Anyone have really low blood pressure?

[Deb in NZ]

I'm off to the drs again this afternoon regarding why I'm feeling faint & dizzy a lot lately.  Middle of June last year I passed out twice in the shower, resulting in a concussion.  Within 6 weeks I had recovered fully from the concussion & thought that that was a one off incident.  Just over 3 weeks ago we were in A&E (the Emergency Room) at the hospital with my m-i-l as she had just had a stroke, when I passed out again :-(  In some ways that was the best place for this to happen as I was seen to right away, not hours after it happened.  Since then I have experienced dizzy spells at least once a day.  I drink heaps of water & eat healthy, so dehydration shouldn't be an issue.  Any ideas?

 

Edited February 11, 2016 by Deb in NZ

[Tsuga]

Well, I guess they have checked your heart, correct? Hyperthyroidism can be linked to low blood pressure. That's what I have, though apparently my levels are within the normal range. They are just high within that range for thyroid hormones, and low within that range for blood pressure.

[Erica in OR]

Besides proper hydration, the only other suggestions they had for my husband (after they checked if it was a heart problem, which it wasn't) was to actually increase his salt intake and to make sure he ate at regular intervals so his blood sugar didn't dip too low. He also tries to stay away from foods with a high glycemic index.

 

Erica in OR

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

DP

K

Edited February 11, 2016 by NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

I have had low bp my whole life. I have found increasing my salt intake is helpful. I was a hard-core vegan for a few years and enjoyed a healthy amount of kosher salt on my roasted veggies. Now days, I try to drink a V-8 (high in sodium)everyday.

 

Hth,

K

Edited February 11, 2016 by NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too

[abba12]

Not pregnant are you?  :laugh:

I've had it pretty bad, but only in pregnancy, sorry, so I can't help with causes.

 

My sympathies, it's not pleasant. All I figured out was being careful what time of day I had a shower, not to eat a big meal before needing to do anything, and DEFINITELY to NEVER have a hot shower after a large warm meal. I never fainted but I would be hit with a sudden wave of complete exhaustion where I actually could not open my eyes even when I tried, along with dizzyness and nausea, and coloured spots, and I learned to just put some TV on for the kids and sleep it off. It sounds like it doesn't quite follow that pattern for you, but, if it's an option listen to your body if it does get very tired and go lie down until the wave passes. Better to nap than faint. 

 

Good luck

Edited February 11, 2016 by abba12

[abba12]

I have had low bp my whole life. I have found increasing my salt intake is helpful. I was a hard-core vegan for a few years and enjoyed a healthy amount of kosher salt on my roasted veggies. Now days, I try to drink a V-8 (high in sodium)everyday.

 

Hth,

K

 

Wow, thanks for that! I'd never heard that before, but it completely makes sense in my case.

[Deb in NZ]

Thanks everyone,

 

I will try the V8 idea.  My dr thinks that the dizzy spells are not related to my passing out.  I may be drinking too much water & ending up low in sodium, so the V8 might be just what I need.  We've had a very hot, humid summer so far, so I've been drinking heaps of water to make sure I don't get dehydrated.  She told me to limit myself to low to moderate exercise until the heat breaks to help avoid overheating & possibly passing out again.

 

[Kerileanne99]

Interesting!

I have always had really low BP, and have been vegetarian (very nearly vegan) since before my 5th bday. I have had periodic episodes of dizziness or passing out, but did find a minor heart issue. When I was pregnant it was much more pronounced.

I drink a V8 or have a bit of pickle juice (no comments, lol, it helps with the muscle spasms from my injury!), and my bp is typically fairly stable now...

[ElizabethB]

Or, add a bit of salt to your water.

 

I have low BP and if it starts to get so I get dizzy if I stand up too quick, I just put a little extra salt on my food for a week or so.

[Guest]

I read an article last week about how low bp people tend to crave salt. Because they need it. I have low bp and I salt my salt. (A bit of exaggeration...). But I don't get dizzy or faint. You might try it.

 

I also drink a lot of water. Maybe that helps keep the salt from becoming too much for me.

[ikslo]

.

Edited February 11, 2016 by ikslo

[Tap]

Yep, I get it, especially when I am stressed.  

 

research neurally mediated hypotension. Here is one article that discusses some theories to go with it.

 

I am in the process of getting dd17 possibly diagnosed with Erler Danlos (connecitve tissue disorder) and this can be a complication in some of the ED variations. ED is genetic.  If she is diagnosed, then I am likely the source of those lovely genes and the hypo tension is likely a result of the connective tissue disorder.

 

My doctor had me add salt to my diet (I tested on the very low end of normal range) and purposefully add caffeine at lunch to keep my blood pressure up.  I have coffee in the morning so I make sure to have another form of caffeine  by 2pm each day.  That is enough to get me through until I am home in the evening.

[Pawz4me]

I'm confused -- have you actually been diagnosed with low blood pressure (which as I understand it isn't considered a problem unless you're having symptoms)?

