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Yup. The night before we went to bingo night at a local brewery with some friends. I had a few beers over about 3 hours - nothing stupid. They were a bit stronger than what I normally drink but I don't recall even feeling a buzz. Despite this, my wife drove home. I jumped on a work call until 3 am basically for validation and support purposes, but I mostly sat there quietly.
I woke up the next morning at 7:45 am to kick off the work day. Other than being tired, I was fine. Late night/overnight work is common this time of year.
I got dressed and petted the kitty (real cat, not a euphemism) and I began to feel strange. For a moment, my environment felt like it was in a weird bubble with a sense of Deja Vu. I remember mentioning it to my wife as it started to ease. I walked into the bathroom to kiss her before signing on and the next thing I knew I awakened face down on the floor with her telling me to lie still.
My wife told me as I walked into the bathroom I made a guttural sound - as if I asked for help, just before grabbing the doorway like I was trying to catch myself. I fell into some plastic drawers before landing on the bathroom floor. Luckily, the side of my face broke my fall.
She drove me to the ER where they ran several tests, including an EKG, X-rays, and a CT Scan. The only thing that showed up was mild dehydration with low sodium, which the doctor said was consistent with having a few beers the night before.
Cognitively, I recovered almost immediately. Physically, I am sore and have some bumps and bruises, but feel fine. Mentally, that's another story. I feel very mortal right now. Especially after recently experiencing some harsh side effects for a week or so after ending a course of Tramadol prescribed for surgery.
I have a history of spinal injury and multiple concussions, in addition to a syringomyelia. I have an appointment with my neurologist on Monday. Until then, I am refraining from driving until cleared.
This was really just seemed to come out of nowhere. It's a bit frightening.
Probably sudden low blood pressure. That would be my first guess, since you got up from sleep not long before that. But that's just a guess. If it were me, I'd make an appt w/ my doctor, just because. The next time, if there was one, well....you could be doing anything, even driving.
Stop drinking. Nothing works the same the older you get. Alcohol is poison. Not a popular truth I realize. All my friends drink and it took years; but, they accept me as a coffee drinker.
I have had two episodes of syncope, spaced a year apart. Each time, while I am unconscious my body has violent muscle spasms and I injure myself.
My PCP has done every test he can think of. I have been referred to a neurologist. MRI, EKG, a one-month-long heart monitor, a one-hour EEG and a 72 hour EEG, EchoCardiogram, etc, and still no diagnosis.
The "few beers, nothing stupid" needs to be revisited.
What was "nothing stupid" last year, is now "stupid." You'll need to cut back on the beer. And drink more water. No reason you can't have a beer with your buddies a couple nights a week. You just can no longer have "a few."
I have been very open and honest with my doctors about my drinking.
One glass of wine each evening with a meal, followed by two drinks as I watch movies.
All spaced out over multiple hours. Knowing my body weight, I keep my BAC under 0.06, so I am never 'drunk' and I can always drive a vehicle.
My neurologist insists that anyone who drinks over 3 drinks a week is an alcoholic. He gave me a 30-minute lecture on the withdrawals from alcohol. So after listening to him, I quit drinking last November. I have not experienced any withdrawal symptoms.
Everything I have found online about alcohol addiction discusses how alcohol affects your lifestyle. Nobody else defines alcohol addiction in terms of the quantity consumed. I have another appointment to see this neurologist next month I will continue the discussion with him at that time.
When you are older alcohol affects you differently and many people can’t drink as much as when they were young. Some people shouldn’t drink at all because of health reasons. Alcohol also causes anxiety and then people drink to relieve the anxiety not realizing that they are just creating a vicious cycle.
The moderate alcohol consumption mentioned probably has nothing to do with it.
Syncope is the sudden loss of consciousness and ability to resist gravity due to a sudden fall in BP. It is usually "vasovagal"- a relaxation of the muscles in the arteries. The classic, fashionable faint of cultured young ladies in Victorian times.
Slowed reflexes as we age +/- dehydration makes it occur commonly when we get up too fast. Older men may experience it when standing to urinate, particularly at night.
Cardiac dysrhythmias can stop the flow of blood long enough to make the BP fall and need to be ruled out by appropriate testing (ekg/Holter monitor/stress test).
When experiencing a simple faint, falling to assume a horizontal posture should result in a quick restoration of good BP and almost immediate return to full consciousness...Any slower recovery, especially when muscle spasms/abnormal movements are involved should suggest seizures-- strokes, brain tumors hypoglycemia etc need to be considered.
The moderate alcohol consumption mentioned probably has nothing to do with it.
Syncope is the sudden loss of consciousness and ability to resist gravity due to a sudden fall in BP. It is usually "vasovagal"- a relaxation of the muscles in the arteries. The classic, fashionable faint of cultured young ladies in Victorian times.
Slowed reflexes as we age +/- dehydration makes it occur commonly when we get up too fast. Older men may experience it when standing to urinate, particularly at night.
Cardiac dysrhythmias can stop the flow of blood long enough to make the BP fall and need to be ruled out by appropriate testing (ekg/Holter monitor/stress test).
When experiencing a simple faint, falling to assume a horizontal posture should result in a quick restoration of good BP and almost immediate return to full consciousness...Any slower recovery, especially when muscle spasms/abnormal movements are involved should suggest seizures-- strokes, brain tumors hypoglycemia etc need to be considered.
He had "a few" beers. That is not moderate. Alcohol can contribute to syncope, so it's a possible contributor although I agree probably not.
I always sit down to urinate when getting up at night.
Jasper, I hope you don't experience another episode of "feeling strange" like this again. Lying or sitting down for awhile would be a good idea in the event it does. Also, it might be worth having a wrist blood pressure cuff to check BP in that case.
I passed out in the bathroom years ago. I finished my business and went to the sink to wash my hands, and like you, woke up with my wife kneeling next to me. Went to the doctor and a bunch of tests later all he could do was shrug his shoulders. Never happened again.
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