Fainted / Passed out

Total weakness, shaky knees, blurry vision, cold sweats, racing heart, ringing in the ears... Yeah, I've definitely been there.

You start seeing these flashes of light behind your eyes, and everything starts looking blurry—like the edges of objects are just shimmering and undefined. Colors get way too intense, and you feel this weird clumsiness, like your legs just won't cooperate. It’s all happening right when things are about to hit the breaking point.

So, last Sunday I was sitting through Mass and honestly, I felt like I was overheating the entire time. I figured I’d just step out for a second before Communion, but then came that part where everyone kneels—and let me tell you, it was like my body just decided to short-circuit 🙂. My head started spinning, I saw literal sparks dancing in front of my eyes, and suddenly I was drenched in a cold sweat while my ears felt like they were under massive pressure. It was game over. The next thing I knew, I was outside with two total strangers, feeling completely numb and disoriented, and I still had the trek back home to deal with. To top it all off, I found myself standing in the shade by the entrance today just trying to catch my breath. I have low blood pressure, so I think I'm done playing games with my health like this. 😉

People tell you all sorts of things, but the real issue is how it often hits you in a matter of seconds, leaving you zero time to actually react... I remember one time back when I was just a kid, probably due to the heat and some dehydration—I was out playing soccer with friends under the blazing sun without drinking a thing, then heading home on a FedEx... I just felt this sudden wave of being incredibly unwell, stepped toward an empty chair to sit down, and then everything just went black.
And nothing, honestly, just came back to me in a few seconds, much like most people do in those kinds of situations when that's what caused it...

I actually passed out once after standing in a massive crowd for almost an hour. I was just waiting in line for something. Right before it happened, my legs felt totally numb, I felt super lightheaded, and I started seeing these little white spots dancing in front of my eyes. 😁 I honestly think I had enough time to react (or maybe I'm just kidding myself), but because I’m such a stubborn person and didn't want to lose my spot in line, I stayed put. The next thing I knew: I was on the floor and people were scrambling to help me up.
The diagnosis? "You're fine, you just have low blood pressure."
I realized that these episodes happen when I'm standing still for too long in a packed crowd. Since then, I've been super careful and it hasn't happened again (it's been 9 years now!). As soon as I feel even a tiny hint of weakness, I make sure to step outside for some fresh air, and I'll be just fine. 🙂

Man, this just totally reminded me of when I was out with my sister about five years ago (somewhere around June). We were stuck in this massive line at the Medicare office on Juicich Street—it was absolutely packed, like a thousand people waiting outside. My sis was just a step ahead of me in line when suddenly, this woman—she was a big lady, easily 220 pounds—just collapsed right next to her! I saw the whole thing happen, but I couldn't get to them. The crazy part? Nobody even tried to help! Everyone just shuffled back a bit to make room, except for my sister, who’s tiny—maybe maybe 100 pounds tops. She immediately dove in to try and catch the woman (so you had 220 pounds of person plus the impact... total chaos!). And then there’s this guy standing right next to her, probably in his late 30s, tall and built, just staring off at the trees like nothing was happening! I totally lost it and snapped at him, like, "Have you no shame? This girl is struggling here and you're just standing there like an idiot!" He had the nerve to tell me it wasn't his problem. Then my sister piped up with a comment, and this absolute psycho actually shoved her! I jumped out of line to give that jerk a piece of my mind, he swung at me (ouch!), and then this huge dude standing near me—total powerhouse hands—pushed through and straight-up broke that guy's nose. Of course, security kicked all of us out of the line immediately. 😁

Anyway, why am I even bringing this up? 🤔 Honestly, I don't know. I guess just a heads-up to watch where you fall, because there are some real morons out there who won't even blink if you collapse right in front of them. 😛

Perhaps one should carry a water bottle everywhere they go and take small, frequent sips... it might just help ease things along...

