Teenager with dizzy spells and fainting

[monsterkitty]

Instead of just water, can you have her drink Gatorade or Skratch? Skratch is also an electrolyte drink that has less sugar than Gatorade and the taste is more mild.

At her age I would also pass out and I would, still do actually, get "hangry" due to low blood sugar. We didn't know that was the cause because when I was tested my blood sugar was never low at that time. I just happened one day to use my friend's glucose tester at swim practice because we were all messing around. Mine read on the low end and my coach just happened to see it. He called my mom and had her take me in for testing right then.

Good luck!

 

[mnrose]

It would never, ever cross my mind that a teenager who is under 5'6" and 118lbs has an eating disorder. That is a perfectly normal weight for that height, especially as a teenager.
It sounds like a blood sugar issue, orthostatic hypotension (this happens to me with regularity), or some sort of a vasovagal response.

It's a common misperception that all people who suffer from ED are "underweight." It isn't true. A person who historically tracks at the 50th percentile for height and age could be grossly underweight at the 19th percentile for height and weight (and have a very well entrenched eating disorder), even though the latter is within the "healthy" range. The question isn't whether that weight is within a healthy range for the general population, but whether it is within a healthy range for an individual.

 

[potterfanatic]

I have gone through something similar, but didn't have the passing out, I was just incredibly dizzy. I went to an ENT who found something attached to my eardrum. When he removed it, my dizziness went away. It might be a far reach for your DD, but something to think about if the other suggestions don't help.

 

[klmall]

I was a poster child for fainting my entire teen years. Being 5'8" and weighing less than 110 it was attributed to low blood pressure, anemia and low blood sugar.

Sunday Mass back when fasting was required before communion practically guaranteed that while kneeling I would end up with my head resting on the back of my legs, quite gracefully I must say!

Even today I need to eat small frequent meals and stay hydrated.

 

[Christine]

I'm sure your doctor knows best and it sounds like all the tests have been done, but I echo others who have said to check low blood sugar and iron a little further.

If your daughter had the basic metabolic panel and CBC done, you are getting a snapshot of what she was like that day as far as blood sugar. It seems that a glucose tolerance test (which I know is for diabetes) might be in order. It almost sounds like she's having low blood sugar swings and you won't see that on a routine panel.

The other thing that hit my radar was the long, heavy periods. She's young enough and robust enough that her body keeps up with red blood cell production that she could be handling the anemia aspect. But I had low ferritin for many years and it took until my 40s to trend toward anemia. You can feel pretty unwell with low ferritin. Most general doctors don't really think about that and never test for it. A bare minimum of ferritin should be about 50. Ideal you should be at 70. I was at 5. Ferritin is an indication of your iron stores and if it's low, it means your body is using everything it's got to keep your blood counts up.

The blood pressure swings (orthostatic hypotension) is another thing that could be causing it.

She could have a few minor things going on at one time and fainting is the result of them.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It sounds like posters have hit on the main possibilities. One not mentioned, though chances are probably pretty remote, is an actual dysrythmia. You wouldn't necessarily catch it on an ECG. If these episodes continue despite all you're doing, they could consider monitoring her heart rhythm remotely for a few days. Btw, if you've witnessed the spells, what do they look like? Your doctor will be able to tell a lot from the description. With severe cases there can be things like injuries and incontinence, etc.

 

[Aliceacc]

A few years ago, I taught two sophomore girls who fainted on a pretty frequent basis. They were in the same class, 2 seats apart, and the poor girl who sat between them was my runner for the nurse.

I'm a math teacher, not a medical professional. Here's what my mom instinct says, in addition to what your doctor is saying:

Make sure she's eating and drinking, getting enough water. A food log is probably a good idea.

What class does she have at the end of the school day? is it well ventilated? Would a seat change closer to an open window help? What period does she have lunch? Is there any sort of a tie-in there? Could she have something-- even a tootsie roll or two-- between classes towards the end of the day to keep her blood sugar up?

In NY at least, it's been brutally hot this fall, right up until yesterday. Today is 15 degrees cooler-- the fall temperatures may help make a difference.

She's 17-- is she overly concerned about college or relationships? Could anxiety be an issue here?

 

[4cats2kids]

Same thing used to happen to me. I was diagnosed with a Mitral Valvle Prolapse. Mine is super minor and not concerning. Ive grown out of the fainting but still get dizzy spells once in awhile.

 

[Gigi22]

I used to faint as a younger teen. Never figured out why. I grew out of it in my late teens. The difficult thing was, I never had any warning before it happened. If the OP's DD has any warning, all I can do is pass on the medical advice I got at the time, "sit and put your head between your knees".

 

[Twende]

This happened to me as a teenager. It did not seem to matter what I ate or drank or if I was standing or sitting. I remember going to our family doctor several times and nothing was diagnosed. I remember being tested to see if I was pregnant and being offended when no one would trust my word that I was not sexually active. Tests were negative. A few years later I needed surgery and had an extensive physical and it was discovered I had a heart problem called a bundle branch blockage. It seems that was causing my fainting spells. As I reached my 20's the fainting seemed to go away and I have not been bothered by the condition for decades. Just this year the fainting spells are starting again. I am now in my 60's. What a pain! And no I am not pregnant! LOL!

 

[Melissa_E]

One suggestion, if your doctor hasn't done this. Have her BP checked sitting, standing and on both arms. In some people there's a wide range, especially with sitting vs standing.

My niece had something, it has a name but I can't come up with it. It was heart related. She would black out. You mentioned the doctor said more salt.

POTS. My daughter has a very minor case of it.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My mom used to faint all the time when she was a teen.
She had no real medical problem and "grew out of it".
I too would often feel dizzy and at times faint as a teen. I mostly grew out of it but occasionally I will randomly have an episode.
I wonder if its just a "phase" that teen girls go through with hormones and what not.
I wouldn't be too concerned if test results are showing that everything is normal.
Since it seems to happen near the end of the school day it may be because she simply has not had enough sugar to get her through.
I wonder if her chewing gum or a mint or hard candy would help.