Darla - dysautonomia - how do YOU control low blood pressure???

[Guest guest]

After I had my son my bp got so bad I literally couldnt get out of

bed... I had a cardiologist here who basically didnt believe me, and

took the stand that " low BP is better than high, and i should be

thankful " ... LOL!!

anyways, it took me actually passing out in his office to get him to

take me seriously. He finally referred me to a cardiologist who

specialises in POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and

low BP, and she has honestly gotten me back on my feet...

The other doc I see for this is a neurologist thats specialises in

parkinsons, as it is a common symptom of parkinsons, so he has

experience in dealing with it...

It took a long time to convince them that this was a MAJOR problem,

after they did the tilt table test, they finally took me seriously,

and got me medicated. As much as i hated being on medication, my

case was so severe that it was an absolute necessity...

the dizzyness/blackouts on standing are a daily occurence... like

you i have learned to get up veeery slowly...

A few things to get checked if you havent yet as far as the low

bp/dizzyness/blackouts go is the following blood tests:

-cortisol (adrenal hormone)

-Sodium (salt.. i have low salt)

-potassium

-renin (something to do with the kidney and bp control)

-aldosterone (another adrenal hormone)

high or low levels of any of these things can cause/exasterbate low

bp symptoms... i have issues with all of them, and it takes a bit

of orchestrating to keep eveyrthing in check...

but its an easier fix if any of them are out of wack, so its worth

checking!

Keely

> > I also have low blood pressure, but not even close to what you

> described. I

> > really don't know of much new info from what you have already

been

> told,

> > sorry. I just love the advice, stay off your feet. Yup, OK

doc,

> I don't think

> > they remember that I am pregnant with my 5th kid right now. I

> would love to

> > see my house if I stayed off my feet. I have learned when to

make

> sure to

> > sit, about 10 seconds before I pass out. Also I have noticed

that

> I cannot

> > stand still, if I keep moving I tend to feel better. The only

> other thing that

> > really helps me is making sure I eat small meals all day. My

> worst times are

> > in the morning so I try to eat as soon as I wake up. Sometimes

it

> is

> > completely useless, sometimes it helps. Oh yeah, and stay off

> your feet.

> > Maybe we can all take a couple of numbers from my daughter,

> Grace. She also

> > has alot of dystautonomia problems, but for her it is high

blood

> pressure.

> > She is only 2 and her average is about 115/95 or so. When

stressed

> she goes

> > as high as 210/120, and remember she is 2. We are lost for

> treatment for her,

> > because nobody has really seen this before. They do not want

to

> put her on

> > BP meds because there is no medical reason for this happening,

and

> it is very

> > inconsistent. She is always usually high, but sometimes in her

> sleep (deep

> > sleep) she drops to normal for her age. They worry if they

start

> medicating

> > her, when it does drop in her sleep it may drop to low. Who

> knows? I guess

> > we like to make the doctors think a little.

> >