Extreme dizziness. Anyone had this?

[GTBill]

Last night I woke up not feeling well (4:00am). I got up to go to the bathroom, took two steps and fell into the wall. I was so dizzy I couldn't walk without holding onto the wall. When I laid back down I was dizzy but it wasn't room spinning dizzy (like being drunk for those of you have been there). Right now, 5 hours later, the dizziness has mostly subsided but I've decided not to go to work even though it is a critical day for me to be there.  I haven't taken my riba. My doctor doesn't get in until 10:00am. I know that dizziness is a normal reaction but there is dizziness and there is falling down, unable to walk dizziness and they don't say what to expect.

Q: Has anyone had a reaction like this? I have a hunch that this may NOT be tx related because I had an episode just like this about 10 to 15 years ago and I wasn't on any treatment. However, I have low blood platelets (88,000) and really feel like garbage this a.m.

[GreatBird]

When I passed out in the night when I went to the bathroom (many years ago pre-tx) they made me go to a cardiologist and take a tilt-table test. Which I failed. Spectacularly. I've had a pacemaker ever since.

[Trinity4]

My equilibrium has been off for the last couple of months.  I run into door frames, two step my way across a room sometimes.  I'm a lefty and prone to being klutzy, but nothing like lately.  It's the meds.  Can't imagine if my hgb was low.  I would probably seriously injure myself.

[Marc1955]

Yeah, I passed out – actually twice – I woke up and passed out again.

I never pursued it. I'd been feeling bad. Not eating much. Clearly I was weakened and I just lost it. Now when I get up in the middle of the night I am careful to make sure I am alert and not too groggy before I try to go to the bathroom. I haven't had a repeat incident. If I pursued every one of these side effects I wouldn't have any time to get any work done at all. I figure some I just need to struggle through with.

BTW, my blood counts have never dropped low enough to require intervention. They are borderline low, but I find that is enough to give me palpitations and shortness of breath.

[portann]

Bill, I passed out on a stone floor while my husband had his nose buried in a newspaper. He didn't notice I was 'gone' until I came to.

It was likely caused by a sudden big hemoglobin drop or blood pressure drop. I seem to be okay based on my latest labs and tests.

What I'd do is phone the doctor now. (If he told me to skip the ribavirin, I can't swear I'd listen.)

I stick to a 7 AM and 5PM schedule for my ribavirin but there's absolutely no need for this. Ribavirin doesn't have to be taken on a rigorous schedule, as long as you take your full daily dosage per day. So you could wait to talk to your doc, which hopefully you've done by now.  My only concern is if he's not an experienced hepatologist, he may opt for reduction. Some inexperienced doctors undervalue the importance of sticking to your dosage, especially early on.

Sorry if I caused confusion in the thread about my 46 weeks of tx and your 6 days of tx. I bet you wouldn't mind trading places with me!

[chevyelcam79]

I remember when I was tx that I would get dizzy (sometimes real dizzy) due to my hemo being very very low.  I agree call your doc and get your bloodwork checked.  My blood pressure would also drop

Take Care!

[GTBill]

You passed out on the floor? My wife would have a heart attack! Wow. Did they ever say what it was or was it just attributed to TX?