Not enough calories or low blood pressure?
lemonsurprise
Posts: 255 Member
I eat 1,200 per day with no exercise, or 1,200 + half my exercise back. I guess on average I'm eating 1,400. Been doing this about 70 days now. Before this I've never felt like there was a problem or that I was lacking in anything.
Now, when I was at a healthy weight I had low blood pressure. I put on a considerable amount of weight, maybe 90lbs and my blood pressure became normal according to the doctors for the first time ever.
I've now lost 35lbs and am getting all the signs of low blood pressure. Dizzy and unsteady when I make quick movements, if my head is even slightly above the 180 angle, when I'm pushing myself on the weights at gym, and particularly when I go from sitting to standing.
I am going to the doctors but with a big waiting list I'm wondering what people's opinions on here are.
If it is too few calories then what am I lacking in?
If it is blood pressure then it can really come up and down like that depending on weight only?
Has anybody had similar things?
Now, when I was at a healthy weight I had low blood pressure. I put on a considerable amount of weight, maybe 90lbs and my blood pressure became normal according to the doctors for the first time ever.
I've now lost 35lbs and am getting all the signs of low blood pressure. Dizzy and unsteady when I make quick movements, if my head is even slightly above the 180 angle, when I'm pushing myself on the weights at gym, and particularly when I go from sitting to standing.
I am going to the doctors but with a big waiting list I'm wondering what people's opinions on here are.
If it is too few calories then what am I lacking in?
If it is blood pressure then it can really come up and down like that depending on weight only?
Has anybody had similar things?
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Good on ya for going to the doc.lemonsurprise wrote: »I am going to the doctors but with a big waiting list I'm wondering what people's opinions on here are.
If it is too few calories then what am I lacking in?
If it is blood pressure then it can really come up and down like that depending on weight only?
Has anybody had similar things?
From how it sounds though, making a WAG, I'd say there might be potential issues with either intake or blood pressure.
What is your blood pressure right now? What was "a healthy weight"? With your intake, are you hitting all of your micronutrients? How are your electrolyte levels?
I've had a few instances of dizzy spells when my electros were way out of whack.
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Only the doctor will really be able to answer that but that cal goal does sound quite low? Do you know what your BMR is? you should be consuming at least this many calories.
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
It may be worthing upping your calories at least until you have seen the doctor to see if this helps0 -
I can't answer many of them! No idea about blood pressure, I just get it done at the doctors and pay attention to the "normal" or "low" rather than the numbers. Again, no idea about my healthy weight as I didn't own scales back then but around 140, 150lbs. Maybe on the lower side of overweight actually. The things I lack in is occasionally potassium and fairly regularly I'll be under on my protein by 10-20g's.
As for the electrolytes, I've just had to look up exactly what they are and what an imbalance is. Just before I started loosing the weight I had quite a few blood tests taken at the doctors due to an irregular heartbeat (which is now improving) and everything came back completely normal so I assume it would have been picked up on then.
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What's your current weight and body fat percentage, also what is the percentage split of your macros per day?0
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A bit more salt and potassium in foods may help if you have low blood pressure due to dieting. Blood pressure meters are cheap or have it measured at a pharmacy.0
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I'd bet your doc will ask you to monitor your BP for a while, so I'd beat him to the punch by hitting up a local pharmacy to monitor your blood pressure daily until you can get in to see the doc (or even most grocery stores have the machines now). Make it the same time of day and the same machine, record the readings, and take the info to your appointment. Not only will you get a feel for if your BP is consistently on the low side prior to your visit, you'll also have the necessary data to save yourself from another forever-wait for another appointment and payment.0
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I'd bet your doc will ask you to monitor your BP for a while, so I'd beat him to the punch by hitting up a local pharmacy to monitor your blood pressure daily until you can get in to see the doc (or even most grocery stores have the machines now). Make it the same time of day and the same machine, record the readings, and take the info to your appointment. Not only will you get a feel for if your BP is consistently on the low side prior to your visit, you'll also have the necessary data to save yourself from another forever-wait for another appointment and payment.
Great advice!
