Low Blood Pressure

[Machair]

I am just wondering how low your blood pressures get? I have POTS and the associated rises in pulse when standing, and a lowering of systolic blood pressure. However, the figures are never high to start with-I mean 90/57 is quite common for me, especially in the night and early morning, before I have had time to load up on fluids. Also when I stand up for long periods the difference between the systolic and diastolic will get less and less until it is only 15 so 85/70 isn't uncommon. I have even had this reading in bed at my worst.

This isn't always the case and depends on how I am. I have watched some really helpful videos by Carrigon about how to treat this by removing garlic and other foods from my diet,and adding salt, which I am doing, but am just wondering how common these really low baseline blood pressures are amongst us.

 

[Carrigon]

They are pretty typical with it. And when it's that low, you will feel sick. Just get the pressure up, follow the tips I gave you and you will feel better. It might take alittle while, it's hard to make the change with the diet. They hide garlic in everything. Even stuff you don't think its in there, it's in there. You can be better than you are.

When my pressure is even at 112, I feel sick. I feel much better when it's higher than 120.

Don't load up on too much fluid. Water itself can act as a diuretic. Your goal is to retain fluid and get that pressure up. Drink as much as you feel you need, but don't go overboard.

 

[Machair]

Thank you Carrigon for that helpful advice. Another thing you touched on in your videos was the point that a person may have high BP when they visit the doctor which falls at home. I have also had this experience where it can be 150/90 there but plummets to 90/60 at home. Certainly anti-hypertensive medication would be a disaster! Has anyone else had this happen to them-that is very low BP at home, but higher at the doctors?

 

[anne]

I actually have the opposite problem. When I go to the Drs my BP plummets. 80/55 or something like that. Last time I went to the neurologist they gave me an IV then sent me to the ER. I have no idea why it is--chemicals in there? The heat? I find it very weird, and a little annoying because it makes it hard to get medical attention for the things I came in for, as I have trouble focusing and they always think I'm dying.

 

[kerrilyn]

The thought of getting a possible needle makes my BP go up but it's has never registered over 110/80. It's creeping up as I get older because it was 100/70, 90/60.

I have an automatic BP machine for home but most of the time it gives me an error message, even though my husband can make it work every time. I think it's my pulse rate that times the machine out. It will not register if I'm sitting, and only sometimes if I'm laying down or standing. I think I'm in the 90/60 range at home now. I've tried to do the at home POTS test but with that unreliable machine I feel so sick/lightheaded repeating the test (squeezing my arm) several times, I just give up.

There was a period of time years ago that I had could not stand up without feeling like I would faint. It was scary, and I didn't know what POTS was, and apparently the docs I saw didn't either. Now I'm not that bad, I get a little dizzy/lightheaded going from laying down to sitting position (some days worse than others), and I just can't stand for long because I get tired/pain increases so I sit often, I may be adjusting for the feeling and not even realizing it.

I'm not sure I have POTS or NMH or just consistently low BP but from doing more reading I definitely have the symptoms of them when it comes to exercise and heat intolerance.

 

[Hysterical Woman]

Hi Guys,

I find the blood pressure thing very interesting. Maybe someone should do a blood pressure poll for the forum? Anybody up for that challenge?

Take care,

Hysterical

 

[Carrigon]

I wish Luminescentfeeling had left his videos up. He did a few showing exactly what the blood pressure readings do. He really documented how it can look higher, then plummet.

I believe in treating according to symptoms. If it's dropping, get it back up.

Sometimes, it can plummet in your sleep, as well, so you wake up feeling awful and lightheaded. The symptoms can be fought, but you have to work at it every day.

 

[creekfeet]

I actually have the opposite problem. When I go to the Drs my BP plummets. 80/55 or something like that. Last time I went to the neurologist they gave me an IV then sent me to the ER. I have no idea why it is--chemicals in there? The heat? I find it very weird, and a little annoying because it makes it hard to get medical attention for the things I came in for, as I have trouble focusing and they always think I'm dying.

When I went to an evaluation for SSI disability, the nurse took my BP and thought her sphygmomanometer was broken. So she took it again, and recorded the higher of the two readings she had taken, and it was still something like 87/56. Nobody worried about me though... just pushed me through their negative-evaluation mill.

Your point about trouble focusing is an important one, and is the reason why I'll be bringing my sister to my next appointment.

 

[Machair]

I know what you mean Carrigon about the BP dropping during sleep. I have found that it is vital to have a reasonable blood pressure at bedtime, because if mine is low at this point it will get worse over night making the mornings impossible.

To achieve this I find making sure I don't eat a large dinner,or even eat too late in the evening, as this will also cause a fall in BP.
If my BP is low before bed I have a Nuun rehydration tablet in water, and this usually helps a little to bring the BP up enough to avoid severe night-time drops.

I also never get straight up from bed and into the bath without drinking first and waiting at least 15 minutes for the fluid to push up the BP, then I have breakfast and then wash,dress etc. Getting straight up and doing things is fatal. This is when the problems really start-pulse shoots up by 40, systolic BP falls dramatically, and I will often get severe dizziness and spinning vertigo. Has anyone had that?

 

[Carrigon]

Dizzy is bad. I actually had to cancel my Xmas plans because I woke up dizzy that day and it was really bad. I had plans to go to a church lunch with some friends for Xmas, couldn't do it. They actually ended up bringing me a takeout lunch, it was so nice of them.

I usually say I feel like I'm on a ship with the vertigo. It's awful.

So much of our symptoms come from these blood pressure problems. The weakness, the dizziness, I suspect the PEM is a part of it, too. We are not getting enough blood and oxygen to our organs.

 

[Sing]

I am sorry but I missed the videos, Carrigon. Would you please post the link again?

Thanks,

Sing