Anyone else have a fainting phobia?

[mandymoo]

Hi!  I'm Mandy!  I'm 28 and have been suffering from dysautonomia for 13 years now.  A couple years ago I began feeling anxious about my fainting episodes.  Now it is constantly on my mind.  I'm always assuming I "might" faint in the most horrible of circumstances.  I worry about crossing the street!

I have an assistance dog now that has almost completely cured me from my anxiety.  Thank goodness!  Does anyone else have a fainting phobia?

[dolfnlvr]

Wow.  No I don't but I have a question for you.  How often do, did you faint?  What are some of your triggers?  Did you have a particularly scary or embarrassing episode?   I'm curious more than anything.  I'm also curious about your assistance dog.  What is he/she trained to do?  Very interesting......

[halbashes]

I'm glad to hear that your assistance dog has helped you with your fainting anxiety.  I've always wanted an assistance dog, where did you get her?  Your profile mentioned her name being Muffy, what kind of dog is she?

I've had fainting anxiety for a while.  Whenever I come near to a set of stairs, or public bathroom for example.  There are just certain situations that I really don't want to faint in!

Without medication I faint approximately four times per week, but with medication it's reduced to about twice per month.  Sometimes more, sometimes less.  Throughout the years I've had random months of better control, and random months of poorer control.  It doesn't always make much sense to me.

I've had a couple of concussions resulting from my frequent fainting episodes.  One concussion in particular resulted in frequent partial seizures.  Luckily the seizures subsided on their own within a year.  I do occasionally have partial seizures after fainting episodes though, but I don't have epilepsy.

I've never broken any bones, which I am quite happy about.  I've gotten many cuts, scars, and bruises though.  My most recent faint has resulted in two of my fingers on my left hand being numb.  I had a lot of bruises on my left side, so I assume I hit something.  Hopefully my fingers will fix themselves soon.

So yes, I too have some "fainting phobias".  Not all entirely rational, but my doctor said they were at least understandable.

[halbashes]

Have you ever had seizures or seizure-like episodes resulting from your faints?  I know it's rare, but I was just curious.  My doctors have told me that taking seizure prevention medication would be useless since the seizures were a result of less oxygen in my brain, rather than any kind of electrical misfiring.

[dolfnlvr]

Yes, I have mild seizures when I pass out.  The lack of blood/oxygen to the brain causes me to pull into the fetal position.  It is not a twitchy seizure.  For me it happens EVERY time I fully pass out.  Luckily, I am always aware of the sensation that I am about to faint and I am sometimes able to get into a position to "fight it."  

Here's a funny story.  About 4 months ago, my Dad had to go to the hospital for a procedural catheterization.  It was a "no biggie."  But, when I went in to pick him up I guess the releif that all was well, and the scent of the hospital etc. induced a drop in BP.  I started to faint.  Here was my Dad, the guy I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PICKING UP and driving home, sitting in a chair calmly, while I (the designated driver) fight not to pass out on his bed!!!  The nurses went nuts and tried to fill me with juice and take my BP and call a doctor etc.  Dad just said, don't worry about it...she just does this sometimes.  After about 10 minutes, I got up, walked it off, and drove Dad home.  The nurses were seriously flipping out that I was going to drive after all that!!!!  

I used to find things like that embarrassing, but I guess I've gotten to the point where I have stopped worrying about what others think and I thought the whole episode was pretty funny.

[dolfnlvr]

By the way, did you see the episode of Dancing with the Stars when Marie Osmund passed out?  Now that was poetry!!!

[molly0]

I don't faint very often anymore, but my daughter still faints multiple times each week.  She also has a fear of fainting in some situations.  I don't really have any "fainting phobias" though, so it might be a normal fear for those who faint often.

[mandymoo]

I've gone 4 months without fainting now, but I used to faint several times a week.  I still have other symptoms, but no fainting.  All episodes are embarrassing, but I've had a couple injury's.

My dog Muffy keeps me calm after a fainting episode, and pretty much prevents me from standing up until I'm feeling better.  If I'm not feeling well, she lays next to me.  If I try to get up before I'm feeling better, she will prevent me so I don't get hurt.

She helps me to balance when I am dizzy standing, and she's learned to know how I'm feeling.  She helps me use better judgment, because she will nudge at me in the store when she knows I'm not feeling well.

Just her being with me relieves my anxiety where public fainting would be a problem.  I get out more too, because I have to take her for walks.  When the EMT's are called, they find medical information in Muffy's vest.  She also knows how to get me things like water, clothes, meds, etc.  She goes everywhere with me, I love her!

[mandymoo]

She's a golden retriever.

[Lotro]

Less fainting phobia...but more like fainting annoyance!