My 16yr old just blacked out... !!! **UPDATE**

[seoj]

I'm very glad I was home and she wasn't home alone as it's summer break and she is home during the day (she works nights). I just happen to be working from home this week due to all day meetings online... normally MIL is home watching LO during the day- but often out and about with LO during the mornings.

So my daughter said she felt dizzy (she's had these issues before first thing in the morning, so I figured she just needed to eat)- so she was in the middle of cooking up some eggs- then just walked into the bathroom and I heard a loud crash-- and of course I freaked and ran into the bathroom thinking she pulled something off the wall and she was on the floor disoriented!

She doesn't think she passed out- she just said everything went black and she felt dizzy and unable to stand up and fell to the floor hitting her head on the wall...

Hubby came straight home from work to take her to urgent care, they just left. I just hope it's nothing serious. I remember having some similar issues when I was a teenager- prob due to my diet and not eating often enough, as when I'd go too long between meals I'd get shaky and light headed and not feel well at all... once I remember things going black as well. So I'm guessing that is all it is... but still worried. I have to be home for work and LO (as it's about her nap time) or else I would have gone with...

Anyone else's teenager go through similar? Any ideas? My first thought is her blood glucose was too low... but hopefully that's a common thing and nothing more serious.

**UPDATE: Heard from doc office and her iron levels are very low (different levels were tested and her body is not storing iron properly)- so she is going to go on a supplement for a while and get re-checked to see if that helps. Not ideal- but at least we know why, and it's nothing serious. I know her grandma (hubbies Mom) also has issues with her bodies iron storage... and she's had great luck with a specific supplement.

Thanks again for all your concern and support

 

[Jo]

Oh hun, what a shock. Hope she is ok, hope you are too

I do think at 16 it could be anything, they are always rushing about, not eating properly and their minds are going 100mph!

Emily (14, nearly 15) has lightheaded spells from time to time and says she feels "odd" it is usually down to lack of sleep and not enough to eat.
I'm sure it's nothing to worry about and that she just needs to take it easy for a little bit, working nights is maybe a shock to her system, depending how long she has done that.

Please update xxx

 

[seoj]

^^Thanks hun. I'm sure it's nothing serious (least I hope not)- but still a shock! I don't think I handled it at all well- lol- I just went into panick mode! I honestly had no clue what had happened I thought maybe she pulled something off the bathroom wall on accident it was so loud -- poor kid! They are with the doctor now-- getting tests done to rule things out. She's had some issues in the past though- like Mono and then found out she had endometriosis and dealing with horrible periods and cramps- and that alone has been a long process getting things under control. They seem to be better now? But I did recently have her iron levels checked- just in case, and they came back normal. I just can't imagine her having to deal with anything else so young! Just the horrid periods and endo are bad enough... I wish I had a magic wand! I guess all parents wish that at times...

Thanks again.

 

[Jo]

It is natural to panic when it is our own baby ( yeah at that age they are still our baby hey? )

Sounds like you have both been through a lot in a short space of time
Fingers X'd the test rule everything out and it is typical teenage not taking care of themselves stuff.

Hugs and love to you both xxx

 

[SerenityNow]

This happened to me fairly frequently (every few weeks maybe) all through my teens and twenties. It was from low blood pressure. It was not really a health concern, aside from the risk of hitting my head when I fainted. I could stave off fainting if I dropped to the ground and put my head between my knees-- head lower than heart-- at the first sign of dizziness.

A friend of mine's 15 year old DS was fainting multiple times a day. They never did fully work out what was causing it-- something with his vagus nerve. It resolved itself after a few weeks.

As alarming as it is to see someone lose consciousness, it is probably not anything that signals a bigger problem.

 

[mrsdolton]

I had the same when I was a teenager, due to low blood sugar levels it mostly just happened when I had my periods as they were heavy. I don't get it anymore unless I haven't eaten for a long time, fingers crossed she is ok x

 

[seoj]

Thanks all- they got blood work done, should have the results in 1-2days (sooner the better)-- I think it's related to either her iron or sugar levels (worst case)-- but just my gut feeling... so we shall soon see. I'll update once we know.

 

[KayBea]

i used to pass out loads when i was 15-19 years old.
i could be sat at the bus stop & wake up on the floor.
i could be laying in bed & just black out, wake up all confused. it was like someone gad just turned the lights off.

i never mentioned it to anyone until i was at work one day & was carrying a 25kg sack of potatos & i passed out, i snacked my head on a metal table & the potatos landed on me - meaning my boss called an ambulance.

anyway after loads of blood tests it was because my sugar levels were low. my blood pressure used to suddenly drop to a dangerously low level.

i was told that i needed to eat small amounts & often. which really helped. Its not happened since i fell pregnant though weirdly.


i hope shes ok! xxx

 

[sun]

Happened to me too around the same age - I have low blood pressure and low blood sugar. With the low BP I get postural hypertension - which basically means that it takes longer for blood to pump adequately to the brain (due to low BP), so when I stand too fast or get out of bed too quickly in the morning then I will get really really lightheaded, hands would get tingly and I would black out. If I have a similar issue because of blood sugar, I feel sick, hot and shaky as well. Hope everything turns out ok! xxx

 

[Bex84]

I was just posting same as pp, I used to get a lot due to low blood pressure and also if I had low blood sugar (if I don't eat I feel awful). I could be standing and be fine and suddenly my blood pressure would drop and I would go hot, dizzy, nauseus and often faint. I had a lot as a teenager, every time I donated blood I would be fine until needle came out, and blood pressure cuff off as my blood pressure would drop. I hope she feels better soon and its something simple.

