Help! Buzz is having fainting espisodes

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buzz99
buzz99 Member Posts: 404
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Buzz has had 3 fainting episodes. With the first one, he fell and hit his head. Called 911 and he went to the hospital. We were told it was a vagal reaction. Went home. Had another episode on Saturday. He looked awful and his b/p was initially undetectable. When he did not improve, I called 911 again. Another ER visit. This am he had his third episode but I am keeping him home and checking him often. The docs don't know the exact cause of the fainting but it is brought on by pain. The mass in his neck is noticeably larger. I wonder if the mass is pressing on the vagus nerve and causing the loss of consciousness. No one has given me any insight into this. Anyone have any knowledge of this issue and what can I do? Karen

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  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    #2
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    No info
    Karen,

    I have no information for you, but I am sending you prayers. Dad had episodes with dizzyness but not fainting. What is he taking for pain?


    Kathy
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    #3
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    Pumakitty said:

    No info
    Karen,

    I have no information for you, but I am sending you prayers. Dad had episodes with dizzyness but not fainting. What is he taking for pain?


    Kathy

    I know my husbands gets
    I know my husbands gets dizzy often, especially when his bp drops. Very scary! He did faint once. The tumor could be pressing on a nerve. Can you get him in to see his ENT right away or his oncologist? I will be praying for you both.
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #4
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    Passing out
    Soon after being diagnosed with stage 4 left tonsil, I began having passing out episodes that would last around 2 minutes each....maybe 5-6 per day. This was caused by the aggressive monster squeezing my carotid artery. My blood pressure would drop like a lead balloon. I was not being able to pump blood, at various times, to my brain, and hence.....the black-outs. These only seemed to happen during non sleeping periods due to my sleeping on my left side, which must have opened up the artery to allow blood flow. Interestingly enough, I never felt any pain with the episodes. But due to the possibility of a massive brain stroke, or one of these passing-out events becoming fatal, the Cancer Board and team started treatment on me within a week and a half after diagnosis. They totally lowered the boom on me over a six month period (which they did on most folks on here), and I'm pretty much fine after two and a half years. Blacking out is nothing to procrastinate about.

    Larry
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #5
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    VAGAL NERVE
    I too had this happen once when I was still in treatment. It was mostly due to dehydration, but when I was going to the bathroom, the docs told me to try not to push too hard as this set off the Vagal nerve and I about fell off the toilet.

    I am syaing this as all of the pain meds I was on caused severe constipation and if Buxx is on anything that will cause that, he could trigger the response.

    Best!!

    Mike
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
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    Blood Pressure low
    Hi Karen

    When I faint it is always due to my blood pressure being too low. Anytime it gets under 76/44 I drop like a fly. My problem was after I would fall they would check everything and it was fine, no one knew what was going on till one day while I started to feel bad I took my BP and found it at 76/45. Now when I feel it coming on I do what I call a control landing (sit on my butt as fast as possible).

    Wishing the Buzz the best
    Hondo
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #7
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    Scary
    Sorry to hear about this new development. I know a few folks on this site had fainting issues. I had some dizziness, and saw stars a couple times, but thankfully never went down. Hope you all got to see docs and they're on the job.
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    #8
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    Karen, I am sorry to hear
    Karen, I am sorry to hear about the fainting spells Buzz is experiencing. The vagal reaction causes fainting because of the temporary loss of blood pressure to the brain. My brother had throat cancer and his treatment was surgery & radiation and 15 yrs. later he started passing out due to less blood flow in his vertebral arteries at the back of his neck. The radiation damaged his arteries and if he just looked up it would pinch off his blood flow. Of course this started happening 15 yrs. later but you never know. I also think as you mentioned the neck mass could be putting pressure on his vagal nerve or corotid artery which could be causing problems. Hopefully you can get an MRI scheduled as soon as possible for Buzz so they (the doctors) can figure out what is causing the problem. I am surprised they didn't do an MRI immediately since these symptoms could be a prelude to a stroke. I love you & Buzz and I know you are going through a lot right now and I will certainly be praying for Buzz tonight. I am not a doctor as you know but I consider these fainting spells very serious. Hopefully, the doctors can figure this out quickly, Your friends, Homer & Connie
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #9
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    Vagal nerve
    My wife ((and her sisters) have a problem with fainting (this runs in their family)). When she drops all I can do is put a cold damp towel around her neck and give her either a coke or orange juice. I realize the situations are different but getting out of them may be the same. Usually she knows a few seconds before she is going to faint and she will simply lay down' she calls it an "aura"

    Probably not much help. Hope Buzz gets better as he heals.

    Denny
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #10
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    Karen, So sorry to hear
    Karen, So sorry to hear about this new proplem. Praying the doctors can diagnose cause and treat right away. Praying also for your peace and strength during this time of uncertainty.

    Debbie

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