Dizzy?

[kjs1628]

Hey guys,

Has anyone else struggled a bit with feeling faint when they stand up? To be fair, it used to happen to me quite a bit but its now a regular occurrence- every time I go in the bath and probably two or three other times a day when I stand up.

I vaguely remember seeing something about salt helping but can't remember what it said.

Does anyone have any tips?

Thanks. Xx

 

[SkinnySummer2013]

Salt helps raise your blood pressure, I'd recommend it if you're struggling. Hot heat from baths do make it worse so just take it slow.

I'm a serial fainter & I'll be putting salt in the meals to help with it.

 

[iwillbethinagain]

I used to feel fain lots when I was younger (early twenties) but since starting sns it has started again, especially after baths. My blood pressure had been getting high (with me gaining weight) and now it is back to a normal level again so it may be the change that is doing it and it will just take a while to adjust? If it keeps happening then you should probably go to the drs.

 

[noodles1609]

I've found it's worse with me if I'm not quite getting enough water in. Totally with you on the bath thing, I had to go lay on the bed tonight after my bath, felt shocking!

 

[meoww]

yeah this happened to me, my blood pressure went low too. Adding salt does help, and make sure your meals are evenly spaced out so you dont go too long without as I found I was worse just before I was due to eat.
also, with baths, just make sure its not too hot, maybe open a window so the air isnt too hot -ive also found the same problem and some cooler air helped. and its so hard to remember but try to stand up slowly when you can

 

[nzmegs]

yep, it is a blood pressure thing. Our bodies do everything they can to protect our brains and if it detects that our blood pressure is so low that there may be problems getting blood to the head it will react in a very violent way. Our body will force us to lie down to get our heads to a lower level making it easier for the blood to get there. this is why we faint or feel so dizzy we need to lie down and thus lower our head.
Low blood pressure occurs when we are dehydrated because our blood literally becomes sticky and doesn't move so well. A ketogenic diet forces us to expel more water through the kidneys which is why you must drink loads. This water loss also leads to an imbalance of salts which is why drinking two to three cups of broth a day is recommended when dieting. broth can be made by adding a stock cube to a cup of hot water( check the carb level) or add plenty of salt to your meals and soups.
If you have more salt and drink more water the problem should improve after a couple of days. But watch your blood pressure, because if you are prone to it being low, you may find this is an ongoing issue and not easily remedied.My blood pressure dropped significantly doing my diet and I was very often dizzy. it isn't considered harmful in comparison to high blood pressure. but can be uncomfortable and could lead to falls.

 

[kjs1628]

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I'll work on the water thing first- perhaps not drinking as much as when I first started this... X

 

[kjs1628]

Okay, it's getting worse- now dizzy if I even turn my head quickly or when I'm reading off a computer. I would say 10-20 occurrences a day....

Other than that I feel absolutely fine, but this is freaking me out a bit.

I know you're going to say "go to the doctor" but he's just going to say "stop doing s&s and eat more" and I don't want to do that yet.

Am I being stupid?!

 

[noodles1609]

Have you added some salt to your food? I tried this out after reading this thread earlier this week and it's really helped

 

[kjs1628]

Yes, I now add salt to my meal of the day (s&s sachet with veg).

The water intake includes the water in shakes etc doesn't it? And in tea /coffee? I'm pretty sure I'm having enough of that too.

 

[Hamish's Mum]

Sound like you could have labrinthitis. It is a viral ear problem that causes you to be very dizzy even when sitting still. Get it checked out with the GP might not even be related to he diet

 

[snowi]

I got this when I had been on a VLCD's for some time, it was low blood pressure so I got it checked for free at the chemist weekly. I just took it steady and didn't jump around too much and too quickly. It is a bit unnerving but keep with adding salt and just keep a check on blood pressure!

 

[kjs1628]

I am on week five now so quite well into the diet and I am nearing the weight I have never managed to get past before so it does make sense that my body might rebel a bit.

I'm going to take it easy this weekend and make sure I drink A LOT! If this doesnt help then I'll try and get into docs ( the labyrinthitis comment makes a lot of sense)

Thank you so much to all who replied here- this is such a wonderful forum.

Xxxx

 

[loopylorns]

Sound like you could have labrinthitis. It is a viral ear problem that causes you to be very dizzy even when sitting still. Get it checked out with the GP might not even be related to he diet

Was going to post this if hadn't been done, does indeed sound like viral labrinthitis, pop to drs xx

 

[RebekahR]

Agreed I had labarintitus the first month on plan. It soon cleared. Never felt dizzy the remaining 5 months on plan. No reason it should be to do with the plan

Get to the docs hun x

 

[kjs1628]

RebekahR- did you think your labyrinthitis was linked to the plan or just a complete fluke? Did it kind of Peter out or was it just not there one day?

Looking at the web it appears that it could well be labyrinthitis but that there's not a lot I can do about it. I'm s teacher so have to 'sing and dance' all week- really not a good job for feeling faint / dizzy / sick every time I move! It needs to go away!!

Will try and get into docs but when I tried on Friday first appointment was the 26th!!! Argh.

Again though, thanks do much for all your support. X

 

[RebekahR]

It got less and less until if went. It was the worst dizzyness I ever felt in my life, room spinning, felt sick... I knew somethin was wrong!

It just goes by itself. I had no choice but to go to work, just rested in evening.. no screen work after office.. slowly it cleared

Xxx

 

[loopylorns]

Agreed I had labarintitus the first month on plan. It soon cleared. Never felt dizzy the remaining 5 months on plan. No reason it should be to do with the plan

Get to the docs hun x

I had it along with a lot of my work colleagues, my GP said that there had been an influx of it, it's viral.

 

[Hamish's Mum]

It has nothing to do with the diet just a virus

 

[nzmegs]

I had labyrinthitis once too. it was awful. It arrived after an ear infection. I felt very sick most of the time and couldn't really do anything much. the doctor can prescribe anti-sickness medication to help with the symptoms, but the virus will go on its own. I would give it a few more days and then consider going to the doctor. If it is a secondary infection you may need anti-biotics.