Calling all those with low blood pressure issues! Friend me! (Or comment so I can start a group)
Options
Replies
-
What is considered low? I'm usually 90/60 but sometimes a tad higher or lower.
My son has Addison's disease and low bp can be a symptom.
I didn't know it could cause GI issues. I'll have to read up on that.
My specialist defined low as anything under 105 but there is an extra caveat to that. Because your body is constantly driving your blood pressure up "artificially" via the sympathetic nervous system, someone with a chronic problem can actually have blood pressures of 120 and still be "low". The true indicator is your heart rate combined with blood pressure. If you have a "normal" heart rate of 65bpm or so when they measure your blood pressure then it's probably a "true" reading and indicative of your actual blood pressure situation, if they measure your BP at 120 and you have a heart rate of 100bpm or higher (even 80bpm can be indicative) then your body is actively distorting what would have been a much lower BP reading. The sympathetic nervous system is "online" so to speak.
Having said that, 90/60 is low but more so if you are prone to high heart rate at the same time (especially doing simple things like standing up). If that's the case you might already be starting to experience some of the other symptoms that come together with low BP (like some of the ones I mentioned earlier in this thread). Low blood pressure measurements are meaningful, but could just be indicative of a very fit person. low blood pressure readings combined with high heart rate are what the doctor is looking for usually (the high heart rate is practically direct evidence that the sympathetic nervous system has already kicked in -which is where are lot of the problems come from and not something that would happen in a physically fit person who has lowered their BP through exercise)
Having said all of this, none of the symptoms I have mentioned anywhere in this thread will ever kill you. Just to make that clear.
They just make life real hard if you have them severely enough. Many doctors will just say "too bad, life can suck" and others will suggest medication.....which is the better choice for you is totally an individual decision. You need to consider whether your quality of life is bad enough without meds to make side effects worth it. Although sometimes you don't know how bad things have gotten until you try out the "other side of the fence" and give medication a go. It can be a really tough decision for some.
In my case the medication made a massive difference for the better, but many others in my position still felt they were better off going natural.....I guess it's still a bit controversial when it comes to borderline cases in particular. I'm not pro or anti medication, i'm just pro "knowing what is going on"...
1 -
I have intermittent low blood pressure. It will be fine then suddenly drop if I stand up too fast, stand around in the same place too long, etc. I faint or near faint about 3 times a week. Have to be really careful with yoga and all the upside down stuff
0 -
On another note, since I am on the topic of low blood pressure already, if you have low blood pressure plus a high "Beighton score" (ie you have very flexible joints) you may have hypermobility syndrome or Ehlers Danlos (which is when you will start seeing the joint pain and joint dislocation problems). Not everybody who has both low BP and high Beighton will have hypermobility....but a lot of people who do are unaware of it. if you do fit the criteria it might be worth googling the term "hypermobility syndrome" (or Ehlers Danlos) to see if it sounds like you.
To calculate your Beighton score:
http://hypermobility.org/help-advice/hypermobility-syndromes/beighton-score/
Ehlers Danlos and hypermobility syndrome people also have all the GI, heart rate and fatigue issues of many low blood pressure people as well as joint issues on top of that. Much rarer though.0 -
My BP is typically low but I am always bradycardic. I have had a few episodes of tachycardia, but my low heart rate has made me have to get several years throughout the years. Oh and having surgery is awful! I am always given an EKG at preop, then medicated to increase my heart rate ( adrenaline I think) while everyone else is given a sedative to relax. It feels like I am throwing up with the meds.
My resting heart rate is typically under 40. Oh and I thought this was due to hypoglycemia but I do feel nausea and dizzy once in a while. If I eat frequently I am fine.0 -
pinkiemarie252 wrote: »I have intermittent low blood pressure. It will be fine then suddenly drop if I stand up too fast, stand around in the same place too long, etc. I faint or near faint about 3 times a week. Have to be really careful with yoga and all the upside down stuff
That must be awful to faint that often! I have felt faint, usually really overpowering sense of nausea, but usually can stop it. Do you not feel scared of driving or hurting yourself?0 -
Interesting. I have low blood pressure as does my mom. I often feel like I'm going to faint when standing up and have to be ready to grab something for support until the dizziness passes. I do have GI issues but never would have associated the two. I'd love to learn more.
