[mpasquin]

Last weekend I was getting ready to leave Wendy's. My girlfriend was riding her bike and I had her 11 year old daughter riding with me. We had just got on the bikes and about to start the engines when I looked back and saw her and her bike laying on the ground. She had gotten dizzy and lost her balance for some reason but she was fine as was her bike. When I turned around to see her on the ground my V-Strom leaned over a bit too far. Not a problem if I was by myself but with the added weight of an 11 year made it a bit too hard to hold up. So down it went as I watched the left turn signal get crunched by the pavement. Fortunately this was only damage along with the plastic fairing getting scratched a bit by the pavement. (Need to see if there's something that can take scratches out.) Oh, and since I was trying so hard to keep the bike up I pulled all the muscles in the back of my left leg. So I'm walking like a very old man for the next few weeks but at least I'm not looking at major damage as I hear often happens with a lay-down.

 

[perfectstranger]

It's good that nobody was seriously hurt. Hope your back will be alright. Plastic can be replaced. Does she have a history of dizziness/fainting? That would be my biggest concern!

 

[mpasquin]

thanks a lot. Just the back of my left leg in bad shape. She has Dr appointment. First time this has ever happened. Hope to be back on the bike this weekend even if I have to use my right leg only at a stop.

 

[V-Tom]

I'm glad everyone is all right!

Now, the truth of the matter was that you were just being a gentleman! Youdidn't want your girlfriend to feel like she can't handle the bike so to make her feel better you dropped your bike on purpose.

I, and I'm sure most men here, applaud your actions!

..Tom

 

[mpasquin]

Yeah, sure, that's it. I just didn't want to admit how bad I felt and how quick I needed to rescue her. She actually picked up the turn signal at the dealer and they were dying to know what happened. She didn't say anything and left them thinking it was an in the the garage accident like hitting it with a broom handle. Lol!

 

[honest bob]

Just a couple of things that can make you suffer from vertigo. One not easily controlled and one that is. If a person allows their electrolytes to become low, they can experience vertigo. ie; out on a bike, hot weather, ATGATT, wind, results in dehydration, even drinking a lot of water won't bring the electrolytes back. Salts and potassium (banana) must also be consumed, at least as fast as they are carried away by sweat. Coconut water or Gatorade drinks are good. That one had an easy cure.
The other one is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or bppv. Sounds ominous, but isn't. Dizziness comes on because the fluid in the inner ear has begun to crystallize, and confuses the brain into thinking that you are off balance. It can be easily treated in most cases.
One more for the road. Low blood pressure can cause vertigo too. Low electrolytes can cause low blood pressure. Hmm, pass the salt for that banana.

 

[mpasquin]

Wow, great reply and very helpful. Thanks. My girlfriend is a nurse and she's zeroed in on some of these things but you offer some things we haven't thought of.

 

[George Johnson]

Another, and more serious concern is the possibility that she could have suffered a transient ischemia attack (commonly abbreviated as a TIA). In the old days, these were referred to as "mini-strokes."

As the definition of the words suggest, these are temporary shortages of blood to parts of the brain due to any of a number of causes. Vascular spasms temporarily cutting off a blood supply (a form of migraine), small blood clots and vascular hemorrhage are a few identified causes of TIAs. I'm told about 70-80% of them cannot be attributes to a specific cause, but the important point is that TIAs can be symptoms of serious underlying medical conditions that may need immediate intervention to protect life and health.

I don't want to be a scare monger, but an immediate trip to the ER is in order to have the issue checked out while there are still possible residual effects from the original cause that can be identified, and treatment initiated if needed. Yes, the likelihood of something serious being wrong may be fairly low, but if there is something serious, it is really serious and needs attention. It is a form of Russian roulette to ignore it.

I wish you and your GF well.

 

[mpasquin]

Thanks again friend. We'll talk soonest and she now has access to this site because I wanted her to see your comments. Looks like ER is in my future too. I noticed last night the back of my left leg is black and blue so I was told to head to the ER today.

 

[honest bob]

Wow, great reply and very helpful. Thanks. My girlfriend is a nurse and she's zeroed in on some of these things but you offer some things we haven't thought of.

Yer welcome. I would not be thinking TIA, unless there were other symptoms. TIA rarely presents with only vertigo. There would be slurred or no speech, headache, numbness in extremities and/or face that would be noticeable to the victim. You would have noticed her struggling to make sense of it (confusion) TIA Symptoms It is a good point to keep in mind tho as George said.:yesnod: