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From: Laural-- stiil fed up!
Date: 11/29/00
Time: 9:52:53 PM
Remote Name: 63.66.170.152
Here is my experience:
I started fainting when I was 14 years old--that was a number of years ago. It's been a part of my life ever since. I've been to countless doctors, had all kinds of tests. Had that horrible tilt-table test 3 years ago. Tested--positive, fainted-.. Most of you know how it goes--You have been there... done that! It helps to know that I am not 'walking this road' alone... Basically, I have the same triggers as many of you have; yet the sight of blood does not bother me and pain does not evoke any reaction in me other than crying. But, there is a trigger that always, always causes me to faint. Has anyone had a reaction from florescemt lights? This is my foremost trigger. My doctor doesn't have a clue as to why. I was tested for seizures-- results negative, in fact I fainted while waiting for the tests to begin. I remember the lights in the room being exceptionally bright. I felt so sick when I finally left that doctor's office! I started trying to sort things out myself... Realized that it doesn't matter where it is- Bank,mall, grocery store, doctor's office ,hospital emergency room, my child's classroom at her school-- if there is florescent lighting-- I'm in trouble. We immediately replaced the florescent ceiling light in my kitchen, which until then had been my primary 'fainting room' in the house. What a relief it was not to wake up lying on the floor beside a hot oven or on the floor beside a small pile of broken dishes or whatever... While I can to some degree control what goes on in my own home, I can't control things elswhere. So, I had to make adjustments; adjustments I don't want to make... Whenever I go shopping or into any building with florescent lighting I know for a fact that I can only be exposed to it for roughtly about a half hour. Any longer and I'm OUT... I've learned to park my car as close to a store or building as I legally can. Thankfully, most of the time I make it to my car. Yet, depending on how long I've been exposed- - I will either faint in the car in the parking lot or if I don't faint I will feel too sick to try to drive home and I must wait until the symptoms lessen. Usually, if I sleep for a few minures in the car-- it helps. How do I feel when those lights are on?--- Awful. I begin to feel anxious, then very dizzy and somewhat confused. The lights seem to get brighter. Then there are waves of nausea. I feel like I 'm going to throw-up everything, everywhere! I feel very hot and sweaty and weak all over. My legs feel wobbly. If I don't lie down somehwere, anywhere and right then I will faint... I wake up quickly--but I hate waking up. I feel so sick and too weak to stand. It itakes time before I can stand up and walk again.. During that time I feel totally exhausted and only want to sleep... It's 2-3 days before I can feel like myself again. The dizziness and nausea linger. I have to move slowly and carefully. I can easily faint again; which would make the recovery process even longer. Dealing with the nausea is particularly difficult. Naturally, I don't want anything to eat or drink. Yet, most of you know that sometimes an empty belly and definitely dehydration can only exacerbate the problem... so I have to constantly remind myself to eat something or drink something... I don't like dealing with this. It is all so frustrating, and so frightening, and ever so tiring... I really am fed up with it all..