Anyone Ever Pass Out on a Plane?

[Taylor]

Just got back from Germany yesterday on another of my frequent weekend trips. On the flight over, I was feeling fine, got up to use the bathroom, and totally passed out. The flight attendant said I was white as a ghost. Luckily I only scraped my arm and didn't hit my head. Within 30 minutes I felt fine.

Keep in mind that I have made this trip at least 12 - 15 times over the last year, so I am not an unexperienced flier.

Anyone have a similiar incident?

 

[wheeler1]

Taylor, I hope you're alright!

Just yesterday my dh and I we're discussing how a medical emergency, like a heart attack, is handled in flight. Esp an overseas flight, what on earth do they do with you??

Anyway, I'm wondering if maybe you were sitting in the same position for awhile and your blood pressure temporarily dropped upon standing. Sounds like a circ issue which I dont think is that uncommon on planes.

 

[RUDisney]

A friend of mine did. He had given blood the day before flying to FL. His dr. instructed him to wait a week between blood donations and flying again. He is otherwise healthy.

It was when he stood, also, that he had the problem. He was only on a 2.5 hour flight.

 

[momrek06]

Not a plane but an AMTRAK ACELA train......I will say the MOST embarassing moment in my ENTIRE life. My DS and I were returning to Providence from NYC on the Sunday following Feb school vacation....the train was MORE than sold out. I felt like I was getting really hot....I stood up and was headed to the back of the train for air...when that was it I fainted right in the middle of the train with sooooo many people. It was SOOOOO embarassing I just cannot tell you. The conductor brought the train to a screeching HALT between stops and then as I am coming too (which was a few minutes I was out)...I am then told an ambulance has been requested....NOOOO, please no, I am fine....NOPE, Amtrak rules. I inconvenienced an ENTIRE TRAIN FULL OF PEOPLE. I was taken to the nearest hospital and kept for observation for one full day. The only thing they could see was that my bp dropped to 80/50. No biggie I have very low bp anyway...NOPE you cannot leave until it is at least 90/60.........OMG..........!

OP, I would have preferred to have fainted on the plane....no screeching of the plane to a STOP...no ambulances...ahhh....this was not fun at all.
ONLY EMBARASSING!

 

[Taylor]

Taylor, I hope you're alright!

I am fine thank you. I am on blood thinners for a previous DVT problem after flying, plus I am on blood pressure medicine.

My German manager asked me today if I want to go to Shanghai in the next couple of weeks. I may have to decline that trip.

 

[lovethattink]

I am fine thank you. I am on blood thinners for a previous DVT problem after flying, plus I am on blood pressure medicine.

My German manager asked me today if I want to go to Shanghai in the next couple of weeks. I may have to decline that trip.

Some blood pressure medications can cause orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure when going from sitting to standing or laying to sitting).

 

[Taylor]

Some blood pressure medications can cause orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure when going from sitting to standing or laying to sitting).

Maybe I should discuss missing a dose of my BP medication before long flights with my doctor?

 

[Luv'sTink]

Maybe you should just check with your doctor? DVT is scary to say the least! Make sure there is not something more going on.

 

[Taylor]

Maybe you should just check with your doctor? DVT is scary to say the least! Make sure there is not something more going on.

After the DVT episode I think I had every medical test known to mankind.

 

[KelNottAt]

Yes, I've fainted on a plane. August 5, 2000. JFK to Shannon, Ireland.

I felt fine that day, really great. It was gonna be a great family reunion trip (16 of us) to see where our ancestors came from. Since we departed shortly after dinner time I decided to have a glass of wine before I took a little nap. I successfully finished off one of those teeny 4 oz bottles of red wine then slept for about 3 hours.

I awoke because I felt a little airsick. I searched all the seatbacks near me and found no barf bags. UGH. Must...get...up...and...walk...to...lav. The nearest rest room had a long line. By this time I knew I couldn't wait and asked a stewardess for a barf bag. Her response: "Oh, you'll find them back at your seat." Without the energy to dispute her, I turned and walked back toward my seat.

