passing out during workouts

hollyyoung71

Does anyone else pass out or feel like they are going to pass out during their workouts? What have you done about it.
I work out with a personal trainer twice a week for a half hour each session. I make sure I eat at least an hour and a half before my workouts and I wear a heart rate monitor each time. I also go in on my own two to three times a week.

Every once in awile I find that during my trainer workouts I start to get the feeling like I am going to pass out. My heart rate always goes up pretty fast but I have found that the more I work out, the harder it is to get my heart ra
te up. I have passed out in the past but the last couple times I have gotten control of it. I have gone to the doctor for this and they gave run the gamet of test on my heart and everything was fine. Right before I feel like I am going to pass out, I have a really hard time breathing or catching my breath and now I am wondering if its something wrong with my lungs or am I just still out of shape or am I still not eating correctly before I am working out?

Has anyone else had any experience with this?
Holly

Christine1110

Oh my....get to the doctor girl!! Better safe then sorry ; )

norcalbowler

Have you been staying hydrated before the workout?

norcalbowler

Oh my....get to the doctor girl!! Better safe then sorry ; )

This too!

9virgo11

Make sure you are eating right and drinking water.....go see a doctor to make sure there is nothing else causing that as well! That does not sound healthy if you are having that feeling frequently.

bigfatbino

I have been lightheaded during a workout once or twice, but they were it was a very rare occurrence back in the military. You really should see a doctor for this if it is happening regularly. Not something to play around with. =(

Atlantique

Exercise-induced asthma maybe?

SimplyFreckled

this used to happen to me in boot camp many years ago.....
does this happen when you are doing a lot of cardio then stop and stand still? don't keep your knees locked, and keep a minor bend in them. Wiggle your toes.

JeffGDDG

Always go to the doctor if you are concerned. That being said, make sure you aren't holding your breath during lifting and if you sweat a lot try and electrolyte replacement drink while working out. That can help. Good luck!

Kelly_Wilson1990

Your blood pressure or blood sugar could be dropping. You should see your doctor about it.

jillybeanruns

Hydration is key! I cannot stress this enough. Particularly in the summer months, when it's hot as hell outside and the gym air conditioning doesn't do as well. I can't really tell you what's up in your situation (doctor + pulmonary specialist are probably a good idea), but I have a fainting condition and get light-headed rather easily and I must drink at least 12 glasses of water a day in the summer. Fruits + veggies are a great way to get a bit more hydration in you (but don't count them towards your water total). I need electrolytes as well, particularly when running and I have to stay on top of my sodium...it's a tricky balance, but it can be done. Best of luck!

Seasidedebbie

You need to see the doctor and have additional tests run.

This could be so many different things and you need someone to help focus on what it is for you.

I do not know what tests you had done previously but a stress test could also show the professionals what is going on while you are exercising.

Keep safe.

MyaPapaya75

passing out as in falling down etc? or just feeling as if your gonna pass out? What does your trainer think?also if you have seen the Doctor regarding this what does he/she advise you to do?...there could be numerous reasons as to why this happens but I think its best you get your Doctors advice and follow it

VaBeachNurse

Sounds like you are having episodes of syncope and/or near syncope. You need to return to your physician before you do anymore exercise. I would suspect that you will need a cardiac stress test, an echo (ultrasound of your heart), a 24 hour heart monitor, blood tests, pulmonary function tests and you should also be tested for orthostatic hypertension.
It is NOT normal to pass out, or almost pass out during a normal workout.

Vanishing_Gordies

What's your cal count like for the day? Even though you're eating right before working out - you might not be eating enough throughout the day. Especially if you are working out (and working out hard) you want to be eating more. When I was in the military I consumed around 3,500 calories a day and I'm only 5'3"! You have to feed your body. Get to a doctor and make sure you tell him/her EVERYTHING!

heather62803

Sounds like asthma or maybe a blood sugar issue - I have had a tendency to pass out in my pregnancies and it was due to my blood sugar dropping too low - definitely get to the doctor!!!

GaveUp

That happened to me when I was with a trainer, he told me I needed to eat (light) before my workout and stay hydrated during workout. Trainers usually push you more then you would do yourself.

mlemonroe2

Oh my....get to the doctor girl!! Better safe then sorry ; )

do this!

