Well—that escalated quickly!
I thought I was just fighting a scratchy throat, but this evening took a serious turn. After a series of coughing fits, I actually fainted on the sofa during a particularly strong cough!
For some context, my type 2 diabetes was originally “announced” two years ago by serious hypertension. At its worst, my BP hovered around 206/112, which is considered “crisis” level! It took some months and three different medications to bring my blood pressure down to normal. But as a side effect, my meds cause low blood pressure – just standing up too quickly can leave me lightheaded.
But I didn’t feel like I really came close to fainting until last year.
I’d developed what I thought was a really bad flu, but it was accompanied by some other symptoms that didn’t fit. The most serious symptom was the fainting spells. I had a couple of coughing fits that were so bad I couldn’t breathe and passed out. The technical term for this kind of episode is a “cough-syncope”.
The first time it happened was the worst, though. I had been lying in bed with my partner, reading and dozing off, when I started coughing. It was so bad I panicked and sat up on the edge of the bed – which was, in hindsight, the most stupid move. The coughing persisted, but next thing I knew I was on the floor, looking up at my partner who was on the phone to the emergency services! 🫣😱😬
I had hit my head on the chest of drawers next to the bed on the way down, but fortunately hadn’t done any real damage. But I was lucky.
I stupidly insisted they didn’t send an ambulance out, which would have at least gotten me to a diagnosis sooner. I only discovered later it was, in fact, shingles! Which is easily treatable with anti-viral medication!
After that first fainting spell, I got very good at sitting/lying down somewhere safe at the slightest suggestion of a cough. I assumed the symptoms would quickly pass, but they persisted, and the other symptoms got worse until, eventually, I made my way to the hospital, where a doctor diagnosed me in minutes and had me on the right antivirals straight away!
So why is this cough-syncope back now?
It’s pretty clear that a month of radical lifestyle changes are to blame. Losing 18lbs very rapidly, getting into quite extreme fasts without building up gently, pushing myself in the pool, and switching from running on my treadmill to outdoors – it’s no surprise my body has hit a hard limit and is telling me so in no uncertain terms!
So between my meds, the electrolyte depletion from the fasting and exercise, and this new bug, the ‘machine’ didn’t just need fuel; it needed an emergency shutdown.
This is a stark reminder that while the weight loss is great, the transition can be a massive shock to the system – especially if the means of getting there involve a lot of changes.
Recovery isn’t just a goal now – it’s a requirement.
I had known that I was feeling worn down before this happened, so I had fortunately pivoted dinner to a heavy-duty “comfort chili – beef, kidney beans, and a base of blended sweet potato and squash served over riced broccoli, alongside homemade guacamole. It’s high-protein, high-potassium/magnesium, and exactly the kind of “internal maintenance” I need. I’ll be looking very closely at the nutritional profile of my meals over the next few days to help restore the balance.
As I’m “home alone” right now, without a partner to call for help in the case of an emergency, I’m monitoring my vitals closely with my home blood pressure cuff – I have a spreadsheet that tracks my BP over time, and I’m very familiar with healthy vs unhealthy readings. I’ll be keeping an eye on any lightheadedness or coughing and taking a “duck and cover” approach – or rather sit down / lie down!
I of course, also have my partner set to check-in on me remotely over the next few days.
If a further syncope happens again despite my precautions, I won’t be as stubborn as I was last year – I’ll be calling for a professional check-up. It’s vitally important to take these things seriously and not try to just “plough through”.
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