# Passed out on the treadmill
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [February 11, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279 "2003-02-11T03:53:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/1 "2003-02-11T03:53:31Z")
I took my daughter sleigh riging yesterday, and she wanted to see me stand on the sleigh and go down the hill, so I did.
When I jumped off, my kneecap hit a rock and exploded in horrible pain. It was very intense like a funny bone without the humor, and it hurt so bad that felt nauseas and actually peed myself a dribble.
I held my leg and repeated silently “I might be fucked. I might be fucked.” several times, and waited to see if the pain would go away, or, if indeed, I was fucked.
The pain went away, and I actually resumed sleigh riding.
This morning it was just slightly sore.
As happens so often when I get sick I can usually trace it to an incident, and this incident was no different. It’s not that I felt sick this morning, I just didn’t feel exceptionally well. I felt slightly sore all over and a little logy.
Nevertheless I came home and jumped on the treadmill. The soreness in my knee slowly went away, but I didn’t feel good. Not bad either, just not good.
My wife went to play tennis and my daughter sat on the floor playing with a stuffed animal while I finished up.
Then I greyed out. I suddenly felt light-headed, my teeth went tingly and my vision clouded into twin tunnels.
There’s a little tab that sticks in the treadmill on a string. You clip the other end of the string to your shorts. That way, if you fall off the treadmill it pulls the tab out and stops the machine. It’s an excellent and foolproof safety device.
I wasn’t using it when I fell. It through me off the back where I fell into the wall and abraded my shoulder in the split second that I wasn’t conscious.
My three year old was very upset, and I think I would have been unconscious for longer if it wasn’t for the belt eating into my shoulder.
I couldn’t see but my instinct was turn off the treadmill and eliminate any danger to my kid. I did that, and lay down and rested until I came back into myself.
I went upstairs and had myself a glass of apple juice.
I’m pretty sure I just had a blood sugar incident. I may be coming down with something and I didn’t eat particularly well today.
I wasn’t running very hard and I didn’t lift weights before I ran, so my metabolism didn’t have a chance to shift into higher gear. The feeling was similar to a feeling I had as a kid when I passed out during football practice and it was identical to the way you feel if you’ve been crouching for a while and then stand up suddenly.
It scares me very much, and I’ll take a day or two off, and make sure I’m well warmed up before I run again. If it shows any sign of repeating I’m going to a cardiologist.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/2 "2003-02-11T04:13:27Z")
Goddamn shit festering asshat treadmills!
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/3 "2003-02-11T04:17:37Z")
Good luck to you, **Scylla**
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### Author:  [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/4 "2003-02-11T04:19:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Scylla \*
> **Then I greyed out. I suddenly felt light-headed, my teeth went tingly and my vision clouded into twin tunnels.**
I had very similar symptoms on the tram to work the other morning. Turned out to be low blood pressure - the doctor recommended drinking coffee or coke give my BP a quick lift, strange sort of prescription for a pregnant lady.
However as I’m pretty sure your not pregnant (being male and all) best of luck healing and get thee to a doctor asap.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/5 "2003-02-11T04:21:55Z")
> [@](#):
>
> There’s a little tab that sticks in the treadmill on a string. You clip the other end of the string to your shorts. That way, if you fall off the treadmill it pulls the tab out and stops the machine. It’s an excellent and foolproof safety device.
>
> I wasn’t using it when I fell.
I’m sometimes amazed you’ve survived as long as you have, **Scylla**. Do us all a favor and get checked out with a doc, okay? Don’t make me bring up your duaghter…
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### Author:  [@bruntilda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bruntilda)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/6 "2003-02-11T05:58:21Z")
It was most likely either psychological or something like low blood sugar. You shouldn’t be at all worried unless it happens again.
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/7 "2003-02-11T06:10:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Then I greyed out. I suddenly felt light-headed, my teeth went tingly and my vision clouded into twin tunnels. \ I’m pretty sure I just had a blood sugar incident.
My teeth don’t tingle, but I certainly get the vision thing when I have low blood sugar. I will also drench myself in sweat as I’m coming out of it. IANAmedical person, but IAMAdiabetic. It’s terrifying. Now I don’t inject my insulin until my food is right there on the table in front of me.
