Lightheaded/Loss of vision when I stand up?

st476
st476 Posts: 357 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Everytime I stand up, I get lightheaded and lose my vision for a couple seconds. I know this has to do with blood circulation or something like that and I did get it before I changed my diet (usually only in the morning if I stood up really fast) but now I've been getting it EVERYTIME I stand up.
I go for 1200 calories a day. Some days I eat less than that but I eat more another day that week so it evens out. I usually even end up having a little more than 8400 calories a week. My diary is open. Also, I'm 5'4 and 133 pounds.

Does anyone know if there's something wrong or if it's normal?
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Replies

  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    Go to the doctor
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    See a doctor.
    Don't seek a diagnosis from people on the internet about this. A doctor can determine if this is something serious or not.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    Are you taking any blood pressure medication? My father in law was passing out when he stood up too fast. One time another family member that was a RN saw it and immediately recognized it as symptom of a wrong dosage of his medication. Other than that is it possible that you could increase calories and still be in deficit? if so you may be too low.
  • TehLaughingDog
    TehLaughingDog Posts: 200 Member
    Check to see if you have dysautonomia or POTS with your doctor. I also get symptoms of lightheadedness, loss of vision, and disoriented upon changing positions. A friend with dysautonomia told me to get screened for the disorder (however my symptoms are minor compared to hers) but it might be worth it just to get a medical professional's opinion.

    Could also be that you're not eating enough so your body is having a hard time regulating your blood circulation. I have no idea - I'm not a medical professional. Only one that can tell you if somethings up is the doc.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    This happens to me if I don't make a conscious effort to eat more salt. My blood pressure is usually 90/60 so it's on the low end of normal.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Orthostatic hypotension. A somewhat common drop in blood pressure when you stand or get up from a reclined position, but could signal that your blood pressure is low or possibly other issues. Let your doctor know.

    https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007278.htm
  • workhardtogethard
    workhardtogethard Posts: 49 Member
    I don't think it's your calorie range that is causing your problems. I water fast for weeks at a time without any negative effects. See a doctor.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    No it's not normal - that's why it's worrying you!
    And this got worse after you started eating only a tiny amount of food...... Makes you think that's not such a great idea.

    You can fix the under-eating yourself but a Doctor will be able to check for and advise you about problems such as postural hypotension.
  • LastMinuteMama
    LastMinuteMama Posts: 590 Member
    I would definitely see a doctor to rule out anything serious.

    I hope you'll get the same diagnosis as me....low blood pressure, slow pulse, so eat some salty chips. Yes, that's what the cardiologist recommended.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    This happens to me if I don't make a conscious effort to eat more salt. My blood pressure is usually 90/60 so it's on the low end of normal.

    Same with me. Though since I started my new lifestyle in January, my episodes are a lot better and more infrequent.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    Thanks everyone. I will go to the doctor, and I can check my blood pressure myself so I'll do that. I'm not sure if the calories are the problem or if (like some of you have said) it's the fact that I eat a lot less salt. I do put salt on a lot of things but compared to eating fast food everyday it's not nearly as close. I was also told that it may be the fact that I'm eating less sugar, even though I'm always over on my sugar intake. I do think it has to do with my diet though, because it started happening right when I changed my diet.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    How active are you?

    I see a lot of days in your diary where you are closer to 1000 calories than 1200. If you are fairly active person 1200 could very well be too low (I know it is for me and I'm your height but lighter).

  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
    edited July 2016
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    How active are you?

    I see a lot of days in your diary where you are closer to 1000 calories than 1200. If you are fairly active person 1200 could very well be too low (I know it is for me and I'm your height but lighter).
    I don't do any exercise at all (bad, I know). I plan on taking it up when I have better access to a gym in 2 months, and then I'll eat some exercise calories back. I know some days I eat closer to 1000, but other days I eat 1300+ to make up for it.
    Oh and when it comes to just basic everyday activity, I'm really not active. Most days I would even say sedentary.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited July 2016
    st476 wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    How active are you?

    I see a lot of days in your diary where you are closer to 1000 calories than 1200. If you are fairly active person 1200 could very well be too low (I know it is for me and I'm your height but lighter).
    I don't do any exercise at all (bad, I know). I plan on taking it up when I have better access to a gym in 2 months, and then I'll eat some exercise calories back. I know some days I eat closer to 1000, but other days I eat 1300+ to make up for it.
    Oh and when it comes to just basic everyday activity, I'm really not active. Most days I would even say sedentary.

    If you have a way to track your steps for a week, I would definitely do that and see what your avg is. It's not uncommon for people to underestimate their activity level.

    That said even Sedentary with no workouts, If It Fits Your Macros calculator estimates that you should eat 1260 (20% cut) to 1339 (15% cut) for fat loss. Currently your avg is actually under 1200 calories. I averaged out 36 days (was going to do 2 months, but the one day had only 1 thing logged so I'm kind of hoping that was a day you just didn't log) and came up with 1,119 calories on avg.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    edited July 2016
    Low Blood Pressure. Mine hovers around 85/60 most of the time and I get the same. Only issue I have with low BP, so I just usually walk through it.

    My mom also has very low BP and an unnaturally, but normal for her low resting heart rate, so probably genetic.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    I have the same issue. My doctor told me to tighten my muscles when I stand, get support socks and increase my sodium intake. Seems to be working.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    I agree, what you describe sounds like orthostatic hypotension. My BP is around 90/55 on average and this happens to me all the time.

