Has anyone else ever had an episode where they blacked out? Recently, I blacked out while driving and got into an accident. Luckily I only hit two parked cars so no one but me was injured. The cars, however, didn’t fare so well. Has this, or something similar, ever happened to you? If so, did the doctors find out why it happened? They’re starting to run tests on me now to see why I blacked out, but it could take a while for them to pinpoint the issue.
Hi Rebecca, I never had that happen, but I did have a incident where we were out and we were ready to leave and I was talking to my friend and my boyfriend asked If I was ready to leave and I turned to my friend and said "who is that talking to me?" For a few moments I didn't recognize my boyfriend of 6 years at all!!!??? The next night an another weird incident happened though not like forgetting who my boyfriend is, I was awake and alert because I had just taken care of the cat downstairs that was meowing and we just got done watching the news. Anyway, the next day a friend I worked with commented on a Halloween pic of my dog that was posted on Facebook; I assumed she was talking about a old one, but no apparently I had posted a pic of my dog in her Halloween costume from two years ago, no caption, just the pic, for no reason, at a time that I was up, but have no recollection of ever posting that picture or why I would have posted that picture????? I don't know that you would call these black outs, but they did scare me, because I thought what is wrong with me now??? I called the Dr, of couse never got any reply, because I swear he thinks I am making things up. If you get an answer, maybe someone can tell me what my incidents were....these wouldn't qualify as brain fogs. I hope you get your answer, and hope you were not badly injured.
I forget stuff all the time. I was just talking to my friend last night and she said something she had told me and I said she didn't. Same for my daughter and hubby. They will tell me something or even ask me a question and I will answer and then totally forget what was just said. My neuro can't find anything wrong with me. It's hard because I know some of it can be side affects from meds. One specifically is Klonopin for my anxiety. I had to stop it because I was really having memory issues. It's been better but now I have to write things down and place things on my calendar that I will need to remember. I have a tablet on the fridge for my daughter to use to let me know things about where she is going and her work/college schedule because I just can't fit everything in my brain.
Oh I'm sorry about your accident. Yes I have blacked out since I was 16, I think that's when the lupus started getting bad. Heart tests etc. showed nothing, but I learned through experience that it happened when my blood pressure got low. I have to keep a salt shaker by my bed to eat some to raise my blood pressure and a tiny camping salt shaker in my purse, only about an inch high, to use when I start to get dizzy or foggy when I'm away from home.
Hello Rebecca
Their are many things that can cause this. I was blacking out and discovered my K+ levels were to low. While your waiting for results is their someone else that can drive you? I do not drive any more their were two many episodes of driving while in a daze and not knowing where I was. I hope your injure was not to bad and that you are doing well now.
I did once last summer.. But I chalked it up to the heat and wine. I was outside with family last summer on a very hot day. I was also drinking wine, so I figured the combination was the culprit. I've never had it happen again but I make sure I don't get over heated either..
Wow Rebecca, that must have been scary, and not knowing what is causing it.
Have they done any brain scans, I heare they Able to view blood flow in the brain. Since lupus can cause inflammation, and restrict blood flow, I would think that would be where they would start looking.there is so much they don’t know about this disease.
Good luck!
My experience was the same as Shelia W.. I kept passing out in public places. They gave me what was called a Tilt Table Test(if you goggle this it will tell you what that is) I couldn't go through the test but 45 mins before I passed out. They said it was because my blood pressure was too low and blood was not going to my brain at the time I passed out. I wear a tiny micro-recorder around my heart to monitor these episodes. Of course it could be something else. Lupus has many symptoms. I'm sorry about your accident and I hope you find out what the problem is.
I could’ve been injured much worse. I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. My back and neck and anywhere the seatbelt was hurt pretty bad. I’m going in for an MRI of my head today. They’re looking into what caused it. My mom passed out a year ago due to low blood pressure, so it could be that. She has lupus as well. In the mean time I have my boyfriend and family members driving me. My car was considered a total loss so I don’t have a car anyway. I’m sorry you all have had such scary experiences too. 
It’s definitely not fun to black out or forget things.
Wow Rebecca, I now know of at least 8 people whose Mom also h as lupus. Mine does too. It is believed it goes back 11 generations in my family.
