Presyncope I Think?

[Lindsay Mold]

Hi, last friday and yesterday i had 2 horrible episodes/crashes, whatever they are called!On friday I woke very feeling, heavy head and painful eyes. It seemed to ease at about 2pm and I went to sit in the garden. I then felt very dizzy and completely spaced out. I came inside and laid down. My arms and legs were very weak and heavy, I felt very slow, my eyes were so heavy and I couldnt think straight. I went to sleep and when I woke up I felt a bit better but very drugged and my eyes hurt so mch all night and struggled to stay awakw. I was also shivery later and when this feeling happens I always need to pee loads!

Then yesterday, I felt terrible when I woke. I'd had a hospital appt the day before so I expected to feel worse but this was extreme fatigue, heaviness and pain in my head. I got up for some food and went straight back to bed to sleep. When I woke up at about 5:30pm I felt even worse. I was so dizzy I felt like I was drowning in my head, I felt floaty and I couldnt keep my eyes open at all. I wasn't asleep but I wasnt awake either. Everything seemed to slow down and I kept thinking I would move or open my eyes but I couldn't and time just passed. My husband came home from work and into our room and I couldn't turn round, open my eyes or talk. Eventually I manged to turn to face him and he hugged me but I couldn't speak or open my eyes. My brain was saying to talk but I couldnt. After about 1 and a half hours, I began to be able to open my eyes but not for long and I began talking but very slow and slurred. I came round slowly but still had a drugged feeling and a headache the rest of the evening.

Does anyone else have this? What is it? I took my bp and it was 88/49. Is that low enough to cause these symptoms?

Ive been looking a bit into mcad. Does this fit that?

thanks so much

[lieze]

I've had episodes like these.

Mine haven't lasted as long as what yours did and I was able to talk.

I would report it to your doctor. : )

I hope you are feeling better.

[samannran]

Yes this happens to me often. Your bp was low at those numbers. When this happens to me, my bp is usually low. My hubby or daughter elevates my feet and rubs my legs to help get my bp back up to a better number. If noone is around, I lie down, pray, and wait it out. It is scary. I talked to my neurologist about it, and she said that's the autonomic failure. When the bp lowers, less oxygen gets to the brain.

[stacdliw]

I have symptoms like yours when I'm experiencing hypersomnia. I'll sleep and sleep and sleep. If I do try to wake up, I'm so groggy, I can't keep my eyes open and I feel like I'm "not there." When I don't force myself to wake up, I'll sleep from 14-17 hours.

I've never taken my blood pressure during those episodes, so I don't know if that's a factor.

[Sallysblooms]

BP can be high, low or normal during a crash. All over the place. It is awful when this happens, not often anymore thankfully. Take care! How long have you had POTS?

[Csmith3]

It isn't what I would describe as pre-syncope. It does sound odd and unpleasant - poor you.

Your BP is very low which could be contributing to the symptoms but I am concerned it is more than that. I would definitely get it checked out if it recurs.

Do you get temporary respite if you can increase your BP, e.g. by having caffeine?

[Lindsay Mold]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

sallysblooms. ive just been diagnosed with pots but started to suspect it about 18 months ago but ive probably had it longer than that.

Cath_uk, Im not sure if doing something to raise bp would help. im usually feeling so bad that i cant do anything anyway. caffeine tends to give me tachy. It was happeneing a few times a week about 18 months ago and i was tested for addisons but it was negative. Then it was happening less but now its more frequent and severe aain. Im sevrely affected with M.E/cfs so i feel so ill all the time and am in bed mostly, so its hard for me to tell if something is more serious or whether to make a fuss. I just tend to lump it all together. It is very scary though. My gp is useless and im not seeing my pots doc until september.

[Tammy]

I have had these type of episodes also, and it is scary being so weak, feeling lifeless and not being able to talk or open eyes, etc., while your brain is working and trying to get up enough strength to say something. Usually it is an effort for me to keep taking breaths also when these spells happen... I have to tell myself to keep taking breaths. Once my body pulls itself out of the spell, I have taken my bp and it is usually really low, something like 60/45, which tells me my blood pressure dropped and my heart isn't pushing blood around like it should because of how close the numbers are. I don't know what causes these either, but they are awful to experience.