Hi Everyone!

Over the past seven months I have had 3 episodes where my blood pressure has dropped to very low levels, and I have nearly passed out.

Each time I had been standing for about 20-25 minutes in a relaxed manner. Then all of a sudden I get hot, nauseated, sweaty, and everything goes gray.

So, after the last episode, I saw my PCP. He said he's seen it many times with his patients who have lost significant amounts of weight. He said it appears that we have a hard time maintaining blood pressure sometimes.

I was actually seeing him today for something else, but have a follow up with him in a week and a half. I'll speak with him further about it then.

I am curious if anyone else has experienced this?

Thanks!!!

YES!

I passed out in a lift a couple of weeks ago and took a couple of minutes to come round. When they checked my BP it was so low they couldn't initially pick up the lower reading! I got taken to emergency and monitored. The only other thing they found was low potassium so I had to drink a yukky supplement.

I went to see my GP a couple of days later and have been told i can now stop taking the high BP meds that I have been on for years.

That is great but I am concerned in case it goes up again so I bought a BP monitor so that I can check it myself at home for peace of mind.

Are you on any kind of BP meds or does it just drop by itself?

I've had high BP and on meds for it for over 10 years. I have been well below the weight I am right now several times before and my BP never went down. But, somehow my BP suddenly became normal a couple months after getting the lapband. I have a monitor at home, but don't normally take it daily.

But, after a few days of being tired and then getting dizzy doing some housework, I took it and it was really really low for me (like 86/60). I usually run 130/90 even w/meds. I quit taking my meds as of that day and have been monitoring my BP daily now and it has remained in the normal range.

Oh believe me if you only knew. I was in the hospital for 4 days with low bp issues. Its due to losing weight and not listening to what our body needs and wants. I was on bp lisinopril at the time and could feel it coming on. Became very warm, sweaty and nauseated while caring for a patient. Go figure. Was able to sit down, call my collegue tell him to please come over to where i was sitting and THAT WAS IT...i WAS DOWN AND OUT, rushed to the ED and admitted for 4 days. The problem is when your bp drops it also affects the amt of oxygen to your brain, so I don't remember a thing, except i was concerned that they didn't have my bed rails up....Thats just part of being a nurse...Watch that bp and take it once a days, keep a journal for your PCP...It will level out soon......

OMG Coco this happened to me over the weekend I was in the grocery store and all of the sudden I thought I was going to faint. I am diabetic so I was thinking it was my blood sugar levels dropping but I wonder if it wasn't my blood pressure too because I had eaten breakfast right before I went to the store but that was SCARY :thumbup: I kept thinking please just let me get out of here standin up. Let us know what your doctor says.

Hi Again,

Nice to know I am not alone!

Little bit more of my Band history.

I had high BP prior to surgery. Was on meds. They stopped it right before I got my band. It came down quickly as my weight went down.

My weight has been pretty stable for several months. Just a few lbs. lost. My pressure is usally in the 110/70 range.

When the last bout happened I had my BP taken and it was 80/50. Yeah, I felt awsome!

So, how do we combat this? I drink my Water like a good patient should.

We cannot always avoid standing for longish periods of time. In my case when this happened, I had been moving around a bit. I was chatting with friends leaning against a wall or counter. Nothing stressful. I'd really prefer to not collapse in front of a bunch of people, I'm just odd that way :thumbup:

Thanks!

This is just a guess, but maybe you need more sodium in your diet. We are eating so little once we get to restriction, I wonder if we are even getting the daily value. I've stopped salting most of my food and I rarely eat processed foods or eat out. I know this combined w/the low quantity of food I eat now means that my sodium consumption has really dropped.

This is just a guess, but maybe you need more sodium in your diet. We are eating so little once we get to restriction, I wonder if we are even getting the daily value. I've stopped salting most of my food and I rarely eat processed foods or eat out. I know this combined w/the low quantity of food I eat now means that my sodium consumption has really dropped.

I LOVE salt! Can I shake with wild abandon?? Tee hee!!

They checked my soium levels just recently, they were right in the middle. I was at urgent care on Saturday for an unrelated problem and they did some blood work.

Edited April 13, 201016 yr by Cocoabean
Cause I could not remember my test results!

It could be potassium rather than sodium levels being too low. It might be time for a complete blood work up with your PCP. I hope you can find out what is causing this issue. I'd rather faint in front of lots of people than in front of no one, so in case I hit my head or hurt myself, someone can call in aid. Embarrassing? Yeah, but possibly life saving? Definitely!

Cocoabean - the same thing happened to me a couple of times. Mostly when I had been standing for 30-60 minutes and not drinking anything and a couple of hours after a meal. I never have been on BP meds and my normal bp these days is around 104/70. It seemed to go away after drinking Water and being able to sit down, but it was kind of scary.

I couldn't pinpoint what is was exactly that caused the episodes, and I attributed it to maybe a little low blood sugar, but don't really know - don't have an issue normally with that either.

The last time was 3-4 months ago. I had bloodwork about the same time and all was great. Go figure!

It could be potassium rather than sodium levels being too low. It might be time for a complete blood work up with your PCP. I hope you can find out what is causing this issue. I'd rather faint in front of lots of people than in front of no one, so in case I hit my head or hurt myself, someone can call in aid. Embarrassing? Yeah, but possibly life saving? Definitely!

Hi Melinco!

I had bloodwork done in Feb. and my potassium was A-OK!

Good point about passing out in front of someone rather than alone. Hadn't really thought of that. So far, I've had warning to get seated before I keeled over, but ya never know.

I was at urgent care Saturday with low BP and intestinal upset. They suspect a c. diff. infection. My potassium was low, and my white cell count was high. Still waiting on cultures to be sure. But being treated for that, and am responding to the treatment. So, I think they were on the money.

It's been a joyous month thus far! :thumbup: