Has anyone had any problems with blacking out or almost passing out?

The first time it happened to me was back in May. It was 2 in the morning and I was in the bathroom cutting my bangs. I got really light-headed all of a sudden and sat down. It passed, so I got back up and continued what I was doing. Then I got hit with a HORRIBLE wave of nausea and everything started to go black and then come back into focus again. I sat back down and called to my husband. I asked him to get me a drink of water because I was extremely thirsty. Then I thought I was going to throw up. Next thing I know, I was on the floor and my husband was above me trying to wake me up. We went to the ER, they did tons of tests, but found nothing.

Everything was fine, until the end of November. I was in the shower, in the morning before work. All of a sudden I got VERY thirsty and that horrible wave of nausea came over me again. My vision started to go again and I knew what was happening. I got out of the shower and laid down on the bathroom floor until it passed. Went back to the doctor and he said that since I just had a bunch of tests done, he wasn't going to do any, but to call him if it happened again.

Well, it happened again this past Monday. Again, I was in the shower. Went back to the doctor and he ordered blood work. My test results came back today and my blood sugar and red blood cell count are all perfectly normal. No one can tell me what's wrong with me!!!

Has this happened to any of you guys before after losing a lot of weight?? I'm at a stand still!!

I've only come near to fainting once and it wasn't weight related. It was after giving blood on a hot day. The blood donor clinic was across town from my home, so I spent nearly an hour traveling on public transit to get back home. Stupidly, I ran up two flights of stairs from the subway to catch my bus. As soon as I got on the bus, I started having trouble catching my breath and my vision and hearing started to go. Again, stupidly, all I could think was if I just got off I would be able to breathe.

Well, I managed to get off and found myself on the sidewalk holding onto a street fixture for dear life. I was really fortunate that a lady passing by helped me into a nearby store with air conditioning where I could sit down. The store owner got me some water and called my husband to come pick me up. I started feel better almost immediately, but ended up with an enormous ugly bruise on my arm where the needle had been.

I haven't given blood since then because the next clinic was also on a hot day and I was too scared to take the risk. I also asked that my name be moved to the list for a donor location closer to my home. They haven't called me back, so I may have "fallen off" the donor list.

I had a condition about ten years + ago where I would pass out. It happened after I had a bit of a nasty fall and hit my head. For the longest time, I went through every kind of head scan there was. Nothing showed. One doctor did point out that my blood pressure was extremely low (surprising given I was overweight).
Eventually a cardiologist was assigned to me and it turned out that I have a small spot on my heart and an extra valve flap on one of my heart valves that slows the blood flow out of my heart.
All those were the contributing factors. Now that I know what to be on the lookout for, I'm pass out free The last time I had an episode was about three years ago.

Yep. I have high blood pressure and I get dizzy and have almost fainted.

I've never had anything as extreme as the incidences you described (except once - a horrible experience after giving blood like Kim R). However I do have little black outs quite often. If I'm sitting or lying and then stand up everything kind of goes black for a couple seconds and I feel dizzy then everything is fine. I've never gone to the dr. for this specific problem. My sister has low blood pressure and has the same thing. She's also had the horrible shock-like experience after giving blood so I'm guessing that's what mine is too.
Have you tracked it to see if it's related to your food and/or water intake? It's interesting that twice it was in the morning and you got really thirsty. I would maybe keep a journal and see if you have any recurring patterns.

I've only fainted after giving blood (that sounds like a trend here) but low iron, anemia, and low blood pressure I think can all contribute. As well, if any of those activities were on an empty stomach or a day where you didn't get as much iron in through food that might contribute?

I've had a history of occassionally passing out since college, it's happened at my heaviest and at my lightest so I don't think it's weight related. I also have heart palpitations that started up about the same time. The doctor's have never found anything wrong with me either.

I passed out in the beginning of December, never happened to me before. I was feeling really ill and being sick, and then bang, out I went. I went to the ER and they couldn't work out what was wrong with me either. It hasn't happened again. The worst of it was, I sprained my ankle on the way down, and it's only now coming right!