I never made it. Fainted dead away right there in the middle of the aisle. When I came to (about 2 minutes later) I was vomiting nonstop and didn't have the strength to stand, much less walk back to my seat. Some passengers eventually moved me to the galley floor so I wouldn't be blocking the aisle. A doctor on the flight tended to me for about 2 hours...until I could be removed by EMTs and taken away in an ambulance. (Oh, for the landing, they insisted that I couldn't remain on the floor. Duh! So, since my coach seat was out of the question, I got to experience landing in Aer Lingus first class. NICE!)

The nice staff at Ennis Hospital in Ireland couldn't find any cause for my fainting spell, but did determine that my fall caused a concussion. (Nearby passengers said my head bounced.) Back at home after the trip I checked out fine as well.

Then, in 2003, I fainted again (but not on a plane). This time was also after having a glass of red wine. Needless to say, I haven't had red wine since. I just figured it "disagreed" with me.

But then, just last month I was having dinner at a friend's house and she offered wine: red or white. I said, "oh, white please. I can't do red." Her reply: "Oh, are you alergic to sulfites?"

At that point a bell went off in my head. I'm allergic to sulfa antibiotics. Red wine contains sulfites. Although they're not the SAME, they are similar. I now attribute my red wine fainting to a sulfite allergy.

By the way, I've been a "fainty" person my whole life. The incident on the plane was probably #10 overall and there have been others since. Low blood pressure, I guess. That's probably why I checked myself out of the Irish hospital against doctor's advice and proceeded to have a marvelous time on the trip...even with a monster headache.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I have.

DH and I were coming back from FL (two hour flight on United). I had gotten a cold while down there and was stuffy. My ear was hurting during the flight, but the pain was managable. The pilot made an announcement saying we were about 10 minutes away. I looked at DH and said my ear was really hurting. I propped my head (tilted) on my hand and that's the last thing I remember.

I woke up to DH screaming at me and I was laying on the girl next to me. I was white as a ghost. DH said I passed out with my eyes wide open. He had never seen anyone pass out before and thought I died. (Something else happened, but it is WAY too embarrassing to write here).

No one came to help me. We landed and DH had to hold me up to walk. We think I passed out due to the ear pain, but I'm not sure. My ear hurt for about 2 weeks after.

I haven't flown since.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

if the cabin pressure changes it might change the oxygen in the plane, and it could make you pass out. it's possible.

i've felt light headed on planes before and my lungs have bothered me after i get off the plane. of course, i have asthma, so i'm more prone to those problems lol.

 

[Taylor]

The thing I find the most unusual is that I fly a ton for business (mostly Europe). This is the first time I have had such an episode.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

The thing I find the most unusual is that I fly a ton for business (mostly Europe). This is the first time I have had such an episode.

there's a lot of things that can contriubte to it. you might have had a slight little cold.....that you don't even know about, and your body was just like "no not good! shutting down!" lol.

 

[Taylor]

there's a lot of things that can contriubte to it. you might have had a slight little cold.....that you don't even know about, and your body was just like "no not good! shutting down!" lol.

I did have a sinus infection and just started taking antibiotics that day.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

I did have a sinus infection and just started taking antibiotics that day.

well there ya go!

 

[Taylor]

well there ya go!

Yeah, I was pretty sure it wasn't the Jack Daniels I drank in the Worldperks club before the flight...

 

[DebbieB]

My mom did a few years ago. She had chemo the day before and the doctor said she would be OK to go (PIT to MCO). Shortly after takeoff, she said she felt really nauseated, I looked at her and she was out. I yelled for help, kept hitting the call button. A guy in the seat behind me got up and hollered real loud for help. Luckily there were a couple nurses on the plane. The FA came back and picked up the phone on the back of the seat and dialed 911 (never knew they could do that). They put oxygen on her. It seamed like an eternity before she opened up her eyes. They said to keep the oxygen on for a while. She felt better, they ended up moving us up to first class, there were a bunch of empty seats up there. When we got to MCO, paramedics came on and did BP and EKG, said everything seemed fine. She declined to go to the hospital. We were staying at CBR, she went to bed when we got there but felt better the next day and the rest of the trip was fine.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

Yeah, I was pretty sure it wasn't the Jack Daniels I drank in the Worldperks club before the flight...

lol you were drinking while you were sick AND taking meds??? good one! lol j/k

 

[Taylor]

The booze is free in the Worldperks lounge. Kinda hard to pass up...