Combatting dizziness and eating a healthy amount of calories

evrw92
evrw92 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey,

So i'm a very large lady and trying to loose weight as best as i can, issue is i'm disabled and find that if i eat less than 1800 calories a day i get very dizzy to the level i almost pass out and if i excersize and then fall into using about 50 calories by working out i also get dizzy... Not really sure how to balance both the amount of calories i need but also wanting to loose weight. Anyone have any advice or been in my situation?

Replies

  • evrw92
    evrw92 Posts: 6 Member
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    I would suggest looking into the cause of your dizziness specifically. It may not be the calorie number but the calorie content that is related to dizziness when you fall below 1800 calories a day. With regard to "working out" the dizziness may be related to postural hypotension or a number of other things. Once you know what causes the dizziness to arise you'll be better equipped to figure out the eating part. You didn't talk about the nature of your disability, but adding in activity is best done gradually if you have been completely sedentary.

    Oh absolutely, i have POTs anyway so you're so right on that one! but it seems to have got worse since trying to eat less calories. Thanks so much for your reply. I have chronic pain so can't really do too many exercises and starting off slowly with a little Peddle bike the only thing my Physio will allow me to do. Thanks again for your comment and shall look into more the idea of the calorie content instead.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Depending on your current weight and general activity - 1800cal may still be a substantial deficit
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    evrw92 wrote: »
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    I would suggest looking into the cause of your dizziness specifically. It may not be the calorie number but the calorie content that is related to dizziness when you fall below 1800 calories a day. With regard to "working out" the dizziness may be related to postural hypotension or a number of other things. Once you know what causes the dizziness to arise you'll be better equipped to figure out the eating part. You didn't talk about the nature of your disability, but adding in activity is best done gradually if you have been completely sedentary.

    Oh absolutely, i have POTs anyway so you're so right on that one! but it seems to have got worse since trying to eat less calories.

    I was just going to ask if you have Pots because I do and your symptoms were familiar. Mine is (well, was before I started medication) very bad. Pulse was going to 170bpm while standing! Now it only goes from 60 sitting to 110 standing. Almost double but better.

    Well. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. We can't do exercise as normal people can. So in your case, you are (I assume, sorry if I'm wrong) obese AND have Pots. So you won't be able to do much exercise if any at all! If I were you I would just walk a bit and, yes, maybe this peddle bike. Just take it super easy. Don't worry you're not doing enough. You are doing enough for this condition.

    By the way do you take any medication for it? I started a beta blocker called Bisoprolol a year ago and my life has changed to 180°.
    Before that gym was out of the question. I almost died twice during the 15 years before that when I dared to set foot in a gym! Now I can do a bit of weight training and cardio almost every day! Not like normal people, much less intensive but still! For reference I'm 37yo female and 135lbs and still find it very difficult to exercise.

    The most important thing I have learned is that I have to exercise in a room with very low temperature. I found out that the main reason I get so unwell during and after exercise is getting severely overheated. See if this helps for you.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    What's your doctor say?
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    evrw92 wrote: »
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    I would suggest looking into the cause of your dizziness specifically. It may not be the calorie number but the calorie content that is related to dizziness when you fall below 1800 calories a day. With regard to "working out" the dizziness may be related to postural hypotension or a number of other things. Once you know what causes the dizziness to arise you'll be better equipped to figure out the eating part. You didn't talk about the nature of your disability, but adding in activity is best done gradually if you have been completely sedentary.

    Oh absolutely, i have POTs anyway so you're so right on that one! but it seems to have got worse since trying to eat less calories.

    I was just going to ask if you have Pots because I do and your symptoms were familiar. Mine is (well, was before I started medication) very bad. Pulse was going to 170bpm while standing! Now it only goes from 60 sitting to 110 standing. Almost double but better.

    Well. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. We can't do exercise as normal people can. So in your case, you are (I assume, sorry if I'm wrong) obese AND have Pots. So you won't be able to do much exercise if any at all! If I were you I would just walk a bit and, yes, maybe this peddle bike. Just take it super easy. Don't worry you're not doing enough. You are doing enough for this condition.

