Passing out?

• By maaxiim
• Posted July 20, 2008 at 1:34 pm

Hello there,

I am new on the forums and will post a proper introductory post later, but I wanted to reply to you here, as I have had a similar experience, during my vegetarian phase a few years ago.
I was diagnosed with FSGS in 1993 and over the course of the progression of my illness, have tried various different suggestions and diets, etc to see if I could delay the ESRD... One of those suggestions was to try the macrobiotic diet and so I became a strict vegetarian. I tried it for 1.5 years. During that 1.5 year period, I became prone to blacking out without warning. Once, I had a seizure in the movie theater that scared everyone in the room.
Eventually, after a year and a half, I abandoned the vegetarian diet and started to eat meat, eggs & cheese again. The blackouts stopped completely then.
My nutritionist believes that my blackouts were related to some deficiency in my diet, she suggested it might have been an iron deficiency.
I hope that something there rings a bell for you, and I hope that you start to feel better soon,
Cheers!
maaxiim

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 20, 2008 at 1:50 pm

They think it may be potassium, but they just really don't know. It scares me as I watch young children during the day. I am afraid I will be alone and there will be nobody there to help. I am not a vegetarian, so no connection there, but if they thought it was iron, and they think mine may be potassium, that could be a deficiency link?? I don't know at this point. Heart problems are huge in my family, with my grandfather having 6 heart attacks, transplant, you name it. I like to think I a like him as he is still alive..... 17 years and was given 12! Thanks for the reply. I just don't know any more and am very scared.

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 10:08 am

Maaxiim

Looks like we are the only ones.... I am going to the cardiologist today. hope that helps me not be so scared.

Allison

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• By reginapatricio
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 11:10 am

I have had some blacking outs, went to the ER and they told me(or so to think) I was crazy. I didn't know what kind of kidney disease I had at that point. They checked me for heart problems NOPE!, they also took blood that proved their point(of no bad kidneys). I never found out what mine was, and at times I still feel like everything turns black and I everyone seems sooo far away.

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• By Jenny1
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 11:16 am

Have they checked your blood pressure? Are you on meds for high blood pressure but don't have hight blood pressure? If your blood pressure is dropping too low, it could cause you to become dizzy and pass out as well. Might be worth it to get a blood pressure cuff and take your pressure if you start feeling dizzy again. I've blacked out while driving because of it and it scared me half to death. My meds have since been lowered and I'm doing much better now. And the doctors never mentioned anything about my blood pressure causing my dizziness until I came in with a list of readings that I took myself during the days when I wasn't feeling well. I was sent to a cardiologist as well, but they found nothing. Good luck!

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• By rulestein
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 12:02 pm

I start to black out occasionally. If you do feel a black out coming on, get your head below your heart. Like someone else suggests, keep an eye on your blood pressure. Even if your blood pressure is OK, Blood pressure meds can cause you to black out. If you are taking any, the doctor can try something different.

Also, you could be anemic. The whole kidney thing can cause some anemia. It is typical for kidney patients to get vitamin B shots.

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• By Terrismom
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 7:00 pm

I fainted a few months ago at work and was brought to the ER and admitted. They found me to have low potassium, low BP and my sugar was over 500. At that point I was taking 80mg. of prednisone every day. For a while I felt like passing out every time I stood up for about a week after that. My dr. lowered my prednisone and put me on insulin. Since then I have not had another episode. Try not to be too scared; I am sure your doctor will get to the bottom of why this is happening. Just make sue that when you feel it coming on you are somewhere safe where you will not fall and get hurt. You dont need that on top of kidney problems! Good luck!

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 21, 2008 at 10:17 pm

That is part of the problem. It comes on so fast. I will be sitting there just fine and then I get a heavy dizzy feeling. Then I pass out within 30 seconds of feeling it coming. I pass out my body goes pale, break out in sweats and am cold to the touch. Then I wake up and my arms and legs go numb. So, I am not sure. It just scares the crap out of me. The first time I didn't know what was happening, the second time..... I knew what the feeling was, still wasn't enough time. I ended up on the floor. I just worry I will be alone or that it is something more serious. It is a horrible feeling. The cardiologist is going to to a few tests tomorrow and I will be wearing a heart monitor for a month. I will see how that goes. I am just worried. This is how things always start for me, and they never end up good.

