[Anonymous]

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what could be going on here.

My suspicions are that I must be consuming too much sugar these days (it's mainly just with exams; I tend to snack on things like sweets and bread instead of making normal meals. Additionally, I do long distance running and so once or twice a week on really long runs, I'll consume energy drinks and/or sweets- basically something really sugary which probably isn't helping but is kind of necessary to get through prolonged exercise).

Over the last few weeks, I occassionally noticed that my urine sometimes smells distinct; it's not particularly strong, I'm just not used to noticed any scent at all. Additionally, sometimes things just go black and I start to feel funny (it's normally a minute or so after standing up but can also happen when sitting). This feeling passes pretty quickly. I understand that consuming too much sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes but I don't have the typical symptoms (thirst, urinating more frequently, change in appetite, change in weight) and don't fit the typical profile (being young, active and having a BMI of 19-20).

The blacking I describe feels a bit different to low blood pressure dizziness/blurring which I've got quite a lot over the last few years. With low blood pressure, I find things tend to blur and the feeling is a little harder to shake off, lasting 20-30 seconds but with this, it's just instant black, no blurring, and lasts lasts only 5-10 seconds.

I'm not sure if it's related, but my hair has been pretty bad recently too; I normally have really healthy hair but now it's falling out more and is breaking a lot (basically, I can hear it snapping every time I brush it). I imagine this may be dietary too?

I'm quite reluctant to ask my doctor as it feels very insignificant- I'm not worried as such, just curious as to what (if anything) may be going on. Does this happen anyone else?

[jimbo139]

I think it would be very reasonable to see your GP about the episodes of loss of vision. have you had any headaches?

[Anonymous]

(Original post by jimbo139)
I think it would be very reasonable to see your GP about the episodes of loss of vision. have you had any headaches?

Not really. Well occasionally, I suppose; I started to get them a few months ago (having never ever had a headache before that, luckily)- they'd come on mainly if I was tired or had been on my feet for quite a while. They weren't particularly strong though and when I think of it, I can't recall having one in the last few weeks (when the other symptoms started).

Had a couple more of the vision blacking episodes last night. They were shorter though- just flashes really. For example, the first time last night, I was just standing talking on the phone to someone, felt a little lightheaded and things flashed black for a second or two then I felt normal again. Is there a name for this? I tried to google it to see what may be causing it but didn't know what to type in.

Maybe if they continue for another few weeks, I'll consider seeing a doctor. They don't seem to be causing any harm though as the episodes are so brief. I didn't included in the original post incase it made it too longwinded, but last summer and again before Christmas, the low blood pressure episodes got pretty strong; I started to feel dizzy and get blurred vision not just when I went to stand/sit up but any time I went to move suddenly at all- I mentioned this to my GP last summer and she took my blood pressure, said it was probably dietary then didn't do anything to help, so I mentioned it again to a different GP before Christmas who again didn't say what might be causing it or what I should do about it. That side of things has got better over time anyway but it's still making me reluctant to mention the new episodes to a doctor.

[Happydude]

I'd make an appointment just now. Not an urgent one, but don't leave it any longer than you have to. Loss of vision and spontaneous blackouts could reveal something a bit more serious!

[SparksInTheSky]

(Original post by Happydude)
I'd make an appointment just now. Not an urgent one, but don't leave it any longer than you have to. Loss of vision and spontaneous blackouts could reveal something a bit more serious!

I agree with this, I do think you should see the/a GP again. It might be related to low blood-pressure but they should be able to treat that. If necessary ask to be referred to the relevant hospital department.

[Anonymous]

(Original post by Happydude)
I'd make an appointment just now. Not an urgent one, but don't leave it any longer than you have to. Loss of vision and spontaneous blackouts could reveal something a bit more serious!

Thanks for the reply; I know it sounds silly but it just doesn't seem worth bothering a doctor about as they don't really affect me in any way if that makes sense; I've never actually fainted or anything- the feeling just passes after I start to feel faint.

I can't seem to find any information online- there seems to be a lot about blackouts with loss of consciousness but not with preserved consciousness.

[Happydude]

(Original post by Anonymous)
Thanks for the reply; I know it sounds silly but it just doesn't seem worth bothering a doctor about as they don't really affect me in any way if that makes sense; I've never actually fainted or anything- the feeling just passes after I start to feel faint.

I can't seem to find any information online- there seems to be a lot about blackouts with loss of consciousness but not with preserved consciousness.