 

[seoj]

Thanks ladies- that was my first thought too, low blood sugar... my hubby used to experience similar as a teenager-- so we really think all will be fine, but still- want to get those results in case. The doc did say to eat a few crackers first thing before getting out of bed as some people are just really sensative in the mornings. I've mentioned to her to do that before- but, of course, being a teenager she kinda fluffed it off... maybe she'll ACTUALLY listen now that a doc mentioned it! LOL.

KayBea- yikes! Glad you were Ok after all that... scary! Certainly good it's not happened for a while too.

I used to have some similar issue as a young adult too- never fell due to it- but would black out if I didn't eat often enough. I also had many other tummy issues- till I saw a naturopathic doctor and got on a restrictive diet for 3mos and been SO much better since. It's so true we are what we eat... or don't eat!

Thanks again for all the concern- I'll certainly update once we get the results. I didn't realize how common that was in teenagers.

 

[Jo]

Hiya,
How has she been since this episode? Hope all is ok xx

 

[Bex84]

I had low iron level and feritin levels (mine due to periods). My dr said about squeezing lemon juice on greens and drinking orange juice with food as vitamin c helps you absorb iron better. Thats why some iron pills have vitamin c added. So she should eat lots of things with vit c to

 

[GypsyDancer]

How scary, i also tend to have low iron levels especially when pregnant, i had a similiar experience when i was pregnant with my second, felt really dizzy and faint and collapsed while taking a shower and fell out of the bath pulling down the shower curtain and rail with me

Adding to the taking orange juice with iron tablets, its also good to avoid caffeine for a while when taking iron tablets, maybe around an hour as apparantly that can stop iron being absorbed too x

 

[seoj]

Sorry for the late response-- on Vaca last week and busy! She is doing much better- we have another appt for her on the 11th to discuss her issues (periods/endometriosis and such)- and see if there is anything else they can recommend. I'm sure her periods have a LOT to do with her low iron- as her OB was trying to allow her to skip her periods- but her body did not cooperate and she ended up having one for about 6wks! They are horrible too- poor thing. She's just so young to deal with all this- but I got her on iron pills, with Vit C and B12- so hoping that helps! We should know when we take her back for more blood work soon-- her grandma (hubbies mom) has issues with how her body absorbs iron- so I'm hoping my SD doesn't have the same issue- or else she may be on extra iron supps for the rest of her life like her grandma is... we shall see though.

GypsyDancer- thanks for the caffeine info- I did not know that. I do have her take them at night before bed- so well after any caffeine (although we try to limit that anyway)-- but I'll let her know too, so she has the info.

Thanks again ladies!!!

 

[Bex84]

there are pills they can give you to help you not bleed so heavily, I was on them and I cant take pill. I got given tranexamic acid to help and after on those I was less anaemic so they can give pills for it if that's the problem

 

[seoj]

there are pills they can give you to help you not bleed so heavily, I was on them and I cant take pill. I got given tranexamic acid to help and after on those I was less anaemic so they can give pills for it if that's the problem

I'll make sure we ask about that at her next appt too- the birth control pills are "suppose" to help with that- as well as with her endo pains... and the pains are for sure better, but her periods (so far) are still horrible... luckily after going off the patch and having a "normal" no hormone week- so far, back on the pills she's stopped bleeding. So hopefully that continues....

Do you know if they can take both together? Maybe that would be an option to ask about- not that I even like her on the pill as she's so young, but I know there are limited options for that sort of things. Poor kid was even asking if she could just have her uterus removed! Of course I'm like, Um NO! That is not a decision she needs to make any time soon... but she's just so done, and I can see why!

 

[Bex84]

I think you can as not a hormone drug, not sure though as I cant take pill as gives me migraines. Has she tried paramol for the pain, it does take edge off and sold in pharmacy. Have they checked for IBS to. I get awful pains on periods as the hormones cause me to suffer with IBS. Also you can buy tens machines that help with pain they sell them in chemist. I found it helped the pain without needed pain killers

 

[Bex84]

also long way off im sure but I was told by doctors and for me its true, once you have a baby they start to get better though when I was told that as a teenager it wasent much help at time, but does mean not life long condition while having periods

 

[seoj]

I think you can as not a hormone drug, not sure though as I cant take pill as gives me migraines. Has she tried paramol for the pain, it does take edge off and sold in pharmacy. Have they checked for IBS to. I get awful pains on periods as the hormones cause me to suffer with IBS. Also you can buy tens machines that help with pain they sell them in chemist. I found it helped the pain without needed pain killers

They believe she has endometriosis- which is what was causing the pains, and birth control is the only way to "contain" it- as it feeds off hormones. Kinda crazy- but it has helped- she still get's horrible cramps during her period though, so I'll ask about that too-- Thanks! For sure can't hurt to see if there is more they can do- I just wasn't confident in her last OB... and felt more could be done, so hopefully this new doctor knows more.

I used to have horrible pains (due to something like IBS) during my periods- I went to see a naturopathic doctor and went on a very restrictive diet for 3mos, and they got SO much better... not at all like it used to be. But I also had horrible tummy issues for years- since I was a big teenager-- and no doctor was ever able to help- just did tests and told me "all was normal" and put me on more meds for my acid reflux... ugh... the naturopathic doc and my diet got me feeling way better in like 2weeks! Pretty amazing.

I've talked to her about her diet too- but, like I was, it's kinda like talking to a brick wall sometimes. She's old enough I can't force her to eat right when she's not with me- I do think that is a factor though- and will see if they can check it out... might as well rule out what we can!

Thanks again