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Fainting In Airplane 3 days ago and still dizzy and chest discomfort.
Hi there,
I took a flight, albeit a long flight a few days ago where I suddenly became ill.First off to mention,I had eaten,drank lots of water,walked around the plane and visited the bathroom all before this happened.And I am a otherwise very healthy woman age 37 with a 9 year old son.It began suddenly with the sweats/intense heat rising up neck and the beginings of blacking out.
Thinking I was going to possibly vomit I stood up to make my way to the rest room. I didnt make it all the way and was apparently caught by an attendant as I slumped to the floor outside the bathroom door.She held me as I came to. But I was out for a couple of minutes.I awoke to a doctor {who happened to be on board} taking my pulse and having cold compresses for my head and neck areas applied.The doc said my pulse was too low at first and recommened I not move for a bit, as they called the hospital on the ground.They then advised I take a test when I get home. I dont remember the name of the test. I was assisted back to my seat after about 15 minutes where I was given the oxygen tank and juice. I felt better after about 40 minutes on the oxygen.
And felt well enough to get on my next short flight. But also needing to get home and my son was with me.
Well long story. Now still 3 days later I am still having dizzy spells,weak shaky moments,waves of nausea,low grade headaches,and most disconcerning a dull discomfort in my chest area. I realize I have jet lag and it was a very scary experience but now I just feel a bit concerned.Also I know I am not pregnant.Thanks for any advice.
I took a flight, albeit a long flight a few days ago where I suddenly became ill.First off to mention,I had eaten,drank lots of water,walked around the plane and visited the bathroom all before this happened.And I am a otherwise very healthy woman age 37 with a 9 year old son.It began suddenly with the sweats/intense heat rising up neck and the beginings of blacking out.
Thinking I was going to possibly vomit I stood up to make my way to the rest room. I didnt make it all the way and was apparently caught by an attendant as I slumped to the floor outside the bathroom door.She held me as I came to. But I was out for a couple of minutes.I awoke to a doctor {who happened to be on board} taking my pulse and having cold compresses for my head and neck areas applied.The doc said my pulse was too low at first and recommened I not move for a bit, as they called the hospital on the ground.They then advised I take a test when I get home. I dont remember the name of the test. I was assisted back to my seat after about 15 minutes where I was given the oxygen tank and juice. I felt better after about 40 minutes on the oxygen.
And felt well enough to get on my next short flight. But also needing to get home and my son was with me.
Well long story. Now still 3 days later I am still having dizzy spells,weak shaky moments,waves of nausea,low grade headaches,and most disconcerning a dull discomfort in my chest area. I realize I have jet lag and it was a very scary experience but now I just feel a bit concerned.Also I know I am not pregnant.Thanks for any advice.
I also had an experience like these, on a flight from JFK to Ireland via Aer Lingus...I love to fly, I was excited about my trip, I ate dinner on the plane, had one glass of beer, fell asleep happily, woke up sweaty, feeling dizzy and my face felt like it was going numb. I told myself to sit back and just try to go back to sleep. The next thing I remembered was waking up while vomiting on myself. It was such a shock, I had never been "air sick" before, at the time I was 32, healthy, etc. Such an embarrassing experience. Walked to the bathroom, had to take everything off and try to rinse my clothes in that tiny sink. The flight attendants were worried and gave me a blanket, sat me up near the front of the plane...While on vacation for 10 days I was dreading the flight home, but I took some air sick tabs that I bought in England and made sure to keep the air blowing on my face the entire flight home to the U.S... I was fine. I have since flown two short trips to Atlanta and back with my boyfriend, and thankfully have had no episodes. So glad to hear that I'm not the only one this has happened to, because everyone I've told about this has been shocked.
Gabriel, are you going to see a doctor? This forum has been very helpful for me. That is interesting, a difference between class and oxygen levels? But why did we all faint and it seems 99.9% of healthy individuals have plenty of oxygen and never pass out. I too lost control of my bladder, making the uncomfortable situation immeasurably worse.
Has anyone found this to go away by not letting yourself fall asleep, or is there anyone with a similar episode that was not sleeping?
Has anyone found this to go away by not letting yourself fall asleep, or is there anyone with a similar episode that was not sleeping?
I’m a 39 yro heathy men and had the same incident described above in an Air France night flight from Rio to Paris, yesterday. I went to sleep after having the on-board dinner and ONE glass of wine. Later on I woke up dizzy, disoriented, sweating and with that feeling of blacking out. I tried to stay awake but I must have passed out on my seat for a few times before I had the chance to wake up the passenger next to me and leave the seat. On leaving I noticed my pants were wet and thought that some beverage was accidently spilt. However I soon realized it was an involuntary bladder release. I went to the back of it and asked permission to lay down on the floor. I guess the crew thought I was drunk or just bored, because they didn’t seem to care. I felt better after laying down on the cold floor for a few minutes and went to the bathroom to try to clean myself with a blanket. From there I went back to a seat by the corridor. The dizziness returned less than an hour later and instead of trying to fight it I stood up before starting to faint and returned to the back of the plane floor. This time the crew was very attentive and laid me down in a proper place with the head lower than the legs. They took my blood pressure, offered me oxygen and asked me all sort of questions. I didn’t know what was it, but I knew I would be OK for as long as I laying on the floor. I felt better when the plane started to descent and went back to the seat. I have fainted before, but never on a plane. Thanks to the comments on this post now I’m sure it was due to low oxygen supply. As a regular economy class passenger, I’m concerned if there is indeed an oxygen supply segregation according to the seat classes of plane sections. This is mean!
