Dizzy.

So, I've had a very short list of episodes where I have lost conciousness, or gotten close to it.
Once during kickboxing day in aerobics.
Once right before first period started, in the middle of the hallway.
Once when I cut my index finger to the bone with a serrated knife (I'm sure Mom remembers that, she caught me before I hit the floor. Go supermom!)
There have been other times, but there has never been a time when I was completely alone, until today.

These episodes are caused by, presumably, low blood sugar combined with other factors like intense stress, sudden overall temperature change, or intense physical activity.

It starts the same way every time. I feel weak and slightly nauseous. It seems that all my energy starts draining rapidly. I feel cold and start to feel numb, and I get shaky. If it gets worse, I get an overwhelming white noise and/or buzzing or ringing in my ears that blocks everything out. My vision starts to freak out, as if someone's turning up the brightness on my world. It whites out, and I lose motor control as I black out. Full-on unconsciousness has only occured during the random before-school incident and the knife incident.

Full-on unconsciousness, thankfully, didn't happen today. But here's what happened.

I have been sitting at my desk since about 2, when I got out of math. I've had a few crackers and some cheese to eat all day. Naturally, I'm a little hungry. I finally decide, at about half past eight, to get my lazy butt up and take a shower.

It may help for me to also mention that my dorm room is a little chilly.

So I'm in the shower, washing my hair, and I start feeling a bit dizzy. I think, "nothing to worry about," and continue with my shower. I realize suddenly that the water's pretty hot, quite a bit hotter than I take showers at normally. I get weak in the knees and my hearing turns fuzzy. I start to worry. I proceed calmly with the rest of my shower, taking calm, even breaths, but as soon as I put all my clothes back on, I feel so much worse. I look in the mirror. I'm white as a ghost. I immediately went back to my room and sat down again.

Since then, I'm feeling much better. But it makes me think of how rather embarassing it would have been to have passed out in the shower and have people have to help me back...

Not something I'd really be thrilled about, nor anyone else.

I'll try to avoid situations like this next time. Maybe I should eat a snack before taking a shower from now on.

~Marina