Question:
Lightheaded - falling asleep instantly? VERY CONCERNED

I had RNY August 2009, was doing great until December, then had a bad adhesion and the small intestines at the pouch attachment had grown & was recut. This started 3 months of complications (severe pain in remnant stomach, pain when eating by mouth, nausea). As of April 2nd I am back to eating, but am nausea ALL the time. Yesterday, I was at Ruby Tuesday and ate 1/2 cup of spinach leaves, egg, cheese and a little bit of Blue CHeese dressing. (I have eaten this before.) and all of a sudden I felt light headed and my eyes were very heavy. Then without warning I fell asleep until the food came. When the waitress came she startled me. I woke up and had to go to the bathroom. I walked to the bathroom, had a bit of diarrehea (this is normal at this point), and apparently fell asleep again for like 15 minutes. When I came out of the bathroom I was absolutely fine. I was wide awake and felt FINE! I originally thought it was a bout of dumping syndrome, but I had NO sugar. I have an appt. with my surgeon on Wednesday, but I wanted to know if anyone else as been in this situation, My surgeon has been fanastic through all of my complication and I hate to go with another problem!    — Amy Smith (posted on April 12, 2010)

April 12, 2010
You need to see your PCP as soon as you can and get labs drawn. As a paramedic, I can tell you that this is NOT normal. It can be anything, and i won't even speculate. Please see your surgeon or pcp.
   — Trauma Queen

April 12, 2010
Hi, I totaly agree..why are you waiting to see your DR? Have you at least called the DR? Wish you well.
   — tootsie52

April 12, 2010
I know that there was nothing off in my bloodwork as of 2 weeks ago as I was having blood work done weekly since January. I am taking a fair amount of meds and I did discover that one of the side effects of the Zyvox is fainting. I don't think this was really a fainting thing though. I can't get to my dr. before Wednesday. I have had no other problems, except I am really nauseous and i have had some stomach and pouch pain after eating some strawberries today.
   — Amy Smith

April 13, 2010
Could be a reaction to meds. Even though you have been on them a while the reaction can change quickly. It is good you are following up on this.
   — trible

April 13, 2010
Hi, I get like that a lot when I eat out, I have Iron, b12 and D problems. I can't even have the light in my eyes when it happens and my vision stays blurred for hours. My doctor thinks it's from hidden sugar and Preservatives in the food. I know it as soon as the sever tired feeling comes on and I feel almost drunk. I don't eat out anymore unless it's some occasion and I eat very plain to avoid getting embarrassed. I even ended up back on blood pressure pill because it was causing my pressure to rise. Go to your doctor they don't always check for D and extended iron panels. They are there to help, they also learn from us... Anna
   — ANNAJEAN

April 13, 2010
Sweetie, This was probably dumping...But not the sugar kind, the FAT kind...That salad you ate is LOADED with fat! That would have made me dump and I am 6 years out! When i eat too much fat, I fall asleep too. I aslo fall asleep if I over eat. You need to find a vinegarette that you like and lay off the blue cheese! Between the fat in an egg, the cheese and the blue cheese...I can almost bet you had a classic fat dumping episode...Oh and btw, there is 125 calories in 1 oz of RT's bluecheese at 13 grams of fat...YIPES!!!
   — .Anita R.

April 13, 2010
Thanks all for your input. I have never had a problem with fat before, but I did recently have some surgery so maybe I am more sensative then before. Unfortunately, I had another situation today. (Although it was around the same of day, I was not in the process of eating anything, just drinking flavored water.) It was very similar, but only last about 5 minutes. I hope this is something very simple maybe related to the meds or what ever. I was just at the Dietician and things are going well, except that I am truly like a new post-op as far as figuring out what works and what doesn't. I know I am not getting in a lot of liquids so I am tryin to push those.
   — Amy Smith

April 14, 2010
FYI - I talked to my surgeon today and I am now going to see a cardiologist. I have always had low blood pressure and flushing, but I am flushing much more often. My surgeon is fairly certain that it is syncope and will continue until I lose all my weight, then plastic surgery will be necessary so that the blood vessels do not have all of the "extra room" to flush.
   — Amy Smith