Blood Pressure?

SarahAFerguson

Does anyone know how accurate those blood pressure monitors at the local pharmacy are? You know the ones I mean, where you sit on the bench and put your arm in the sleeve? Last week it measured my BP much lower than I expected, 109/45 with a pulse of 57. I typically have a BP in the range of 120/60 with a pulse of 90, but I had not checked since I started running and going to the gym. I have found lots of information about what is too high, but there isn't so much about low blood pressure. Years ago I had issues with passing out from low BP. The lowest I ever remember it being was 80/40, which was not fun at all.

Roni_M

I don't know about those machines (for me they tend to run about right 90/60). I also have low blood pressure and am having issues with light headed/ near fainting spells. The cardiologist told me because even at my heaviest my blood pressure was low, and weight loss reduces blood pressure that this is to be expected in my situation. He thinks my pressure will stabilize once I'm done losing weight. When I stand up my pressure drops so I have to be careful for about 30 seconds or so after I stand up (avoid stairs, stand close to something I can hold onto, etc). They don't generally treat this condition unless you start fainting (due to the possibility of being injured in a fall). I was told to stay hydrated, don't go low sodium (stay moderate) and be careful. I've lost an additional 14lbs since the cardiologist visit and the spells are getting worse. Now my legs get weak and the muscles shake when I try to stay upright. I also found that they are taking longer before they hit (I was halfway down the stairs with a laundry basket and ended up with a nasty bruise on my back from sitting down hard on the stairs so I wouldn't fall). I've also been getting bad headaches on days that I have several spells. I think I'll have to go back and see him. Luckily though, my daughter is an RN and checks my pressure during the spells so I know that is the cause.

SarahAFerguson

What you describe was me when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I would pass out regularly and ended up in the hospital several times after passing out in public places. I also have no salt restrictions, which is nice, but I don't really like salty stuff so much. I eat regular meals and snacks, and drink my water most of the time. I'm a out 60 lbs overweight so low BP was the last thing I was expecting.

likemeinvisible

I also have low BP, ~90/50
After passing out a few times I found it to be the source. I now eat plenty of salt and drink coffee 4 times a day and no passing out since I started doing this. The time you are most vulnerable is after a big meal because it lowers your BP, so I have coffee at the end of such meal, and...don't do big meals.
My doc said I'll live longer because "there is less strain on the heart" fwiw. Anyway low BP is not a bad thing hence the low info about it.

Unknown

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SarahAFerguson

I knew there was a good reason to drink coffee!

Phaedra2014

I don't know about those machines (for me they tend to run about right 90/60). I also have low blood pressure and am having issues with light headed/ near fainting spells. The cardiologist told me because even at my heaviest my blood pressure was low, and weight loss reduces blood pressure that this is to be expected in my situation. He thinks my pressure will stabilize once I'm done losing weight. When I stand up my pressure drops so I have to be careful for about 30 seconds or so after I stand up (avoid stairs, stand close to something I can hold onto, etc). They don't generally treat this condition unless you start fainting (due to the possibility of being injured in a fall). I was told to stay hydrated, don't go low sodium (stay moderate) and be careful. I've lost an additional 14lbs since the cardiologist visit and the spells are getting worse. Now my legs get weak and the muscles shake when I try to stay upright. I also found that they are taking longer before they hit (I was halfway down the stairs with a laundry basket and ended up with a nasty bruise on my back from sitting down hard on the stairs so I wouldn't fall). I've also been getting bad headaches on days that I have several spells. I think I'll have to go back and see him. Luckily though, my daughter is an RN and checks my pressure during the spells so I know that is the cause.

I have the EXACT same thing you describe and ended up at the cardiologist's yesterday. I am so glad to read there is someone else who has my symptoms, although not glad at the same time.

My legs have buckled under me three times and I get internal tremors...shivering on the inside. I also break out into cold sweat and the about to faint feeling which was explained to me as being a vasovagal response to BP dropping or blood pooling at my ankles. Her recommendation was to wear compression stockings to prevent pooling of blood. She said lots of water and to add back some sodium since I had cut it out. Not too fond of salt in my food.

