[ Home | Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Holly
Hi All, I've been living with this problem since my teen years; now I'm 30. All too often, I'd feel a two second weird sensation , then hear the familiar, "Don't worry, the ambulance is on the way..." I've seen cardiologists who prescribed beta blockers, surgeons who've stitched my head back together (7 stitches!), and dealt with dozens of freaked-out friends and family members. I've been black-out free for almost 2 years now. Here's what works for me: I drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated, about 36 oz during work hours. I stopped worrying about how much sodium was in foods; a little more salt is good in this situation. REALLY try to stay away from greasy food. This includes fast food, rich deli food, barbeque, fries, and heavy potato chips, and deep-fried anything. I used to eat fast food at least 2 times a week on average. Greasy food seems to be a trigger for a lot of people. Sleep is really important; at least 8 hours. Also, I try to do some kind of workout everyday for at least 30 minutes - walking, running, swimming, water aerobics, tai chi, vaccuuming, whatever. Most importantly, know what your triggers are. Standing up for a long time in a crowded, hot environment after eating greasy food and drinking wine would combine several triggers and seriously increase my chances of blacking out, so I keep that mind and grab a seat. Oddly, the beta blockers didn't seem to help at all; the only thing that's worked is living better. I hope all of you figure out what works best in your individual cases.