Interesting Mid-Flight "Incident" on Virgin Blue

[benmay]

Hi All - been following the forums for a little while - finally have something interesting to share

Flying down to Sydney Yesterday from Hervey Bay - in perfect health, about half way through the flight, just after eating, I felt as if I had a bit of a light head, so I thought I 'd close my eyes for a minute. When I opened up my eyes, I had 3 Virgin staff and my other half sitting next to me all looking at me, a bit confused, I was told I'd just "Had a fit"

This was totally bizarre. Never have I had a fit or seizure, etc, I'm in perfect health - never had anything wrong in the past.

Naturally the flight attendants were concerned, so moved me to the front and put me on oxygen mask, and believe it or not, there was a dr on board who make himself known and came up the front.

We had to fill out all the paper work of a mid flight incident etc- so after that, about 20 mins later, (still on oxygen) I felt "flushed" this time (as if to feel air sick) so lent forward (as per the dr instructions) and then again, opened my eyes, and had blacked out, and really badly thrown up all over myself, and the floor (sorry for the detail) -

The poor Virgin F.A. were trying to prep the cabin for landing - and trying to organize me.

Once we landed - everyone else got off the plane, and I had to then walk down to the tarmac and get in an Ambo - taken to hospital - a few hours and tests later - I was released with a perfect bill of health.

What they think it was - that I must have been dehydrated and fainted, but not getting more oxygen to the head, the body's reaction is to then start shaking - and that' set it off.

I must say that the Virgin Flight Attendants' were terrific - one was on their 2nd day! Poor girl.

Quite a bizarre incident - I'm a fairly regular flyer, and nothing different that day had happened, just crazy!

 

[markis10]

Welcome to AFF and what a first post, it's good to hear it all sounds like you are OK, hope your next flights is better!

 

[straitman]

benmay,

Welcome to AFF.

If you were already dehydrated then the dry air on the flight would not have helped.

 

[Mal]

Welcome, and good to hear you're ok.

Dehydration does cause some very strange effects to the body. I once flew back from Bangkok, and had little water that day, little water on the flight and went straight to sleep when I got home.

Woke up later feeling very out of it. It was bizarre. Almost was an "out of body" type experience. Had shakes, headache, felt sick, couldn't concentrate, I couldn't even correlate my words with what I was saying. Was slurring my words too.

Ended up in hospital as I had no idea what was wrong. A Litre of rehydration fluid, a drip and some cold+flu tabs had me feeling much better. Was even put into "isolation" as I'd just arrived from overseas and showed flu symptoms!

(Not only was I dehydrated, I also was coming down with a flu).

 

[Ewing]

I must say; I seen this thread alert and thought "oh no, someone was on Ben's flight" but it's the man himself.

Glad you're ok Ben and I hope you enjoyed the concert afterwards.

And.. welcome to AFF

(for the confused; I've known Ben for a number of years)

-Shaun

 

[casanovawa]

Hmmm, good to hear it turned out ok...

but a timely warning... on my upcoming world trip i will start taking in fluids in the QP before flights and continue once boarded...

 

[benmay]

Thanks Mal - yes a very strange way to learn the effects of dehydration on a plane...

Flying back home soon - and needless to say, I've drunk plenty of water this morning

 

[drmikki]

Note also that cabins are pressurised to approx 2000-2500m above sea level, so there is relative hypoxia (less oxygen) compared to sea level. Most people are alright with this but if you have heart or lung problems or are otherwise unwell it can affect you more. (NB this is medically true and also a good excuse to the wife that it wasn't just the QP booze!)
Hope you feel better soon.

 

[BVT]

Sorry to hear that you had an embarrassing incident in full public gaze... and glad to hear that all is good now.

I had my only ever "turn" on a DJ flight. Unbelieveable feeling of claustrophobia with attendant symptoms, deaathly white, perspiring etc. I went and stood down the back to get some air and a feeling of space. When asked why I was "lurking", I told the FA how I was feeling and was propmtly told to go and sit down and not be so childish!

Any wonder I avoid DJ like the plague!