The first time I donated blood, I actually passed out... As soon as I gave it, I tried to jump right back up and get to work, but my circulation hadn't fully stabilized yet, so the result was pretty predictable. Still, you can't really describe that feeling... It’s like when a camera in a movie starts spinning faster and faster until everything just goes black...
Next time I donated, I made sure to lounge around for a bit afterward and didn't have any issues :vampirskizubo:

But about those people who pass out... are you guys maybe going through puberty? That kind of thing happens quite a bit during that stage of life

I usually try to anticipate it and just sit down to prevent a total wipeout (mostly because I'm terrified of cracking my skull open somewhere), but this time I didn't catch the warning signs. I ended up collapsing in a room packed with people—next thing I knew, they were hauling me out to the stairwell where I actually woke up.

The symptoms: this sudden, intense wave of nausea hitting my stomach like I'm about to puke, plus these weird spots appearing in my vision—it’s like my field of view starts blurring out and gets replaced by these little flickers, black spots, whatever. Then comes the weakness, losing my balance, tingling in my limbs... the whole thing lasts maybe five seconds. I usually manage to grab onto a chair fast enough to dodge passing out completely, but instead, I just hit total darkness and have to wait about a minute for my vision to clear back up.

It mostly happens during the summer when it's scorching hot, or in the winter when I'm stuck in stuffy, crowded rooms where the oxygen feels nonexistent because everyone's breathing the same air, and also whenever I'm starving or running on an empty stomach.

Timothy Cox2 said:The first time I donated blood, I actually passed out... As soon as I gave it, I tried to jump right back up and get to work, but my circulation hadn't fully stabilized yet, so the result was pretty predictable. Still, you can't really describe that feeling... It’s like when a camera in a movie starts spinning faster and faster until everything just goes black...
Next time I donated, I made sure to lounge around for a bit afterward and didn't have any issues :vampirskizubo:

But about those people who pass out... are you guys maybe going through puberty? That kind of thing happens quite a bit during that stage of life

Look, it didn't even happen to me back in puberty. Right now, there's a perfectly logical reason for it—it's just too damn hot. Plus, when you're packed into a room full of people and nobody's actually opening a window to let some air in, it’s totally normal to feel like you can't catch your breath. I guess it just depends on how sensitive your system is to all that.

Oh, goodness, I just remembered... though I suspect I might have mentioned this already... there was this New Zealand film—get this—the scene involves a woman attempting to collect bull semen into this little device to fertilize a cow... and she’s actually doing it... and the bull? Oh, he was absolutely massive! Apparently, all his blood rushed to his reproductive organs (I won't be graphic, let's maintain some decorum!) and the poor beast simply fainted right on top of her... and she passed away. 🤣

On a side note, I have never actually fainted myself, but I did have one instance where dehydration made my vision go so dark and dizzy that I surely would have hit the floor if I hadn't managed to sit down... in a shower stall... which happened to be the closest thing available 🙂... and then, once the curtain had lifted just enough, I crawled toward the phone just to hear a human voice while sipping some salt water.

In a similar vein, I simply cannot stand those tiny, windowless waiting rooms packed with (chatty) people. Frequently, you find yourself forced to sit on the floor because someone refuses to budge—perhaps they’re too busy solving a crossword puzzle—and since you aren't a hundred years old, you figure it shouldn't matter if you collapse. Now, I am not the type of person to beg, especially when it concerns someone else... for instance, if a man walks onto a subway with his arm in a cast (that always gets me!), yet a group of high schoolers sits there pretending they don't see him, or those heavy ladies from the farmer's market spread their seven grocery bags across two seats... well, I won't hesitate to give them a stern talking-to. But when it comes to myself? I will simply pull myself together and take a seat on the floor. Let their own lack of manners be their conscience.

I’ve had a few close calls where I felt like I was about to pass out, but I managed to react quickly enough every single time to avoid actually collapsing.