Hello, yes this happened 2me often the first year of Lupus (which Feb.7 makes 4years). They never told me what caused that to happen. Or give me any meds. But so far til now, since I had one and woke up in the hospital scared and could not fouces on what had or why I was there. That was the worst moment of having Lupus , that I could remember. What happened I don,'t know. Still 2 this day i dont know .There was so many Tests and all of them , blood was taken for 3days. Every week. My prayer’s go out 2u. Take care …Beverly L.
Sheila W. It goes back at least 3 generations in my family. Almost all of the women in my family, on my mom’s side, have autoimmune diseases and one of my uncles has autoimmune issues as well. There may be more with it who just haven’t been diagnosed. I got diagnosed very young. The others didn’t have issues until they got older. On one hand, it’s nice to know I’m not alone, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Just knowing I habe support is nice. 
Yes…I got into a bad accident last yr…I crashed my brand new Kia soul into a Ford Explorer at 35 without even hitting the brakes…can I explain it? No…I can’t say the sun was in my eyes or any other excuses.I don’t know what happened or why.I have also got up to use the rest room several months ago and ended up falling into our walk in shower and smashing my head into the tile and hurting my foot so bad I had to use a cane…do I know what happened? Once again,I’m perplexed…I have had several little things here and there happen…my short term memory is shot…and I’m still hiding how sick I really am…I know it’s not right,I feel like my family just wants to stay in denial.However I do have a group of good girl friends I can count on to be there for me…I’m sorry you’re having troubles,I have spent years running from my lupus and all the other overlapping health problems that come with sle…I come on life with lupus often,I don’t post much,simply because I have so much trouble with my hands…I love to read the posts,it helps me feel better about the many health issues I have endured…have you been checked for pots syndrome? I have it…However I don’t believe it was the pots that caused my car crash ect…
Celeste, I’m sorry you got into an accident. It’s very scary to have things happen and not know why. I didn’t hit my brakes either. They’re running tests now and I have a new doctor checking for rare diseases that my other doctors haven’t looked for before. I hope you get feeling better.
I have passed out twice, not recently, from low blood pressure. Now it’s on the high side, but I sometimes get dizzy, so dizzy I think I’m about to crash to the floor. I seem to have a really low pulse when it happens, but not low blood. pressure.
BP can play havoc with your feeling of well-being. This can occasionally indicate kidney involvement. You need to let your rheumy know ASAP.
Oh wow…just this week I have a friend who did exactly that! Hit two cars also…but they believe it is his heart, been giving him trouble. Must have been very scary for you. Lupus is a multi faceted disease…have you been dx with other illnesses on top of it?
T
I passed out at work last week myself. First time I have ever passed out, was kinda scary, so glad someone caught me. They did a Ct scan and said everything was ok. My primary doctor attributed it to a UTI, which I really don't think I had. I see my Rhuemy this Tuesday and Im going to discuss it with her
Purplebutterfly,
I'm glad that you mentioned driving while in a daze and not knowing where you are. One day while coming home from work and being exhausted, I drove in a daze and ended up in front of a house that I lived in 20 years ago, in a different town than my own, and thought I was home! That was very, very scary.
I think you are on the right track about the low blood pressure suggestion to Micky. I know there's a name for the medical issue. Allodyna? Nope. (But found a great article about migraines allodyna and fibro: http://www.achenet.org/resources/allodynia_when_touch_hurts_but_shouldnt/ ) Let me go and check: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/hypotension.html This link gives info on hypotension, so perhaps it will be helpful.
purplebutterfly said:
Hello Rebecca
Their are many things that can cause this. I was blacking out and discovered my K+ levels were to low. While your waiting for results is their someone else that can drive you? I do not drive any more their were two many episodes of driving while in a daze and not knowing where I was. I hope your injure was not to bad and that you are doing well now.
Flygirl, I also have vasculitis and fibromyalgia. One of my doctors is also looking into porphyria and a few other diseases.
Petunia, thanks for the links. I’ll definitely check them out.
I’m so glad I joined a site with such helpful people. It’s nice to be able to talk to people who understand and want to help.