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I FAINTED during the BLOOD DRAW today! Ever happened to you?
#1
Today, my company conducted an initiative for employee health welfare, wherein a thorough physical and biochemical examination of each employee would be done.

There were a series of non-invasive tests conducted (parameters noted) for each employee (height, weight, body fat, visceral fat, BMI etc). I was more or less within 'normal' range, except for the blood pressure which was 103/72. And, when it came to blood tests, I fainted (literally blacked out) as soon as they pricked me for drawing blood. I didn't remember anything thereafter, until I woke up to the scene of whole staff surrounding me (I was made to lie down on the floor with my feet elevated). After waking up, I was back to normal (feeling little drained off energy though).

Upon some research I found out that it is Neurally Mediated Syncope (also referred to as  vasovagal syncope or a vasovagal response) wherein one's blood pressure drops abruptly, and brain doesn't receive required amount of oxygen to stay active. Triggers are often anxiety/ emotional distress,or even a sight of blood during the blood draw (for me I wasn't looking at the blood being drawn; anxiety/ stress is something one can't be conclusive about).

I hope there is nothing serious associated with it. Anyone experienced similar episode?
Sunil Nagpal
MS(Research) Scholar, IIT Delhi (Alumnus)
Advisor for the Biotech Students portal (BiotechStudents.com)
Computational Researcher in BioSciences at a leading MNC


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#2
Hope you feel better .

I am underweight so I am always rejected for blood donation stuff, but I have never fainted otherwise for regular tests etc..

I have once fainted (briefly) on an international flight. Same .. BP went down. That was due to lack of sleep for many days in a row, and triggered natural body phenomena to force me to sleep/faint. Pilots were thinking to do emergency landing, but thankfully there was a doctor-passenger on the flight who said nothing was serious and flight can go on. It was quite embarrassing for me as the doctor made me lie down near the emergency exit seats on the floor for 20-30 minutes.
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I FAINTED during the BLOOD DRAW today! Ever happened to you?00