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### Author:  [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/8 "2003-02-11T06:33:07Z")
I have had a couple incidents close to that when I had low blood sugar. Usually happened when I was recently sick or otherwise disinclined to eat as usual, so the doctor said that’s what it was. Lightheaded, can’t keep on your feet, and passing out are apparently the common consequences. Used to happen to me if I worked out early in the morning, so you may be right about that metabolism thing affecting it.
Of course, a quick trip to the doctor just to make sure, that never hurt anybody. The cost of a co-pay on a doctor visit is dwarfed in comparison to the costs of letting something worse go by. And you probably wouldn’t want it happening when you were supposed to be supervising your kid, maybe the MD has got some ideas.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/9 "2003-02-11T12:36:30Z")
done that when i’ve gone to the gym without a snack beforehand.
good luck with the knee by the way.
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### Author:  [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/10 "2003-02-11T13:36:03Z")
Are you sure you didn’t get hit by that [blimp?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=160851&highlight=blimp)😛
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/11 "2003-02-11T13:55:15Z")
Glad you were conscious enough to unplug the treadmill. Ouch!
Lisa, making a mental note to use the safety tether next time
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### Author:  [@coosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coosa)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/12 "2003-02-11T15:30:15Z")
I have problems with low blood pressure (stress-induced neurally-mediated hypotensive episodes), and although I’ll get dizzy and go partially blind, I’ve never, ever passed out, even when my BP was 90/89. The only time I’ve passed out I ended up in emergency surgery 3 days later - I don’t know why I passed out, but it didn’t have anything to do with my BP. I agree with the others that it sounds a lot more like hypoglycemia, but you really should get checked out by a doctor to make sure that is the problem.
I wish you luck with the knee - I had a bad fall about a month ago from which my knee has refused to recover, and found out yesterday that I have some torn cartilage. Next stop is an orthopedic expert, damn it. ☹
Oh, and just for the info, I’ve had hypotensive episodes for 32 years, and finally found out last year that antidepressants stop them cold, in case anyone else here happens to be plagued with that particular problem. (_Nothing_ else worked.)
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### Author:  [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/13 "2003-02-11T16:54:08Z")
Ouch!
The things we do for sport.
I hope it’s nothing serious. Hope it’s just because you’re a little bit under the weather. [she says as she sits at home sick for the day]
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/14 "2003-02-11T18:23:53Z")
Obviously you should sue somebody.
Which company has more money? The sled maker or the treadmill maker.
Maybe you should sue your three year old daughter. She should have been spotting you and this would teach her a valuable lesson on responsibilites.
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/15 "2003-02-11T20:59:45Z")
When I pass out, my lips turn white.
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### Author:  [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/16 "2003-02-11T21:43:57Z")
Good luck getting better.
I like your humorous storytelling posts, but I worry about the number of them involving potential serious injuries.
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### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/17 "2003-02-11T22:19:39Z")
by this time **Scylla** , having heard of all your near misses, etc, I gotta ask (ahem) **why in the hell didn’t you use the goddam safety device???**
Advice for the future. With your track (heh heh heh ) record, if the manufacturer has installed a safety device, use the fucking thing, ok??
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### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/18 "2003-02-12T00:27:49Z")
Well, I definitely have a cold.
As for my near misses, they happen to everybody. I just write about 'em. There really have’t been that many.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/19 "2003-02-12T01:28:48Z")
By your description, **Scylla** , it sounds vaso-vagal. Blood sugar drop would not be high on my differential unless you’re on a hypoglycemic agent.
Just FYI
QtM
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### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passed-out-on-the-treadmill/154279/20 "2003-02-12T01:31:42Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \*
> \*\*By your description, **Scylla** , it sounds vaso-vagal.
\*\*
Oh. That’s a relief. Or terrifying.
Guess that depends of what “vaso-vagal” means.
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*Blood sugar drop would not be high on my differential unless you’re on a hypoglycemic agent.
>
> Just FYI
>
> QtM \*\*
ok. Thanks.
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