Vasovagal Syncope (Fainting) post gastric sleeve

[GlA 1]

I had gastric bypass in October 2021. I had a few episodes where I felt lightheaded. Until yesterday, I was able to recover and it would pass. Yesterday, I felt lightheaded and next thing I remember, I was on the floor. My son heard a something drop (turns out it was me). For clarification: I’m eating more than enough of the right foods and drinking plenty of Water. I’m fine just wondering if anyone has experienced this.

Edited May 20, 2022 by GlA

[aeb10892 3]

I'm commenting to follow mostly, maybe I can get some answers too. I had surgery November 2021 and within days of surgery this started to happen to me too. I haven't actually hit the floor, but when I stand up (especially at the end of the day) I feel terribly lightheaded and my vision goes black. At its worst I lose feeling in my body too.

My surgeon said it's absolutely not normal, go see your GP for blood work. It came back that my Iron was low, so Doc put me on iron pills. It got marginally better with time but I can't say with any certainty that it's the iron pills that are helping, or if advancing my diet is. I'm up to 1000-1200 calories per day, 60g Protein and this is still happening regularly.

[Queen ApisM 426]

Any chance you are on blood pressure meds? If so, it could be the meds need to be cut back. If you aren't, then I definitely have nothing useful to add and you should disregard this comment.

[GlA 1]

I am not on any meds other than multi Vitamin and the panzole.

[GlA 1]

11 minutes ago, Queen ApisM said:

Any chance you are on blood pressure meds? If so, it could be the meds need to be cut back. If you aren't, then I definitely have nothing useful to add and you should disregard this comment.

I am not on any meds other than multi Vitamin and the panzole.

[ShoppGirl 3,443]

I have heard people on here having issues with their BP dropping but unfortunately I don’t recall what they did about it. I would contact you doctor though. You don’t want that to happen while you are driving or something.

[Possum220 223]

3 hours ago, GlA said:

I had gastric bypass in October 2021. I had a few episodes where I felt lightheaded. Until yesterday, I was able to recover and it would pass. Yesterday, I felt lightheaded and next thing I remember, I was on the floor. My son heard a something drop (turns out it was me). For clarification: I’m eating more than enough of the right foods and drinking plenty of Water. I’m fine just wondering if anyone has experienced this.

Check in with your doctor for tests. My blood pressure was low and I kept on getting dizzy after the surgery. I was taking my normal amount high blood pressure medication. Turns out it was now too much. Your doctor is the best way to get this addressed.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Possum220

[Possum220 223]

3 hours ago, aeb10892 said:

I'm commenting to follow mostly, maybe I can get some answers too. I had surgery November 2021 and within days of surgery this started to happen to me too. I haven't actually hit the floor, but when I stand up (especially at the end of the day) I feel terribly lightheaded and my vision goes black. At its worst I lose feeling in my body too.

My surgeon said it's absolutely not normal, go see your GP for blood work. It came back that my Iron was low, so Doc put me on Iron pills. It got marginally better with time but I can't say with any certainty that it's the iron pills that are helping, or if advancing my diet is. I'm up to 1000-1200 calories per day, 60g Protein and this is still happening regularly.

Sometimes iron pills are not enough to address the iron deficit. I was low in iron and my doctor gave me an iron infusion (via a drip). All good after that. Your doctor will want to know that things are not better.

[toodlerue 433]

I had a vasovagal syncope episode last summer & broke my ankle on the way down! I was in the handicap stall in a bathroom at a restaurant so I’m lucky it was only my ankle. I could of hit my head on the toilet or the tile!
My daughter has also had one & she has had a bypass also.

But looking back I have had them before. I think it’s related to my Iron & farrin being low. I do have a history of anemia. I have been working with a naturopath who has me taking RBC Support Iron Extra & Ferrofood instead of iron pills. You can buy them both on Amazon.

I’m not as tired as I used to be & my blood work is looking better.

[GlA 1]

42 minutes ago, Possum220 said:

Check in with your doctor for tests. My blood pressure was low and I kept on getting dizzy after the surgery. I was taking my normal amount high blood pressure medication. Turns out it was now too much. Your doctor is the best way to get this addressed.

Checked blood pressure. All is good. Never been on nor needed BP meds. Blood sugar good. I contacted doctor but I have just had full panel of blood work done and all was perfect. He didn’t see overly concerned. Just wondering if anyone else had experienced it. I found an article linking an increase after Bariatric surgery. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8191276/

[GlA 1]

19 minutes ago, toodlerue said:

I had a vasovagal syncope episode last summer & broke my ankle on the way down! I was in the handicap stall in a bathroom at a restaurant so I’m lucky it was only my ankle. I could of hit my head on the toilet or the tile!
My daughter has also had one & she has had a bypass also.

But looking back I have had them before. I think it’s related to my Iron & farrin being low. I do have a history of anemia. I have been working with a naturopath who has me taking RBC Support Iron Extra & Ferrofood instead of iron pills. You can buy them both on Amazon.

I’m not as tired as I used to be & my blood work is looking better.

That’s what’s odd. My iron is perfect. I have blood work every 3 months and just had it done. I have always had great iron levels. Even pre surgery.

[catwoman7 10,973]

I agree - check with your doctor. Could be a number of things, including low blood pressure, low blood sugar, an inner ear imbalance, some deficiency....hard to tell since that could be indicative of several issues.

[Arabesque 6,670]

I agree with @catwoman7. It could be low blood pressure (postural hypotension if it occurs after you stand up or get out of bed). This isn’t uncommon but more the minority & even fewer reach the full out faint but it’s a temporary side effect. Think it may be just yiur body sitting itself out & getting used to the weight loss & changed diet.
Stand slowly & wait before moving. Some suggest marching on the spot for 30 seconds or wriggling your feet before rising - doesn’t work for me. If I feel an episode coming on I stop moving & hold into something solid - table, chair, wall, person - or sit down again.

I’d certainly get your sugar checked too especially if it was accompanied by cold sweats as it could be hypoglycaemia (drops us sugar levels)

I have hypoglycaemic episodes & have low BP all the time. I had them occasionally whenever I was at a low weight before my surgery. Now I’m at a much lower weight I have them more often. So really pre existing for me.

[MandoGetsSleeved 433]

Strange, I’ve been having the same issue lately. Blood work good, surgery in 2020. At first it was just dizziness when standing, but took my first hard fall earlier this week.

[Orinskye 165]

I had this post surgery. It was from drops in blood pressure.
I was taken off the 1/2 pill of blood pressure med I was on and that more or less solved the problem of it happening regularly.

it does still happen though. I’ve gotten to the point where I know the signs (my vision starts to get dark spots) so I sit down and take a moment. I get it worse if I am not drinking enough.