 

[jukebox333]

Hi All - been following the forums for a little while - finally have something interesting to share

Flying down to Sydney Yesterday from Hervey Bay - in perfect health, about half way through the flight, just after eating, I felt as if I had a bit of a light head, so I thought I 'd close my eyes for a minute. When I opened up my eyes, I had 3 Virgin staff and my other half sitting next to me all looking at me, a bit confused, I was told I'd just "Had a fit"

This was totally bizarre. Never have I had a fit or seizure, etc, I'm in perfect health - never had anything wrong in the past.

*SNIP*

Once we landed - everyone else got off the plane, and I had to then walk down to the tarmac and get in an Ambo - taken to hospital - a few hours and tests later - I was released with a perfect bill of health.

What they think it was - that I must have been dehydrated and fainted, but not getting more oxygen to the head, the body's reaction is to then start shaking - and that' set it off.

I must say that the Virgin Flight Attendants' were terrific - one was on their 2nd day! Poor girl.

Quite a bizarre incident - I'm a fairly regular flyer, and nothing different that day had happened, just crazy!

Sorry to hear that, but don't be self conscious about it. "Manure", as they say, happens!

I had a grand mal siezure in the middle of a department store just four weeks after arriving in Taipei for a 2 year work posting. Didn't feel it coming on, and when I came to, just figured I had slipped over. Walked out on the street and had no idea what city in the world I was in...

Just as you describe, it was just like someone came along an erased the last 20 minutes of my memory - no warning it was going to happen, and no idea afterwards.

Ended up taking myself off to hospital, where I was diagnosed after a few days and a battery of tests (MRI's, CAT-scans etc). Turns out it was a one-off, and that a small percentage of the population has them in their late htirties and forties. I went on anti-siezure meds for four years, but never had any more events, so came off them and all is well.

You can't pick the time and place for these things. Hope you don't have a repeat.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks Mal - yes a very strange way to learn the effects of dehydration on a plane...

Flying back home soon - and needless to say, I've drunk plenty of water this morning

The occasional electrolyte drink on hot days or after hard nights wont go astray either.

Heard of this story a few times recently, even had a colleague collapse from this the other day, a virus plus dehydration according to the hospital

 

[medhead]

I had my only ever "turn" on a DJ flight. Unbelieveable feeling of claustrophobia with attendant symptoms, deaathly white, perspiring etc. I went and stood down the back to get some air and a feeling of space. When asked why I was "lurking", I told the FA how I was feeling and was propmtly told to go and sit down and not be so childish!

Any wonder I avoid DJ like the plague!

Sounds like you got the wrong flight. I've twice seen people having turns on DJ flights. The crew have been excellent, water bottles, ice packs and help and concern for the passengers involved. Your experience is not representative of the whole airline.

 

[benmay]

The occasional electrolyte drink on hot days or after hard nights wont go astray either.

Heard of this story a few times recently, even had a colleague collapse from this the other day, a virus plus dehydration according to the hospital

Yeah - the more I think back, I'd had a few (not many) drinks the night before, and apart from not drinking much (if any) water in the AM - also had some cheese and crackers + salty chips, so really- was a bad combination for dehydration


Flew home yesterday - totally fine - thank god! I would hate to have developed something that prevented me from flying

I just drank a bucket load of water prior to leaving

 

[VHOEJ]

The crews on any airline are usually very good with this sort of thing. I get air sick regularly on long haul flights and no matter how many preventative measures I take, it never works. Strangely, the crew always have a different recommendation and it works. Once of them said I should suck on a cup of ice - didn't sounds like much but worked very well. They obviously see this sort of thing regularly, as symptons such as those associated with a heart attack.

But this story does serve as a warning - definently drink plenty of fluids before the flight and during it, even if you aren't thirsty. Things like Gatorade are very good.

 

[BVT]

Sounds like you got the wrong flight. I've twice seen people having turns on DJ flights. The crew have been excellent, water bottles, ice packs and help and concern for the passengers involved. Your experience is not representative of the whole airline.

True; but it is representative of all of my DJ experiences. Never had a good flight or one that was on time. Mind you DJ represents about 5% of my flying, so the experiences should improve. If I ever fly with them again!