Sunday, Dec 9, 2007
Let me tell you, it is not a pleasurable experience. Here's the scoop. Over the past couple of weeks I have had a fairly bizarre sleep schedule due to class cancellations and the sort. Thus I would stay up till 5 AM, wake up at 1:30 PM and go to class and sometimes I wouldn't go to bed at all. Our in today's case, I went to bed at 5 PM on Saturday and woke up at 2 AM. So I have been up since then doing a final paper revision and perusing the internet mindlessly while listening to Diana Krall's Christmas Songs CD (which is good mind you). I also have not been eating much lately. So the story begins. At around 11:50 AM I started getting this painful feeling below my stomach, if felt as if someone hit me in the....well you know. At first I thought it was because I had to go to the bathroom or what not. Thus I got up, put on a pair of shorts and sandals and headed for the lavatory. As I was there in the stall, the pain progressively got worse to the point where I felt as if I was going to vomit. That is when the "syncope" symptoms started to set in. At first I thought I might be experiencing a panic attack for no apparent reason (I wasn't worried about anything) because I started feeling very hot and began sweating. Then small bright dots (phosphene) appeared and drapped over my vision. And if it couldn't get any worse, I began to lose my hearing (tinnitus). At that point I knew something was wrong, especially since my heartbeat was slowing dramatically to a point where I couldn't feel it anymore and became dizzy. I have to admit I thought I was witnessing death. So when I got up and opened the stall door, my disorientation got to me, to the point where I stumbled and almost fell to the ground. The last thing I could remember was going for the lavatory door. Then I found myself laying on my back in the hallway with my sandal off, a sore toe, and cuts on my left arm and leg. I had to be unconscious for a couple minutes because when I got back to my dorm, it was 12:28 PM. I still had some pain below the waste, some dizziness, and a headache. So I took a couple cat naps, woke up at about 5 PM, told my mom the story, decided to get some sustenance (popcorn), and have been doing my paper ever since, though I finally finished it about an hour ago.
Though I am a little tired, I feel alright. I did some research on syncope (fainting) and everything I experienced was normal. Fainting is caused by the lack of sufficient blood and oxygen in the brain. I have always had a hectic sleep schedule, but with the combination of little food and the factors that influence fainting, I have reached the conclusion that that is what did me in--at first I found it rather random. The funny part about it was that it wasn't for my video game addiction, I haven't played them in a while. It was because of something I despise intensely. So kids here is the moral of the story, don't procrastinate (though the paper was done early), eat right, and get some sleep for crying out loud, no matter how great Mass Effect is!!!!!
P.S. The one thing I don't understand is how those with anorexia deal with it (no joke intended)?
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Posted Dec 9, 2007 10:37 pm PT
Sounds like you had a hypoglycemic episode (low blood sugar resulting in fainting/syncope). Then again I'm not a doctor (if I was I'd have a bedside manner worse than Dr. Cox AND Dr. House combined), just a lowly lab tech who sees the actual episodes after performing blood draws and the resulting glucose levels when run on my analyzer. 
Still, now that you know what the beginning symptoms feel like you can avoid the later fainting by getting some sugar in you FAST! Soft drinks, gatorade, fruits, something with simple sugars to boost your blood glucose will help quickly. For long term avoidance, make sure you eat good meals well before your attempt to write that paper. Load up on meats, beans, anything with protein and that can help in the long run during the studying. IF you continue to have this problem go see a doctor, or at least the on campus medical facility, and tell them what is happening. It's hard to diagnose but good doctors will catch the symptoms and can help treat long term hypoglycemia. It sounds to me like you just stressed yourself out with the paper, studying, Mass Effect 
and combined with the little sleep and food you just hit your limit. Anorexics get used to it and know how to avoid the fainting just by injesting the tiny little bit needed to avoid the worst stages. I know this since anorexia was forced on me via wrestling in my teen years but may be those with true anorexia know of other ways to deal with (and hide) what happens to them. Get some rest during your holidays Robbie and enjoy a stressful time off! 
