Dizziness! Any nurses / healthcare professionals out there?

Hello All -

I hope everyone is having a great Friday Eve Day......as we call it in our house!

I am 7 months post-op RNY (actually tomorrow) and for the last month I have been really having an issue with dizziness.  At least twice a day I get so dizzy that I am concerned about falling over.  I get waves of dizziness when I am sitting down, while I am standing up....and definitely when I am going from a seated to standing position.

I am not on any blood pressure medications and when I have been in to the doctor my numbers have been great.  I do well with my protein and think I do well with the water - liquids.  My pee isn't a dark color and when I pinch the skin on the back of my hand it doesn't stay 'pinched' so I don't think I am dehydrated.  My labs were drawn at my 6 month appointment and everything came back normal. And I am not pregnant.

Does anyone else deal with dizziness on a daily basis?  What can be done about it? I understand getting dizzy when going from sitting to standing too fast but just having waves of dizziness slam me is concerning.  it is also making my husband insane because he is so worried.

Thanks in advance - xoxoxo

~ Ellie

Lots of things can cause vertigo (dizziness).  You really should make an appointment with your PCP.  Get a check up.  It may be as simple as wax build up in your ear and you just need an ear flush.  

Thanks :-)  I never thought of something with my ears..........I have had the cold / crud that is going around - maybe I have fluid in my inner ears!  I am a total freako with q-tips in my ears so who knows - maybe I do need to get my ears flushed.

I am not a nurse or physician, but dizziness is a common side effect of very low carb diets.  I had a problem with it -- thinking I was going to "go down" at any moment -- several months out from surgery and my surgeon told me to increase the number of healthy carbs in my diet.  Within a week the dizziness was gone.  A number of other people I know have experienced the same thing, so if you carb level is very low, try adding some extra veggies or whole grains and see if that helps.

Do you have any other symptoms?  Dizziness can also be a hallmark symptom of low blood sugar, and many people start to experience the first symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia or ordinary hypoglycemia after the 6 month mark.  It might help to keep a lot of what times of day it happens and what times of day you eat (and what you ate).

Lora

Hi Lora -

Thanks for your response.........I am betting that it is more than lokely a combo of my cold ear issues I have had for the last month and the fact that I eat really NO carbs.  The only carbohydrates that I willingly eat are from beans, veggies, and strawberries/melon.  I have a really hard time thinking about even letting a carb pass my lips (a very big trigger group of foods for me) but now that I have more information about nutrition I am thinking that a bit of oatmeal and a piece of baked potato would be some good things to add back into my diet.

Lora, what are some healthy carb choices, not high in calories?

Most veggies are low in calories and have a reasonable amount of carbs and fiber (to help avoid constipation); things like broccoli, beans, spinach, carrots, etc.  just avoid starchy veggies like potatoes, Lima beans, corn.  Fruits are higher in calories, and some may have too much sugar for some people, but apples, citrus fruits, berries, pears, and pineapple have both carbs and a healthy dose of fiber. Also, WHOLE grains: whole grain breads/crackers, unprocessed oats, quinoa,  etc. and dairy products.  I get a lot of my carbs from Greek yogurt and cheese.

Lora

OMG, I go through the same thing, and around same time frame. After the 6 months but close to 7 months out. I get it here and there. my labs came back good too. I am not sure what is going on.

I am going to try to add the carbs like Lora said.

Keep us posted. I will let you know too.

Barb

I am going to try the carb thing too!  It freaks me out but it does make sense that it could be coming from my diet.  Im glad to know I am not the only one :-)

WHY have you waited a month to get medical attention for this????   NO ONE on here is qualified to even suggest to you what could be wrong and to go a month with something like this is and not talk to a physician????  Do yourself a major favor to your health and well being and go see your doctor.  Any doctor.   Jane