I'm working really hard to lose right now and foolishly signed up to donate blood yesterday. I do it often and have never had a problem. This time, I'm assuming due to my restricted diet, I have felt dizzy for about 24 hours. I'm sure my blood pressure is just really low right now.
0 -
I have low bp. I m glad I read this, I didn't know that the dizziness I felt due to quickly getting up from bed was due to low bp. I know what u mean about weight loss and low bp. I lost 20 pounds, need to loose more but hit a plateau. When ever I diet, I feel faint and most of all I shiver continuously. I normally feel cold where as the temperature is fine. I don't know if it's from low bp or my sugar dropping but it's v.unpleasant. The shivering is pretty common now.0
-
To be honest I'm kind of disappointed that I appear to be on my own in this. I just look like an idiot with an agenda now. I thought there would be at least one or two other people who have heard of this and could back me up. I guess it's more unknown than I thought. :-(
Not at all.
You are making me think that I should read more about this and learn more about the sympathetic nervous system in general. Sometimes "idiopathic" is M.D. code for "we don't know the answer."
I've always just accepted it because everyone around me had it too. It never caused me any obvious problems until a few years ago.
My sister was an Olympic-level distance runner in her youth. She would often fall over in a faint at the end of her races due to low BP. We just picked her up and moved on...funny what you get used to and accept as normal!0 -
Have you tried having coffee or tea to raise the BP a little? My BP is naturally on the lower side, I recently quit caffeine and without it my BP is even lower, causing me to feel tired/weak. (90/50) Curious if anyone with low BP feels caffeine helps them.0
-
Orthostatic postural hypotension and autonomic system dysfunction here. Resting HR has always been about 60, but sometimes my BP will fall precipitously (70/40ish, occasionally even lower) and HR will drop into low 50s or lower. Cardiologist put me on increased salt & fluids to increase my blood volume. I can eat all the green olives and dill pickles I want, lol. But I can no longer give blood, the blood loss affects me too radically. The only way my low BP affects weight loss is thaI I have a problem with fatigue & stamina, so strenuous exercise is out. And when I feel very fatigued and foggy-brained but need to keep going, I have to eat or drink something to give me a momentary boost, so it's easy to consume extra calories. But 14 weeks, 14 pounds down, so far so good.0
-
I have low blood pressure as well. At least for the last 12years that i measured it.
Sadly I haven't read much on the issue, and the only things I know about it are the "fatigue" thing and that people with low blood pressure at a young age are more prone to have hypertention when they get older.
My mother in fact has that, and she is taking medication for increased blood pressure for many years now, even tho she suffered from low blood pressure the first half of her life.
Bookmarking this to read later.0 -
On another note, since I am on the topic of low blood pressure already, if you have low blood pressure plus a high "Beighton score" (ie you have very flexible joints) you may have hypermobility syndrome or Ehlers Danlos (which is when you will start seeing the joint pain and joint dislocation problems). Not everybody who has both low BP and high Beighton will have hypermobility....but a lot of people who do are unaware of it. if you do fit the criteria it might be worth googling the term "hypermobility syndrome" (or Ehlers Danlos) to see if it sounds like you.
To calculate your Beighton score:
http://hypermobility.org/help-advice/hypermobility-syndromes/beighton-score/
Ehlers Danlos and hypermobility syndrome people also have all the GI, heart rate and fatigue issues of many low blood pressure people as well as joint issues on top of that. Much rarer though.
I have chronic low blood pressure, hyper mobilised joints and my brother has Ehlers Danlos. Just now I am wondering why I haven't been tested... Hmm0 -
My blood pressure usually sits around 90/50. I get dizzy a lot, breathless while doing nothing, and lack energy. I've finally found a dr who is helping me look at various symptoms I have that are pointing at some possible issues. Having a colonoscopy at the end of the month and eating healthier/losing weight should hopefully give me some footholds0
-
LastingChanges wrote: »Have you tried having coffee or tea to raise the BP a little? My BP is naturally on the lower side, I recently quit caffeine and without it my BP is even lower, causing me to feel tired/weak. (90/50) Curious if anyone with low BP feels caffeine helps them.
Yep...I drink 8 cups of coffee a day!
My doctor seems to think that this is fine/safe.
