Episode over Easter that scared the life out of me

In what way have you helped the op biglouis?

Sorry biglouis that is just rubbish, I wonder how many of those propping up our crumbling health services weren’t born here? But that nots what this thread is about.
The OP is worried about her health and lack of support and rightly so. My SiL ( not in this country) had similar experience and was treated for an aneurism very promptly, so the OP should definitely make a huge fuss and demand some speedy investigation of her problems , even if it means camping out in A and E.

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nanna8

Please don’t disrupt this thread biglouis, start another one if you must though what you said sounds rather unpleasant to me.

... not going to argue about the fact that BL is incorrect... but his comment should be removed.

It will derail a genuine plea for help from the OP who is obviously feeling scared and worried, and is looking for re-assurance and advice.

... and I'm going to report it for that reason.

Do make sure you are drinking enough water - dehydration alone can make you feel lightheaded.

That was my thought, also.

I have kidney problems and easily become dehydrated - and did once 'black out' from a spell of light-headedness. I stood up, felt dizzy, and fell down.

It's definitely worth trying to drink sufficient fluids for two or three days to see if it makes any difference.

MY GP practice have arranged for my Asthma review to be done next month. Not a problem, just a routine appointment where I am required to demonstrate that I am using my inhalers correctly................but this appointment is taking place by phone! Quite how that will work is a mystery.

Thank you all so much for your caring responses. As always your advice and experiences are illuminating and have gone some way to make me feel a little more at ease.
It’s amazing what the imagination conjures up in the wee small hours.
I have not had covid, so not suffering after affects. I am on a beta blocker which slows my heart beat down which I know if too slow it can cause passing out but my GP knows this and checked BP when I was there.
I do think, because it is constantly on my mind I may make it worse.
It’s the not knowing what is causing it that is like the Sword of Damocles hanging over me.
Unburdening on Gransnet is so helpful.
I do think the NHS is a lost cause now. I like many have known it from day 1 and have watched the slow decline over the recent years. So sad.

I agree with Monica who said - It could be something as simple as panic attacks

I started to have these in my teens. Until I was diagnosed each time I thought I was having a stroke or heart attack and was dying. The root cause of my propensity to 'pass out' is that I have naturally exceptionally low blood pressure and any shock e.g a fright or extreme pain, causes the BP to drop through the floor, with me dropping to the floor too.

Thankfully, I learned to lie down with feet higher than head as soon as I experienced the 1st symptoms. Then controlled breathing, fresh air, a sugar laden drink or something salty all help me back to normal.

I can understand why people do it, but paying for any kind of medical care which is normally available on the NHS, just pushes other people further down the queue.

The government is allowing, even facilitating, the run-down of the NHS. This will allow them to say ‘the NHS is broken beyond repair, therefore needs privatising’ - evidenced by all the horror stories of waiting times etc. A clever, devious ploy!

Should the public not be getting together now and complaining/demonstrating about the appalling state of GP services since the pandemic.

I don't know why we're all just accepting it, although service was pretty bad before the pandemic. That's why we joined Benenden.

I agree. We should be organising protests. We are paying for a service which isn't being delivered.
We wouldn't accept that from anywhere else.
Although at our practice we are still getting face to face appointments same day (Co Antrim)

I think you would have been better to wait in A&E. We have been advised not to wait for an ambulance, but if possible, to go straight to A&E. 3 hours is a common wait time for emergency ambulance now, how in earth is that an emergency service? It used to be 15 minutes.

Last time I went, they did necessary tests while I was there. Service was excellent. I would next time take cushions, flask etc to make it a more comfortable wait.

I see nothing wrong with paying for a consultant if you can. It's wrong that it's necessary.

Sorry this happened to you. I have noticed how much healthcare differs from areas. I moved from the West Midlands getting on for 3 years ago to the north west and the health care I have received from GP and hospital has been far superior. No trouble getting help from either pre or after Covid. I am under 3 consultants thanks to my GP. And since my move due to testing found out I was born with a heart defect also the neurological and I have suffered from for 34 since it got worse I was born with and finally have a name for it . All thanks to my neurologist having my blood genetically tested.

I have nothing but praise for all the people working in the health care service here.

I hope you get the help you need very soon. ?

Please don’t disrupt this thread biglouis, start another one if you must though what you said sounds rather unpleasant to me.

I was just wondering if you have had Covid, bobbydog? It’s just that both my husband and I are getting dizzy spells since we had it and neither of us has had this issue before.

What is the evidence for your comment biglouis? Or is it just common or garden xenophobia?

Whatever the reason, your remark was unpleasant and uncalled for and seriously damages your credibility on GN.

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Really? Offensive post

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Pammie1

Should the public not be getting together now and complaining/demonstrating about the appalling state of GP services since the pandemic. Everyone I talk to says it’s almost impossible to actually see a GP. Phone appointments are ‘triaged’ by receptionists and I recently blew my top at a receptionist over the phone at being told I would have to ring at 8am the following morning for an appointment when I’d been doing just that for a week - answering machine until 8am and then permanently engaged for two hours. Where does this end ?

The pandemic has no doubt been a contributory factor to the state of GP services, but they were in crisis before the pandemic even started. I don't have any solution. I do know that the number of GPs is decreasing and many are coming up to retirement, with too few new ones coming through the system. Maybe talk to GPs and to patient groups, who don't like the "solutions" (eg triaging, telephone appointments, alternatives such as paramedics and practice nurses), which are sometimes wheeled out.

I discovered recently that two of the GPs in my practice now work part-time in a private practice, so you'll be fine if you have the money to jump the queue. A GP friend of mine told me it's quite common for people to be diagnosed in private practice, then return to the NHS to demand prescriptions and/or referrals and further (expensive) treatment, having effectively leap-frogged over other patients. My friend told me that not only is she having to deal with her own patients, but also the often "pushy" patients from private GPs.

The technical term for fainting for no known physical reason is vasovagal syncope. It's short lived and the best thing to do is not to try to stand up too quickly. Blood pressure drops rapidly. The danger is that a fall could be dangerous. It happened to me when I was driving. However, I had a couple of minutes warning and I was able to pull over and stop the car. The warning signs for me were tingling in my hands and my face turning deathly white through lack of oxygen.

M0nica so precise again with the information you provide. I second what you have said as it is actually something experienced recently in my family.

Most cases of dizziness like you describe have a fairly simple and non-dangerous cause.

It could be something as simple as panic attacks. When I had panic attacks, I collapsed and lost consciousness briefly. Do you find yourself brathing very quickly and almost panting as you breathe. These are clear signs of panic attack. It means you are over breathing and reducing the carbon dioxide in your blood. Sit down, hold a paper bag over your mouth and breathe back in the air you breathe out.

It could also be this www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/services/physiotherapy/vestibular-physiotherapy/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo-bppv/

Or if you get migraine. It could always be vestibular migraine, which presents as extreme dizziness rather than a headache. I have had migraine for 70 years and in many forms, but my first (and I hope last) attack of vestibular migraine about 10 years ago.

I give all the above information so that you may realise, that dizziness on its own, does not often mean that you have something serious. It is more likely to be one of the abov or something similar..

And we thought it was bad enough before the pandemic! Before all this I was seen at the MAU for very high BP, assessed by a consultant and kept in overnight. Sent home in the morning with various cardiac appointments booked. Now we’ve got to hope we are not going to need their services!