View Full Version : "Attack" of dizziness and weakness
desdemona
04-28-2008, 00:30
Today I was hiking up some steep tricky terrain. I got up and just kind of collapsed. I was dizzy and my muscles were very weak. My hiking partner indicated that there was a nice place to sit a little ways a way and I insisted on sitting down immediately. I did for awhile, ate and drank and got up, still didn't feel great, but about an hour later felt better.
I wondered if this has happened to anybody else. I speculated it was a "glycogen" depletion type event. ?
Any ideas. I usually eat rather high carb meal the day before and didn't yesterday as I was out to eat.
--des
I have tendencies toward vertigo--there are lots of different reasons for it, such as an inner ear issue or hypoglycemia. Frequently when you are hiking, however, I would suspect dehydration as a possibility.
Shadowmoss
04-28-2008, 05:56
I'd suspect dehydration with low blood sugar. If you are like me, the bursts of activity are out of the realm of normal activity (desk job) and if you aren't used to noticing the signs, it can seem to hit pretty fast. I used to have more issues with that when I was younger with no body fat and didn't take good care of myself on a daily basis (food, exercise).
NICKTHEGREEK
04-28-2008, 06:11
This is absolutely the right spot to get medical help. NOT
Go to a doctor to find out for sure
take-a-knee
04-28-2008, 06:54
This is absolutely the right spot to get medical help. NOT
Go to a doctor to find out for sure
By all means, go to the doctor. Get your sugar metabolism and hemoglobin checked.
orangebug
04-28-2008, 07:31
Among the vital signs we aren't seeing - age and pulse rate jump out at me.
Real world doctoring is required here.
Today I was hiking up some steep tricky terrain. I got up and just kind of collapsed. I was dizzy and my muscles were very weak. My hiking partner indicated that there was a nice place to sit a little ways a way and I insisted on sitting down immediately. I did for awhile, ate and drank and got up, still didn't feel great, but about an hour later felt better.
I wondered if this has happened to anybody else. I speculated it was a "glycogen" depletion type event. ?
Any ideas. I usually eat rather high carb meal the day before and didn't yesterday as I was out to eat.
--desThere are two different forms of glycogen depletion.
In one type, you lose glycogen in the muscles first. You can still walk, painfully, but not up hills. You are basically burning fat only at that point, so you have about half the energy you normally might. I am not sure how it interplays with fluids and salts and so on, but in theory you can march for days on just body fat, while your body breaks down protiens into sugars to feed your brain. In the second type, less common I believe, and even more dangerous, you lose glycogen from your liver first, so your blood sugar drops, and your brain malfunctions. This is very bad and can be fatal.
Not sure what was up with you, but you did the right thing to stop. Could have been many things. Glycogen. Too little Fluids. Too much fluids. Salt deficiency or imbalance. Adrenalin. Insulin. Fever. Sun stroke. Heat stroke. Stroke. Take it slow and get to know your body and how it works and what it needs. Cheers.
Could have been many things. Glycogen. Too little Fluids. Too much fluids. Salt deficiency or imbalance. Adrenalin. Insulin. Fever. Sun stroke. Heat stroke. Stroke. Take it slow and get to know your body and how it works and what it needs. Cheers.
Add to this list hyperventilation. Most likely a combination of two or more of the above.
Anything like this ever happen before? If so, definitely go see your Doc.
In case no one has mentioned it, you should see a doctor. They have these thingys that tell them what's going on inside of you.
orangebug
04-28-2008, 10:26
Folks, there are some very significant bad things this could be, including stroke (TIA), arrhythmias and the like. We know nothing about desdemona, especially medical history, vital signs and the like.
All suggestions of etiology are pure speculation. Desdemona needs a real world doctor to assure none of the very bad possibilities are valid.
desdemona
04-29-2008, 00:42
I'll talk to my doctor about it, but as far as my last physical which was less than a year ago I was healthy. In the past, I was dxed with hypoglycemia. More current doctors have sort of dissed this whole idea saying that this is sort of a fad diagnosis and that there is no such thing unless accompanied by diabetes, which I don't have. Perhaps this isn't quite true.
I am on medication that could make me instantly light headed if I should stand up quickly say.
Nothing like this has happened before or in the real world (so to speak) (or since, the rest of the trip was delightful and uneventful.)
