Passing out/ vision not keeping up with head movement

Anonymous
June 23, 2008 at 11:11 pm

So sorry that you are having such a tough time. Your scenario of passing out while going to the bathroom jogged a memory from a lecture in one of my pathophysiology courses. Although most often in the elderly, when a person is having to strain too hard to have a bowel movement it causes them to have a “Valsaulver manuever”, not sure on the spelling. Basically, you can strain so hard to have a bowel movement that your heart can stop beating momentarily. It usually restarts on its own and the patient is unaware of what happened and just wakes up on the floor. When I was first starting to “teach” myself how to have bowel movements again, I can remember straining so hard that I would get dizzy. Only later did I learn what I was so close to having happen. I am in no way a doctor, it just makes sense because I know what it feels like and have learned the basics of what can happen. So, if you feel yourself start to get dizzy, take a break and let your body calm down a bit.

As far as the vision not keeping up with your head movement. That sounds just like the veritgo that I also had to deal with. Any time your body is stuck in one position for an extended period of time, especially being down on your back, your senses start to think that the ceiling that you are staring at is in front of you, as if you are standing up and looking at a regular wall. It will take time to readjust to being up and around. I took some over the counter meclizine for the vertigo and it helped a bunch. I don’t know what else you are taking so talk to your Doc or Pharmacist and make sure that is an option for you.

I too am fighting the pain just to get through the day, I am sorry anyone else has to feel this way. Keep pushing your Doc to adjust or change your meds until you can get on top of the pain.

Keep Fighting!

Stoney