What could this be???

Question

when i stand up ill black out not completely unconscious but everything goes black and i lose control over my limbs and fall or drop stuff could it be any of these diabetes, epilepsy or maybe my back or necks out of place causing me to get dizzy but its not really dizzy more light headed well do any of you know what else it could be

Answer 1

my vote is for diabetes. Sounds like my symptoms when I found out I had type II. See your doc for blood tests.

Answer 2

leslie,

Depending on your age, it might be one of several things, most of which are not serious.

First, it wouldn't be any of the problems that you mention because if it were diabetes or epilepsy you would have other quite unmistakable symptoms and signs that apparently you do not have.

Are you middle aged and overweight? If not, you're probably not diabetic. If you are, you might want to have your blood glucose and insulin levels checked. But if you are young and otherwise healthy, you don't have to worry about diabetes.

When you almost black out are you tired afterward and you don't quite remember what you were doing? If not, then it isn't epilepsy.

So what might it be? I would first suspect what is called "orthostatic hypotension," or "when you stand up your blood pressure falls." This would cause everything that you mention. The cause of it could be dehydration, being physically unfit, having "carotid sinus syndrome" and holding your head at the wrong angle (no kidding. For some people this is a problem. It's a long explanation, but in short, you have blood pressure monitors in a place on both sides of your neck in your carotid arteries, and sometimes they are too sensitive and send the wrong signal to your arteries to open up and lower your blood pressure. That would make you dizzy and pass out).

Now, it's a long shot, but conceivably it could be a vasovagal event--that involves your vagus nerve slowing your heart-- or even "sick sinus syndrome," where your sinus node in your heart slows your heart too much and you pass out.

However, I think you can pretty well eliminate the last two. You'd be getting dizzy at other times as well if you had those.

So that leaves "you stand up and your blood pressure falls" as the most likely reason. The best answer and cure for that is vigorous, cardio exercise. Exercise strengthens your heart, increases your ability to use oxygen, makes you stronger, leaner, more active, feel better and more energetic, and makes all those light-headed symptoms go away.

Good luck.