Fainting

Its still may be dysautonomia. My blood pressure isnt way off but im taking midodrine for POTS anyway. Did you teat your blood pressure when lying then standing? If it fluctuates then that may be the reason. I dont have the dizziness too bad. Only when bending over then back up sometimes. My main symptom is heart pain if i stand too long or do too much so i follow the remedies for POTS and it helps! High salt, tight leggings or hose, leg lifts when laying down. I elevate my leg or legs even when standing , lol, I'll raise it up on the counter while fixing food. It helps! Good luck!

Hi Cath, 

Feeling faint is my number one symptom as is visual disturbances (blurred, tunnel vision, sensitivity to light, trouble focusing).   When feeling faint I make sure I've eaten enough food, especially carbohydrates.  I have a history of eating disorders so eating enough and keeping my blood sugar stable is a challenge as my hunger signals appear to be suppressed.  I also check to see if I've been hydrating myself enough.   I don't advise drinking a huge amount of water though as it can make things worse in my experience.  A few years ago I had an awful time feeling dizzy and blacking out every time I stood up, and feeling faint daily.  I remember a bit of sea salt added to my water helped.  

To be honest I don't think it's so simple as keeping hydrated and stabling blood sugar.  Any hidden infections or illness can cause these symptoms, as can severe anxiety, which I also have from time to time.

Wish you the best and I hope you find some answers soon! 

Hi Cath.

Sympathies. Fainting or feeling faint, alas, is all too common with M.E. I fainted at a urinal once in Germany and collapsed backwards my head spinning. I hit the floor and came to with vague distant sounds of worried foreign blokes looking down on me. Another time on a plane I had to spend the entire journey on the floor in the recovery position. Part of the package I'm afraid - though embarrassing and unpleasant.

Postural hypotension is a common CFS symptom - you get up from a bed or chair, your blood pressure doesn't adapt, or drops suddenly, and you feel faint, or actually do faint. That's what happened to me in the urinal I think.

Many of us report constant nausea, which can be drug-associated, stomach-associated or neurological in origin. Its important to work out the cause. If its drugs then maybe your doc change provide an alternative without the side-effects. If its neurological there is nothing you can do, but at least you know its just your CFS playing tricks on you, nothing dangerous. If it's due to chronic excess stomach acid or allergies to certain foods it can cause long term damage like ulcers and if untreated for many years can lead to cancer. I am on Omeprazole for the rest of my life due to reflux oesophagitis. I also had a duodenal ulcer. However, the good side to excess acid as a cause of nausea is that it can at least be treated.

Prayers,

Philip

Labyrinthitis is a condition where a viral infection - like the common cold - affects the inner ear. You feel like you are falling head over heels in mid air whenever you turn or c**k your head quickly. You can get tablets for that from your doc, and it goes away when the infection clears up.

I also feel faint a lot but have not actually fainted. A therapist told me to clench and unclench my fists several times if walking outside and feeling faint as it's meant to help pump the blood round your body better. If I stand in the one position for too long I always feel faint as if all the blood has gathered round my ankles and I'm going to pass out. If I'm like this and at home I lie down with my feet raised above my head. I also eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day to try and stabilise my blood sugar levels. Things like bananas and oatcakes make good snacks. Hope you manage to get things under control!