Brief blackouts, dizziness, headaches, visual disturbance

[mamaruns]

I hope someone, especially a doctor, could give me some ideas on what might be going on with my 43 year-old husband.  I was just told less then a month ago that for many years, he periodically gets these sudden quick blackouts that last for about a second.  He says there's a very brief moment of missing time, and he almost passes out but it happens so fast that he can catch himself and he feels very dizzy right after.  I had never noticed it, but it's happenning more often now and I have witnessed a few recently.  At first when he told me, I thought they might be absense seizures, but now that I've seen I really don't think they are.  Besides this, he's often fatigued, wakes up with horrible headaches with pain in the back of his head and neck, he's having dizziness and balance problems, there are times when he has "kaleidoscope" vision and sometimes when reading his eyes have a rapid back and forth movement.  He is also having episodes of weakness and numbness in his arms.  I think what he has is more then just a simple migraine, as the headache seems to be every day now.  He's had the pains in the back of his head since he was a child, it has just gotten worse.

Somebody please help!  

[strident]

I just had one today. After 4 hours of non-stop gameboy playing, I decided to just start my exercise. After 5 seconds of walking, my mind just started feeling numb, and then my vision became blurry, then I stumbled backwards. My body tumbled over and my spine hit a counter edge. My dad was pissed off at me for knocking something over, then he felt sympathetic because I said I just blacked out. Now that he's told my mom, she got as worried as if I was possessed by the devil. She says it's my diet, but it's highly unlikely, because I had the blackouts every year before the diet.

[crigara]

You might consider cluster headaches. A lot of the symptoms your husband is experiencing are mentioned in this website:


http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Fainting_And_Headache/overview/wiki_detailed?modp=Cluster_headache

[Jose308]

I've been having those quick blackouts too. the last a second and everything goes black.but then just as quick as it came it comes back. then i start to have head aches too. i want to have a check up but my mom says i dont have insurance so i cant see a doctor. i hope its nothing to serious. but from wat i've read here it sounds like it could be a major problem. If any light comes up on those quick blackouts, would it be possible to fill me in about them? Please and thank you.

[Kim852]

I had severe headaches as a child and now seem to be getting them again, not nearly as frequent as then, but disturbing nonetheless.  But tonight is different.  I felt a strange rush up the side of my head, almost as if it might be fluid??? , and then I didn't know what happened for a few seconds, maybe more, because my fiancee actually yelled my name and I don't remember any conversation or anything before that for several seconds.  I'm really scared and probably won't tell him until I have more answers.  I wouldn't want to make him nervous over nothing.  I think I blacked out ?? and shortly thereafter a pretty severe headache started.  my sight is blurry right now as I read this too.  I'm fatigued a lot as well, but I also do a lot in a day.  Please help!
Kim

[mrs_ontiveros]

I was recently diagnosed with Pseudotumor cerebri. I doesnt mean you hava brain tumor. It means there is to much spinal fluid circulating in thbrain. I found this out  when i went to and eye doctor app and they dialated my pupils and told me that i had papilledema which can only be diagnosed through that. papilledema is when all your optic nerves are swollen all his symptoms sound just like mine you might want to consider asking the doc about this is should be taken very seriously.

[mamaruns]

Thank you for the response, Dr. Deshmukh.  Yes, his primary doctor did diagnose him with ocular migraines several months ago.  His blood pressure and all labs looked great.  At that time he was not having the blackouts as bad, and he has never actually told anyone until recently.  I hope that's all it is, is a migraine.  We'll see what the neuro says.  Thanks again.