Hypotension

[EmbracingBirth]

Just started checking because I had gone to the chiropractor because I fell on my tummy. I am 29 weeks. I am 113 lbs I've gained 17lbs

The day after I fell it was 100/80 the next week it was 100/70 this week it was

86/54

I am drinking so much water and I normally have a really healthy diet of green smoothies fruits veggies and proteins.

feeling symptomatic eating a some salty chips now.

Any suggestions.....

[Kidzaplenty]

[Calleiah]

Thats about the time I always start having low blood pressure. Last time they really did put me on a high sodium diet. My doc told me to go buy some V8 regular cause it has tons of sodium in it. I also ate lots of fried foods. It was really kind of a pregnant womans dream in terms of what I could eat. The down side was the little flashes of LBP that left me clammy, dizzy, nauseated and generally in need of a good lay down. That was usually the only thing that helped too, was laying down till it passed. Other than that, my OB did nothing about it. This time around, I already know what to expect and the things I can try to do to minimize it. I also get hypoglycemic in pregnancy too so the combination of the two can be a bit miserable, but mostly manageable.

HTH

[EmbracingBirth]

I had some oodles of noodles and it seemed to help. I am not completely feeling normal. I'm visualizing a healthy bp. It seems counter-intuitive to eat unhealthy but my heart is being affected so I'm going to try. There is hardly any info on what to do the only thing everything I have found says is to increase water and increase salt. It's a challenge to keep up with the other two and be resting when I really need it. Thank you Calleiah I appreciate it.

[MsBlack]

IMO, more exercise and less laying down is very helpful in bringing up a chronically low b/p.

Also, remember that b/p is variable much the way your heart rate is: when you are less active, tired, very relaxed, ill, your b/p may read lower than usual for a few minutes, hours or weeks, depending on circumstances--same as with your heart rate. For instance it may read lower when you first wake up in the morning (immediately on waking in a lazy, easy going way). It can read higher later in the day, or with exercise. It can read 'too high' when you are stressed out--your b/p was highest the day after you fell, when possibly you were worried about your pregnancy. B/P is not, should not be AS variable as a healthy heart under changing conditions as mentioned--but a healthy person's b/p will vary some.

One b/p of 86/54 would not concern me too much. If you start to get more frequent readings like that--maybe. But as long as the diastolic # (lower number) is at least 50, it's probably not too concerning. And again, regular gentle exercise can help--walking, say.

Yes, 'feeling symptomatic' should be listened to, for sure. I would be asking myself about diet, calorie intake (you are thin and haven't gained much yet....should you be eating more in general? Are you getting enough healthy fat), along with exercise.

[EmbracingBirth]

Thank you Ms. Black here are some answers to your questions:

I drink more water than most people I drink a 16 oz glass with chlor-oxygen as soon as I get up. Than that day I had my daily 32 oz smoothie which had raspberries strawberries watermelon cocao almond milk bananas shelled hemp protein and spinach. I also take pre-natals calcium magnesium,super b vitamins,spirulina. Than I cont to drink another glass and fill it up again all throughout my day. I fill up my two gallon brita every other day. Right before I went to the chiro I spent a couple hundred on new supplements and carrots to juice. I also eat meat(chicken,salmon,beef) pasta and regular processed foods. I was exercising very regularly before the fall (Almost every day) but since haven't started since because It hurt too much but now my body can handle exercise again I will start up my yoga and walking that is a great suggestion.

The symptoms I'm feeling are sometimes I can not focus like I'm in a fog, increased contractions with too much exertion and pain in my heart with lots of fluttering and a strong pulsating. Feels almost like anxiety but I can tell it's not the same. Still feeling that way today.

Thank you again,
Jessica

[EmbracingBirth]

I'm feeling better. I think my blood volume was increasing because now I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you!

[jessica_anne010]

One thing that you might want to consider if you have a home bp cuff. Check your bp after laying down for 10 minutes, then check it again after sitting up for a minute then again after standing up for 1 minute (stay standing while checking). I know that it is somewhat normal for some women to have lower BP during pregnancy - I do. However, puberty and pregnancy are times when Dysautonomia (disregulation of the autonomic nervous system) can rear it's ugly head. One of my daughter's has Orthostatic Hypotension, one of many variations of Dysautonomia. Her bp is much better when she is laying down than when she is sitting or standing, which is what Orthostatic Hypotension means - she when she stands up her blood pools in her feet and her bp drops. This can cause dizziness, faintness, fainting, foggy brain, etc. I'm on a yahoo group for people with this condition and a few of the women never had a problem with it until they got pregnant. :-( So, please check your bp as above (it's called a Poor Man's Tilt Table test) and see if your bp is higher when you are laying down. If it is, then when you are feeling really crappy - lay down. Eat as much salt as you can, drink as much water as you can. I also got Trace-Lyte to add to my daughter's water, it's just electrolytes. It can be hard to find a doctor that understand this condition, but usually cardiologists treat it.

I hope this is not the problem that you ladies are having, but I hope this information helps at the same time. :-)