
Chris Simpson, a syncope expert and acting dean of health sciences at Queen's University. Though it may be scary to pass out while on the toilet, overstraining and pain, rather than underlying heart disease, are by far the most common reasons for fainting on the toilet according to Dr. This vasovagal reflex can cause people who are dehydrated or have low blood pressure to pass out in many different circumstances, not just on the toilet. Special pressure receptors in the blood vessels in the neck register the increased pressure from straining and trigger a slowing of the heart rate to decrease in blood pressure, leading people to faint. But straining lowers the volume of blood returning to the heart, which decreases the amount of blood leaving it. If a person is constipated, they may have the urge to take a deep breath, then push and strain. Robert Sheldon, a cardiologist at the University of Calgary and syncope researcher, says 2 to 3 per cent of the syncope cases he sees in his practice are related to defecation.įainting on the toilet may happen for a number of reasons. Some patients will not admit to it, and some doctors do not ask.ĭr. In Canada, syncope accounts for approximately one per cent of all emergency room visits, but it is not well established how many of these episodes can be attributed to defecation. "Defecation syncope" is the official term for fainting while trying for No. They left her with the following words of wisdom: "Don't push so hard next time." In the hospital, doctors performed a physical exam, a blood test and an electrocardiogram, all of which were normal.ĭoctors told Sanchez pain had triggered her "vasovagal response" and mentioned they often see people who faint after they had been constipated and straining. Thankfully, before she had time to collapse on the hard bathroom floor, the paramedics arrived.īy the time Sanchez got to the emergency room, she was surprised to find that she felt perfectly fine. But nothing was produced - she just felt faint.
FAINTING AFTER POOPING PROFESSIONAL
Sanchez, a physically active and healthy professional in her mid-30s, had woken that night just over a year ago with terrible stomach pain and an urgent need to poop. This is because as your womb grows, it can put pressure on a major blood vessel leading to the heart.TORONTO - Sitting on the toilet in her Washington, D.C., apartment dripping with sweat and feeling like she was about to pass out, Ami Sanchez thought, "No! I can't die on the can!" as she dialled 911.


You may also get dizzy if you lie on your back during the second and third trimesters.

Go to your GP immediately if you have fainted and hurt yourself, especially if you hit your head.
