Hi Ali,
Sorry you had that scarry experience. I've had RSD 13 years,now full body. I passed out or fainted for the first time about4-5 years ago. My Neurologist explainted to me that RSD is an autonomical disorder, which means it affects the organs in the body that are involuntary, like the heart, blood pressure, circulation, lungs, kidneys etc. The sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system control blood pressure . They both play a part keeping our blood pressure balanced. When we have RSD those systems don't work properly and they are up and down trying to keep our /.bodies balanced. Before RSD I had always normal balanced blood pressure. After RSD, I tended to have high blood pressure, thus needing high blood pressure meds. Taking two different high blood pressure meds , double dosed to keep my blood pressure normal. Then once in a while the parasympathetic nervous system the drops the blood pressure gets out of sync and it goes too far down. One morning, 4-5 years ago, I woke up and got up to use the restroom and started stumbling toward the bathroom, ran into the door, and bookcase, got to the bathroom and passed out. I thought I was out maybe 5 minutes, but when I woke up, I couldn't stand up, so crawled toward the door and banged on it. My husband, heard me and opened the door, I asked him to call 911. He was in shock, as I had been 'out' for an hour to an hour and half. Ambulance came, I kept going in and out. They couldn't get a pulse, tried the other arm and it was 60/40. The very low blood pressure caused me to pass out.So I spend 4 days in ICU . The Doctor says it is likely to happen again. I have a friend that it has happened 4 times. I bought a blood pressure kit and take it often. I can tell when it gets low. But it hasn't gotten that low again. But I notice, I get weak after a shower or bath and always lay down. I'm going to buy a plastic seat for the shower. My Dr. says to be careful about lowering my head, like washing hair to bending down looking for something while shopping. That can drop pressure in a hurry. But laying down after a shower or bath, really helps stabilize my pressure and get feeling stronger.
Stay hydrated, maybe drink glass of water before bath or shower. We get dehydrated from our meds, oh I forgot you don't take meds now. Well,, anyway, be sure and drink plenty of water. My daughter almost pasted out in the heat. she sat down, she could see her friend talking-her mouth moving, but couldn't hear any sound coming from her mouth. I think she was very very close to passing out. She had gotten dehydrated from the heat.
You stay well, how's school going? Say Hi to your Mom, your friend, loretta