--des
Tennessee Viking
04-29-2008, 00:56
Today I was hiking up some steep tricky terrain. I got up and just kind of collapsed. I was dizzy and my muscles were very weak. My hiking partner indicated that there was a nice place to sit a little ways a way and I insisted on sitting down immediately. I did for awhile, ate and drank and got up, still didn't feel great, but about an hour later felt better.
I wondered if this has happened to anybody else. I speculated it was a "glycogen" depletion type event. ?
Any ideas. I usually eat rather high carb meal the day before and didn't yesterday as I was out to eat.
--desDuring my high school days, I had some head ponding migraines in the mornings for about 2 months. My doctor theorized that I was having a protein/sugar imbalance. Which at that time, I was swimming in Mountain Dew, pizza, and sugar candy. He suggested to lower bad sugar intake gradually, such as sodas & candy; then to start eating peanut butter snacks through out the day.
Sounds like low blood sugar to me. Maybe you're hypoglycemic.
Desdemona needs a real world doctor
Seconded.
warraghiyagey
04-29-2008, 01:55
Sounds like low blood sugar to me. Maybe you're hypoglycemic.
Seconded.
Thirded.
I was gonna guess that yesterday but didn't want to sound like a geek. :):p
But is is my straight up guess.
I was dxed with hypoglycemia. More current doctors have sort of dissed this whole idea saying that this is sort of a fad diagnosis and that there is no such thing unless accompanied by diabetes, which I don't have. Perhaps this isn't quite true.
Whether or not you call it "hypoglycemia", some people are definitely more susceptible to having blood sugar crash out (and then their body crash out) than others. If you hadn't eaten much before the faint spell, I'd agree with everyone else in this thread. (Still would suggest a doctor, tho.)
Appalachian Tater
04-29-2008, 22:13
Unless it happens again or your blood sugar is whacked, a doctor won't have a clue. You did right to immediately sit down. Better to sit or lie down than fall down and crack your skull open.
Only about one third of people survive the first heart attack. Every heart attack victims funeral I have been to, their survivors tell about an incident such as yours. Most have a good reason why they didn't go to the doc. Good Luck to ya
Clyde
desdemona
04-29-2008, 22:36
Years ago, I had a blood sugar test (one of those long ones) and I definitely got low blood sugar. I have had them before, but not so much lately. I had a snack (gorp) about an hour earlier. OTOH, I maybe exerted myself quite a bit more than average.
Another thing is low blood pressure-- I can get this standing up quickly.
I also think a few other things people mentioned are possible (dehydration). Though not sun or heat stroke. It wasn't particularly hot.
I have doubts that a doctor could figure this out in an otherwise healthy person, unless I could take him on the trail and could reenact it somehow.
Still I will ask about it.
--des
I work in an ER. If you came to the ER with dizziness and weakness symptoms, you would be given an EKG within 5 minutes of arrival.
Just saying, don't get diagnosed here, go see a doc.
orangebug
04-30-2008, 08:59
Ding, Ding, Ding!
What I'd been thinking the whole time.
There are many possibilities with much more significance than transient hypoglycemia that deserve evaluation.
Time To Fly 97
04-30-2008, 09:02
This is like a game of 20 questions - kinda ridiculous. If you are concerned about it, go see a doctor.
Happy hiking!
TTF
The doc who said "no hypoglycemia without diabetes" might be an idiot. When you do go to a doctor for this problem, don't go to him.
take-a-knee
04-30-2008, 13:26
The doc who said "no hypoglycemia without diabetes" might be an idiot. When you do go to a doctor for this problem, don't go to him.
HYPO-glycemia means low-blood sugar (in your circulating serum/blood). Diabetes' primary symptom is elevated blood sugar (glucose) due to a shortage of the pancreatic hormone insulin. With an insulin shortage the glucose can't enter the cells, so it builds up in the blood and does all manner of harm.
desdemona
04-30-2008, 19:33
Only about one third of people survive the first heart attack. Every heart attack victims funeral I have been to, their survivors tell about an incident such as yours. Most have a good reason why they didn't go to the doc. Good Luck to ya
Clyde
Thanks for your assurance. :eek: Though I wonder how many of them were climbing a 80 degree grade slope at the time of their incidents. But yes, I'll talk to my doctor.
As for the idea of hypoglycemia I am not seeing that doctor anymore. (who suggested it was a pseudodx.) The reason for the comments are this:
hypoglycemia is also caused by taking too much insulin. That's why it's important in diabetes. I don't think there was a suggestion that it is the same thing as diabetes.
