Dizziness?

If you are willing to open your diary, send me a friend request.

What are your blood pressure readings? This often happens with low blood pressure. It sounds kind of severe though, have you spoken to your doctor again to tell him it's not any better?

I would get a blood test to check your iron levels. I used to feel dizzy all of the time and I actually discovered that I was borderline anemic.

take this info with a grain of salt and run it by provider or providers....

It sounds like orthostatic hypotension. Which is basically a drop in blood pressure when you go from sitting to standing or even stretching. there are many causes for this and they include

(assuming you can perform the following interventions I have added them, run it by your provider...)

low blood volume resulting from

dehydration: drink water as frequent as you can but also focus on electrolyte balance , try drinking smart water or buy electrolyte tablets ...I know on the MFP phone app you can track some nutrient, watch your sodium and potassium. I have to supplement potassium on days that I don't eat a lot of vegetables.

Medication: you mentioned you're taking some? some medication have a diuretic side effect so they drain fluid from your body, does any of your meds do that? antidepressants, birth control...

anemia: as mentioned already...having your ferritin levels and serum iron will tell you if you are low...for menstruating women a ferritin level of 60 or slightly above is healthy, however some function with way less, I struggle at 17. anemia also comes with other symptoms though and for the most part you can distinguish it from other causes of low blood volume. i.e. fatigue with mild exertion, paleness to your skin, etc...research it online you'll find plenty more (so did they check your ferritin level or the serum iron? my bet is on the latter, not very many western/conventional MDs' check ferritin)

Other causes: diabetes... have you had A1C checked to see what you're averaging as far as blood sugar level?

the last but certainly not the least adrenal exhaustion...or adrenal fatigue. This one you may have a difficult time getting your Providers to explore as it's not recognized in the western medicine practice. You can research this one online as well. But basically your adrenals produce a lot of hormones but two that regulate your water retention and release. aldosterone and anti-diuretic hormone. The two work to together to determine when you're body needs to hold to salt and thus water (aldosterone) and when your body need to release salt and thus also water (anti-diuretic)hormone. if you have adrenal fatigue you primarily either feel really wired or completely tired (similar to anemia feeling). There are different phases of adrenal fatigue. look it up and see if you have the majority of the symptoms perhaps add a naturopath MD to your list of providers? the reason adrenal fatigue is not recognized in westernized medicine is because there is an actual diagnosis at which point though the adrenals have pretty much stopped working: addisons .

so...i wrote a lot but chances are most probably doesn't apply to you or maybe one will, however you can't really know unless you start exploring for answers. As always I think if you are paying those providers you should see them when you're not feeling like yourself and advocate for yourself until they hear ya.

good luck.

I get fainty when I exercise, and thus am incapable of running (ever) - I've found I "stabilize" faster when drinking a electrolyte replacement i.e. Gatorade. It's also mighty handy to have around the house for hangover days.

My doctor told me as well to make sure I'd downed a litre of water (through the day) before trying to gym. And be mindful that caffeine can dehydrate you fast as well!

If you have low blood pressure, then salt does help. Low blood pressure is one cause of dizziness. i get low blood pressure and salt helps me. I use himalayan crystal salt because it doesn't have the toxins that table salt has.

Have you had your blood pressure tested?

Does anyone else experience a problem with dizziness? I eat around 1500 cal/day and do not feel like I am starving myself. I collapse when I stand up though. From sitting or standing I can walk about a dozen steps before I crumple to the ground. I have spoken to a doctor about this previously and was encouraged to include more salt in my diet. I already do make an effort to stand up more slowly, to sit for a bit before standing if I was lying down, and to roll my head up last.

Since you say your blood levels are okay, you eat enough and possibly drink enough and don't have hypotension... see an otologist.

Are you on a low carb diet by any chance? And if you went from a much larger calorie surplus straight to 1500 you might feel the side affects, hope this helps!

Jesse Short
ISSA Certified Personal Trainer