Low blood pressure and dizziness

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

I am still having a really hard time with blacking out and dizziness. I wish that I knew what I could do for this. I read upping my salt intake may help. And epson salts baths, so I am doing both. I am on yellow dock tinture for my irons levels, and my hemmoglobin results just came back and my red blood cells are up. But this morning while cooking my eggs, I started to black out again. I find standing is the worst.
I hate to say it because I know I will regret it on the other side of things, but I hope these next couple months go quickly. The panic attacks and black outs are a little more then I can bear at this time and with 3 little ones, I don't have time to be under the weather, they need me strong.

Does anyone know of anything to help with low blood pressure/dizziness and black outs?

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

Am I the only one who has this? :0(

[rachelmarie21480]

I have been having dizziness and weakness on and off the past month or so. My bp was 100/60 the last time I saw my midwife. It was on teh low side but it gets lower. I'm still trying to find ways to feel better myself. Eventhough my problem isn't quite as bad as your;s (I only felt like passing out a few times), I just wanted to let you know whtat you're not alone. I hope you can figure ou a way to feel better. if I find out any info, I'll let you know!!

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

THank you SOO much for your response!! I'm sorry that you are syffering from it too! I will also let you know if I find anything that works! Take care of youself!
((((hugs!))))

[kdtmom2be]

I've been just chalking it up to being pregnant..... out of breath from going up and down the short flight of stairs to the basement, and a little dizzy if I go up longer flights. My blood pressure has dropped a bit as well, but it's not THAT low...110/67

[toemizan]

First of all, if you are having blackouts, please check in with your healthcare provider - what if you fully pass out? Do try sitting down with your head down by your knees (as much as your pg belly will allow) to help get some blood up there.

I've been reading up a bit on this today. My blood pressure is also low and I do get dizzy occasionally, but also get pounding headaches and that is what was bothering me today. I have an electronic blood pressure dealey bopper (technical term ) and it wouldn't read my blood pressure at all today a couple times, and I finally got a reading at 100/62. I normally have lowish blood pressure and the increased blood volume of pregnancy at this time drops it into that range.

I sat down and drank 2 big glasses of water. Dehydration can make low blood pressure worse so be very careful with that. I am sure I wasn't dehydrated but read somewhere that extra water can help. It did a bit.

Then I ate nachos for dinner - salty chips. I think I will have some salty popcorn in a bit. My Dad has always had low blood pressure too and he and I are big salt eaters - we always joked that our bodies were trying to create some hypertension, and actually, that seems to be fairly true. I read somewhere that caffeine might help (this was not a pregnancy related site, but just about low blood pressure), but I don't know if it's diuretic effect would ultimately make it worse.

I was wondering if exercise would help...something cardio, but the thought of it sounds horrible with a pounding headache.

With my 2nd pregnancy, around this same time, I started getting nauseated after meals. I felt horrible for a good 4 hours, unless I threw up - then I had almost instant relief. My midwife explained it was the low blood pressure - a big meal caused so much blood to flow to my tummy to digest it, it was making me dizzy. I switched to lots of snacking all day for a couple weeks, then tried a regular size meal, and was able to handle it again. I am hoping that this time too, in a couple weeks, things will level out a bit. I hope the same for you too.

[momto l&a]

I wonder if B-6 would be helpful? Its helps balance out the fluid levels which of course is very important for us preggos.

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

THank you for your thoughts so far. My doctor is well aware of my low blood pressure, but didn't say what I could do for it. I am finding that drinking water more is helping. And I have upped my salt intake. So far no blackingout today and only slight dizziness. Thank you for the tips this far. I hope it passes for all who have it soon! :0)

[koru]

so are you sure the dizziness & black outs are strictly from low bp? your op says something about panic attacks which can definitely lead to both of these symptoms. i have chronic low bp but have never blacked out from it. i occasionally get light headed but a quick rest & big glass of water usually does the trick. and...i've had panic attacks, too. these symptoms can be confused with sooooo many other ailments because increased adrenaline does tricky things to our bodies. just an idea to look into.....

no matter what the cause, i'm sorry you're going through this! pregnancy is difficult enough with all the little symptoms but major ones can be very disheartening.

[katytheprincess2]

Originally Posted by NaturalMommaof3+1

Am I the only one who has this? :0(

Nope...I have this too and have no clue why. The first time I had a bad case of it (it went on for over 30 minutes) I went too L&D. Last weekend it happened while I was out shopping and I somehow managed to put everything down I was gonna buy and make it to my car to call for someone to come and get me. Very scary and getting the point now where it is flat out annoying.

Mama

[amyleigh33]

I've always had really low BP, like usually 100/70, but since I've been pregnant it's gone down to even 90/60; but I haven't had dizzy spells since the first trimester, but they were really bad then. Same as you, I'd get up to get something to eat and be standing there over the stove heating up soup and just have to shut off the fire and lay down on the kitchen floor before I fell down. It was happening almost every day so I told my MW and she didn't even mention it being low bp--instead she put me on iron supplements--Floradix?

They helped, though, either way.

[mataji4]

not in your ddc, but i have low bp, esp in pregnancy, and experience on and off bouts of dizziness. i almost blacked out in labor with my 2nd, but waited until a few hours after the birth!

i do prenatal yoga and i walk- any more vigorous exercise does me in (sex can be too much, too!) and i feel horrible for some time after. baths (esp hot baths!) during pregnancy and birthing tubs during labor do not work for me...my hands and arms get tingly and i'm weak and dizzy afterwards. i think the labor tub is why i passed out after birthing my 2nd.

what helps? lots of water and frequent small meals. and my body has responded well to acupuncture and chinese medicine. i told my acupuncturist that i felt like my vital life force just wasn't there, and it took several hours each morning to come out of my weak miserable yuckiness. that was a couple of weeks ago, and i've been drinking the formula she gave me and i'm feeling lots better- even can handle sex!

oh, and i am NOT anemic. i'm the opposite of anemic, so no iron supplements needed here!

