Fainting Long After Surgery

[Jeanlea]

Today I was out with my friends for golf and supper. I had two drinks over a two hour period. Just as we were getting ready to leave, I began to feel faint. Then my hearing became greatly diminished and it got a little darker. Next thing I knew I was laying on the floor with people calling my name. I was very sweaty and felt a little nauseous for a few minutes. Once they put a cold cloth on my neck I felt much better. Since I was feeling better I didn't think it was necessary to go the hospital in the rescue squad. The person on the rescue squad called the hospital. The doctor there said that since I had had brain surgery it might be the cause of my small seizure and blacking out. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I'm going to contact my ENT and see what he says.

Jean

[jaylogs]

Hi Jean! Wow, that must have been a bit disconcerting!  I see you are coming up on seven years post surgery? I am definitely no doctor, but that seems a long time since for any AN surgery relation complications to pop up...have you had any kind of other issues before this? I usually don't offer outright suggestions but maybe a visit to a general practioner might be in the cards so that can rule out any other issues.  Oh, I was wondering, did they check your blood sugar when rescue was responding? Just wondering if anything diabete was considered. I know there are a 100 things that could cause what happened. Anyways, I hope you get some answers, because this is not a normal thing! Take care and keep us updated!
Jay

[Jeanlea]

My blood sugar was fine...112. All of my other vitals were fine, too. Since I didn't want to go to the hospital, the rescue squad called the hospital and got the doctor's opinion. He thought that it might have been a small seizure that was related to my brain surgery even after nearly seven years. After I've done some research online I think it was more likely due to not drinking enough water while golfing and eating. But I will follow up with a visit to my GP.

[james e]

Could be lots of things. A trip to the doctor is an important follow up. I had a stroke 3 years ago, and while I was in the middle of it, I refused to go to the hospital...I had no idea anything was wrong. My wife got my neighbors to help get me to a hospital. It saved my life. The doctors found a birth defect in my heart that caused the stroke. I had a surgery to close the hole (PFO closure) a month later. I now have permanent short term memory loss due to the stroke. See your Doctor.

James

[Jim Scott]

Jean ~

Scary situation.  I'm glad that you quickly revived and didn't need hospitalization.  I haven't a clue as to why you fainted - I'll leave that mystery to the doctors to solve - but if it turns out to be in any way related to your AN surgery, I think its safe to say that we'll all be very interested to learn about that. 

Jim

[alabamajane]

Jean,
I have had similar "spells"/seizures,, total of 9 in last 4 yrs.. and NEVER before that,,, in fact the first one I had was what led me to an MRI and diagnosis of AN.. so I had this for about 3 yrs before my surgery which was last Oct.

ALL of my Drs. deny that they are related,, I am not so sure,, I recently turned 60 ,, YUK,, and had worked for 30 yrs before retiring 3 yrs ago. I had never had any type of seizures prior,,,,

I do about the same thing as you describe,, dizziness,, aura type feeling, hard to explain that one, nausea, sweating , overall faint feeling. The first time I did go to ER and nothing was discovered,, vitals were all ok, after seeing neurologist, he said hospital was not necessary , if I come out of them ok which I do. They are very scary and extremely exhausting to the entire body,, I might agree with you about the hydration factor. The last one I had I had been at the hospital with relative all day and had not eaten or really had any water etc, and that night about 7:30 I had one sitting in the back yard with my husband,, he really hates these spells by the way!! But no more than I!!

I hope after seeing a neurologist you can determine a cause although I do not have one after 4 yrs, seizure meds, 9 seizures, and tumor removal....... very frustrating,, especially after being fairly healthy all these years..I have not had any other change in health that would even remotely impact this type of behavior.......... even after substatial debate with neurologist about my belief they may be related somehow,, he states that ANs affect a different part of the brain than seizures "generally" happen in,, even though mine was pressing on brain stem also..... soooooo there ya go...
They are very scary to say the least,, I empathize with you and hope that is the last one you have.. I do drink occasionally, however, since surgery , I can not tolerate more than one at a time and that is not often.. seems to give me too much "wonky headedness",,, and Lord knows I don't need any more help in that category!!  Sorry to ramble, but wanted you to know my story and that yes,, these things can happen even in someone with AN,, but "supposedly" they are not related,, and that is quite frustrating................good luck and keep us updated please,, Jane

[pjb]

Jean,
I have had similar "spells"/seizures,, total of 9 in last 4 yrs.. and NEVER before that,,, in fact the first one I had was what led me to an MRI and diagnosis of AN.. so I had this for about 3 yrs before my surgery which was last Oct.

ALL of my Drs. deny that they are related,, I am not so sure,, I recently turned 60 ,, YUK,, and had worked for 30 yrs before retiring 3 yrs ago. I had never had any type of seizures prior,,,,

I do about the same thing as you describe,, dizziness,, aura type feeling, hard to explain that one, nausea, sweating , overall faint feeling. The first time I did go to ER and nothing was discovered,, vitals were all ok, after seeing neurologist, he said hospital was not necessary , if I come out of them ok which I do. They are very scary and extremely exhausting to the entire body,, I might agree with you about the hydration factor. The last one I had I had been at the hospital with relative all day and had not eaten or really had any water etc, and that night about 7:30 I had one sitting in the back yard with my husband,, he really hates these spells by the way!! But no more than I!!

I hope after seeing a neurologist you can determine a cause although I do not have one after 4 yrs, seizure meds, 9 seizures, and tumor removal....... very frustrating,, especially after being fairly healthy all these years..I have not had any other change in health that would even remotely impact this type of behavior.......... even after substatial debate with neurologist about my belief they may be related somehow,, he states that ANs affect a different part of the brain than seizures "generally" happen in,, even though mine was pressing on brain stem also..... soooooo there ya go...
They are very scary to say the least,, I empathize with you and hope that is the last one you have.. I do drink occasionally, however, since surgery , I can not tolerate more than one at a time and that is not often.. seems to give me too much "wonky headedness",,, and Lord knows I don't need any more help in that category!!  Sorry to ramble, but wanted you to know my story and that yes,, these things can happen even in someone with AN,, but "supposedly" they are not related,, and that is quite frustrating................good luck and keep us updated please,, Jane

I also had a few fainting spells prior to the discovery of my AN and once found doctors said they are not related !!... Now after surgery I have a different type of seizure where I am in a dreamlike state and my whole body is paralyzed the only thing I can do is moan thought it was a dream but my grandson saw an episode ... Doctors still stating it is not AN related and want me to go for other testing ... I am positive doctors are not sure themselves I would feel better towards them stating it could be possible or they are not sure but to defiantly say they are not related is crazy coincidental I do not think so ?..

Best Wishes,

[alabamajane]

well,, as an aside,, I did finally get my neurologist to admit that they "could" be related even though he was still firm in his belief that they are not... of course they are ONLY drs... and still humans.. just as I once had a dr. tell me my back problems were just strained muscles and I insisted on further testing only to find out it was indeed a herniated disc causing pains.. so they don't always know.... and these incidences are too coincidental for me to not believe they are related somehow!! Will be interested to hear more stories from folks,,,, Jane

[Jeanlea]

Went to the doctor today. She said that all of my symptoms pointed to a simple case of fainting especially since I've had no further problems. Just to check further she did an EKG and some blood work. Good to know that it was simply a case of fainting from not drinking enough water plus some alcohol along with a usually low end blood pressure and playing golf out in the heat.

Jean

[alabamajane]

Jean,
Thanks for update and good for you! I hope that is the last one you have,, being dehydrated can certainly do a lot to us... good reports are always good to hear.. Jane