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• By fsgsblahs
• Posted July 22, 2008 at 11:09 pm

It could be low blood sugar, low potassium, or a variety of things. My mom has done the same thing before, when her blodd sugar has dropped suddenly, but she started having seizures as well. Potassium does affect control of your legs as well, when it is either too high or too low. Simple blood tests would have already identified the possibilities of those two I would think.

Let us know....

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• By evag
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 12:26 am

I had this problem too my bp was too low and low potassium. I switched to a different bp med then I was ok. I always keep a bottle of OJ handy, It helps me when I feel light headed. I hope you find out what is wrong. Try some deep breathing through your nose, sounds funny but it helps.

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• By szaluski
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 6:04 pm

Does your heart race? My daughter, we have been told has SVT. Her heart would race so fast that her heart doesn't have any blood to pass to the brain, she would turn white and pass out. It happened a lot, we would go to the ER it would stop by the time we got there and they say nothing was wrong with her. Once it happened and they said SVT. If you bear down or put ice cold water on your face you can restart your heart rate or get a shot. (ouch)
Funny thing, it only happened when she was on cellcept. Sharon

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 23, 2008 at 6:36 pm

I am not sure. My stress test and everything looked good, so now they really don't know. The only link they can find is the potassium, but the doctor didn't feel so sure that is what it is. he said it can happen, but not likely. So, I still don't know and am a bit scared. I don't know what causes it and I think that is what bothers me the most. I don't have any medications that I changed or anything like that. I started the cyclosporine, but that was after the first time and before the second. I will update if I find anything out. Taking it day by day.

Allison

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• By Queenie
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 12:50 pm

Hey Allison,

I am having the same symptoms as you except that I have not completely blacked out. I will be just walking along fine and all of a sudden I start getting dizzy and have to stop and sit or hang on to the wall until it passes. My Neph. sent me back to my cardiologist and I am currently using an event monitor to record the episodes. I have had it for 3 weeks now and will also keep it for a month. I am also scheduled to see a Neurologist in a couple of weeks to make sure I am not having mini-strokes. So, even though I can't offer any answers for you at least know that you are not alone with it. If I get any answers about my episodes I'll be sure and pass it along to you.
Good Luck and Hang In There,
Janet

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• By mamagemini
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 3:17 pm

Have either one of you had a CT scan done?

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 5:41 pm

I did and they said it was fine. I am still skeptical. I haven't been feeling right, and I'm not really sure what it is. I am trying to get in to see a neurologist, but that is proving to be a challenge. I just hope it is nothing serious, when it happens, it freaks me out! Thanks for the help everyone. I will let you know if I do find anything out. I just hope it won't happen again!

Allison

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• By Queenie
• Posted July 25, 2008 at 7:36 pm

I haven't had a CT scan for this problem, but I don't see the Neurologist for a couple of weeks yet and she may schedule one. I am also scheduled to have an ultrasound done on my heart next week to be sure I don't have another blod clot forming there.

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• By Queenie
• Posted July 29, 2008 at 1:18 pm

Hey Allison,

How is your potassium level? My Neph. called today and mine has been steadily dropping it is now 3.4 and he is having me take pills for a couple of days and then I will re-do my labs. I just wondered if that might have anything to do with the dizzy spells?

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• By Aweson-son
• Posted July 29, 2008 at 10:44 pm

My potassium was borderline low on the first time and the second time it was low as well. They changed my potassium from 20 MEQ to 80 MEQ of Klor Kon (potassium). I hope that is what it was. If I pass out again, I think I will freak. I know low potassium can cause dizzyness, so I am not really sure. We just hope that is what it is.

Allison

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