Has anyone else been...

having dizzy spells and passing out? This has been going on the past week. I could really understand it if it had happened sooner because I really hadn't been eating. But I have passed out twice this past week..Thursday at school, and then Saturday at Whole Foods Market. Thurday I had eaten cream of wheat and coffee for breakfast, then snacked on fruit, cheese and crackers on class breaks. About 11am my chest started hurting and everything started going white, and I got up thinking I could walk it off and went to the bathroom, leaned against the wall, and next thing I know, I have my whole class and two teachers standing over me. Went to ER and had EKG and bloodwork done. They said my heart was in good shape. My blood levels were ok in some areas but high and low in others: Lipase--high 385 (normal is 114-286) SGOT, SWH--high 48 (normal: 15-37) WBC --low 4.4 (normal: 4.5-10.5) Neutrophil, SWH low 43.7 (normal: 47.0-74.6) Lymphocyte, SWH high 47.6 (normal: 14.7-41.3) MPV low 7.8 (normal 9.3-12.9) Carbon Dioxide, SWH high 33 (normal 21-32) Creatinine, Blood SWH is showing 0.6 but normal is 0.6-1.0 so it's on the border of being low. I had a doctor where I work read the results (I got copies) and he said it seemed like my pancreas was producing too much insulin (the lipase level). I came home and looked it up on the internet but everything read kidney failure or pancreatic cancer! I don't really want to go to my PCP (he knows nothing about WLS except..."you need gain weight...you lose too much"). He's Indian or something and last time I went, he was in the room 4 minutes with me. Then Saturday, I felt really good too. Had coffee, then went to Spartanburg to the Walk from Obesity. Walked 3 miles, had fruit and water(added sf kool-aid to it). Went to my sister's and ate a bagel (btw..Publix has SF cinnamon and raisin bagels!!) with cream cheese and fig sauce. Then she wanted me to try a casserole she made the night before so I did...ended up eating a bowl of it!! Then she wanted to go to WF..so we went. No sooner than I got in there, everything sounded like I was in a tunnel and started going white. I heard her say something to me and I tried to answer but couldn't and she turned around to me. She asked if I was ok and I said I need to sit down and the last thing I remember her saying was to sit down in the floor. But anyways, like I said, it can't be from not eating. I eat whatever I wan****ching carbs, sugar and all that. If anyone has any suggestions or might recommend a doctor, I'd appreciate it.

I am not bashing you, so please take no offense if I am blunt...I just don't have much tact in general You are not "watching your carbs" very well. Or you sugars. From your post I see cream of wheat, fruit, crackers and in the second episode fruit, bagel w raisens, fig sauce and I'm assume casserale means some kind of pasta? Just because you can eat anything doesn't mean you should. One medium apple has 18 carbs, one regular box of raisens has 33 carbs, etc....those are pure sugar carbs. Yes they are all natural but they are still sugar. Breads and pastas may not have high sugars but the high carbs - one serving cream of wheat 30 carbs, one bagel w/ raisens 32 carbs break down to sugar with the same affect. Do some homework on hypoglycemia post WLS and delayed dumping post WLS. There are many versions and grades of dumping and most do not involve the toilet. Headache, hot flash, sweats, dizziness. These are also signs of dehydration, but based on the small peek at your diet I'm guessing your blood sugar level dropped a little while after eatting as your body crashed through the carbs/sugars. Some people dump from high fats also or lactose in dairy products. Try logging your food in http://www.fitday.com or using other sites like http://www.nutritiondata.com/index.html to get the carb and sugar counts of food that do not have labels etc. Protein first, then veggie, then fruit. And if you are gonna eat carbs - eat LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX carbs. They are better for you, your blood sugar doesnt plimmit from them and they stick with you longer...oatmeal, whole wheat, legumes. http://www.glycemicindex.com/ Alot of older post ops experience hypoglycemia, figure it out now. What was your sugar level on your blood work? Possibly your PCP can do a "one hour glucose" test, but thats asking for trouble since you drink glucola=pure sugar, to see what your body will do with it. Anyways those are my thoughts and suggestions. Good Luck. Michelle

