To find low blood pressure so fucking annoying and debilitating?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

As I write this, I'm lying down completely on my side with the computer sort of propped up against my bent knees. I can't even sit up without feeling sick and light headed. So far, I've felt myself started to 'go', as in pass out completely, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and at my desk. It's horrible. I'm used to it now so if I move quickly and lie back down I can prevent the actual passing out most of the time, and because I can prevent this, doctors seem to think this is fine but it's not really, is it?

My cardiology appointment isn't until February and I've had trouble with this for the last couple of years, only the instances of it are getting more frequent. The worst during my period which is happening now.

It's a complete fucking pain in the arse and nobody seems to be that bothered! Does anyone else deal with similar stuff?

I feel your pain. Have low blood pressure for years and it’s awful. I thought I would die when I was pregnant this year because I couldn’t stand up without feeling like I would pass out. I have thyroid issues as well and it’s all linked for me.

Iron studies are always normal, as are thyroid. I've posted here about being unsatisfied though with doctors insisting all test results are fine, when some are arguably on the borders or low side of normal - if I'm having all these symptoms, then surely SOMETHING is wrong? Either iron, or thyroid, or POTS?

I have a fibromyalgia diagnosis and the gp has referred me to cardiology but he said these are all fibro symptoms - fainting, dizziness, joint pain, fatigue, skin tingling, blurred vision, etc.

Thanks @ShadyLady53, I'll make an appointment to see my doctor and see if they can recommend anything based on my circumstances, fingers crossed! It hadn't even crossed my mind supplements may be beneficial so thank you, I'll look into it!

How low is your blood pressure? I’ve always had lower than normal blood pressure but it never causes any symptoms.

Hugs to you all going through this xx

Out of curiosity do they think it's related to your t1 diabetes? Is it well controlled?

Yes I suffer terribly as does my mum but doctor seems to think it is a good thing ... my symptoms are exhaustion and fatigue, brain fog and irritability. It is hard because even if I manage to raise it - say with coffee - it crashes afterwards and feels even worse afterwards. I also find it hard to exercise and eat to try and raise it ... so am overweight. Urgh. Sympathy to all.

I put on four stone and that's evened me out, though appreciate that it's neither healthy nor a quick fix!

My doctor told me in my teens I'd grow out of low blood pressure. 30 years later I'm still struggling though haven't actually passed out for some time.

Sympathy OP. Chase your GP.

Blood clots during your periods are usually formed on the vagina not in the uterus.This is why we pass loads in the toilet but don't find loads actually sitting in sanpro pads and why removing tampons for some of us is highly tricky as after the tampon is avag full of clot,a lot bigger then a handful of 10ps.
You obviously have a problem but how much water doyou drink?Is your blood pressure lower in the morning than the evening?How doyou know it is your blood pressure making you dizzy.?
Not unsympathetic but curious.My No is normally 100/50,unusual for my age and lack of fitness but only a problem if I skip breakfast or forget to hydrate enough.

Have a little salt when you wake up. Avoid coffee and intense cardio. More weights for exercise. Lots of early nights and good proteins and fats!

Woah, this is fascinating. Like a pp I've always had low bp and doctors always exclaim about it and ask if I'm an athlete (I am sooo not an athlete!), but I've never had any negative effects and always thought it was a good thing. Sorry you're going through this. Sounds really extreme with the sickness and clots, to the point where there must be more going on. I hope you get help with it and are feeling better soon.

Liquorice raises blood pressure. Can you try drinking liquorice tea?

I’d advise some of the people on here to get a private blood test if they can afford it. I went with medichecks and found I had normal Thyroid Function as the NHS would find it BUT I had low RT3 ratio, low cortisol, minuscule amount of ferritin even though Iron was fine, low progesterone, high oestrogen, low white cell count, low IG3 and then found to have consistently low body temp and pulse.

Overall it was an adrenal condition similar to addisons but I never would have known if I hadn’t paid privately for blood tests and to see an endocrinologist.

GP said I was “disgustingly clinically healthy” 🙄.

Should also add, I was first sent to see an endocrinologist in 1999 and a haematologist in the same year as Addisons or a Blood Disorder were queried. I was told results were normal.

I asked for all my notes last year and discovered the Endocrinologist never actually received the blood tests results as they went missing, I had active Epstein Barr Virus and traces of Coxsackie at the time (told it was all in my head that I was ill). My IGa and White Cell results from haemotology were really alarming. Haemotologist wrote in notes, “can’t explain results, possibly ME, should rectify itself in time.” My last blood test, 18 years on showed the same problems with IGa and White Cells...A’s has every blood test since 1999 ☹️.

Lost a lot of faith in the medical profession as I didn’t get treatment and effectively lost my teens, 20s and a few years of my 30s.

Sounds like a nightmare OP. Im on Midon for it. It was a game changer.

Blimey shady are you okay now?

@Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow

Thanks, I’ve only been on a new protocol treatment wise since August. I’m better than I’ve ever been healthy and energy wise and can actually hold down working full time now but I’m still knackered most of the time, with a lot of food and chemical sensitivities and I’ve no idea what kind of long term damage there has been. Apparently it’s a condition I was born with. But in a much better place yes!

Sorry, I’m not thread hogging I promise, just trying to help.

Deliciously Ella had similar issues with POTS to many of us on here and supposedly cured herself through clean eating. Diet massively affects me. I don’t eat Gluten and I’m better when I don’t have any processed foods.

It is horrible. I've had a similar experience in hospital Athena - it kept dropping until it was around 70/40 and they kept calling people out in the night for it, but that was a bit below normal for me. I feel OK once it's above 90/60. It's above that now.

I went through life never putting salt on anything at all, or really eating anything salty. When I changed this and got some sea salt, it seemed to make quite a bit of a difference. I hate that horrible feeling when it's dropping, it's horrid. I hope you find a way to manage it. I also dread standing in queues when it's hot because I can feel it coming on.

Have you tried taking an all round multi-vitamin/multi-mineral to see if that helps? Good luck.

Ehlers-Danlos? sufferers often have POTS...

I have lowish BP, inappropriate sinus tachycardia and vasovagal syncope, and saw my cardiologist yesterday, as it happens. He said it's really hard to treat and that treating it is often worse than not treating it.

I'm basically ok if I'm laying down, my heart rate is about 104 and BP is ok. But when I stand up and do anything, my HR goes up between 140 and 180 and my BP can easily tank, so I get dizzy/faint/see stars.

I'm on ivabridine and I'm going to trial fludrocortisone, which helps to retain salt in the body and raise BP. I'm also going to try compression stockings to help venous return in my calves.

You're all right though, it's the exhaustion that's the worst.

I suffer from it too. It was horrific when I was pregnant, I have scars on my knees from fainting and falling. I fainted so many times when pregnant with my DD and it was discovered just after she was born that she'd had a bleed on the brain possibly from me fainting