0 -
Interesting connections. Me, like mum n my sister, BP 90 to 100/60 with resting pulse of 57bpm; 49bpm when I am fitter. Never connected flexible joints that can't handle cold, GI issues nor fatigue with BP. Low BP connection with cold hands and feet, sure, plus almost fainting, that we connected years back. If I exercise I feel better and so I feel a little disconnected with the new information here. Will read more, thanks for sharing.0
-
SamandaIndia wrote: »Interesting connections. Me, like mum n my sister, BP 90 to 100/60 with resting pulse of 57bpm; 49bpm when I am fitter. Never connected flexible joints that can't handle cold, GI issues nor fatigue with BP. Low BP connection with cold hands and feet, sure, plus almost fainting, that we connected years back. If I exercise I feel better and so I feel a little disconnected with the new information here. Will read more, thanks for sharing.
No no. don't interpret what I said as meaning exercise makes things worse! not the intention. Cardio exercise especially can actually alleviate low blood pressure symptoms and dizziness significantly and is very much encouraged. The only problem is that a lot of people with low BP have a lot of trouble doing enough cardio at the right intensity to make a big enough difference. If you can manage to do it you will reap the benefits and it looks like that is the case for you :-) congratulations!
0 -
Any solutions for fatigue that apparently is common with low BP??
For me, I find exercising help. I also am trying to eat and take more B12 and Iron (my blood levels tend to be low on these even with me trying to manage those). Looking for more ideas. Thoughts?0 -
SamandaIndia wrote: »Any solutions for fatigue that apparently is common with low BP??
For me, I find exercising help. I also am trying to eat and take more B12 and Iron (my blood levels tend to be low on these even with me trying to manage those). Looking for more ideas. Thoughts?
Unfortunately for those who find exercise tough, exercise is currently the accepted way to combat the fatigue. My specialist has huge problems finding ways to get some of his more severe patients exercising. Many of his patients have to start off lifting cans of vegetables lying in bed! They often have to do this for months before even being fit enough to sit up. It's a slower process when you have low BP (for some more than others) and you have to set your own pace. Be patient and the benefits will start to reveal themselves.
I think the main take home message is to exercise according to your heart rate and ignore anything else. If you hit 165bpm walking at 3km/hr (or lifting vegetable cans in bed) then you need to focus on just doing that and ignore people around you who think you could run 5km@10km/hr within a few months if you just "tried harder". You have to make your own pace and realize that improvement is a loooong and steady process (but worth it!).
I exercise at 65-80% of Max heart rate for a good 20 mins per day and it took around 4-6 months to start seeing the benefit. For some (including myself and several low BP buddies I know), jogging or running will never be possible but also never necessary because it's possible to improve cardio fitness enough to benefit even just walking at a fast pace everyday. It's the heart rate and the duration that matters, not how many miles/sit-ups/steps you achieved.
Strangely enough my fitness tracker can't reconcile my heart rate with my pace and simply assumed that a 160bpm equates to running 8km/hr. Let me assure you, I have NEVER achieved that pace and probably never will lol.
Personally, Once I realized that I needed to work at my own pace and ignore the gym attendants I never looked back. A heart rate monitor is your best friend! I wear mine all day!
0 -
I am entirely grateful I can say I have low BP, and I don't suffer because of it. Yes fatigued, yes apparently hypermobile but no racing out of control pulse like you and your buddies have. I can exercise and my pulse behaves like medical charts predict it would. Wahoo didn't appreciate how lucky I am.0
-
SamandaIndia wrote: »I am entirely grateful I can say I have low BP, and I don't suffer because of it. Yes fatigued, yes apparently hypermobile but no racing out of control pulse like you and your buddies have. I can exercise and my pulse behaves like medical charts predict it would. Wahoo didn't appreciate how lucky I am.
Even the milder cases (where exercise can be relatively "normal") benefit from focussing on heart rate. The main metrics you seek to improve are lowering heart rate given the actual level of activity (ie walking at 3km/hr, or 10km/hr! for three months but focussing on reducing your heart while you do it) and reducing the time it takes for your heart rate to drop below 100bpm when you stop. When those numbers improve you are well on your way.
A stronger heart means it will be faster to adjust when you stand up suddenly or do anything else that makes you feel faint (less of the dizziness). As a general rule, improving the cardio health will make a much bigger difference to general fatigue and dizziness than building muscle since muscles tend to be "expensive" for people with low BP, requiring increased blood flow when blood flow is already a limited resource.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 394 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 943 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions