Thursday 10 December 2009

I Almost Passed Out!

My doctor thinks I might be anemic.

Yesterday, not feeling well, I walked the 3/4-mile to go pick Connor up from school while pushing Cameron in the stoller. We were out of diapers and formula, so, on the way home, I had to stop at the shops. My stomach kept cramping up badly, but I was doing okay, if moving a bit slowly. I got to the shops and went to the ATM to draw some money out. That's where everything went screwy on me.

Everything started to spin and go dark on me. I felt my legs giving way under me, but I fought it. (I had both small boys with me, so I COULD NOT pass out!) I grabbed onto the ledge at the bottom of the ATM machine to hold myself up thinking I just have to get home, then I can collapse. I turned around, leaning my back on the machine and gripping onto the stroller to hold myself up, but it was a losing battle. I couldn't see anything as everything was swirling around in front of me.

Some ladies walking towards me noticed something was wrong, asked if I was okay, and I answered "no." They helped me inside (one of the shop employees came out to help too, because I could barely stand up). One of them pushed the stroller inside and made sure Connor came in with us too. The must have gotten me a chair because, just as they let go of me and I thought I was falling, I felt a chair underneath me. I could feel sweat on my face and I was breathing hard, but I didn't feel like I was having any trouble breathing.

After about ten minutes or so of sitting, everything started to clear up. By then, the paramedics had arrived. They were going to call an ambulance, but I became steady enough to get up and walk again. Robert, because he's been home sick, came to the shops and brought our teenager who was also at home sick. She took the little ones and went to pick up my other two girls from their school. Robert stayed with me.

As my condition was improving, the paramedics agreed to let me go home. They drove me home, and did some more tests while I was there. Both at the shops and at home, my blood pressure was really, really low. Other than that, everything was fine. No fever. Blood sugars were normal and so on. They called and spoke to one of the doctors at my practice, and got me an appointment to be seen at 5:00pm (an hour later). I took a taxi there and back. My blood pressure had returned to a normal range, if still a tad on the low side. The doctor thinks I'm anemic, so I have to go in for more blood tests later this month.

Because my 1 year old and 3 year old were with me, that was one of the scariest moments I've been through. And it was so sudden!

I pretty much slept from getting home from the doctor appointment until about 6:30am this morning. Other than a splitting headache and the same tummy troubles, I feel okay today.

The doctor thiks it might be anemia. My husband thinks it might be a combination of the same illness he had and walking all the way to pick up Connor form school. A nurse friend of mine thinks I should also have my thyroid checked because losing a lot of weight can cauuse the thyroid to go into hyperdrive on rare occasions.

I just hope it never happens again!

7 comments:

  1. wow, so sorry to hear. I'm glad your feeling better now, but I know that had to be frightening. Take care of yourself...don't overdo it.

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  2. I am anemic but ive not passed out from it, although it causes me alot of problems so i really feel your pain.

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  3. I had something like that happen one day while driving on the highway. All of a sudden it was spinning swirls and I knew nothing except, deep down I knew I had to snap out of it. I didn't consciously know that I was driving or that my kids were with me, only that I needed to snap out of it, to gain some focus. I manage to struggle out of it just before I hit the ditch. One of my kids had just got their learners license so I pulled over and made her drive. SO, SO scary!

    I hope all turns out to be okay.

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  4. I know when my H&H is low when I start craving ice and I get more short of breath on stairs.

    Good luck getting answers.

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  5. You were really fortunate in this case. I hope the blood work brings back something certain that you can easily treat.

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  6. That is really scary! Remember that anemia might not just be a deficiency of iron intake, but a problem with your body's ability to assimilate that iron...make sure your doctor sorts that out!
    BODA lose weight

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  7. same thing happened to me this morning excpet i also vomited!! it is so scary and more so for me considering i am home alone all day!! i think maybe a trip to the dr is in order for me!!

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