I can appreciate that these blackouts seem, on their own, relatively benign. The reason I'm encouraging you to go and see a doctor is that something much more serious might be causing them that would merit going to see the doctor.

The doctor is not going to laugh at you or think you are a hypochondriac for making an appointment for this. Don't bother with anything online, self-diagnosis never works

I had loads of dizzy spells for a while and a couple of blackouts and went to see the doctor about it. It turns out I just have really low blood pressure ( 90/60 or something) and need to eat more. They did say though that it is important to visit them whenever sudden sight loss/ random dizziness or nausea is concerned. Sometimes they can be symptoms of more serious illnesses.

It would be very unwise for you not to go! Please go!

[jimbo139]

(Original post by Anonymous)
Thanks for the reply; I know it sounds silly but it just doesn't seem worth bothering a doctor about as they don't really affect me in any way if that makes sense; I've never actually fainted or anything- the feeling just passes after I start to feel faint.

I can't seem to find any information online- there seems to be a lot about blackouts with loss of consciousness but not with preserved consciousness.

the term 'blackouts' usually means loss of consciousness, rather than darkening of vision, hence your confusion. Transient visual loss, or visual obscurations, would be better terms to use.

What you're describing sounds like it could well be orthostatic hypotension http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension, aka postural hypotension. This typically invoves feelings of dizziness & visual blur/darkening for a few seconds after getting up from sitting/lying down. It's possible to test for it by syimply measuring the blood pressure in each position, and seeing if there is a significant BP fall on standing.

Postural hypotension is very common, but occasionally it's associated with underlying health problems (eg anaemia, cortisol deficiency, or dysfunction of the autonomic nerves), and if it's happening frequently I'd suggest that your GP should consider some blood tests &/or formal tilt table testing of your blood pressure to find out why.

Can I just check - do your visual symptoms only occur when you stand up - not at other times?

[Anonymous]

(Original post by jimbo139)
the term 'blackouts' usually means loss of consciousness, rather than darkening of vision, hence your confusion. Transient visual loss, or visual obscurations, would be better terms to use.

What you're describing sounds like it could well be orthostatic hypotension http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension, aka postural hypotension. This typically invoves feelings of dizziness & visual blur/darkening for a few seconds after getting up from sitting/lying down. It's possible to test for it by syimply measuring the blood pressure in each position, and seeing if there is a significant BP fall on standing.

Postural hypotension is very common, but occasionally it's associated with underlying health problems (eg anaemia, cortisol deficiency, or dysfunction of the autonomic nerves), and if it's happening frequently I'd suggest that your GP should consider some blood tests &/or formal tilt table testing of your blood pressure to find out why.

Can I just check - do your visual symptoms only occur when you stand up - not at other times?

This is a helpful reply, thanks (and thankyou to Happydude too). I thought it might have been linked to hypotension as I've had that before (my GP mentioned BP falling went I stood up, but it musn't have been by too much as she didn't suggest any ways to stop it), however, the new symptoms a little different. The hypotension felt more like dizziness, last longer, and my vision blurred as opposed to going black and I feel briefly lightheaded/faint but not dizzy. Could they still be due to the same thing though?

No, I've noticed the new visual symptoms a couple of times when I've been sitting for a while/standing for a while as well (whereas the hypotension feeling only really happens if I move suddenly or stand up).

Thanks again for your help.

[Bimbleby]

I may be entirely wrong on this and I agree with everyone above that this is definitely something to see your GP about, but what you're experiencing sounds to me exactly like what I experienced when I wasn't eating enough. Not eating enough will make your blood pressure low and for me that caused the same kind of loss of vision you're describing. I know you say this is different to low blood pressure, but it could be a more extreme version, or again perhaps related to low blood sugar, which could be to do either with not eating enough generally or with eating sugar which causes you blood sugar to rise and fall more dramatically. The hair loss, too, could be to do either with not eating enough or simply not eating enough nutritious food. Either way your body won't be able to keep up proper hair renewal. Even if you're eating a lot, it might be worth considering. Since you do long distance running, you could be eating tons and still need more, though I'm sure as a runner you're aware of that. This just sounded identical to the symptoms I had when I was undereating, so I thought I'd throw that out there
See a doctor though, it's definitely not too much to bother a GP with, that's their job

[GordonP]

Rather than asking on here - ask a real doctor...