    If you've cut your food intake down, your sodium intake has probably dropped as well, which will cause a decrease in BP. You can add a bit more salt, drink sodium containing electrolyte drinks and/or start standing up more slowly.
  • diwijo13
    diwijo13 Posts: 106 Member
    st476 wrote: »
    Everytime I stand up, I get lightheaded and lose my vision for a couple seconds. I know this has to do with blood circulation or something like that and I did get it before I changed my diet (usually only in the morning if I stood up really fast) but now I've been getting it EVERYTIME I stand up.

    It might be low blood pressure. The same thing happened to me. I was on blood pressure medication. All of a sudden, I would get dizzy and lightheaded, especially while exercising. When I went to the doctor my pressure was very, very low. The nurse took my pressure 3 times to make sure it was right. I was taken off the medication that day. Because I had lost 30 lbs, I did not need the medicine any more. Now my blood pressure is perfect.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,893 Member
    I think it's low blood pressure in my case. I used to have this problem when I was younger. When I slowly gained weigh it vanished, and when I started losing weight it came back when I was about 65kg. Now I'm around 57 for more than a year and it just remained. It does seem to be better though when I work out. I had to take a 3 week workout break due to all sorts of things going wrong: a massive blister on my heel that got infected, a cold, and then I slept with my head twisted oddly and now my neck hurts *sigh* been pretty bad these past three weeks.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    I think it's low blood pressure in my case. I used to have this problem when I was younger. When I slowly gained weigh it vanished, and when I started losing weight it came back when I was about 65kg. Now I'm around 57 for more than a year and it just remained. It does seem to be better though when I work out. I had to take a 3 week workout break due to all sorts of things going wrong: a massive blister on my heel that got infected, a cold, and then I slept with my head twisted oddly and now my neck hurts *sigh* been pretty bad these past three weeks.

    Yeah, mine seems better now that I workout regularly too. My Doctor said I have to be careful to keep my sodium levels up because I also get vaso-vagal syncope when it's particularly bad and I will pass out (hitting everything in the room on the way down when I do because I'm just lucky like that).
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    My doctor put me on a 30 day heart monitor because of this issue. Definitely bring it up with yours just to rule it out. My blood pressure ended up being extremely high (sodium related) and once I cut the salt, I haven't had this problem again.
  • killdontmurder
    killdontmurder Posts: 142 Member
    You're not eating enough...
  • killdontmurder
    killdontmurder Posts: 142 Member
    Do you feel like you're going to faint?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    oh no, i definitely have this. especially in the morning when i wake up. =/
  • recesq
    recesq Posts: 154 Member
    Its happened to me several times. I ate chicken broth when I started feeling that way and it helped. I also cut my BP medicine in half. I did inform both my Docs, and they agreed it was the correct thing to do.
  • emily120699
    emily120699 Posts: 32 Member
    This happens to me! I'm 5'5 135 pounds, and burn about 3500 calories a week, but a lot of times I'm dizzy and lose vision for a second when I stand. Sometimes this happens when you stand too fast, or if you're not eating enough. If suggest increasing your calories if it bothers you.
  • HonduranRosa
    HonduranRosa Posts: 2 Member
    I started having that problem when I turned 13. I am 20 now. It had gotten to the point where I was passing out up to 7 times a day. I went to a cardiologist and was diagnosed with hypotension (low blood pressure upon standing). The doctor told me to eat more salt and drink more water. But it has been the salt that has really helped with the symptoms. Now I still get dizzy and lose vision upon standing, but I can't remember the last time I passed out.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,425 MFP Moderator
    TehLaughingDog wrote: »
    Check to see if you have dysautonomia or POTS with your doctor. I also get symptoms of lightheadedness, loss of vision, and disoriented upon changing positions. A friend with dysautonomia told me to get screened for the disorder (however my symptoms are minor compared to hers) but it might be worth it just to get a medical professional's opinion.

    Could also be that you're not eating enough so your body is having a hard time regulating your blood circulation. I have no idea - I'm not a medical professional. Only one that can tell you if somethings up is the doc.

    POTS has a huge range of effects and highly variable amongst thouse who have it. Some have very few effects (dizziness/light headed/higher heart rate) while others have more extreme effects (extreme lethargy and fatigue, elevated heart rate, passing/blacking out, etc.). My wife falls towards to right of the spectrum and has been hospitalized at times for it.
  • rosecropper
    rosecropper Posts: 340 Member
    Only a doctor can say for sure. Have some info ready for your visit to help the doctor:
    When people eat less food, they also tend to drink less. Log your fluids- everything you drink. You could be dehydrated. Also log all sodium intake. Show doctor how much calories, fluids, salt, sugars you average in a day. If dizziness is worse at certain times of day or on certain days, note that too.
    Get an automatic blood pressure cuff. Check your BP & heart rate when you first wake up & laying in bed. Leave the cuff on and sit up on side of bed for a minute. Check BP & HR again. Then stand up for a minute and check again. Do that a couple different mornings. Also check BP & HR at other times of day for a few days. Log it all- there's free apps available to track it & make a graph you can show at doctor visit.
    When you go to doctor, ask if you are well enough to start exercising. Being sedentary makes the heart & vascular system weak.

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