JulieF11

You mentioned the doctor ran tests... did you have an ECG, or get the test done while under "stress", like on a treadmill? If boosting your hydration level (and lowering your caffeine and alcohol intake) doesn't prevent the light-headedness, I would tell your doctor that you need to find out what is causing this dizziness. You may have an irregular heartbeat ( an arrhythmia) that shows up when your heart is trying to pump harder to get blood to all your muscles. If it doesn't pump regularly, or has a slight jittery action, your brain won't get enough oxygen and you will feel faint. I'm not saying this is the cause, but it is possible. You need to know why this is happening. You don't want to find out when you are having a heart attack.

Thriceshy

Sounds like you are having episodes of syncope and/or near syncope. You need to return to your physician before you do anymore exercise. I would suspect that you will need a cardiac stress test, an echo (ultrasound of your heart), a 24 hour heart monitor, blood tests, pulmonary function tests and you should also be tested for orthostatic hypertension.
It is NOT normal to pass out, or almost pass out during a normal workout.

Glad I read ahead. THIS is exactly right--take it from someone who suffers an arrhythmia and has gone through all the stress tests, ekgs, ecgs, Holter monitors, etc. Get that ticker checked, and I mean thoroughly, not just a doctor with a stethoscope!

Edited to say that it could also be an issue with hypoglycemia, which is also a dangerous thing. Either way, get yourself totally checked, and don't mess around with it. Please!

In the mean time, no more working out.

Kris

MaryTuttle

Definately see a doctor. Also, consider intensity of your work out. Is it too difficult (obviously this is felt) drop the intensity a bit. Don't sell yourself short, put out what you can, but pay attention to your body - listen. Even if that means dropping the intensity for a couple rep's. You can pick it up again when you gather yourself. After time you won't even notice that you wont need to slow down and you will be doing things you never thought possible!

Zeromilediet

Ditto the possibility of exercise induced asthma. You can get an over view googling this but treatment will require seeing a doctor, preferably one experienced in sports medicine. Your personal trainer should be familiar with this condition and establish a warm up that will aid in avoiding triggering an attack until you get treatment.

This is only a possibility ... See a doctor to determine if there may be another reason.

963Nitro

When I see the tunnel closing into blackness, I "push" shoving blood back into my head. =P

morningmom

This happened to me during personal training, too. I started bringing vitamin water (with sugar, not ZERO) (per trainer's recommendation) and it didn't happen anymore. I agree, when I made sure I was more hydrated, it happened less.

miovlb6

Sounds like you are having episodes of syncope and/or near syncope. You need to return to your physician before you do anymore exercise. I would suspect that you will need a cardiac stress test, an echo (ultrasound of your heart), a 24 hour heart monitor, blood tests, pulmonary function tests and you should also be tested for orthostatic hypertension.
It is NOT normal to pass out, or almost pass out during a normal workout.

This is excellent advice! I know you said you've been to your doc for tests, but please make sure they've done all of what was suggested above. It's worth it for peace of mind alone!

I used to get super-lightheaded on occasion, especially during heavy workouts where I even completely passed out a few times at the gym. I went to my doc and was referred to cardiologist and neurologist for a battery of tests. They did full blood work, 24-hour holter monitor, echo, stress test, pulmonary function tests, brain scans, ENG/balance disorder tests, tilt table test...you name it. Turns out, I have orthostatic hypotension which, under certain conditions, causes a sudden drop in my already naturally low blood pressure--I'm normally at 95/65 and it would briefly drop to 80/50 or less and I'd just drop out. My cardiologist put me on meds to help my body retain more sodium, thereby raising my BP a little, but the meds caused their own set of issues, so they discontinued them and instead recommended I drink a sports drink rather than water when working out and stay well hydrated with water all other times; they have me wear compression socks, especially when working out; and they told me not to limit salt on foods--I don't go crazy on sodium, but I don't severely restrict it either. This has all helped me tremendously.

I was hesitant to go through all the tests at first because of the cost and the hassle, but I can honestly say I'm so glad I did. Ruling things out is just as important as finding a cause. Having all the information, knowing what is or isn't happening with your body, will ensure that you can safely put your all into your workout without worrying you're doing more harm than good.

Good luck!

hollyyoung71

Wow.. thank you for all the wonderful responses.. When I went to the doctor.. they did an EKG and Echo test... they also did something with lights to see if I had seizures... they never did a treadmill or tilt table test. I think they did blood test. Everything came back inconclusive.

I am wondering if I am not eating the right things before I work out.
Yesterday I ate 1.5 hours before I worked out and had a bowl of oatmeal with a banana and a drizzel of honey. I also had half of a protein powder shake made with milk.

I also think I was lacking on the hydration because I only had about two cups of water before. I am really paranoid about throwing it all up while training.

VaBeachNurse

Glad to hear that everything is normal so far!