I had a gastric bypass on June 25th of this year. Starting the night of my surgery my heart rate dropped down into the 30s and has continued to do so since then. I have also been having problems with low BP. I have blacked out and passed out a few times. I see an interventional cardiologist and a cardiac electrophysiologist. They are discussing the possibly of me having the need for a pacemaker. We have also discussed the fact that my vagus nerve may have been damaged during surgery, it controls heart rate and BP. Has anyone else had this issue or have heard of this?

I have Neurocardiogenic syncope, which causes low blood pressure and causes me to pass out. I've had it for about 12 years. When I told my electro physiologist I was having a sleeve done, they said sometimes people develop NCS or POTS after. I would recommend trying to see Blair Grubb in Toledo, OH. He is the #1 electro physiologist in the world. Let me know if you need anymore information or any support! Yahoo! Groups has a great support group for people with dysautonomia.

I was going to say it sounds like you are vageling

@@stephh, my daughter has that. Scared the hell out of us. She's 19 now. Doctor said she should get more sodium in her diet. She's six feet tall. I've read different articles about taller girls having it.

Edited October 9, 201411 yr by JustWatchMe

@@JustWatchMe I'm only about 5'5" (on a good day haha). I bet it scared you! Are her symptoms controlled? Good news, most girls grow out of it around 25. I'm 26 and haven't passed out since May =) There were times I would pass out several times a day.

Edited October 9, 201411 yr by stephh

She's had episodes for about four years. Only six or seven times total. She's learned that Claritin raises her BP so during allergy season she's fine. She's passed out in church three times. I worry because she goes to an out of state college and next semester she will be studying abroad in Europe. But so far no incidents at school. Twice it occurred after she slept in (really really late) on a weekend. The doctor said you dehydrate when you sleep a long time. So she was given lots of tips, but you know teenagers.

Yes. I was told to add salt to diet. I've been low one time before.

"We have also discussed the fact that my vagus nerve may have been damaged during surgery, it controls heart rate and BP. Has anyone else had this issue or have heard of this? "

That might make sense in my case. I had gastroparesis before the surgery and its still here after. There are questions regarding the enteric nervous system and considering the gastrectomy was my 3rd abdominal surgery (gallbladder was 4th), it is possible that happened in my case.

http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP008.htm

https://www.inkling.com/read/berne-and-levy-physiology-updated-koeppen-stanton-6th/chapter-18/nervous-control-of-the-heart

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/heart_and_blood_vessel_disorders/symptoms_of_heart_and_blood_vessel_disorders/fainting.html

and here are some interesting ones:

http://gi.org/guideline/management-of-gastroparesis/

Postsurgical gastroparesis (PSG), often with vagotomy or vagus nerve injury, represents the third most common etiology of gastroparesis. In the past, most cases resulted from vagotomy performed in combination with gastric drainage to correct medically refractory or complicated peptic ulcer disease. Since the advent of laparoscopic techniques for the treatment of GERD, gastroparesis has become a recognized complication of fundoplication (possibly from vagal injury during the surgery) or bariatric surgery that involves gastroplasty or bypass procedures.

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/746363_3

Bariatric surgeries such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, but not laparoscopic banding or vertical banded gastroplasty, increase gastric retention and lead to fundic distention that may increase reports of early satiety, anorexia and weight loss.^[46] Lastly, one study reported that 8% of postcholecystectomy patients developed gastroparesis, suggesting that operations that do not disrupt vagal activity also impair gastric motor function.[4]

Isolated development of delayed gastric emptying with preservation of normal transit in other gut regions can be a complication of selected disorders. Some studies have reported delayed liquid or solid gastric emptying in patients with GERD.

https://web.duke.edu/surgery/2014_Bariatric_masters/session6_yoo.pdf

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gastroenterology_hepatology/_pdfs/esophagus_stomach/gastroparesis.pdf

http://www.columbiasurgery.org/news/healthpoints/2011_winter/p3.html

Victoria