    By the way do you take any medication for it? I started a beta blocker called Bisoprolol a year ago and my life has changed to 180°.
    Before that gym was out of the question. I almost died twice during the 15 years before that when I dared to set foot in a gym! Now I can do a bit of weight training and cardio almost every day! Not like normal people, much less intensive but still! For reference I'm 37yo female and 135lbs and still find it very difficult to exercise.

    The most important thing I have learned is that I have to exercise in a room with very low temperature. I found out that the main reason I get so unwell during and after exercise is getting severely overheated. See if this helps for you.

    Ask your gym managers if some fans can be installed perhaps.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    1houndgal wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    evrw92 wrote: »
    Maxxitt wrote: »
    I would suggest looking into the cause of your dizziness specifically. It may not be the calorie number but the calorie content that is related to dizziness when you fall below 1800 calories a day. With regard to "working out" the dizziness may be related to postural hypotension or a number of other things. Once you know what causes the dizziness to arise you'll be better equipped to figure out the eating part. You didn't talk about the nature of your disability, but adding in activity is best done gradually if you have been completely sedentary.

    Oh absolutely, i have POTs anyway so you're so right on that one! but it seems to have got worse since trying to eat less calories.

    I was just going to ask if you have Pots because I do and your symptoms were familiar. Mine is (well, was before I started medication) very bad. Pulse was going to 170bpm while standing! Now it only goes from 60 sitting to 110 standing. Almost double but better.

    Well. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. We can't do exercise as normal people can. So in your case, you are (I assume, sorry if I'm wrong) obese AND have Pots. So you won't be able to do much exercise if any at all! If I were you I would just walk a bit and, yes, maybe this peddle bike. Just take it super easy. Don't worry you're not doing enough. You are doing enough for this condition.

    By the way do you take any medication for it? I started a beta blocker called Bisoprolol a year ago and my life has changed to 180°.
    Before that gym was out of the question. I almost died twice during the 15 years before that when I dared to set foot in a gym! Now I can do a bit of weight training and cardio almost every day! Not like normal people, much less intensive but still! For reference I'm 37yo female and 135lbs and still find it very difficult to exercise.

    The most important thing I have learned is that I have to exercise in a room with very low temperature. I found out that the main reason I get so unwell during and after exercise is getting severely overheated. See if this helps for you.

    Ask your gym managers if some fans can be installed perhaps.

    No, my gym is very well ventilated hence me able to go everyday.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    POTS actually has a very wide range of symptoms and depending on the person, will depend on how severe those symptoms are. For my wife, her symptoms are pretty bad, to include: dizziness, severe fatigue, rapid heart beat, etc..

    So it's not the calories that are impacting the dizziness. It's the fact that when you are cutting calories lower, that you aren't getting enough salt. With POTS, you generally need 6000 - 10,000mg of salt per day. So you really should salt all of your food. Since POTS is an autonomic disorder that causes a rapid heartbeat, it will drive your body to burn through electrolytes at a higher rate than a normal person.

    Having said that, have you worked with a cardiologist or an electrophyisiologist? Are you on a beta-blocker? For medicines, my wife is on a beta blocker and once every two weeks goes to an infusion center to get 1L of Sodium Chloride (Saline drip). She currently supplements with L-Citrulline (4mg a day), which ironically is a recovery supplement to support training, but has also well know cardiovascular improvements such as increased blood flow. Interestingly enough, even my wife's EP never thought about using this to help with POTS, but she has seen some improvement.

    From a dietary perpective, my wife salts everything (including bacon) and focuses on getting plenty of foods that contain magnesium and potassium (all electrolytes). She also supplements with electrolyte drinks (Emergen-C, NUUN tablets, or any other electrolyte powder). Also, it is highly recommended to stay away from caffeine. Since people with POTS already have a HR that is 30 beats higher, caffeine can make it worse.

    Once my wife deals with some other health issues, she will begin to lift again. That is actually one of the best things she was able to do, since POTS + Cardio = Death for her. Weight lifting increases blood flow, which can alleviate POTS symptoms (less pooling of the blood at extremities.

    While my wife doesn't use them, compression socks can improve things as well. Also, not lying flat.

    So short term, the big thing is increase electrolyte consumption and if need be, use supplements.

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