It's an awful feeling. I also get very lightheaded. Like you said, my BP was on the low side to begin with and with weight loss, the top number has gone down even more (below 100 many times), which causes this awful feeling of fatigue, lightheadedness and buckling legs.

I drink a cup of coffee. Cardiologist said to not drink more than that but to consume water instead to increase blood volume. She said to keep salt packets at hand and pop one when I feel "the feeling" come on.

Roni_M

I had asked my cardiologist about upping my sodium and his answer was "absolutely not". He said that in his experience it is too easy to push your blood pressure the other way (too high), which is much more worrisome and harder to fix. He said not to do a low sodium diet, to just stay in the middle. He also said that other than the unpleasantness of the light-headed spells, there was no real dangers from being too low (of course he is referring to me specifically, not someone in shock or anything). His only concern with it is if it gets to the point where I was passing out and that was just because you can suffer a serious injury from the fall.

I should also mention that I had a full work up (echocardiogram, blood tests including vitamins and electrolytes, etc.). So anyone who hasn't seen a cardiologist and had all the tests done to be 100% sure that the low blood pressure is the cause, you really should since the symptoms can have many causes, some of them serious. They also want to eliminate any problems from the changes in your diet to make sure that isn't the cause. The medical term for what I have is orthostatic hypotension but the cardiologist said he thinks it will stabilize when I'm done losing weight... 22lbs to go!

My only disagreement with his diagnosis is that I also have ITP (autoimmune bleeding disorder). My blood counts have dropped since April, right around the same time I started having these spells. I had these same spells the last time my blood counts dropped. My blood pressure was 90/60 at my heaviest so my "normal" hasn't actually changed. Both my hematologist and cardiologist say it's not related but it seems like a big coincidence to me considering my blood was stable for over 10 years. (also of note, I was about this same weight the last time I had both these problems too... Weird coincidence?)

Edited to add:

The other two situations mentioned (low bp after eating, and the nerve problem that requires compression stockings) are slightly different variations of low blood pressure so have different medical terms. I don't recall what the names were though. I came across them when I was looking for info. The treatment for those may be slightly different though. Mine only happens when I stand up. My normal BP is 90/60ish (varies by a number or two depending on when it's taken). When I have a spell my pressure drops to 80/40ish (again it varies by a bit). Within a minute or two this returns to what they deem normal for me (90/60). With the other conditions I believe the drop lasts longer so treatment may be different (compression stockings or salt packets vs hold onto something! LOL).

OnionMomma

I'm one of those people that losing almost 40 pounds has NOT made their BP come down at all.

My PCP and I have been monitoring it at home (I bought a cuff at Walmart like he told me to) and at his office. My numbers barely moved at all with weight loss.

He sees me in the spring and if it has not moved and I've lost more weight, we may consider medication and I'm only 35 years old. *YIKES* I do have family history of high BP though.

I'm not sure how accurate a store machine is, but my machine I bought for about $35.00 is pretty accurate when we check it and compare to my PCP and his nurse. It is almost always within a couple of numbers of each other.

Roni_M

For some high blood pressure is tougher to fix. My mom had perfect blood pressure, then last year she started taking one of those "cold preventative supplements" which jacked her pressure through the roof. After stopping them, her pressure stayed high so now she is on BP meds. This is why my cardiologist said for me not to eat high sodium, once it swings the other way it's harder to fix. I hope the weight loss helps with yours! There are tons of people on here with dramatic improvements in BP. Maybe it will just take a little more time.

I just found this out:
90/60 is considered a normal BP (although it is on the lowest end of the scale). Mine drops and then quickly returns to my normal so requires no treatment (at 90/60 I have no symptoms). Someone with 120/80 that drops to 110/60 upon standing may still be in the normal range and experience the same symptoms as I have because their pressure fell by the same amount. Apparently it's all relative to what your "normal" is (which would explain why some notice this happen when their numbers are higher than someone else's). They consider it orthostatic hypotension if your first number drops by 10 and/or your second number drops by 20 when you change positions (laying to sitting or sitting to standing). This sudden drop into the low range is what causes you to have symptoms. (handy having a RN in the family to question LOL!).