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From: camille
Its good to read everyones different experiences with vv, and to know that while mine may be different to the flat discription given in the medical explanations, they seem similar to those that people here are experiencing. I began fainting when i was a teenager. We all thought I was a hopeless drunk. A couple of drinks and I would be throwing up for the next 24 hours and passing out while I was throwing up, bathroom floors always have such hard tiles!! Needless to say I didn't drink much and was pretty well free from any episodes until 18mths ago. There had been a huge build up of 'stuff' that I was involved in, comittees, fundraisers, performances and finally ten visitors for three weeks and on the last day we were all sleeping-in someone went to the bathroom and shut the cat in the door, it came yowling down the stairs and I passed out as I woke up. A fright while sleeping seems to be my main trigger. My body goes very stiff my eyes roll up to the top of my head, clinched fists and sometimes snoring, for up to a minute though mostly 10 -30 seconds. I come to through waves from a very far away 'dream' that often carries a strong sense of foreboding.About ten mins after I begin to throw up and this too will cause me to pass out again. Unlike regular sickness it doesnt end when the stomach contents are gone but continues for about 24 hours, bowels are totally lost as well which makes it awkward as I am afraid of being sick in the bathroom, I much rather lean over the side of the bed in case I pass out especially if I am alone. I then have a week to ten days of 'terrors' and foreboding where as the evening comes and i am getting tired the darkness outside 'presses in'. I worry about death, after-death and meaning of life. I am terrified of closing my eyes and have dark dreams. I wake each morning just fine. I had four in that first day the ambulance took me to hospital. Initially the push was to diagnosising it as epilespy, but the neurologist specialising in epilespy was not convinced and eventually he found me a cardiologist that diagnosed vasovagal syncope. I have had very regular occurences every six to eight weeks although since I saw the cardiologist they reduced to one in five and one in three months.He said this might happen, just knowing what they are would reduce the anxiety. Reduce stress drink plenty and keep the salts up and take beta blockers if I nedded to were his advice. Ive been trying to be drug free mainly because I dont want to have to take something everyday for a one in five month occurence but this last time I just couldnt stand the terrors and was determined that I would start medication as soon as the fear wore off(apparently the meds dont work while the system is still dealing with it - only as a preventative)but now its gone I cant really believe it could have been so bad...a bit like child birth!!