I'd also add that losing 35 pounds in 70 days indicates that you're at a significant calorie deficit. I'm not surprised at all that you're feeling dizzy & weak. And, since you're trying to lose >50 pounds, don't forget that your skin is going to have more trouble contracting back down if you lose too quickly. That's a good motivation for slow & steady weight loss.0 -
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You can go to just about any drug store and check your blood pressure to give you a general idea.0
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While you wait for a doctor, my advice would be to take more more interest in the details of your health status so you can pinpoint what's going on here and give some useful info for the doctor to diagnose you. That's a good life habit, to be paying attention to and knowledgeable about your body. And useful in this circumstance, since these symptoms like dizziness could be tied to all sorts of things....heart rate, BP, blood sugar, nutritional deficiency, dehydration, too few calories, etc. Hard to say without good data on your life. I had some symptoms like that yours a few months back, and I think it was iron-related (because tracking nutrition, discovering that I had been drastically shorting myself on iron, and fixing the problem made the symptoms go away and not come back)
So, figure out what a healthy weight and calorie level is for your age/sex/etc. This is basic info you ought to know if you are restricting calories! Do some good tracking of your diet so you can show the doc exactly what you are eating and also examine it yourself. Notice patterns, like are their nutrients you are falling consistently low in? Are their patterns related to your eating that can predict this feeling (e.g., it happens after lots of carbs, or skipping meals, etc.? Are you eating consistently below your BMR or having net calories that are too low (< 1200ish?). Are you drinking enough water? Dehydration can make a person feel awful. If so, address that problem and see if it helps.
Since you have known heart issues, that is a likely candidate. So go buy a blood pressure cuff, learn how to take it and what the normal range is, establish a baseline resting heart rate and blood pressure for you on a good day, then when you feel bad take readings and see if you are super-low at that moment.
Hopefully you can pinpoint what is wrong or some pattern that you can address yourself (if it is calorie related) or at least give the doc some good data to work with.
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You can also monitor your blood pressure by buying a small wrist strap blood pressure monitor. They are fairly accurate. Mine gets monitored because its always on the low side unless I've been taking my ADHD medications.0
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onionparsleysage wrote: »I'd also add that losing 35 pounds in 70 days indicates that you're at a significant calorie deficit. I'm not surprised at all that you're feeling dizzy & weak. And, since you're trying to lose >50 pounds, don't forget that your skin is going to have more trouble contracting back down if you lose too quickly. That's a good motivation for slow & steady weight loss.
WOW, great catch. I didn't see that. OP, that is a drastic weight loss rate, even if you are severely obese. Wouldn't surprise me if you have developed a nutritional issue.
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Thanks for all the replies. I did start to loose weight before joining MFP but do accept that even with the previous weight loss, it has been a quick one.
My BMR is 1,600 and apart from the exercise I add in (including steps) I do practically nothing. Can anybody suggest what a more suited calorie intake would be without jumping up too high straight away? I have about 50 lbs to loose still.
I'll also invest in a blood pressure monitor, I didn't realise they were so readily available to buy!
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This can easily be high BP too just depends on what your eating but we don't see your diary...Its great your going to the Physician stop by your local pharmacy they may have a BP cuff just to test it for you to get a basic number. If your eating processed foods they can contribute to high sodium intake which can lead to high BP but it all just depends..make sure that your drinking enough water as well the symptoms you are having can be numerous things... Good luck....0
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I have low blood pressure, but it came after I started running. My GP and a surgeon told me that low blood pressure often comes from regular exercise, especially running.
When in for a surgical consultation, the doctor asked me if I ever fainted. I told him no, but that I sometimes have head rushes. He said people who run as much as I do and have low blood pressure are prone to fainting. I'm glad I have not fainted from low blood pressure (or anything else, except when I once had blood drawn).
That's silly you should be on a waiting list, but I understand that's the protocol in some countries. If I were you, I'd push to get into your doctor.
If you are exercising, I suggest increasing the calories. Sodium is supposed to help with low blood pressure, but I eat a lot of salt and my blood pressure continues to be low (average range from 90/58 to 100/62, depending on the stress level). The doctor does not seem too concerned about it. My pulse with normal activities (non-exercise) is about 58. I'm afraid to check my resting pulse (waking up still lying in bed).0 -
Thank god I live in America. No waiting on a list for months for something to be diagnosed in 10 minutes. You're welcome socialized Healthcare.
