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Avatar universal

I have fainted twice in the last few weeks. Why?

I am a 21-year-old male without ANY serious medical problems, past or present. Nothing I know of that runs in my family, either.

I prefer not to be judged based on my following explanation, I'd just like some answers...

The first time I fainted, which was about 18 or so days ago, I was high on psychedelic mushrooms with two other people in a house. We were all up in the kitchen; they were making food, and I suddenly got what I'm guessing was a very intense head rush, and the last thing I remember was reaching my hands up to my head. When I regained consciousness, I was on the floor with my friends calling my name, feeling very heavy and completely confused, obviously. They said I was out for about 5 to 10 seconds.

Now, last night, I was in a hot bath, and I had smoked a very small amount of marijuana and set up my hookah next to the bath. I understand this was not the greatest idea, but bare with me. Well I was super relaxed, and had the idea to walk to the store and rent a movie which got me kind of excited, so I got up rather quickly, which gave me a head rush. It was pretty intense (to the point where I was semi-blinded and had to hold on to something to steady myself), but it subsided long enough for me to step out of the bathtub and try to reach for a towel, but it sort of came back up and I suddenly woke up on the floor, again feeling very heavy, but less confused since I knew what had just happened.

At this point I was extremely disoriented and tried to walk into the living room to sit on the couch, but instead tried sitting on my computer screen. Anyway, I laid down on the couch, and attempted to stand up after about 30 minutes to get some clothes on, but even standing up slow caused me to feel dizzy, so I sat back down. It was about 1.5 hours before I felt stable enough to VERY slowly walk to the kitchen to get some water and come back to sit down.

Some other things you might like to know about me is that I have a high level of stress these days due to a very depressed phase I'm going through at the moment. I don't do mushrooms often, maybe twice a year at most. I smoke marijuana every day, but only a bit in the evenings. I don't do any other drugs. Right now, I'm 6 feet tall and weigh 175 pounds. The worst health problems I've ever had were weird teeth issues, which are long over.

I understand this is a lot to read, but I feel it's best to describe the situation in as much detail as possible, and I'm a little freaked out here, so I'd like to get to the bottom of this.

At this point, I'm even willing to heed any warnings about my drug use, because if they're the problem, some serious life changes may be in order.

Thanks to whomever ends up helping me.
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Avatar universal
The second episode looks related to Postural Hypotension, which I am also suffering from. I feel similar diziness when I suddenly syand-up from a sitting position, after about 10-15 minutes of idle-sitting. Doctors have further told me that this problem is more acute in males specifically after micturating. So I have been advised to micturate in the sitting position as far as possible and not to suddely get up after long stretch of idel-sitting.
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Avatar universal
I had considered taking a break from the drugs, but to be able to test something as (seemingly) random as fainting episodes would take quite a long break. Naturally, as a user of drugs, an extended period of time without them isn't exactly favorable to me :| Although, that may happen whether I like it or not in my current financial situation, haha.

I understand what you mean about being careful with the depression and substance abuse and whatnot, but honestly, the weed is what I have to cope with it at the moment until I start getting other things back on track. I have tried to do other things, but I'm sort of an instant gratification kinda guy, unfortunately.

Thank you for your responses, once again :]
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Avatar universal
Since both episodes were associated with drugs, maybe try laying off of them for an extended period and see if anything happens again? Some people, no matter how young and healthy, can't handle illicit substances without injury or damage. If you're prone to depression, then you need to be even more careful, you know?

I'm sorry to hear you don't have insurance coverage or access to affordable healthcare. :-(
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Avatar universal
I figured the second episode was due to the standing up thing, but it was also a lot more intense, especially since I couldn't even stand upright for over an hour after it happened. I have read that marijuana raises increases your heart rate, so maybe that had something to do. Also, you get a buzz from smoking hookah that makes you really light-headed sometimes, but I didn't really notice that before I stood up.

I totally understand what you mean about not wanting to do mushrooms again, but I wouldn't consider the whole thing a bad trip. Actually there were a few points I forgot to mention about that episode. I was suffering from a very mild cold at the time of the mushroom ingestion, and also just wasn't really in the right setting; two cardinal rules you need to abide by when doing stuff like that. I was just excited to do them, I didn't think it through like I usually do.

If I didn't have less than $100 to my name and no insurance, I'd definitely see a doctor. I'd also see a dentist and a therapist. But there's just no way I can afford anything like that. I've been wanting to see someone about my depression for a long time, because I've tried to change but I can't on my own. If money weren't an issue I'd jump right on that.

I really appreciate your response, though; it gives me something specific to look into so I can try to prevent anything like that from happening again. Any further info from anyone else would be swell, too.
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Avatar universal
The second episode sounds like orthostatic hypotension, which is when you have a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing upright suddenly. Heat can exacerbate the problem, so the hot bath was probably a factor. I have no idea whether marijuana was an additional factor.

If I passed out after trying psychedelic mushrooms, I'm pretty sure I'd be far too scared to do it again, whether or not they were the culprit. Seems plausible, doesn't it?

Still, I'd see a doc about the fainting spells. Don't worry about being judged for the drug use -- docs have seen it all. The important thing is that you are OK.

Are you getting any help or treatment for your depression? Don't let that go unaddressed. Help is out there.
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