Also cyclists commonly have such incidents (from my research). It is pretty much described as low blood pressure and caused by heavy exertion in the legs.
The reason for my question though was not to get dxed. I realize that isn't really possible. Just wondered if others had experienced the same thing. Though probably most of you aren't really doing the same type of hiking.
--des
shelterbuilder
04-30-2008, 19:46
des,
First up - yes, by all means, talk to your doctors.
Next, from personal experience, I've had similar symptoms for years, and my docs have never been able to pin it down to anything specific. The closest we've been able to come is to say that it's related to low blood sugar, low blood pressure, and a low red blood cell count. I'm fine with only one of the three being low, but let any two of the three drop below a certain point, and I'm in trouble. If I slowly drink some orange juice, or eat an apple, I'm fine within 30 minutes, so blood sugar definitely has a lot to do with it in my case. (Surprisingly enough, if I drink apple juice, this seems to make it worse for me.)
Most folks don't drink enough water - ever. If I become dehydrated, the first thing that I notice is a pounding headache. Two glasses of water later, the headache has vanished.
theinfamousj
04-30-2008, 20:06
I'll answer the other part of your question --
Yes, I've had this happen to me. You did the right thing for immediate treatment: sitting, hydrating, and trying to raise your blood sugar (eating) all while keeping yourself conscious.
In my case, it was just a case of low blood sugar as I hadn't really had an appetite that morning so didn't eat breakfast. But you'll never know how relieved I was to hear that diagnosis coming from a doctor unless you, too, go see a doctor and get a diagnosis of your own.
HYPO-glycemia means low-blood sugar (in your circulating serum/blood). Diabetes' primary symptom is elevated blood sugar (glucose) due to a shortage of the pancreatic hormone insulin. With an insulin shortage the glucose can't enter the cells, so it builds up in the blood and does all manner of harm.
Yeah, I get it, Im a type 1. Just saying, many people suffer from hypoglycemia without it being a reaction to diabetes medication. Many folks who will develop type 2 diabetes later in life suffer from hypolglycemia and unbalanced sugar levels before they develop it, and many folks just get it occasionally when they exercise too much or eat too little. The doctor who dismissed the possibility of hypoglycemia without concurrent diabetes was either an idiot, or misunderstood.
wrt to similar experiences - yeah I've bonked backpacking uphill after stupidly skipping breakfast - sat/layed down a while, ate, drank, half hour later continued on
i get similar symptoms when i'm working outside in the heat of summer sometimes. i know this isn't always an option hiking, but i usually move to a shaded area and have a soda or gatorade. usual feel this way when my blood sugar is too low. i love the advice shelterbuilder gave of having an apple. probably one of the best foods you can have on the trail.
glad to see you're using your brain and visiting your dr and hope you're ok des...
envirodiver
05-01-2008, 10:57
Years ago, I had a blood sugar test (one of those long ones) and I definitely got low blood sugar. I have had them before, but not so much lately. I had a snack (gorp) about an hour earlier. OTOH, I maybe exerted myself quite a bit more than average.
Another thing is low blood pressure-- I can get this standing up quickly.
I also think a few other things people mentioned are possible (dehydration). Though not sun or heat stroke. It wasn't particularly hot.
I have doubts that a doctor could figure this out in an otherwise healthy person, unless I could take him on the trail and could reenact it somehow.
Still I will ask about it.
--des
Before I went on a long hike last year I had my Dr. order a stress test. It's an excellent way for them to simulate vigorous excercise in a controlled environment. They hooked up machines to me and put me on a treadmill, then gradually increased the level of effort and measured my heart's response to that.
Turned out ok for me and was a very comforting thing to have in my back pocket before heading out on a solo hike on a trail with lots of solitude.
Just an idea.
Before I went on a long hike last year I had my Dr. order a stress test. It's an excellent way for them to simulate vigorous excercise in a controlled environment. They hooked up machines to me and put me on a treadmill, then gradually increased the level of effort and measured my heart's response to that.
Turned out ok for me and was a very comforting thing to have in my back pocket before heading out on a solo hike on a trail with lots of solitude.
Just an idea.Awesome idea, especially if you haven't been doing any vigorous exercise in a while or have gotten out of shape or are at that age and have that family history thing.