Dizziness

Anyone have any idea what I can do for dizziness? I've been having really bad spells lately and today I actually blacked out and fell. I landed on my belly pretty hard and now the gtube area is hurting even worse, not to mention I banged my knee up pretty bad. All I feel like doing is sleeping and I know I can't do that. Soo if anyone has any suggestions? I'm gonna call the surgeons office in the morning I guess but I was just hoping for something I might be able to do tonight. My blood pressure seems fine, my blood sugars are fine, so I'm clueless.

Misty, Are you still not getting in your fluids?? Dehydration can make you light-headed and black out. Sherri

I've not gotten more then 24 oz a day in for a while and that has been on a good day. I know that Im dehydrated because I'm only using the restroom once or twice a day and it's really concentrated.

I could definately see where 24 oz a day would screw with your body. Do your ever-loving best to get those fluids up. Until you do, you are going to continue to have problems. Keep a drink with you 24/7 and every time you aren't eating, talking, or sleeping, you should be sipping! Do that all through the weekend and you'll be amazed on how much better you feel by Monday. Remember that 64 oz a day was NOT a 'suggestion'..it was a MINIMUM. Also remember that it does not have to be 'water'.  Other suggerstions: Crystal Light (or other sugar-free additive) Fruit2O (or any other flavored water) Decafinated, sugar-free tea/coffee Any sugar-free, decaffinated, non-carbonated drink Chicken broth (Swanson's has a really good one that is ~4-5 g protein per serving so you can up your protein while you increase your liquids!!) Sugar-free popcycles Sherri

Misty,  with a g-tube in place why are u not putting fluids down the tube every so often????  You are not getting enough fluids in....DEB

I'm flushing it but I don't use the gtube as much because it hurts really bad to use it has for a while but the last week its been extremely painful and ive tried to do it despite and I end up in bed in the fetal position  for hours.

Misty...be sure you tell the doc's office how little water you're getting in. It's a no-brianer!!!! Dehydration will cause you to black out. Drink only 24 oz a day and you WILL be dehydrated & black out. You have one of 2 choices. Buck up and drink the damn stuff or end up back in the hospital with an IV as your constant friend. Until you make up your mind to get in the things you are to get in (water, protein, food), you will continue to have problems. If your G-tube is giving you so many problems that you couldn't flu**** THAT is when you should have called the doctor. If you don't flu**** it will be infected just like the other ones were. I don't mean to sound like a real ***** about this but if you don't start doing what you are told to do, how the hell do you expect to get better? The doctor can only do so much, the rest is up to you. In the meantime, you are probably having these newbies scared to death of what if it happens to them as what is happening to you. I know you didn't bring all your problems on yourself, but you have been fighting having to drink the water & protein from day one. You HAVE to do what the doctor tells you to or you will continue to have problems. I do hope you start drinking your water today so you can start feeling better. Sherri

I am telling them the truth bout my fluids and I'm pushing my fluids to the point of vomiting. I can flush the gtube it goes in but it hurts terribly to use. I am trying to eat too I'm doing everything I can physically do. My body rejects almost everything I put in it though.

I really am trying to get my fluids and all in. The past few days I've actually been eating and nothing but protein but I'm still only getting about 30-40 oz of it in, but thats better then what I was doing this time last week.  I'm sorry that I'm scaring newbies. I will stop posting about my problems until I'm back to normal so that they don't have to worry about what might happen. I haven't brought anything on myself besides having this surgery.

Misty, I had an episode about 5 days after surgery where I couldn't stand up without starting to pass out.  I ended up taking an ambulance ride to the local ER for fluids.  Being dehydrated can really be very, very dangerous.  I found that I had to literally keep my sippy cup in my hand during waking hours for the first 2 weeks or so.  I just sipped tiny little amounts continually and it worked.  Also change up what you are drinking.  I found warm decaf tea sometimes was more soothing than cold on my new tummy.  Also remember sugar free popcicles count towards your fluid intake.  I found I didn't care for the regular broth right at first so I would make a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup and strain out all the noodles, etc. and drink the broth from that.  Be creative.  It is the constant little sipping that wins the fluid battle.  Little sips will almost always stay down.  You can do it!!!  You have to do it in order to be healthy.  Peg