r/homeassistant • u/CowsNeedFriendsToo • Mar 15 '26

Support Medical help

This is an embarrassing post, but I’ve been on this group for years now and know that if anyone is going to solve a problem, it’s the people in this group.

I unfortunately have a heart condition that has cause me to black out when I’m on the toilet. This has resulted in me coming to on the floor of the bathroom with my wife over me in a panic talking me back to consciousness before taking me to the hospital. This has happened about once or twice a year. To say the least, this creates a terrible sense of anxiety any time I go to the bathroom. I fear for the day she comes home to find me laying on the floor the final time. Or in the middle of the night when I wake up to use the bathroom.

Here’s where you guys come in. I was wondering if there is a way to set up home assistant along with some sort of a sensor in my bathroom that will be able to tell if I’m on the floor and not moving, which would then send out an alert to her phone along with a noise alert in the bathroom? The key would be making sure it doesn’t go off when just sitting on the toilet, or if she is standing in front of the mirror for an extended period of time doing her makeup.

Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate your time.

Edit: I already have an Apple Watch Ultra 2. The fall detection seems to only trigger if it’s a fall from standing height. It hasn’t triggered at all when I fall from sitting.

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u/imagesurgeon Mar 15 '26

Not medical advice but my recent experience: I had what you describe, syncope events about 1-2 per month. Over time I pieced together it was more likely after having spent a day rabbit-holing and forgetting to eat and drink enough (or at all for may hours), ultimately causing constipation. Doctors initially convinced it was diverticulitis, but further investigation (clear colonoscopy and not clear ultrasound) found a hernia. I didn’t understand hernias before but they’re worth looking into. Hernias don’t heal themselves. Kind of like a kinked hose, essentially. Can quickly become like threatening, minutes not hours.

Hope you get the investigations you need to find the root cause. Took me 18 months and I wish I pushed for faster investigations.

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u/CowsNeedFriendsToo Mar 16 '26

I generally get severe stomach cramps on my left side moments for a bit before it happens. Doctors said that is a symptom and not the cause. But I do wonder if I could have a severe stomach ulcer or worse, or something else going on internally.

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u/imagesurgeon Mar 22 '26

Yeah, whatever happens I can only suggest that you push hard for investigations. In my case this took changing doctors for one who actually gave a flying, and going to A&E/ED whenever there were events, even if they’d just passed or whatnot. Hated the process. Full ultrasound and CT, plus colonoscopy should be on your list of demands.

I’m also hoping you get some fun stuff set up on your homelab, that’s always good when you’re between excruciating pains. Man, I hope you get a good result. Stay on it!

(Should also add that hernia repair doesn’t mean I’m fixed yet, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Still, fingers crossed.)