Hi all. I was scheduled to have surgery last month but due to extenuating circumstances had to reschedule my surgery the evening before it was scheduled. I am now due to have surgery at the end of this week but am very concerned about one thing I’ve been reading on other forums:orthostatic hypotension. People reporting light headedness, fainting spells and extremely low bp when getting up from a seated or laying down position.

is this common??? How many people here have had this? I watched my dad suffer from that for years (part of another neurological condition he had) and it was the most traumatic thing and I don’t want that for myself. In his case I think it was also unmanageable because of his other condition but I wonder can anyone share some insight like how easy it to treat/cure for weight loss surgery??

thanks in advance

it's fairly common the first few weeks or months after surgery - then it tends to resolve. You just have to get up slowly when you've been lying down.

I get it every once in a while. You just have to remember to get up slowly. Don't just jump up and you'll be fine. It's more common the first 3 or so months after surgery. After that, it either resolves itself or you get it sporadically (like me) and you just remember to go slowly. Never had any fainting or anything. Just very light headed and have to close my eyes for a few seconds until it resolves.

Thanks for your responses! Did you have to take medicine for it? It is not debilitating, right?

Has anyone felt like they regret the surgery because of this??

I’m five weeks out— none of this for me, and I’ve suffered from vertigo in the past that would cause the room to spin, which totally sucked. I think I’ve heard this before: “worry is just asking for the worse to happen”. Sounds like a doctor would be able to help solve with you if this comes up.

4 hours ago, Krasavitza said:

Thanks for your responses! Did you have to take medicine for it? It is not debilitating, right?

Has anyone felt like they regret the surgery because of this??

no medicine. Not debilitating. No way in hell - I am thankful every day for this surgery!!!

Edited April 10, 20233 yr by catwoman7

For most it is just temporary. Keep your fluids up. Add some extra salt to your diet. If you’re going out or being active take an electrolyte drink with you to sip. Get up slowly from lying down or seated & wait before moving. March on the spot or your feet up & down to get your blood back up to your head. Usually waiting or marching, etc. for 10-15 seconds is long enough to avoid it occurring.

I’ve always had a predisposition to low BP (it runs in the family). Now my BP sits around 80/60 and sometimes lower all day everyday & I regularly experience further drops causing loss of vision & lightheadedness. I can feel it coming on just before my vision starts to narrow. I usually stop moving & reach for a wall, chair, table, even a person to ground myself. I sometimes bend over at my waist so my head is lower than my heart & come up slowly. It passes quickly - a few seconds. Occasionally I’ll have a drop, recover then have another one straight after. It’s not debilitating. Just know it can happen. Never fainted either. I have been put on medication but it didn’t help. They were concerned it was so low after my gall surgery they gave me a shot of adrenaline. My BP went up for like three minutes and five minutes later it was back where it was. For me it’s normal.

I had it and as others said I stood slowly. Once I came off my high dose of BP meds it went away. It was not a big issue for me, the only thing is I always carry a drink and a protein bar when I go out. Its more of a comfort blanket now than actually needing them.

I think it's natural to temporarily feel a little light headed no matter what extreme diet one may be on. Low calories can do that to a person. I had a friend who was on a liquid diet for months and she fainted every now and then. She did not have WLS. She was in one of those medical liquid diets.

I have low BP since my weight loss but it was fine when I was 160 but after I got down under 120 lbs is when it happened. The doctors do not seem overly concerned, told me to drink coffee and tea, and add some salt to my food... Etc. I don't ever feel dizzy or uncomfortable. When I was over 300 lbs I often felt dizzy, unwell and always uncomfortable. I, too, am so thankful for WLS.

im six months PO and it started in january, it is starting to resolve and happen less often now. but I don't know if its because I have focused on upping my fluid intake or if its because its just naturally resolving