What to do if…
you feel lightheaded and close to fainting but the symptoms keep returning

What to do now

1. Get safer immediately.
   Lie flat and raise your legs on a pillow, sofa cushion, or chair. If you cannot lie down, sit and bend forward with your head down and both feet flat on the floor. Loosen tight clothing around your neck or waist and keep your phone within reach.

2. If you feel sick, reduce choking risk.
   If you might vomit, roll onto your side while lying down. Do not eat or drink while you are faint, confused, very drowsy, vomiting, or not safely swallowing.

3. Call 911 now if an emergency warning sign applies.
   Call 911 if you faint and do not wake within about a minute, are not breathing normally, have chest pain or pressure, severe trouble breathing, new confusion, trouble speaking, one-sided weakness or numbness, a seizure, significant bleeding, a head injury from a fall, a very fast or irregular heartbeat with feeling very unwell, or fainting during exertion. Also call 911 if you faint and are pregnant, have diabetes, or are over age 50.

4. If someone is with you and you pass out, have them check breathing.
   If you are not breathing normally, they should call 911 and start CPR if trained, then continue until help arrives or you start breathing normally.

5. Bring in another person if you can.
   Ask someone to sit with you or stay on the phone. If you live alone, keep your phone on you and make it easier to contact help without standing up repeatedly.

6. Lower the chance of another fall in the next hour.
   Stay off your feet until you are clearly steady. When you stand, do it in stages: lying down, then sitting, then standing while holding something stable. If the feeling returns, sit or lie down again immediately.

7. Only if you are fully alert and can swallow safely, take small sips.
   Sip water or an oral rehydration drink. If you have not eaten and you can swallow safely, a small snack may help. If you have diabetes or possible low blood sugar, check your glucose if you can and follow your usual plan.

8. Make a quick clinician-ready note.
   Write down when each episode happened, what you were doing, whether standing made it worse, whether you had palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, heavy bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, skipped meals, illness, or any new medicines or dose changes.

9. Get same-day medical advice because it keeps returning.
   If episodes repeat today, you feel worse each time, you cannot safely stay upright, or any emergency warning sign applies, go to the ER or call 911 if you cannot travel safely. Otherwise, contact your clinician’s office for urgent advice or go to urgent care and say you have recurrent near-fainting.