Who has "Hypotension" (Low blood pressure)? How do you feel?

[booker81]

I have POTS as well, with the hypotension.

I do have an increased salt diet, which does help a lot. When I was pregnant, my blood pressure stayed down, but I was having heart issues (major arrhythmias), and was admitted to the cardiac ward in the hospital and put on a low salt diet. After my BP dropped to 60/40 and lower and my heart went crazy (standing up made my heartbeat rise to over 200bpm) and the arrhythmia was hitting every other beat, I begged for salt. The tachycardia knocked off, blood pressure went up to close to my normal (110/70) and the arrhythmia went back to what it was (and lasted the pregnancy).

I consume about 8000mg of salt a day to keep my BP and heartrate normal. Same with my mom, dad, and grandparents (who've since passed from non-heart issues, but had low BP their whole life). If I slack on my salt intake, I'll get the blackouts, dizziness and heart issues.

I wear a Holter monitor every couple years to monitor my heart and am directed to stay on high sodium diet to keep things in line.

 

[justbugged]

Hypotension is rarely treated in the US. In Europe it's my understanding that it is treated as seriously as hypertension is treated. My DDiL blood pressure can get so low(50/30), that she passes out. It's very scary to know that she could die from this. Every time that I have heard about DDIL passing out she has been home alone, and hours from having anyone to help her. She doesn't have enough warning to be able to call even 911. At least she has a great teem of doctors, that take this very seriously and they treat her for it. My DDiL has a very bad form of MS, so this seems to be part of the problems that are associated with this form of MS.

I can remember having low BP as a teenager, and I would get dizzy when ever I stood up. It wasn't fun.

 

[LegginMF12]

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My B/P usually runs around 90/50 but sometimes I am as low as 84/45. I am 43 a little over weight and I smoke. The down side of having low B/P is you usually have a higher heart rate, which, over time can cause problems. Luckily I am asymptomatic for the problems that come with hypotension (except for the heart rate, sometimes it bebops along at around 126 when I am sitting still!) I also have low blood sugar problems. My Dr. also does not seem worried about them. The last time I went I told the doctor "Please explain to me how I can sit down eat a bowl of rice with veggies and 2 chicken thighs with the skin and 90 minutes later have a blood sugar of 47"? She just brushed it off as a fluke. I tend to think "OMG my B/P is 101/ 70 , am I going to have a stroke, am I having a heart attack"? LOL

 

[Ksane]

Interesting. I didn't know it could cause problems. I'm 51, quit smoking 3 yrs ago & my blood pressure has always been around 90/50. It runs a bit lower in the summer when I'm really active outside most the day. I don't ever feel like I'm going to pass out but I do eat tons of salt.
Why do they think it's a problem?

 

[eggbuster]

I don't think its a problem for most people; some people have health issues which low bp aggravates or makes hard to treat. My SIL used to pass out, but I think it was her life style that contributed to that. Once she got fit and ate better, she did not have any more problems. Anemia and low bp are not compatible.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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That is exactly what I have read. When someone is diagnosed with Hypotension most doctors don't worry about treating it. I wonder how they treat it in Europe.

From time to time, I get dizzy spells and when I do, I know that my blood pressure has dropped even lower.

 

[catwalk]

Being light headed and grouchy when you haven't eaten in a while is most likely contributable to hypoglycemia, not hypotension. Your brain can't store energy, so it needs a constant supply from your blood. If your glucose-deficient blood is slow getting to your brain to begin with, your problem is compounded. I know of a couple of things that may help bring BP to a healthier level:

1. Drink more water. Hypovolemia due to dehydration contributes to low blood pressure and tachycardia. It's a type of shock. Increase your blood's volume by taking in more fluids, and your heart won't have to scramble to to move low volumes of blood along quicker.

2. Excersize. Many blood vessles run through muscles, and the inward pressure toned tissue exerts on your arteries helps to push the blood along. It's one reason athletes have such ridiculously low heart rates, because the muscles help push more blood along than the heart does alone.

I know it's not that simple, but I hope this helps!

 

[ksacres]

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Same here. My normal temp is well below "normal". I never knew anyone else was that way...

 

[sparkles2307]

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Same here. My normal temp is well below "normal". I never knew anyone else was that way...

My kids are that way too. Low temps that is, they're too young for me to know if the crabbiness is hypoglycemia or just charm.

 

[LegginMF12]

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The problem with hypotension is once the diastolic (that's the bottom number) gets in the low 50's to the 40's you have poor tissue perfusion, especially the kidneys. This means your vital organs and sometimes your extremities are not getting a good blood flow. Over time this can damage the organs and may lead to poor wound healing and a greater risk for injury to the extremities. Oddly even though I have hypotension I do not like salt. I rarely use it when I cook (which really irritates The Big Guy). Although I do occasionally get salt cravings and will eat a small bag of chips.