Question
My Partner who is 65years old has over the past 4/5 years been having a fainting/dizzy spells every 4/5 months. This has always happened when he has dozed off on the couch or in bed and on two occasion just after sex. He then seems to have nausea and then sleeps for a day or two before feeling ok again. He has seen a neurologist for scans which come back clear, The neurologist thinks it could be a form of epilepsy and gave him medication which he say had an adverse effect on him. He is a restless sleeper and sometimes not always kicks and rubs his feet in his sleep. The fainting spells have also happened on a number of occasions when we have had a relationship problem so I was wondering if this could also be psychological. It happened last night just after sex I think he may have fainted for a brief second then this morning he did not get up at his usual time and then got nauseous. Ps: he also has an enlarged prostate which he takes medication for.
I would appreciate any further advise
Thank you
Leon
Answer
Im no md but it sounds like a symptom of narcolepsy called cataplexy when you mention the so called fainting, but the one definite question to rule out cataplexy is that when he gets this fainting spell can he hear everything, but feels weak or cant move, if that is so he needs to go to a sleep center. and rule out narcolepsy, if he is unconscious then its epilepsy. Your local hospital can refer him to a sleep center, go to sleepnet.com click on disorders narcolepsy. feel free to email again