I just had the exact in-flight fainting episode addressed here! What did you learn? Next week I have an MRI, blood work test, And EEG scheduled after visiting a neurologist first thing when I was back.
I am 25 yr old male, have flown my entire life no problem, and even recently. Then, on a trip to Hawaii this week (after a stressful and sleep deprived few days) i was feeling great, took a nap 6 hours into the flight, started looking for a barf bag, and then fainted in my seat. Everyone said it was because I had an unhealthy previous few days. Then, after a relaxing vacation, 6 hours into my return flight (well nourished, well hydrated, ate well, slept well) i woke up from another nap, felt like my leg fell asleep, felt sick to my stomach, then fainted again. Horrible experiences, and i felt woozy on and off the rest of both of these days.
What have we learned? Should I waste my time with these expensive medical tests? I am really dreading flying again... It seems like the pattern for all of us is:
1) never had a problem
2) fainted randomly after napping
3) sporadically reoccurs
I am 25 yr old male, have flown my entire life no problem, and even recently. Then, on a trip to Hawaii this week (after a stressful and sleep deprived few days) i was feeling great, took a nap 6 hours into the flight, started looking for a barf bag, and then fainted in my seat. Everyone said it was because I had an unhealthy previous few days. Then, after a relaxing vacation, 6 hours into my return flight (well nourished, well hydrated, ate well, slept well) i woke up from another nap, felt like my leg fell asleep, felt sick to my stomach, then fainted again. Horrible experiences, and i felt woozy on and off the rest of both of these days.
What have we learned? Should I waste my time with these expensive medical tests? I am really dreading flying again... It seems like the pattern for all of us is:
1) never had a problem
2) fainted randomly after napping
3) sporadically reoccurs
This happened to me on a flight from Chicago to Rome. I took a unisom to help me sleep on the overnight flight and had one beer an hour before our flight while we waited. A bit in on the flight, the same thing, I woke up from sleeping, I felt sick and hot. I was able to wake my husband up to get some help but my eyes were rolling in the back of my head. I was able to recover with some deep breathing, taking off my sweater, etc. The flight crew told me that never happens (I don't think I believe them!). I don't have any medical conditions, but I do tend to nearly faint if people are telling a gory story or something. On the way home I decided not to sleep, to drink lots of fluids and to just get up a lot to use the bathroom and I was fine. I made sure I kept the air blowing on me and lifted my knees. Obviously I'm a little worried about ever sleeping or going on a long flight, but I think if I stay alert and as active as possible on the flight I'm okay.
I am not sure this issue is really being addressed. It happens to me. When it first came on I had flown without problems previously so it was a shock. I don't pass out but I feel very faint as if about to pass out and my stomach is churning, my mouth filling with water and I feel like I am going to vomit. I go very pale. I have always had low blood pressure but now I am older it isn't as low as it was so I don't know if that is significant. I have asthma but it is very well controlled. I am physically well and reasonably fit for my age (63) as I walk quite a lot and go to the gym.
I had a few of these episodes on return flights then they stopped so I thought I was over it but last year I had another one, again, only on the return flight. Went to Cyprus a week ago and no problems on the way out but on the flight home I had another and I did everything I could to override it but couldn't and the need to get out out of my set is urgent, as I dread passing out and vomiting whilst in my seat! I usually wobble to the toilet and get my head between my knees for a while. On this flight I had another episode as we we were descending but managed it in my seat this time as it wasn't as severe as the first. I felt 'off' all the rest of the flight though and to be honest I've felt a bit 'off' ever since, sort of woolly headed!
I dread these episodes as for one they are embarrassing and for another the feeling is awful. I have tried keeping the blood flow moving in my legs, alcohol or no alcohol makes no difference as I always have alcohol before the flight out and it never happens then! I've tried avoiding coffee; no difference. Whether I have a meal or not before the flight seems to have no effect either.
Thinking of trying flight socks and I don't know what else! My GP said that when it happens I should stay in my set and put my head between my knees. Ha ha! Has she flown economy?! I am a nurse by the way, so know all the prevention ideas but cannot get my head around why it happens only coming home!
If this fainting is so common (the flight attendant told me it is very common) why is no-one trying to find out why / prevent it? It's easy to put it down to alcohol or panic....but that's a cop-out.
If you still have chest discomfort and feel dizzy, get checked out by a doctor as soon as you can though.
I had a few of these episodes on return flights then they stopped so I thought I was over it but last year I had another one, again, only on the return flight. Went to Cyprus a week ago and no problems on the way out but on the flight home I had another and I did everything I could to override it but couldn't and the need to get out out of my set is urgent, as I dread passing out and vomiting whilst in my seat! I usually wobble to the toilet and get my head between my knees for a while. On this flight I had another episode as we we were descending but managed it in my seat this time as it wasn't as severe as the first. I felt 'off' all the rest of the flight though and to be honest I've felt a bit 'off' ever since, sort of woolly headed!
I dread these episodes as for one they are embarrassing and for another the feeling is awful. I have tried keeping the blood flow moving in my legs, alcohol or no alcohol makes no difference as I always have alcohol before the flight out and it never happens then! I've tried avoiding coffee; no difference. Whether I have a meal or not before the flight seems to have no effect either.
Thinking of trying flight socks and I don't know what else! My GP said that when it happens I should stay in my set and put my head between my knees. Ha ha! Has she flown economy?! I am a nurse by the way, so know all the prevention ideas but cannot get my head around why it happens only coming home!
If this fainting is so common (the flight attendant told me it is very common) why is no-one trying to find out why / prevent it? It's easy to put it down to alcohol or panic....but that's a cop-out.
If you still have chest discomfort and feel dizzy, get checked out by a doctor as soon as you can though.
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