feeling lightheaded.. help please!

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2

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  • KathieSwenson
    KathieSwenson Posts: 179
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    You're eating really well, much better than some other young ladies, good job. You get a good amount of sodium so having more probably won't help. Your blood pressure is too low, so you will need to see your doctor. Drink some what to increase your blood volume, with something salty. Has your doctor checked your vitamin D? You could be low on vitamin D. It will not hurt to take 1000 units of Vitamin D right now, but you probably don't have any around. I used to feel like this and it was my vitamin D too low. It does not matter how much time you spend in the sun for some people, they can still be low.

    If you have low blood pressure at your age, you're going to need a doctor's help to fix it. It's fairly urgent, but you don't need to run to the ER. See your doctor tomorrow though, and avoid driving if you can.

    I have had low blood pressure all my life. normally in the range of 99-110/70 . They never seem to terribly worried about the low blood pressure. not sure exactly why hers would be so urgent. HOWEVER lately I have been experiencing the same thing I have way over done it on the sodium and have not had any problems with the higher sodium levels however I did experience water weight gain. RIght now im at a catch 22. Do I get lightheaded when I get up or do I eat sodium and have water weight gain. Hmmm.

    however the diastolic is really really low. Go to the doctor just to be sure however I would think if they were worried about it they would have said something but I would ask anyways just to be on the safe side.
  • lostinureyes17
    lostinureyes17 Posts: 112 Member
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    You're eating really well, much better than some other young ladies, good job. You get a good amount of sodium so having more probably won't help. Your blood pressure is too low, so you will need to see your doctor. Drink some what to increase your blood volume, with something salty. Has your doctor checked your vitamin D? You could be low on vitamin D. It will not hurt to take 1000 units of Vitamin D right now, but you probably don't have any around. I used to feel like this and it was my vitamin D too low. It does not matter how much time you spend in the sun for some people, they can still be low.

    If you have low blood pressure at your age, you're going to need a doctor's help to fix it. It's fairly urgent, but you don't need to run to the ER. See your doctor tomorrow though, and avoid driving if you can.

    I have had low blood pressure all my life. normally in the range of 99-110/70 . They never seem to terribly worried about the low blood pressure. not sure exactly why hers would be so urgent. HOWEVER lately I have been experiencing the same thing I have way over done it on the sodium and have not had any problems with the higher sodium levels however I did experience water weight gain. RIght now im at a catch 22. Do I get lightheaded when I get up or do I eat sodium and have water weight gain. Hmmm.

    however the diastolic is really really low. Go to the doctor just to be sure however I would think if they were worried about it they would have said something but I would ask anyways just to be on the safe side.

    99-110/70 is on the low side but it is not "low blood pressure"

    Hypotension (low BP) is defined as <90 over <60. Your bp is pretty low. Could be a normal for you but it is best to have a doctor check this out.

    As a nursing student the desired range we look at is above 90/60 and below 140/90 (hypertension). Obviously all people are individuals but those are the ranges we use when reporting any abnormal vital signs.
  • samrockrocks
    samrockrocks Posts: 251 Member
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    OP.. i would definitely see your doctor. i had thyroiditis that went undiagnosed for a year! I'm not saying that is what is wrong with you, but you're much better safe than sorry. I didn't have symptoms until my thyroid became overactive. i didn't even recognize all my symptoms because one of them is weight loss and i was trying to lose weight!! it wasn't until i became lightheaded and dizzy all the time that i finally realized something was wrong!

    my point- going to the doctor can only help! :)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I don't know my lean body mass...how can I find out?

    And I ate pretty much all my calories left today at dinner, and had sushi w/ soy sauce and 56 protein :tongue:

    You would have to have an estimate of your body fat. Let's say it's 20% and I thought you siad you are 124. Body fat is roughly 25 lbs. That puts lean mass at about 99 lbs. That's 80 to 100 grams of protein per day.
  • chikkenlikken
    chikkenlikken Posts: 24 Member
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    Hi there,

    You have experienced something called "orthostatic hypotension." It is rather common. When you stand up, blood rushes to your legs because of gravity. This causes a drop in your blood pressure, especially in the upper body (ie, your brain!) That is why you see spots and get dizzy. It can be caused by a lot of things, one of which is dehydration. Also, anemia is common in young women, and this could be another reason for the dizziness. If it only happens every once in a while, I wouldn't worry about it. But if it is a frequent problem, then you need to go the the doctor and have your blood checked.

    Are you an athlete? If so, then your heart rate and blood pressure are fine. Athletes typically have lower blood pressures and heart rates b/c their cardiovascular systems are so efficient.

    Not accusing here, but if you are using laxatives to help with weight loss, then they will certainly cause profound dehydration. I'm not saying that's what's going on, but just wanted to let you know about the dangers. :wink:
  • myohana4
    myohana4 Posts: 205 Member
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    Well, you already did get a lot of feedback on here but I thought I would chime in, too! :smile:

    As you know, it really is best to see a doctor. We can guess that it might be low blood pressure but really you could get light headed and see spots from low sugar or iron, too. There are so many things that could be causing this.