Thank god I live in the UK, no waiting on a list for months (four days, actually) for something that can be diagnosed in ten minutes (impressive, it was a rare blood disorder) and then I didn't have to pay for any of it or any of my aftercare or resulting surgery. Thank you National Health Service
On topic, though, I don't think 1200 is too low when you have a lot to lose and when your BMR is 1600, and you don't exercise. You might be lacking in a nutrient though, depending on your diet.0 -
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The best source of potassium is food of course (bananas, white potatoes), but I have found in general, some flavors of vitamin water zero have more electrolites than gatorade and other sports drinks. You can also get magnesium supplements. I too have low blood pressure and low pulse (down to 40 at the doctors last time - but 62 yesterday) and a left branch bundle block, which they found when I took an EKG (electrical abnormality whish is usually benign if found before the age of 50). They can also do a stress test while you wear an electrical monitor to see how everything goes when you work out. My doctor said my heart was fine when working out, but I do occasionally get light headed at different times - working out or just randomly. Lowering your calorie intake and exercise of course can make you light headed at times. It also depends upon when you eat, not just how much. I do not eat before I run, just drink coffee with milk, but I do eat right after. When I exercise at the gym, I have something light before I work out and always have a snack in my car for the ride home after I lift weights (usually a smoothie or yogurt or banana). I do NOT think carrying excess weight is going to improve your heart health or symptoms. Take good care of yourself!0
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I've had low blood pressure forever and have actually passed out when I was pregnant from it. It didn't matter my weight for my body. I would go to great lengths to make sure your diet is good, you're getting enough water and not overdoing exercise.
Also, if you don't know a nurse to do your bp, I'd go to the pharmacy and check it just to get a vague idea and not freak out about it.0 -
I have low bp and try to deal with it by eating a lot of salt (usually double the recommended , sometimes more) and drinking a lot of water. This is what my physician and i have worked out for me, I won't necessarily recommend going above like 120% of your daily value until you see the doc though as sodium is harmful to many medical conditions. Make sure you're getting enough electrolytes in general (sodium being one of them). And if you're losing weight that quickly it's a sign you need to be eating more. Increase your calories until you're losing like a pound a week not a pound every two days! That's really too fast to be advisable from a health standpoint or a sustainability standpoint.0
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Rule out dehydration first because it's easy to rule out and is very commonly the cause.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/orthostatic-hypotension/basics/definition/con-20031255
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So here's some of the factors I'm seeing:
1. Nothing is being tracked. Not weight, not macro/micro mix.
2. There is a history of heart issue (arrhythmia)
3. Significant weight loss in a short period of time
4. MrM27 is paying $80 a month for insurance
5. MarziPanda has a rare blood disorder
Ok, based on this. I would think:
1. Track things. Weight, average BP over a period. Micro intake. Macro intake. Keep a journal of how you feel and when. This will all be useful for your GP.
2. BP tracking, and heart rate tracking over multiple times of the day and a long period of time. This will allow you to figure out what your baseline is.
3. Slow up, boss.
4. I pay 4x that, envy.
5. Don't become blood with MarziPanda. You'll end up a zombie.0 -
You get what you pay for, yes?snoringcat wrote: »
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OP,
I went through something similar within the last year. I was getting wicked vertigo and went to the doc who checked me out, did blood tests etc with a normal verdict. He recommended me to go to a specialist cause it might be something related to migraines or my inner ear. I never did go cause the symptoms went away for a few months then came back for a few weeks. On and off.
Point is, it could be anything at this point until you get checked out.
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So here's some of the factors I'm seeing:
1. Nothing is being tracked. Not weight, not macro/micro mix.
2. There is a history of heart issue (arrhythmia)
3. Significant weight loss in a short period of time
4. MrM27 is paying $80 a month for insurance
5. MarziPanda has a rare blood disorder
Ok, based on this. I would think:
1. Track things. Weight, average BP over a period. Micro intake. Macro intake. Keep a journal of how you feel and when. This will all be useful for your GP.
2. BP tracking, and heart rate tracking over multiple times of the day and a long period of time. This will allow you to figure out what your baseline is.
3. Slow up, boss.
4. I pay 4x that, envy.
5. Don't become blood with MarziPanda. You'll end up a zombie.
I work for one of the largest health systems on the east coast. The amount we contribute to have insurance is really nice. The best part is that if I go to any one of our many hospitals for a work related or non work related issue, this bill gets written off. My partner at work just got operated on to treat diverticulitis and C-Diff, 3 weeks in the hospital plus surgery, no bill.
You do realize that not everyone in the US has such good access to quality care or such good coverage, right?0 -
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