Slight dizzyness ...

I remember reading someone on hear (maybe) having dizzyness when they get up or bend over.  I've been having that lately, and it's not really bad, but enough for me to notice it.   When I was feeling puny at the gym this morning...enough not to work out...I went ahead and just showered and went to work.  But I weighed and checked my BP this morning.  The BP was 93/54 and it was taken on my forearm.  Is this something I should be concerned with?  Should I contact my surgeon?  Last week at the dr's office it was 120/82.

That's a little low - but a more accurate measurement would be on your upper arm, and multiple measurements at different times of day to see if its always running low.  From your food log you said you had a grouchy pouchy today also and ate very little, and were low on fluid.  Dehydration can cause dizziness and mess with your blood pressure.  Not eating enough can cause dizziness.  Low blood sugar can cause dizziness.  I asked my doctor about why I get dizzy when I stand up - we did blood pressure readings sitting and standing, and I do have postural hypotension (it falls when I stand up) but it wasn't severe.  It seems to bother me a lot more when I am not drinking enough though.  It also is probably why I fainted - I was bent over retching and then stood up straight, blood pressure dropped, and down I went.  I see a lot of people complaining about this on the boards - and about dizziness in the shower, which I had really bad early on.  I'd say if it keeps happening yeah you should see someone about it, but I wouldn't jump the gun until you are rehydrated, eating normally, and exercising normally - and then if it still happens, something funny might be going on.  Hope you feel better soon!

It is not dangerous for your bp to be a little low.  That would account for your dizziness on standing.  I would go with what dunny said.  Loris

I did check it this morning at the gym so I should have been hydrated ok.  I noticed it happening in the past week or so.  Thanks for the feedback.  I'm almost to where I need to be for the day in water now.  I know I'll be up all night inthe bathroom though.  My pouch actually feels back to normal now.  Thank god!

By any chance are you taking bp med's? If so they may need to be adjusted or discontinued..

Here's a repost about dizzyness -  Feeling Faint when Standing?

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"I’m light headed when I stand up!" It happens a good bit around 6 to 20 months post-op. Are you finding yourself a little "Light-Headed" when Standing? I happened to have some info, and I thought I’d pass it on……. --------------------------------------------------------------- This is a fairly common complaint among folks who are experiencing rapid weight-loss, Not just from WLS. It is all bound up in that "resting heart rate" Before Weight-loss And it’s "adjustment" during and immediately after rapid weight loss. Dizziness when standing up quickly or changing position Is called – (in doc slang) Postural Hypotension. (or actual term) Orthostatic Hypotension. It is often caused by decreased blood volume (hypovolemia), due to excessive use of diuretics, vasodilators, dehydration, prolonged bed rest, or anemia. Certain meds such as antidepressants can also cause it. It can be associated with artherosclerosis, diabetes, and certain neurological disorders. In those experiencing rapid weight loss, It’s typically the result of a decrease in blood flow to the brain, Due to a drop in blood pressure when standing up Rather than an overall decrease of blood volume. If you find yourself feeling faint when standing, This may be what your problem ..... Here’s My best explanation- When sitting or lying down, the body’s fluid pressure is equally distributed from head to toe. When you stand up, the fluid pressure increases in your lower extremities, and falls dramatically at the top. This pressure drop is usually corrected quickly, to keep the blood pressure and flow to the brain constant when we stand up. Sensor nerves in blood vessels act, by way of the involuntary nervous system, that trigger responses to maintain normal blood pressure and flow to the brain: The heart rate increases, as does the volume and force of the blood in the circulatory system. At the same time, the muscular walls of arteries constrict, and veins of the lower body contract increasing blood pressure, in effect, pushing blood upward toward the heart and brain. If the circulatory reflexes are working properly, the move from lying to standing Usually goes without symptoms. Dizziness when standing, from postural hypotension, usually means that either something has gone "oops" With the circulatory reflexes, (Problem in Circulation, Heart, or medications which inhibit the circulatory reflexes by blocking transmission involuntary nervous system signals to the heart and blood vessels. Such as- beta blockers, alpha blockers or other BP Meds.) OR- As is the case for folks who are in rapid weight "Change," the body’s fluid volume is depleted or recently changed. For women in Pregnancy, Postural Hypotension is generally the result of the body having to handle much More fluid than it is accustomed to handling. In the case of someone who is dropping over all volume quickly, (like WLS many Folk) It’s inadequate blood volume. Or less fluid than the circulatory system is accustomed to handling. If there isn't enough fluid volume in the blood vessels, then the circulatory reflexes can't restore normal blood pressure quick enough to compensate for the pressure changes. This can also happen as a result of even mild dehydration. For most, as the weight-loss speed slows the body adapts to match it’s new standard. There is a "lag time" for many people. It’s not just "Us" getting used to new bodies, but our body’s Systems have to make adjustments as well. If it keeps up much after your body stops changing quickly, then it may be from other causes such as- Involuntary nervous system dysfunction, brought on by- Diabetes, alcoholism, nutritional deficiencies, or other nervous system disorders. Ask your Doc about it. Mine diagnosed mine by having the Nurse check my blood pressure and pulse in the lying down position, then into a standing position. The pressure dropped when I stood up, by "some magic number" that let him know that it was -Postural Hypotension / Orthostatic Hypotension. He said not to worry - that it would stop when I stopped losing, and it did. In the meanwhile, just get up slower and make sure to get adequate water intake. For some it is a result of coming off of, or decreasing the need for BP Medication. If the cause turns out to be a medication, then your doc may decrease the dose, or switch over to another drug that doesn’t have that side effect. I’ve heard of folks out here over the years being given lower extremity support or compression hose, and in some cases, blood vessel constricting medications. As with everything that occurs to you- ASK Your Doctor. For a touch more info, And info for treatments.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension Or a more specific site at- http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/medical/orthostatic.htmlhttp://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/medical/orthostatic.html ------------------------------------------------------------- All that I can remember.... It does tend to level out and fade away once you reach a stable weight. Till then? Just don't "pop-up" so quickly!

Thanks for the re-post.  I went off of BP meds @ 3 months according to the docs orders, but I really hadn't taken them since surgery.  I was non-compliant, but I didn't need them anyway.

Kathy, Sometimes I also have this feeling.  My blood pressure used to be 130/90 - almost high.  I had been on birth control pills at that time to help with bleeding.  Just before my WLS, I had an endometrial ablation and my blood pressure began coming down by being off the meds, throw in the weight loss, and now my b/p was something like 84/48 when I saw the plastic surgeon last week.  That is VERY LOW.  When I stand up, or have been standing a long time, I sometimes feel light headed.  Drinking more fluids help this, as well as waiting a few seconds before moving, when getting up from bed or a chair.  Also, if I am standing, I will move around a little bit to help keep things moving.  I do not notice the dizzyness or lightheadness as much now, and I think it's because I've trained myself with those steps to better cope. Hugs,