PSA for men re micturition syncope: dangerous to pee standing up after waking from deep sleep

[carolinayellowdog]

Last edited Fri Aug 2, 2013, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Will be getting the stitches removed from my busted lip shortly, after a scary episode last Sunday that took me to the ER with copious bleeding. Had never heard of micturition syncope but it is apparently fairly common. The combination of going from horizontal to vertical quickly and then urinating seems to predispose people, especially older men, to fainting. All I got was a busted lip, bruised chin and ribs, but depending on where and how you hit the floor (wall, commode, whatever) the damage could be far greater.

After getting the diagnosis (a relief considering the possible reasons for passing out) I told a friend about it, and heard a weird story about another thing that causes fainting. He knew someone who worked for the Red Cross, and heard from her that blood donors frequently go to the bathroom before leaving the building and end up crashing to the floor as the combination of loss of blood and urination has the same effect as waking from deep sleep and going to the bathroom.

Hope this warning saves someone from the same experience.

[In_The_Wind]

1. Wow! I hope your husband's lip will be okay.

[mnhtnbb]

2. Not to make light of this...

but we women who also get up in the middle of the night will appreciate that seat being left down!

I will pass this PSA on to the men in my life! Glad you are ok!

[carolinayellowdog]

7. OK to make light of it; my doctor did too

said his wife asked him to pee sitting down because half-asleep guys don't aim so well. This btw is something women aren't completely immune to, getting up too quickly can have the same effect but it happens mostly to men.

[DFW]

3. Bad news for me

When I wake up, it's almost always from sleep.

[carolinayellowdog]

8. fixed the header for you; the whole phrase I wanted wouldn't fit

I had cut the word "deep" to make it fit, but "it's" was more expendable without sacrificing the meaning.

Waking in the morning normally doesn't have the same effect apparently. It is waking in the middle of the night from deep sleep just to pee that causes the problem-- your blood pressure is already low at that point; standing up and peeing make it lower and lower.

[DFW]

9. Sorry, I just couldn't resist

Seriously, my blood pressure is naturally low already (typically 115/70), so I should probably pay attention to this.

[Chan790]

4. Pee sitting down.

It's cleaner because your aim is better and the worst that happens if you pass out is you fall off the bowl. Also, it's leisurely: you can bring a newspaper or text your mom without having to worry that you're watering the floor distracted.

[Denninmi]

5. Ouch.

Happened to a friend of mine about 20 years ago, and he was only around 30 then. Luckily, just a fat lip and big bruise on his face/forehead. Still went to the ER to get it checked out.

[rug]

6. Thanks, I'll just stay in bed.

[newcriminal]

12. This is why I wear slippers to the bathroom.

[Xyzse]

10. Wow, I've never heard about this.

[trof]

11. I'm 72 and get up to pee 2-3 times a night. Enlarged prostate.

OK, TMI , but thanks for this.

[LiberalElite]

13. Maybe this is what happened to the last pope

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/9870923/Pope-Benedict-awoke-with-blood-in-his-hair-after-fall-in-Mexico.html

Benedict XVI woke with his hair matted with blood after having a night-time fall during an official visit to Mexico last year, in an accident that contributed to his decision to step down as Pope.

[carolinayellowdog]

14. I believe so; I wasn't alone but my story parallels this

Was sleeping with my partner, who was awakened by the sound of me falling to the floor, came in asking what was wrong. By that point I had stood up again, and then immediately reeled semi-conscious toward the bed, him catching me as I fell again-- and said "You're bleeding! You're hurt!" Otherwise I could have easily fallen back to sleep and awakened hours later covered in blood. Yikes, I bet you are right about the Benedict incident.

[LiberalElite]

19. Most of the media

pussyfooted around this story and I didn't get it till I read your post.

[Sheldon Cooper]

15. I wonder what is involved in the specific act of urination that causes this.

Interesting. It would probably be a good idea to sit down and pee at night.

ETA - never mind, I read the link and it explains the urination thing. Scary.

[HereSince1628]

16. I know that feeling...my pulse falls into the 40 bpms when I lay down...

After crashing into dressers, hallway walls etc, I have learned to be a bit careful to get to my feet in the middle of the night.

Sometimes the dizziness happens if I've reclined watching tv for a couple hours...

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. My ex-wife solved that problem for me decades ago!

.
.
.

This was back in the 70's

I got heck for leaving the seat up 3-4 times?

Been sitting ever since.

Don't have to worry about my wobbly aim after a bunch of beer, no mess,

and if body decides it may wanna do something else, . . .

I'm ready!



CC

[Munificence]

18. This happened to me

I got up in the middle of the night, walked to the bathroom, started to pee and in a matter of 2-3 seconds I "passed out". All I remember was thinking "I'm going to faint, I've never fainted in my life"...well I fell backwards, I remember my head hitting the wall and my ass hitting the floor and it was "lights out"..guess I was out for a few seconds max...well it may have lasted longer but my wife jumped out of bed and came in and woke me/startled me.

I knew I had passed out. Got up, said "Damn I passed the FUCK OUT!

Was a feeling of peace though, no pain felt even though I dropped like a sack of potatoes. Hope when my time is up I get to to meet the darkness with the same type of peacefulness.

I am 43 now, guess it happened when I was around 37.

Edit: My wife works in the medical field and told me that it was not that common but does happen to men when they wake up and go to the bathroom.