LOW blood pressure?

[EnviroBecca]

I've heard all about how high blood pressure is risky during pregnancy, but what about low blood pressure?

Mine has always been on the low side, typically about 110/75. Well, so far it's been lower at every prenatal visit. Saturday, it was 90/50! My midwife says that's still not cause for concern but I should be careful to stay hydrated and eat as much salt as I want.

On my way to work today, sitting normally on the bus, I began feeling dizzy and faint. My vision started blacking out from the edges inward. This happened once before during my pregnancy and once a couple of years ago when not pregnant, but I attributed both of those to being too hot and standing up too fast, as they both happened in church on very hot days. Today, the bus was not hot or stuffy. Both of the other times, I fainted briefly and threw up shortly after regaining consciousness...so today, I decided it would be best to get off the bus. I didn't faint, but I did throw up about one second after getting off the bus. (Good thing I didn't wait for the next stop! :thumb) I continued feeling dizzy and "not well" for a couple of hours. I bought French fries from a place that salts them heavily and ate every grain of salt; it felt SO right. I'm doing okay now and have been glugging down water all day long.

I called the midwife, who suggested that in addition to/instead of LBP, this might be caused by blood sugar problems. I am skeptical because I had eaten normally all the times it happened. Midwife suggested getting the fasting glucose test, which sounds like a nightmare to me (even pre-pregnancy, I was one of those people who can't leave the house in the morning without eating) but I'm willing to do this if it will find a solution to this scariness.

However, I really feel like LBP is the problem. I mean, it's SO low, and I'm often feeling like I'm not getting enough oxygen. I called my primary care dr., and after his secretary spoke w/him she said he wanted to see me in the office on Thursday.

Anybody have any useful info on LBP--how low is too low, what the risks might be (other than the obvious keeling over and hitting my head), etc.?

[Caroline248]

I have the same problem and the same symptoms. My MW recommended in addition to eating more complex carbs, drink Gatorade. What she explained to me was that with LPB, you have a harder time keeping your sugars level.
For example, the other day I had a ton of grapes for a snack. About a half hour later, I was blacked out on the floor. My blood sugar rose, then plummeted. Doesn't really make sense how it ties in to LBP, but my neighbor (a nurse) came over and took my blood pressure right away and it was 86/50. Everytime this has happened, it has been from me eating too much fruit or NATURAL sugar.

I started drinking the Gatorade (yuck) and have been feeling better ever since. ALso, when you eat fruit, eat some crackers or bread with it. Try not to eat sugars without a complex carb thrown in...I know it sounds weird, but it really works for me....


Caroline

[rubysmomjess]

My bp was 80/50 and the dr didn't say anything. I have always had low bp and blood sugar issues (ie if I don't eat I get "fuzzy brain" and grouchy). I'm curious about what your dr says.

guess that explains why salted pistaccios (sp?) have tasted sooo good lately.

[srain]

I've had the same problems; last month my blood pressure was 76/38! None of my dosctors/ midwives in any of my 3 pregnancies, or the cardiologist I tried this time, had many useful suggestions other than slowing down before passing out. (Keeping fluid intake high does help, and salt helps some folks by increasing fluid retention.) They've all told me it won't affect the baby, which truthfully I don't necessarily believe (I mean, if enough oxygen isn't getting to my brain, how do they know enough is going to the baby?), but hopefully you'll believe them and it will comfort you. :) For most women it improves in the third trimester.

I tended to get bad symptoms 1/2 hour after eating breakfast (on an empty stomach) or after eating large meals. I think so much blood was going to my digestion that there just wasn't enough for the rest of me! If you have the same problem, you might consider smaller and more frequent meals.

[Caroline248]

I tended to get bad symptoms 1/2 hour after eating breakfast (on an empty stomach) or after eating large meals. I think so much blood was going to my digestion that there just wasn't enough for the rest of me! If you have the same problem, you might consider smaller and more frequent meals.



Actually, I am worse after breakfast too. Between 10 and 11 am is a really bad time for me.....hmm. Interesting.

Caroline

[momto l&a]

I have low bp.

Sometimes I will feel kinda yucky after breakfast but its just because I had to much sugar, so as long as I eat a nice healthy breakfast I am fine.


The only time I like salt is while preggo so I eat as much as suits my taste buds.

[AmyG]

I have low blood pressure all the time, but especially during pregnancy. None of my doctors has ever mentioned being concerned about it, so I've just never worried about it. I do get dizzy sometimes, but I always figured that every pregnant woman got dizzy from time to time.