 

I've had it all my life, with the exception of the couple of years before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.  During that time my BP steadily increased (to the point of pre-hypertension) and in the year before I was diagnosed I struggled a LOT with vertigo and dizziness and feeling faint.  After getting on medication for hypothyridism my blood pressure has come back down almost to its normal low level, and vertigo/dizziness are no longer problems at all.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Pawz4me

[gingersmom]

I was told to increase my salt intake. V8 and salted nuts are my go to foods.

 

When everyone else is trying to limit their sodium I am always trying to increase mine.

[Deb in NZ]

Yep, I get it, especially when I am stressed.  

 

research neurally mediated hypotension. Here is one article that discusses some theories to go with it.

 

I am in the process of getting dd17 possibly diagnosed with Erler Danlos (connecitve tissue disorder) and this can be a complication in some of the ED variations. ED is genetic.  If she is diagnosed, then I am likely the source of those lovely genes and the hypo tension is likely a result of the connective tissue disorder.

 

My doctor had me add salt to my diet (I tested on the very low end of normal range) and purposefully add caffeine at lunch to keep my blood pressure up.  I have coffee in the morning so I make sure to have another form of caffeine  by 2pm each day.  That is enough to get me through until I am home in the evening.

 

I find the idea of the role of caffeine interesting as since I changed my way of eating I have drastically cut down on my caffeine intake.  I may need to look at adding back my Coke at lunchtime.  

[Guest]

Yes, I have LBP and have had it most of my life. I had a couple of fainting incidents within days of one another a couple years back and it was due to a medication I was taking. Already have LBP and this caused lower bp as a side effect. After going of the medicine, I was back to my "normal" low.

 

I remember the nurse taking my BP while I was on that medication saying, "Holy cow! It's like I can barely hear it!"

 

Agreeing with other advice here; I drink water all the time every day, use salt liberally (and crave salt) and it is better to avoid blood sugar spikes and drop-outs. Level is good.

[Ellesmere]

Yep, I get it, especially when I am stressed.  

 

research neurally mediated hypotension. Here is one article that discusses some theories to go with it.

 

I am in the process of getting dd17 possibly diagnosed with Erler Danlos (connecitve tissue disorder) and this can be a complication in some of the ED variations. ED is genetic.  If she is diagnosed, then I am likely the source of those lovely genes and the hypo tension is likely a result of the connective tissue disorder.

 

My doctor had me add salt to my diet (I tested on the very low end of normal range) and purposefully add caffeine at lunch to keep my blood pressure up.  I have coffee in the morning so I make sure to have another form of caffeine  by 2pm each day.  That is enough to get me through until I am home in the evening.

Someone also posted this PDF on NMH/POTS on another thread. It mentions Ehlers-Danlos, briefly. I started out just trying to figure out my hypotension issues and someone I know with Ehlers-Danlos asked me if I was looking into dysautonomia.

 

At first I figured neither were connected to my symptoms but both keep coming up in everything I researched (and also while looking at a family member's mast cell disorder) and I talked with my parents to see if anything rang bells for them, and it did. So we're looking into it, too. 

[Spryte]

I have POTS, and low BP. Increasing fluids and a high salt diet helps.

[Kathryn]

I have low BP in general and also diagnosed NMH. I eat a lot of salt. I was told to do sodium tablets also but they made me feel sick. I used to get dizzy and lose vision quite a lot upon standing.

[ktgrok]

Yep, I get it, especially when I am stressed.  

 

research neurally mediated hypotension. Here is one article that discusses some theories to go with it.

 

I am in the process of getting dd17 possibly diagnosed with Erler Danlos (connecitve tissue disorder) and this can be a complication in some of the ED variations. ED is genetic.  If she is diagnosed, then I am likely the source of those lovely genes and the hypo tension is likely a result of the connective tissue disorder.

 

My doctor had me add salt to my diet (I tested on the very low end of normal range) and purposefully add caffeine at lunch to keep my blood pressure up.  I have coffee in the morning so I make sure to have another form of caffeine  by 2pm each day.  That is enough to get me through until I am home in the evening.

 

Huh. I don't actually pass out/faint, but have all the other symptoms of neurally mediated syncope. It just isn't quite that bad and when I feel bad I stop and sit my butt down. I do find that caffeine helps, and oddly I have my second cup at the same time, between 1 and 2pm every day :)

 

And I salt purposely now that I don't eat many processed foods. 

[AngieW in Texas]

My dd has to be careful to drink a lot be sure to have a lot of salt. On very fainty days, she will also wear compression socks and that seems to help a bit. 

 

 

[Meriwether]

I don't have low blood pressure, about 105/65, but I was told it was low enough to be causing my heart palpitations. I was told to increase my salt intake. I did and haven't had the palpitations since. It is too early to know if it really took care of the problem, but it has been 5 weeks.

[Staceyshoe]

Mine was linked to hormonal imbalances.  Both hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue can cause low blood pressure.  Addison's disease is the most severe form of adrenal fatigue so it's a good keyword to use when searching for information.