You are so right, Ms Michelle ... I have been pounding the "NO WHITE CARBS" drum forever & most just laugh at me, but when I eat white carbs such as pasta or potatos, I dump ... Also, I have a typical "DIABETIC" reaction from the sugar spike then the sugar crash if I eat white carbs. As for fruit, I can tolerate the sugar in fruit, but I'm talking like only 2 or 3 bites of any fruit at one time. I couldn't eat an entire apple or other large fruit for anything cuz I'd dump. I eat prunes for constipation, but I can only tolerate 2 at a time ... &, that's usually all I eat of them in an entire day. Anything that is not pure protein has carbohydrates in it ... Complex carbs, like green veges, are the best for us as they have fiber & the most nutrition ... But, white carbs & simple carbs like sugar products ... As you said, even if we can tolerate them, should we eat them? They are very low in nutritional value & think back to our fat days ... Aren't they what helped put us on the obesity road in the first place? ... French fries, chips, candy, cookies & sweets, white bread products of all kinds ... So, you are so very wise when you say that we shouldn't eat everything just because we can tolerate it. I don't know about you, but at 11 months out, I'm still under 1,000 calories a day & I still cannot eat a large portion at a sitting so I have to choose items that are protein heavy with other items that are nutritionally heavy like veges & then fruit. 2 or 3 of my "snacks" a day are protein products like protein bars, puddings or drinks. That only leaves a couple "snacks" of "real" food. If I filled those times with white or simple carbs items, or sugars, then I'd be nutritionally bankrupt. When Nick & I eat out, I rarely even order anything now ... Maybe an appetizer or meat portion only at most ... But usually, I take 4-5 small bites off his meal & that's it. Good advice, Ms Michelle ... I didn't think you were blunt ... There was a lot of good nutritional wisdom in what you said. God bless you ... Dawn & Nick

Thank you for the information you have wrote. I believe I do watch my carbs and sugars, as I did not have any "dumping" signs when I had these spells. I think most would agree with me if we watched every single carb and sugar whether good or bad, we might as well sit around and suck our thumb the rest of our life. No, the casserole did not have pasta in it, it was a vegetable casserole, yet being another carb- filled dish. As for eating what I want, I do because I do not tolerate meats or milk very well so I do have to get some kind of food in whether its a bagel, cream of wheat, or fruit. I didn't say I eat the entire serving...I eat until I feel full. I have not gained any weight back, losing 30-35 pounds more than my goal weight. I don't consider myself a "cheater" either. If I did cheat, I think I would be gaining weight, not losing. Susanne

You owe me no explaination or defense of your eatting habits and I did not call you any names nor did I imply you have cheated. I simply pointed out what I saw and shared my opinion that you asked for. This surgery is our choice, the tool is ours to weld, the short and long term outcome are within our control. At goal or below, you need protein first and eatting carbs "just to get something in" is not a good long term eatting habit. Your body changes, your pouch changes some, your asborption percentage changes, and your tolerances change - everyone is different. I wish you luck and hope you find what is causing your "spells". Please do not dismiss the "dumping" concept, as it comes in many forms. Keep an open mind outside of your offense at my rudeness that I warned you about Michelle

Hi Susanne I miss seeing ya!!! I hate that you are having these problems. It does sound like you need to have some more labs done. I think it may be related to your blood sugars. Keep us posted on whats going on. Are you going to get to meet with us tonight? Melissa

Hey Melissa.. No, I had to work til 7 then Girl Scouts. Hopefully one of these days I can make it. Susanne