[Navy_Mommy]

I just flew from CA to Dallas, and I nearly blacked out on the plane. I was in a window seat, and couldn't get up. I got up once about 45 minutes to an hour into the flight but that was it. My mom (the nurse) said that it was probably due to cutting off circulation by sitting so long and to be concerned about blood clots.... but today, if I stood to long or sat too long, I've gotten dizzy. Even while sitting here reading this tiny little thread , I've become a little dizzy. *course, it's also VERY late* When I showered earlier this AM, I had to turn the fan on in my bedroom and lay down because I felt so warm and light headed. I haven't really experienced this at all. I don't know if it's all because of the traveling? Or is it just really getting into the 3rd Trimester? I couldn't say.... I will have to try drinking the water. I don't know if my bp is low or not. I know the nurse tells me every time what it is, but I can't remember that! plus, I couldn't tell you if what she said was normal, low, high or anything. I figure, if it's at a bad level: someone would tell me. : : : :

[kdtmom2be]

Originally Posted by Navy_Mommy

I don't know if my bp is low or not. I know the nurse tells me every time what it is, but I can't remember that! plus, I couldn't tell you if what she said was normal, low, high or anything. I figure, if it's at a bad level: someone would tell me. : : : :

What is normal, high, low, etc for each of us will vary, especially during pregnancy. I am usually normal-to-high-normal (130/75 or so) due to the amount of stress in my life and some poor eating habits. Now, I am down to 110/63, possibly lower, that was 4 weeks ago. For someone who starts out at 120/60 that is not low, but for ME, that is a bit low, and explains some of my light-headedness, especially if it is even lower than that, as I suspect it is. SO, even if you fall in the "normal" range according to what the median results are in the poulation, that might not be normal for YOU, and you should be sure to ask what your results are and what your results were when you went in for your first prenatal appointments.

[dancebaraka]

I agree w/ pp that what is "normal" is different for everyone. My bp generally hovers around 100/70 and sometimes even lower, but I never feel dizzy, overheated, etc. like what is being described here. I hope everyone feels better soon!

[aran]

I am so glad to see this thread.

I have never really been close to fainting in my life, and I didn't know what it felt like until yesterday.

I had gone probably 14 hours (overnight+) without eating or drinking, and I felt I had not drunk enough water in the past few days and was getting a bit dehydrated. After a hot shower, I had to sit down because my heart was pounding, and every time I got up to do something simple like comb my hair, I didn't have the strength. Then, my vision started graying over, I was queasy, and I was sweating profusely. It was awful and I had no idea what was happening. DH got me some OJ, and I lay in the child's pose for a few minutes, and I felt so much better.

I was wondering what that was... it scared me, DH, and DS. But now I think it was the lack of drinking/eating. I have fairly low BP all the time, but the lack of water and the hot shower must have done me in.

Glad to read what that was!

[Calypso Lady]

Originally Posted by Navy_Mommy

I just flew from CA to Dallas, and I nearly blacked out on the plane. I was in a window seat, and couldn't get up. I got up once about 45 minutes to an hour into the flight but that was it. My mom (the nurse) said that it was probably due to cutting off circulation by sitting so long and to be concerned about blood clots.... but today, if I stood to long or sat too long, I've gotten dizzy. Even while sitting here reading this tiny little thread , I've become a little dizzy. *course, it's also VERY late* When I showered earlier this AM, I had to turn the fan on in my bedroom and lay down because I felt so warm and light headed. I haven't really experienced this at all. I don't know if it's all because of the traveling? Or is it just really getting into the 3rd Trimester? I couldn't say.... I will have to try drinking the water. I don't know if my bp is low or not. I know the nurse tells me every time what it is, but I can't remember that! plus, I couldn't tell you if what she said was normal, low, high or anything. I figure, if it's at a bad level: someone would tell me. : : : :

I would definitely ask about this.

I got dizzy during my pregnancy with my son and it turned out to be high blood pressure e.g., pre-eclampsia which can be very serious.

You should discuss this at your next appointment and whether you need to be concerned about it.

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

Wow!! So I'm not alone with black outs and dizziness. I am finding water is helping. My iron levels are fine. I am wondering if my black outs have something to do with anxiety/panic as well as the low blood pressure? I have been having some panic this time since this is the first little girl we are having since we lost our other one at 32 weeks. I am now approaching that time line again being 28 weeks and the anxiety started about 25 weeks as I started thinking too much about what happened before. I wsa doing better though and eating more and keeping hydrated, so I was only slightly dizzy for a few days and then I stood too long making a caramel cheese cake and a salad (1 1/2 hours) and blacked out again. :0( At least I am learning my boundaries. Does anyone else get dizzy in the early morning hours when they have to get up?

I hope everyone feels better soon!

[kdtmom2be]

are you sure that your blood sugar isn't too low?? try eating some protein before bed and see if that helps the early morning dizziness?

[NaturalMommaof3+1]

Ok, I'll give that a try. I was dizzy tonight as I was walking. I walk in front of the t.v each night and I was feeling dizzy while walking. I'll try the protein and see if that makes a differance. Thank you!