I had that very problem today, actually. I was just going to the bathroom (not #2) and suddenly bright lights were flashing before my eyes. It happened out of nowhere, and I've been feeling weak ever since then. I've had this problem before... I've had x-rays done, and MRI, bloodwork... everything comes back normal. The doctors don't know what's wrong with me.

Thank you all for posting your experiences.

My father-in-law has lost a significant amount of weight since last May when he had a heart attack and started Weight Watchers. In December he started having fainting episodes. He's been to the doctor several times, in fact he fainted once at the office, but they don't know what's causing it. He is on many medications so there is some concern that it could be due to an interaction. I am also concerned that maybe he has lost too much weight too rapidly, especially muscle loss because he doesn't exercise.

If we learn anything, I'll be sure to post though I suspect his situation is a little different from most here.

There have been 3 occasions in the past 6 years or so when I've had very odd moments... first my eyesight started to kind of swim and blur, then I got dizzy, then I felt nauseous and got REALLY pale, and I guess they were just intense cases of vertigo. But all 3 happened when I wasn't even dieting, and the first one when I wasn't overweight at all. I wish I knew what it was!

I have fainting spells that happen too and from the research I have done on the internet and through talking with people it seems like the cause is vasovagal syncope. Can be really embarrassing--I have fainted during a wedding ceremony, at the Boston aquarium, in a neighbor's driveway, at work, etc. The only time I injured myself was fainting in the kitchen and knocking a knife from the counter onto my big toe. Scary though, anytime it happens.Doesn't seem to be weight-related. Here is something I found on a website, maybe it will help:

**Vasovagal syncope is the most common cause of fainting. Although it is particularly common among young women, it is seen across all ages and genders and in otherwise completely healthy people. It is triggered by a number of factors, including prolonged standing, alcohol, fatigue, hunger, and anxiety. Vasovagal syncope is caused by low heart rate and blood pressure, leading to inadequate circulation. The reduced oxygen supply to the brain results in syncope, or temporary loss of consciousness. Individuals usually regain consciousness within a few minutes and their prognosis is good, although the syncope has a tendency to recur. **

Mainly the treatment is just lifestyle changes (increased fluids and salt during situations where it is prone to occur, when you feel it coming on elevating feet blah blah blah). There are pills you can take but, at least for me, it didn't seem worth it to take medication everyday for something that happens probably once every six months. But yours may be completely unrelated so make sure to follow up on it.

It happened to me a few times, yes. Usually it's when I lose blood, so it's not too surprising. If it was linked to the weight loss, I don't know. The first time was when I went to give blood on the 3rd day of my period, during heavy exams, after a karaoke evening, and running on like 5 hours of sleep over the past 3 days. Acting all bravado as usual, it didn't occur to me that this could, well, cause me to faint. It IS true, however, that this was on the year when I lost 8 kgs without doing anything "special" (just had a better diet thanks to college-supported meals and walking a lot to go to school), so maybe I just thought I could take it, but my body was different enough?

Another time was when I was shaving my leg in the bath and ripped a long band of flesh... didn't occur to me that bleeding in hot water for the next 5 minutes thinking "I'll look at it later" wasn't exactly a good idea.

Okay come to think of it, if I faint, it's mostly due to my own stupidity...

Once only I fainted due to pain, though--I woke up in the morning with a screwed lower back, and when I went to bathroom, found myself suddenly on the floor. That was freaky. (What's more freaky, though, is that after this, I still rode the bike for 30 mins to the train station, took the train for 45 mins, then rode again for 30 to work. I was a 'bot in those days, haha :/)

So, related to the weight loss... Really, I don't know. Maybe it depends on whether said weight loss is achieved through a diet with complete vitamins etc, or if something was lacking?

wow, we have a lot of fainters here. I too find that now I can tell if I have one coming on. I sit down and stay there until I feel better. The last time was totally my fault as I'd been standing for a while with my knees locked without realizing it.