btdt Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 It occurs as a result of a malfunction in the nervous system, which means when part of the body requires increased blood (for example the gut, after eating, or your legs when getting up to stand), there is a delay in adequate blood supply to the brain. Typically sufferers feel faint and some may even black out when they stand up or exert themselves. Doctors have only been aware of the condition since the 1990s, but one leading expert believes that a ‘whole lost tribe’ of people suffer from orthostatic intolerance but don’t realise it; furthermore, she suggests many people diagnosed with chronic fatigue may in fact have orthostatic intolerance. ‘There are five litres of blood in circulation in the body and when we stand up 700ml of it drops into our legs,’ explains Julia Newton, clinical professor of ageing and medicine at Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospital NHS Trust. ‘So whenever they stand up they feel faint and breathless because their blood pressure drops and their heart rate races, so not enough blood gets to the brain. Some people [like Greg] may feel breathless too — it’s the body’s way of trying to get more oxygen. Another common symptom is feeling light-headed and tired after a meal, as extra blood goes to the gut, thus limiting blood supply to the brain. ‘They may also feel dreadful after exercise because all the blood is going to their muscles and not the rest of their body,’ says Professor Newton. ‘Many people feel permanently exhausted and have trouble sleeping too, possibly because your blood pressure drops naturally at night and for people with orthostatic intolerance their blood pressure drops so low that they can’t reach a deep sleep.’ ‘However, it is four times more common in women than men and most women say that their symptoms get worse around the time of their period or the menopause, which suggests there is a hormonal link,’ adds Professor Newton. People with auto-immune conditions where the body attacks itself, such as diabetes, are more prone to the condition and it is a recognised complication of Parkinson’s disease. Orthostatic intolerance can also cause memory problems and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke as it reduces blood supply to the brain and heart — so early diagnosis is vital. The simple test involves lying down for ten minutes. Patients are then asked to stand up and if their heart rate increases to more than 120 beats per minute or if their blood pressure sinks by 20mm of mercury or more, they are classed as having orthostatic intolerance. However, often this diagnosis is hard to come by. ‘This is a new disease, so some GPs and even consultants don’t know what to look for,’ says Professor Newton. ‘Also, you need to use a blood pressure monitor on to the finger to measure each heartbeat. However, most GP surgeries and some hospitals only use blood pressure monitors that strap around the arm and have to be inflated, by which time the tell-tale drop in blood pressure might be missed. ‘Consequently many people don’t get a correct diagnosis. Some get told they have anxiety — and 30 per cent of the patients I see diagnosed with chronic fatigue, or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), actually have orthostatic intolerance when we diagnose them properly. ‘So if you suffer from blackouts, or light-headedness when you stand up, go to your doctor and mention orthostatic intolerance.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ9L4ETH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ97io6H Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ8xUyTj Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ8ZL4mL Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on FacebookRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ8Nb0Gr Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html#ixzz3RQ8E16Fb Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2140993/Why-poor-blood-flow-giving-funny-turns.html WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 can be treated with salt tablets. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Oh I think i know something about that too... I don't think I want to eat salt tablets tho... will need more thought I can't read that stupid page type is too small... WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 You mentioned having to lie down after taking a shower. This could be why. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 I do eat salt... and since some last tests have been eating even more. I am due to shower again booo WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexy Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I am 20 yr ok'd female...feeling faint for over a week now. Have not passed out but feel weak and faintish. I searched under hormonal and faint and cane across this thread. Doctor has sent me to get blood tests. He thinks it's hormonal changes as I use birth control to stop my cycle. Every 3-4 months i take the placebos and I do get my period. He said that this fainting feeling can be due to the low effexor I am now. Have you heard of this? Started Effexor August 2012 Sept'12-150mg=extreme anxiety Oct'12 cut half-75mg severe wds Feb 2013 68.5mg. Mar'13- 65mg. Apr'13-59mg. May'13-57mg. June '13-52mg Aug'13 49.75mg. Sep'13-48.75. Nov'13-47mg Dec'13-45..5mg May 2014 42mg. Jun'14 40mg (depressive mood started). Aug'14 -40mg/ started brintellix 2.5mg Oct '14 -39 Nov'14 36.89 Dec'14 34.45 Jan 2015- 31 Feb'15 29mg. Mar'15 26.72. Apr'15 24.48. May'15 22.31mg. Jun'15 20.30mg Aug'15-18.89. Oct'15 16.96. Nov/16- 16.10. Dec/15- 15mg Jan 2016-14.22. May'16 11.45. Aug'16-9.60. Sep/16- 8.88mg. Oct/16- 8.39mg. Nov/16- 8.13. Dec/16- 7.89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoast Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 I googled a little but nothing jumps out at me. Are you still using Brintellix? If so, what dose? If the doctor meant that dose reduction could cause what you're experiencing, it does make sense.If it persists and your doc says it's nothing, you could go to a cardiologist and/or a neurologist. Or an endocrinologist. I assume you ruled out diet/beverage changes, hot weather, dehydration, and calorie restriction. You can try searching for effexor and/or venlafaxine and faint, without the hormones, too.Tests for feeling faint are not limited to blood. There's a tilt table test described above. Does it happen after meals and when you stand up quickly? That points toOrthostatic Intolerance but explains nothing I hope you get it resolved soon. 2009: Cancer hospital said I had adjustment disorder because I thought they were doing it wrong. Their headshrinker prescribed Effexor, and my life set on a new course. I didn't know what was ahead, like a passenger on Disneyland's Matterhorn, smiling and waving as it climbs...clink, clink, clink. 2010: Post surgical accidental Effexor discontinuation by nurses, masked by intravenous Dilaudid. (The car is balanced at the top of the track.) I get home, pop a Vicodin, and ... Whooosh...down, down, down, down, down...goes the trajectory of my life, up goes my mood and tendency to think everything is a good idea.2012: After the bipolar jig was up, now a walking bag of unrelated symptoms, I went crazy on Daytrana (the Ritalin skin patch by Noven), because ADHD was a perfect fit for a bag of unrelated symptoms. I was prescribed Effexor for the nervousness of it, and things got neurological. An EEG showed enough activity to warrant an epilepsy diagnosis rather than non-epileptic ("psychogenic") seizures. 2013-2014: Quit everything and got worse. I probably went through DAWS: dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. I drank to not feel, but I felt a lot: dread, fear, regret, grief: an utter sense of total loss of everything worth breathing about, for almost two years. I was not suicidal but I wanted to be dead, at least dead to the experience of my own brain and body. 2015: I began to recover after adding virgin coconut oil and organic grass-fed fed butter to a cup of instant coffee in the morning. I did it hoping for mental acuity and better memory. After ten days of that, I was much better, mood-wise. Approximately neutral. And, I experienced drowsiness. I could sleep. Not exactly happy, I did 30 days on Wellbutrin, because it had done me no harm in the past. I don't have the DAWS mood or state of mind. It never feel like doing anything if it means standing up. In fact, I don't especially like moving. I'm a brain with a beanbag body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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