Question:
I am getting dizzy each time I stand up. What could it be?

   — Laura W. (posted on November 13, 2002)

November 13, 2002
Low blood pressure maybe? Sometimes low blood sugar too, I've heard both from people, probably a good idea to give your surgeon a call and get it checked out!
   — Lisa F.

November 13, 2002
I get this quite often. Sometimes it's that you haven't eaten (low blood sugar) and sometimes it's slight dehydration. Try drinking a lot of fluids and keeping yourself fed, either with actual food, or a protien suppliment. Hope this helps!
   — Marni R.

November 13, 2002
Have you had your B12 levels checked since surgery? When mine gets low I feel dizzy and disoriented and I can not concentrate at all. Some folks do not absorb well even the sublingual type of B12 and u need the shots. B12 is a special blood test if ur doc doesn't order it separately it will not show up on a regular blood panel.
   — SARose61

November 13, 2002
I had the same problem and my surgeon told me that it was dehydration!
   — Brenda V.

November 13, 2002
I had the same problem. My yoga teacher helped me out. It seems that when you are large you throw your weight around to help you move. As you loose weight your blood pressure goes down but you get up even faster so you have two things going against the blood getting to your brain. When I started getting up more deliberately the light headedness went away. I would however call my Dr just to check it out. Good Lux
   — Robert L.

November 13, 2002
My surgeon told me that when we lose weight rapidly that the vascular system gets messed up and we tend to have low blood pressure. Exercise will help with the low BP and it will eventually straighten itself out.
   — Patty_Butler

November 13, 2002
I had the same problem and spoke to my doctor about it today, he said I should up my water intake and that should help. He also drew some labs to make sure that it wasn't something more complex. I'd try upping your fluids and if that doesn't work, talk to your doctor.
   — JM B.

November 13, 2002
If your on BP or diabetes pills beware. The fast weight loss can cause these to drop creating dizzying times. More loikely in the late afternoon. Check these numbers. About a month after surgery my BP dropped to 85 over 58. It was likely lower. This was the end of my BP pills. Check with your surgeon.
   — bob-haller

November 13, 2002
This is called a vasovagal response. When the body is low on fluids then what fluids are in the body drop too rapidly to the lower extremities and cause lightheadedness and sometimes even syncope (blacking out). Blood pressure drops because of the sudden imbalance. Up the fluids and also wearing the ted stockings that they put on the legs in the hospital after surgery will help.
   — Sue A.

November 13, 2002
hypoglycemia, you may want to be checked for that, its low blood sugar.
   — Deanna Wise

November 13, 2002
I had this. A glass of orange juice every day fixed me -- the dizziness was low blood sugar, dehydration and low potassium. A lot of people have this exact symptom but for different reasons. So what worked for me MAY work for you, or maybe something else will. As posters, we can only make suggestions, we cannot really diagnose YOUR situation. Sometimes we forget that. Bob had a very good point. I took my last blood pressure medication the night before my WLS last May. I have not needed it since. If you were on medications and have not adjusted them and haven't been monitoring your bp frequently, you may want to start there. Even a minute weight loss can make a huge impact on blood pressure and blood sugars. That is why some surgeons want to see a 20 pound loss prior to surgery. This, literally, can be enough to get some people off these medications. Good luck. Try everything that is suggested that is safe and work with your doctor. Don't accept any of our suggestions as a medical diagnosis though. That is not what we are intending when we post here.
   — Karen F.

November 14, 2002
This happens to me when I get dehydrated. Try drinking lots of fluids and see if you feel better. If not, check with your doctor to make sure everything is OK. Good luck!
   — Lynette B.

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