    I am with you, sometimes I don't want to go to the doctor and bother them with something that might be insignificant. But you don't know that this is nothing. If it makes you feel better, tell your doctor that you asked some "friends" and they all told you to have it checked out! ;)

    Keep up posted.
  • Sililily115
    Sililily115 Posts: 45
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    I've been feeling better! I ate more calories the past days (even though they were desert cals :blushing: ) And I'm starting to feel less tired and lightheaded.
    I have had problems with this before and it sort of comes and goes, but I feel like eating higher cal stuff helped.. I just have to eat healthier high cal stuff.

    I do play sports but not in the summer so I have been trying to walk more and exercise when I can, such as swimming running and other things.
    And I definitely don't take laxatives! I try to keep well hydrated too but sometimes when I'm busy I forget to drink as much as usual.

    I will see if it comes back, but for now I feel good! (just some sore muscles :P)

    Thanks for all the advice!
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    You should probably consult a doctor, also try drinking more water... it could be from dehydration as well as LBP.
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
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    Go see a doc.

    Also drink more water (especially during activities) and maybe some electrolyte replacing fluids as well.

    Don't add more salt, it's a bad idea, the salt we have is processed and we're better getting sodium from more natural sources.

    But yes. See a doc.

    I had a similar thing and it was dehydration, someone else I knew had similar and they needed their ears syringed, could be a number of things but don't leave it if it keeps happening.
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
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    You're eating really well, much better than some other young ladies, good job. You get a good amount of sodium so having more probably won't help. Your blood pressure is too low, so you will need to see your doctor. Drink some what to increase your blood volume, with something salty. Has your doctor checked your vitamin D? You could be low on vitamin D. It will not hurt to take 1000 units of Vitamin D right now, but you probably don't have any around. I used to feel like this and it was my vitamin D too low. It does not matter how much time you spend in the sun for some people, they can still be low.

    If you have low blood pressure at your age, you're going to need a doctor's help to fix it. It's fairly urgent, but you don't need to run to the ER. See your doctor tomorrow though, and avoid driving if you can.



    however the diastolic is really really low. Go to the doctor just to be sure however I would think if they were worried about it they would have said something but I would ask anyways just to be on the safe side.

    It's actually the systolic -- the top number -- that is on the low side. The diastolic (the "down" number, is actually not too bad.)
    The others are right -- drink some more water to increase your blood volume. Dehydration can cause lightheadedness. And see your doctor when you get a chance. Give him/her a call and see whether he/she feels you need to be seen right away.
  • Laurej
    Laurej Posts: 227
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    check with your dr!!!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    It sounds like you're on the right track over the last couple of days, but I would still go and talk to your doctor just to make sure.

    My mother used to get this when she was in her late teens/early 20s -- at the time her b/p normally ran 80/40 (and that was with a high salt diet). They never found anything but the low blood pressure. But it would still be worth checking.
  • almischief
    almischief Posts: 1 Member
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    check your blood sugar. I have spells like that then my blood sugar bottoms out. try drinking juice to get it back up quick and peanut butter crackers to level it out till your next meal or snack.
  • GaidenJade
    GaidenJade Posts: 171
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    "Soy salt surprisingly doesn't have that much sodium... You should try adding salt to your food."

    WOW! Why not just start smoking, drinking and eating fried foods also. Not really! Go see a naturopath so your drug dealing doctor won't poison you :)

    Seriously? Are you trolling cause, I don't really think you are serious. At least I hope not. Salt doesn't kill, too much salt does. In fact we NEED salt. Saline helps conduct the electrical impulses that powers our bodies.
  • GaidenJade
    GaidenJade Posts: 171
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    I've been feeling better! I ate more calories the past days (even though they were desert cals :blushing: ) And I'm starting to feel less tired and lightheaded.
    I have had problems with this before and it sort of comes and goes, but I feel like eating higher cal stuff helped.. I just have to eat healthier high cal stuff.

    I do play sports but not in the summer so I have been trying to walk more and exercise when I can, such as swimming running and other things.
    And I definitely don't take laxatives! I try to keep well hydrated too but sometimes when I'm busy I forget to drink as much as usual.

    I will see if it comes back, but for now I feel good! (just some sore muscles :P)

    Thanks for all the advice!

    So happy for you. Good job and good luck with meeting your goal. :drinker:
  • reneecgc
    reneecgc Posts: 179 Member
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    I have very low BP and a pulse rate so I also get dizzy. Since eating 5-6 times a day it does not
    happen so often. My my has a machine that checks her sugar and when I felt dizzy like that
    in the past I use to check my sugar and it was always low. Make sure you are eating enough
    and having small snacks throughout the day to keep your sugar levels from dropping.
    My BP 100/60 Pulse 54. I am 5'7" and 160lbs
  • soontobesam
    soontobesam Posts: 714 Member
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    I was having the same issue and increasing my water intake helped me. I never use to track my water because I typically drink a lot but when I started tracking it I realized I had seriously slacked off for a few weeks.

    Haven't seen stars in a few days.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    It's the blood pressure. I don't know that it is clinically low bp, but it is definitely lower than what is normally seen. It wouldn't hurt to run it past your doctor just to make sure.

    My bp tends to hang out around 98/56. I get light headed, too.
  • itsjustdawn
    itsjustdawn Posts: 1,073 Member
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    Did you recently stop taking any medication?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I commend you on a good diary!
    Raise the protein up a bit and that could help.

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