The only thing that I can tell you is that maybe you are dehydrated, if nothing else. I have been having dizzy spells when i squat and stand, or stand in general after sitting. And I haven't been getting all my water in, or much at all for that matter. Today I bought at 136 oz. thing of water today and I am hoping to drink it all in order to boost my water in my body and I hope im not too far gone to have to have IV fluids But I have felt close to passing out and I really think it's due to lack of water or any fluid for that matter intake. When I was excersizing regularly it was easier because I would wear my backpack of water and drink the whole thing while biking/running.. but I have been lax on excersize and taking my Vitamins.. i know, a big NO NO.. So now Im getting back on track with both! I have to because my body is running down and I don't want to end up hurting myself in the long run. Hope this helps, or you find out whats going on!!! Jen

I am the same as my friend Jen, I have been lightheaded when going from sitting to standing and I am not getting in my water, I have a very hard time getting it in. I do not even get in 1/4 of what I am required to! Patti

Dear Suzanne I'm SO sorry to hear about the problems you've been having. I know exactly how you feel, because the same thing has been happening to me for the last 6 months. Passing out is an extremely serious problem and until it's resolved, you shouldn't get behind the wheel of a car, because you could hurt yourself or others. My doctor told me that when I feel a "faint" coming on that I should go "down" immediately, and not even try to make it to a chair. You've been very lucky that it has happened when you've been with other people. I fainted in the bathroom and banged my head on a marble floor, ending up with a huge goose egg on my forehead. I was in San Francisco at the time, and I spent the rest of the week praying that I wouldn't pass out and break my nose on the marble counter, because I might not be able to fly home. Another time, I fainted in the bathroom and took a nosedive right into my tub. Now that was weird - waking up in the tub with my butt sticking up in the air and wondering what I was doing there. I always fainted when I was by myself. You need a new PCP immediately - one who will spend more than 4 seconds with you. I have a wonderful doctor who is very thorough and ran every test under the sun on me and I came up clean. My only symptom was low blood pressure and the medicine he put me on didn't seem to help. He will spend all the time in the world with me when I need it. Since I'm so healthy, we weren't too concerned, so when he sent me for a Tilt Table Test, and it was scheduled 6 weeks off, it was no big deal. This is a test that often determines why people are passing out. There are many reasons, so yours may not be the same as mine. I had never heard of the test, but it is really quite common. My cousin took it and was found to have a low potassium level. My step-son's secretary is having one this week. Just mention it in a group of people and I bet someone will have heard of it. The test went uneventfully for 30 minutes. In fact, it was boring and I was falling asleep. Then I passed out and my heart stopped beating - for17 seconds! I was rushed into surgery to have a pacemaker implanted. Talk about a shock! I passed out and when I woke up, my whole world was turned upside down. But, I wasn't even nervous. I knew it was the thing that needed to be done. It was a piece of cake and I went home the next day to live the rest of my life. I am now the Bionic Woman. ( I don't know if you're old enough to remember that tv show.) Anyway, that test saved my life, so don't be afraid to get yourself a new doctor who will see that you take it right away. Take this situation extremely seriously, but DON"T BE AFRAID! My new heart doctor told me that I have NCS - Neuro Cardio Syncope. I got it from catching a virus - not from anything I did or didn't do, so that means it can happen to any one at any time. He says that it's known as "the healthy persons' disease". There is no "cure"for it. Some people are given medication (not in my case), some a pacemaker, or a combination. The dizziness remains to differing extents. My point in telling you this is not to scare you, but to point out the seriousness of your condition. I was a "tough cookie" like you. I kept going and wasn't going to let a little dizziness and fainting hold me down. I was active and healthy and doing all the right things. But, this has kicked my butt, at least temporarily, and it has gotten my priorities straight. I am VERY lucky to be alive, and truly blessed that I didn't harm anyone else by passing out when I was responsible for them. So, until your problem is diagnosed, DO NOT drive a car, take a shower without a spotter, carry a baby, climb a ladder, ride a bike...are you catching my drift? You are precious and life is precious. Please see a doctor right away. You're in my thoughts and prayers. Love, B