Feeling dizzy?

[happynewbie 3]

Hello, I am 2 months post op and have been getting dizzy and not being able to see for a few seconds when I stand up too fast! Anybody else get this? And know what is causing it?

[GreenTealael 24,246]

It could be a few things like lowered blood pressure or dehydration/electrolyte imbalance.

Your best bet is to contact your doctor and let them know as soon as possible.

[summerseeker 1,234]

I was just like that and I was taken off my blood pressure meds. Then the symptoms disappeared.

[catwoman7 9,988]

that's very common and is usually due to low blood pressure. It's temporary, though. In the mean time, just get up slowly.

medical term for it is hypostatic orthotension

There are undoubtedly a lot of posts on here about it, too - you should be able to find them by doing a search (may or may not come up by searching for the medical term - but try searching on "dizzy" or "dizziness")

it could also be caused by dehydration or low blood glucose - or some imbalance in the inner ear, but most often it's low blood pressure.

Edited February 2 by catwoman7

[vsg2410 37]

The medical term is actually orthostatic hypotension. It can be due to dehydration. I struggled with this a lot and still am. I drink Gatorade fit every day and chicken broth to maintain my electrolytes. Definitely contact your office though because it can be due to low Iron also.

[Arabesque 5,164]

I have that multiple times a day. It’s likely orthostatic hypotension - postural low blood pressure. It’s quite common after surgery but is a temporary side effect for most. I had it before surgery which is why I still have it albeit a lot more often. I get it not only on getting up but can also get it if I reach & look up high.

Keep your fluids up. Add a little more salt to your diet. Get up slowly & wait for a short while before moving (15 +/- seconds can be enough). Don’t get overheated. When my vision starts to go I reach for a wall, chair, table, even a person, just to ground me for those few seconds. I also find if I bend over it passes more quickly as the blood gets back to my head sooner.

BUT, do speak to your medical team to ensure that’s what it is.

[catwoman7 9,988]

9 hours ago, vsg2410 said:

The medical term is actually orthostatic hypotension. It can be due to dehydration. I struggled with this a lot and still am. I drink Gatorade fit every day and chicken broth to maintain my electrolytes. Definitely contact your office though because it can be due to low Iron also.

lol - yes, you're correct - I cut & pasted the name from an article a quickly googled because I couldn't remember the medical term off the top of my head. I thought that looked weird!

[happynewbie 3]

Thank you everyone for your replies! Good to know there is a name for this and that I am not alone in experiencing it! I will definitely check with my surgeon about it