows nothing (it's his first, my second) about babies! hehe

I hope you sort it out soon

[delphmoon]

You can still have postural hypotension and combined with dehydration the fainting spells can be worse. The issue mainly is being on your feet all day therefore blood pooling at your feet causing drops in blood pressure.

I'm a nurse too and couldn't understand why when I'm standing I have fainting episodes- my blood pressure was 76/50! Turns out I was iron deficient and postural drops exacerbates the whole situation.

I now drink atleast 2 litres at work and put my feet up on my breaks (when I get them ) lol

[Alan]

Hi Rooey
Your syncope is probably due to your low blood pressure. Heavy physical work increases your need for oxygen. If your blood pressure is low then your body may only be getting the minimum amount of oxygen and when you increase your activity this increase in demand for oxygen could cause you to faint.
The cramps could be a number of things but I would suspect that they are Braxton Hicks. Most of the books will tell you that Braxton Hicks are not painful. However for some women they can be and are quite painful. If the cramps are irregular in length (one cramp may last for only a few seconds but others may last for a couple of minutes) and irregular if frequency (some may have only a few minutes between each cramp but there also may be many hours between each cramp) then it is Braxton Hicks. Other causes are stretching of your ligaments, baby moving or early labour.
Keeping up your fluids is a good idea. I would suggest that you should be drinking somewhere around 3 litres a day. Also make sure that you are eating enough.
If you have any more concerns feel free to contact me. Just be aware that at the moment I have a woman in early labour so it may take a little while for me to answer you

[CinderToriella]

yes it happens to me as well.it comes over all of a sudden its not nice

i got this checked out at my last MW appoitment iron and blood pressure was fine,she said that as you get to near the end of your pregnancy u have so much more blood going around your body etc , she said that u need to keep your food levels up so eat something small every 2 hours ,like a cracker toast banana yogurt anything really
also make sure your drinking enought water through out the day

if your blood pressure if normally fine then its prob not that, but get it checked as well as iron

[Rooey5]

Thanks again guys.

I'm going to put it down to being on my feet all day at work, not much of a chance to rest! I've also been having a tough time sleeping so that probably doesn't help!

[CinderToriella]

I'm going to put it down to being on my feet all day at work, not much of a chance to rest! I've also been having a tough time sleeping so that probably doesn't help!

I havent been sleeping either Rooey sigh cant get comfortable everything hurts restless legs bad heartburn constant toilet and drink trips ..its so annoying ..cant wait till i leave work in 3 weeks so i can nap during the day im always sooo tired now

[Rooey5]

I hear you! Counting down the shifts...

[CinderToriella]

I almost fainted again today- i was hungry and as soon as i ate and had a juice i was ok again

[Rooey5]

Turns out mine is hypotension, lots of sitting on the couch watching cricket is the doctor's orders