Whenever it starts happening, my vision goes white and there’s this ringing in my ears—it feels like a sudden wave of panic. When that hits, my go-to move is to just lie down immediately. It really works, and you start feeling better pretty fast. To be safe and make sure it doesn't happen again, I find it best to stay lying down for at least five minutes, though most people feel a sense of relief after just 30 seconds. If there's a door nearby, I'll also try to step outside for some fresh air.

You can actually lower your chances of passing out if you grab something salty—like some pretzels—and make sure you chug water with them. Most people black out because of low blood pressure, and just having salt or just drinking water isn't going to cut it on its own. You need them together because the water in your system binds to the salt, which helps bump that blood pressure back up where it needs to be.
And don't go eating on an empty stomach, but don't overstuff yourself either; aim for something moderate.

Chris Allen40 said:I’ve happened to witness a few instances lately where young people have suddenly lost consciousness while riding the subway—I suspect the intense summer heat might be playing a role. If anyone here has personally experienced something similar, I would truly appreciate it if you could share whether there are any specific warning signs or physical sensations that occur just before it happens. I realize that everyone's body reacts differently, but I think knowing those early indicators could be incredibly helpful for all of us. Thank you.

I guess you just feel this wave of weakness. Your stomach feels a bit off, your knees get shaky, and then with the heat, you get these waves of sweat—like you can really feel every little heat stroke coming. Then, suddenly, black spots start appearing in your vision and things get blurry, and then bam! But it all starts with that weakness and the knees... maybe keep an eye on that!

I came to the same realization myself—it’s definitely not a good idea to go about things on an empty stomach, because that's when the weakness starts to set in, along with blurred vision and a sort of light pressure building up in your head...

I experienced one truly catastrophic collapse, and let me tell you, it was harrowing: a sudden wave of nausea, the entire world blurring and warping before my eyes, the overwhelming sensation that I was about to vomit, my legs simply giving way under my own weight, and a cold sweat breaking out over my skin. I managed to stumble off the bus, practically slamming myself against a parked car, and sought out a nearby pub because, despite the circumstances, I still possess a modicum of decency and needed to vomit. I somehow managed to ask some women where the restroom was located; they handed me a key, yet there I was, standing right next to the toilet and unable to actually see it, so I had to ask them again for directions. They pointed it out, at which point I began spinning around like a lunatic, frantically asking, "Where is it? Where is it?" before finally just collapsing onto the floor. 😁
As for what follows—if I am standing still, I typically have about half an hour before the next collapse occurs, especially if it is hot or if I have eaten anything recently (unlike some of you), though even then, I tend to eat very little.

My issues with fainting started back in elementary school while I was buying a book. It was a massive line and incredibly hot. I had just paid for the book when my vision went blurry and my ears started ringing. I just bolted out of the store, dropping both the book and my wallet inside, just searching for somewhere to sit down.

Low blood pressure and hypoglycemia—it’s a wonderful pair to deal with.

Now, I never leave the house without eating something, and I always carry a water bottle. When I feel faint, it always starts with losing my hearing and sight; everything just turns white or yellow. I avoid standing for too long, crowds, or poorly ventilated spaces.
Eventually, you just get used to it.
And you don't let anyone take your seat when you're on the FedEx.😬

Is it possible to actually pass out if I don't eat... I mean, if I'm strictly on a diet?

Of course you can. In fact, if you aren't careful, extreme hunger can actually lead to someone fainting...

I would love to hear about your experiences and get your take on this:

I have a 15-year-old son, and over the last nine months, he has fainted about five times. Each incident seems to be linked to the environment—specifically high room temperatures, poor ventilation, or crowded spaces. This morning, he lost consciousness again while riding the FedEx 😢. He had eaten at home beforehand, so it wasn't an issue of him being on an empty stomach. We actually had him undergo a brain scan and see a neurologist back this past summer, and the takeaway was that these episodes are likely just due to his rapid growth spurts.

Does anyone have advice on how I can best support him through this?