The one time that it was a problem was when I ended up needing an epidural (for medical reasons.) I'd never planned on having one before so I didn't even think about it, but then when I did need it, the anesthiologist freaked out because epidurals can cause blood pressure to plummet. They had to hook up an IV of warmed fluid to me and put something on it to make it get into me faster. It wasn't that big of a deal, but all the fluids they put in me during labor made my breasts puffy and flat after the delivery, which made nursing a bit more difficult.

[nznavo]

I've had the same problem. It didn't occur to me that it could be food related. I toned down the exercise and have generally felt much better.

My blood pressure is also in the 90/50 area and my doctor isn't concerned. His only worry was that I might pass out somewhere inconvenient.

Nova
#1 due Nov 4

[mommy2three]

My blood pressure has always been so low that one of my drs in college asked me if I pass out alot and said he doesn't know how I'm standing- LOL Mine was about 80/40 usually (down to 60/40 at times!!!) until I had heart surgery in 2000 and it went to 120/80- perfect!!! (it must have just been a coincidence?) Anyway, it has been getting lower and lower again during this pregnancy and again was 80/50 last OB appt. The nurse asked if I feel dizzy or anything and I said no so she said it's fine- I've been running on the low side :) So, no need to worry for me.

Now, I would be worrying if I wasn't used to having low blood pressure (like if it started suddenly and I was always normal or high...) And I'd also ask to talk to the doctor if you're getting dizzy. And definitly bring it up if you're passing out.

Good luck!!! :love

PS. I just realized that besides passing out, I don't know risks of lbp! I guess since I've always been on the low side, it was just normal for me-

[Past_VNE]

I am also a low blood pressure girl. I always have been. I also have a really, really fast metabolism and have to work hard to maintain my sugar levels.

I don't have any advice except to say that salt is not the cure-all, unfortunately. While we constantly hear that men with blood pressure problems should avoid salt, blah, blah, blah....well, the actuality is that only 20-30% of people are positively or adversely affected by their salt intake. 70-80% of the population are unaffected by their salt intake. For some reason, people love to ignore this fact when dispensing advice.

[MountainLovinMama]

For some women who have low bp normally, they can have even lower bp during pregnancy. As I understand it, is has to do with the relaxing of the blood vessels to make room for 50% more blood volume.

I have low bp normally, and sometimes even lower when I'm pg. Noone has expressed any concern - one nurse who was doing a screening for a life insurance policy was baffled, and kept retaking it, thinking it could not possibly be right - but other than that, I have never had anyone express concern about related risks.

You have good advice here about staying hydrated, eating well, etc. I would think that, unless your lightheadedness or fainting episodes seem to increase, all is probably normal. I would, however, be concerned if you feel increasing frequency of your symptoms.

I did the glucose tolerance test last pg and plan to again with this one - it is not my favorite, but its not the worst. If it will put you at ease or anwer any questions, it may be worth it??

[kimkabob5]

I never knew about the lbp hypoglycemia link. I have low blood pressure and low blood sugar issues as well. Gatoraide helped me immensely during my previous pregnancies. I can't drink it this time due to heartburn (reflux), so I drink plenty of water and lots of salt. I find if I am feeling woozy, I will put some salt on my palm and lick it off and I feel better almost immediately. For the low blood sugar, I cannot eat sweets alone, even fruit. I need to eat some form of protein in the morning, and before eating anything sweet. The protein keeps the blood sugars stable.

I think I also have something called neurally mediated hypotension. Here is a link: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mecfs/general/nmh1.html

[momsmyjob]

I tended to get bad symptoms 1/2 hour after eating breakfast (on an empty stomach) or after eating large meals. I think so much blood was going to my digestion that there just wasn't enough for the rest of me! If you have the same problem, you might consider smaller and more frequent meals.

That sounds just like me! Try eating smaller meals more frequently and keeping up your fluid intake.

[EnviroBecca]

Thanks for the reassurances and advice! :)

I will consider Gatorade. I'm very biased against it because my parents made a few attempts to get me to drink it when I was dehydrated from illness when I was little--back when there was only one flavor which was so dreadful that I was certain it was made from real alligators with a dash of fake orange :gross--but I've noticed there are dozens of flavors now, so there must be one I could tolerate.

I've been eating 5 meals a day and often some nibbles (mostly nuts) in between. I haven't noticed any connection between when I eat and when I feel dizzy or otherwise bad. I'll continue to keep an eye on that though.