Still, now that you know what the beginning symptoms feel like you can avoid the later fainting by getting some sugar in you FAST! Soft drinks, gatorade, fruits, something with simple sugars to boost your blood glucose will help quickly. For long term avoidance, make sure you eat good meals well before your attempt to write that paper. Load up on meats, beans, anything with protein and that can help in the long run during the studying. IF you continue to have this problem go see a doctor, or at least the on campus medical facility, and tell them what is happening. It's hard to diagnose but good doctors will catch the symptoms and can help treat long term hypoglycemia. It sounds to me like you just stressed yourself out with the paper, studying, Mass Effect and combined with the little sleep and food you just hit your limit. Anorexics get used to it and know how to avoid the fainting just by injesting the tiny little bit needed to avoid the worst stages. I know this since anorexia was forced on me via wrestling in my teen years but may be those with true anorexia know of other ways to deal with (and hide) what happens to them. Get some rest during your holidays Robbie and enjoy a stressful time off!
Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:22 am PT
Ok, I'm sending you a sandwich--popcorn doesn't count! Scary stuff, but I'm glad you're okay now and didn't hit your head. Smadiso1 gives great advice as usual, and I emphatically ditto him. That happened to me once from heat. You did a great job of describing the symptoms. The painful feeling in the you-knows, however, is worrisome. Are the symptoms gone now? (In related news, I am proud of you for getting your paper done early. And hey! You got a new profile picture! Such cuteness!)
Posted Dec 16, 2007 8:11 pm PT
I ditto that, thanks for the advice Smadiso--good stuff. Anyways, yes, the pain is gone. Maybe it was because I was sitting the wrong way for an extended period of time, I'm not sure. And tclvis, thanks for the compliment on the picture, I think it's alright though . I look a little different now, so I don't think it's appropriate anymore. Some say I'm going for the Johnny Depp look . Besides, the resolution is terrible. I just need to get a digital camera, have to borrow my brother's powershot I guess. Speeking of which, why don't you put one up?
. I look a little different now, so I don't think it's appropriate anymore. Some say I'm going for the Johnny Depp look . Besides, the resolution is terrible. I just need to get a digital camera, have to borrow my brother's powershot I guess. Speeking of which, why don't you put one up?
Posted Dec 17, 2007 2:40 pm PT
Aren't you sweet. Nobody wants to look at me! How'd your semester turn out? Did I get my A? 
Posted Jan 11, 2008 4:23 pm PT
It went alright, I got a 3.60, Sociological Imagination brought it down though 
. I finally got Bon Voyage the other day! I like it, though I can see how it can become old rather fast. I enjoy having my Sims fall in love with the Twikkii Island natives, so romantic, love at first site.
. I finally got Bon Voyage the other day! I like it, though I can see how it can become old rather fast. I enjoy having my Sims fall in love with the Twikkii Island natives, so romantic, love at first site.
Posted Jan 12, 2008 9:46 am PT
Hey a 3.60 is pretty good, especially for an avid videogamer! 
My GPA helped me with one thing: getting into my clinical internship. You probably have more than enough semesters left to bring it up right? I'm pretty sure in my sophmore year (the year of the MUD addiction) I sunk to a 3.6 and still managed to come out at the end with a 3.8. Just keep working hard and don't forget that GPA really only helps in sinking that first job. After that it's up to your work ethic, imagination and personality to make it in any field. From the sounds of your postings you have all that in aces so just land that first job and the GPA will be a thing of the past!
My GPA helped me with one thing: getting into my clinical internship. You probably have more than enough semesters left to bring it up right? I'm pretty sure in my sophmore year (the year of the MUD addiction) I sunk to a 3.6 and still managed to come out at the end with a 3.8. Just keep working hard and don't forget that GPA really only helps in sinking that first job. After that it's up to your work ethic, imagination and personality to make it in any field. From the sounds of your postings you have all that in aces so just land that first job and the GPA will be a thing of the past!
Posted Jan 16, 2008 9:45 am PT
Well I would hope that a student with an A- average would get a job or there's no real point in going to school then .
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Posted Jan 17, 2008 8:48 am PT
Doesn't sound like a good experience...you should not mess with your biological clock nor thy vitamin-intake.
For the anorexia thing though, i think it is because the slowly begin to realize how "fat" they are, therefore slowly eating less by each dinner.
For the anorexia thing though, i think it is because the slowly begin to realize how "fat" they are, therefore slowly eating less by each dinner.
Posted Sep 4, 2009 5:27 pm PT
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