Vaso-Vagal Discussion

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"Traffic" sounds, cold sweats, short of breath, fainting, etc.

From: faielyne1@home.com

Comments

Hi. I am a 25 year old female. I used to get these symptoms quite often but no doctors were ever very concerned about it. I would often have bruises, blackeyes, lumps on my head, and in one extreme case, I had to have staples in my head where I hit the sink in the bathroom. All from fainting. I looked abused. It started when I was about 17. I got horrible migraines as well, so bad that I couldn't see straight. I started fainting when they were really bad. Here is what typically happens when I faint. I feel nauseas so I think I need to find a bathroom, but then I realize that I can't walk because I am suddenly freezing. Then I hear what sounds like new york highway traffic in my head. Horns and whooshing sounds. This was the scariest thing for me. If I can manage to talk at this point I sound to myself like I am inside a tunnel. Then the tunnel vision happens and I sweat everywhere. As it is happening I feel like I am sitting myself down in a calm manner, however I never really do. The time i cracked my head on the sink, I thought to myself, "wow! That was weird, at least I knew to sit myself down. Why does my head hurt so much?" Then I felt the back of my head and it was caved in. I was alone, but my mom just lived literally around the block. So I called her to bring me to the hospital. There is where the doc told me, "Don't worry, it was just a vaso-vagal reaction to getting up too quickly." Well, it all went away til last night and today. I was with a friend last night and I walked up some stairs just fine. I was very thirsty so I wanted some juice. By the time I had poured it and was ready to go down, I had to sit down on the steps where I just kept sweating and shivering and the tunnel vision kept going in and out in and out. He had to help me up and to the bathroom since I was sure that I needed to throw up. I never did and then I was fine but for the headache that followed. Today, I keep getting small spells of it but nothing severe. I am worried about driving since I am a nanny of five children and I don't want to put them at risk. I have had these spells on the road before and it scares me. When that doctor diagnosed the faint as vaso vagal, I asked him, should I be concerned about driving? He said no. So should I be? I would have to give up this job if I couldn't drive. I don't know what to do. I also have no insurance, no one is willing to give me any because I have asthma. I know this is a random blob of info, but after last night I am concerned and scared and confused, but happy to find this group. If anyone has any comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. I would greatly appreciate them. Thank you all so much!

Rhiannon


This web site is not a substitute for a thorough medical evaluation and diagnosis of your vaso-vagal type symptoms.  Medical treatment and diagnosis is the only acceptable initial response to these serious symptoms since they might present from any number of life threatening and treatable illnesses. It is for you and your physician to rule out more serious illnesses; Please don't use this online forum as an alternative to getting responsible medical attention and being under the care of a physician for the duration of any unknown, suspected or dangerous vaso-vagal syndrome symptoms.
Last changed: June 22, 2007