Low blood pressure? Help!

[annaphylactic]

Advice needed!

I've just popped over to Lloyds Pharmacy for a blood pressure check and it came out almost dangerously low at 92/60.

Now, I don't understand blood pressure readings, but I rung my LLC and she wants to talk to the medical team on Sunday and see what they suggest. I also have an appointment booked with my GP tomorrow afternoon to check it again in case the L.P. one was incorrect (I have always had perfect readings... and the L.P. machine started off giving error messages before it gave the 92/60 reading)...

Anyway - when I spoke to the LLC, she asked how I was feeling... and the truth of it is I feel absolutely knackered, ALL the time. I have a lot on granted, but I am really struggling. I'm also freezing ALL the time -but I have thought both things are pretty normal when on a VLCD...?

Has anyone else had low readings/low blood pressure? How can I raise it?

I don't know if it is in my head (probably is, we all know the mind is a wonderful thing)... but since I had my reading i've been feeling quite light headed - not to the point of passing out, just a bit 'spaced'.

A 'slightly worried' Anna x

 

[Tange]

Hi Anna,

I would definately get that second reading from the dr and see what that says before you make any decision.
I was very lucky that I felt on top of the world for most of the time I was on the diet.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[Polly740]

Get a second opinion before you start to worry. The doctor is the best person to advise you on what you need to do to stabilise your BP.

I've been lucky with this, mine was read yesterday and is near perfect.

Good luck with the doc and let us know how you get on.

xx

 

[SweetySuperstar]

Hi Anna, I would agree with the others, don't get overly worried before you've had a second opinion, it does sound like the machine may have been faulty... just had a quick look on the net and found the following tips which may help...

Low Blood Pressure treatment using Epsom Salts Bath

Hot Epsom salt bath are one of the simplest remedy for low blood pressure. An Epsom salt bath is prepared by dissolving one to one and half kg of commercial Epsom Salt in an ordinary bath of hot water. The patient should remain immersed in the bath for ten to twenty minutes. This bath should be taken just before retiring to bed, and care should be exercised not to catch a chill afterwards.

Low Blood Pressure treatment using Salt

The use of salt is valuable in low blood pressure. Until the blood pressure reaches normal levels through proper dietary and other remedies, it is essential that the patient should take salty foods and half a teaspoon of salt in water daily.

Light walking, cycling, swimming and Breathing exercises

They should undertake breathing and other light exercises like walking , swimming and cycling. The patient should take sun and air baths and spend as much time as possible in the fresh air.

Avoid excessive work, anxiety

All living habits which tend to enervate the system, such as overwork, excesses of all kinds, needless worry, and negative thinking must be eliminated as far as possible.

I just picked the ones which could realistically be done while on LL... hope this helps x x x

 

[annaphylactic]

Thank you everyone, in particular Sweety for finding all that information. I will wait and see what the doctor says tomorrow before I start worrying too much! Thank goodness for minimins - you've really put my mind at rest a bit in the interim!

 

[babs11]

hi anna, sorry to hear this. are you doing milk week soon? i think your a week behind me. i've been feeling very lightheaded since sunday, every time i came up from bending i felt quite queasy.
i haven't had my blood pressure taken since my first 4 medical and me llc never even looked at that one or got me to do anymore!
now i've switched to cd i'm have 3 shakes and a small protein/veg meal for the last 3 days and have felt much better.
maybe you will have to do the milk week and this will improve things for you.
babs

 

[catznolan]

i have to be honest and say im suffering from light headedness a bit this last week to.
i suffer from vertigo (i stand to quickly i get lightheaded, i sit to quickly i get light headed lol) so not sure which is the cause.
im getting my bp checked on mon with the doc to so hopefully its not this!! im on week 11!! can they tell u to stop ll or anything for light headedness? dont want to yet lol!!

 

[RaeB]

I've just had mine checked and it was low, but healthily low 104/65. She did have trouble getting the measurement first time (at the doctors). Mine is always low though, so I wasn't too surprised to get this. The nurse seemed happy with this result.

I've found myself lightheaded when out doing the gardening or getting up quickly, but put that down to LL as it didn't happen before.

Hope you get a good result at the doctors.

 

[annaphylactic]

Thanks everyone. My appointment is at 4.30pm so I will let you know what he says. Yes, the doctor does have 'the power' to pull you off LL if he has any reason to believe it is not providing adequate health benefits or has more downsides to your health... i.e. blood pressure, pulse issues... hope that's not the case. Feeling quite good today, so hopefully my BP is back up and swinging x

 

[RaeB]

Had an interesting chat with the nurse today. She said it was a shame I'd lost the weight so quickly as I'd put it all back on, rather than losing it slowly and then keeping it off! I explained to her that regardless of how long it took to lose the weight, if I went back to eating like a horse I would get fat again.

Honestly, sometimes people leave me speechless!

 

[annaphylactic]

Oh my god! I would have smacked her!! Silly moo.... You are absolutely right... it's that age old "if you do what you always did, you'll have what you always had" - does she think we go through 2 hours counselling and a three month slow introduction back into food because we have nothing better to do?? This is a lifestyle change because we were all slowly killing ourselves with food. Grrrr. x

 

[catznolan]

awh crap mine better not think of taking me off it booo!! lol!! good luck with the docs xxx
oh and raeB i woulda nearly smacked her too...cheeking biddy!!

 

[MandyLupton]

Good luck Anna with the doctors.

 

[annaphylactic]

110/60!

Woo hoo! Thank goodness! To be honest, I don't understand the result - but it's definitely higher than 92/60, so it's ok - and the doc wasn't concerned so it's the green light to keep going. PHEW!

Thank you all for your supportive messages - was a bit worried, but was unfounded so there is one lesson learned - I'm not going to Lloyds for my BP check again! Hehe!

A xx

 

[MandyLupton]

Thats a relief. If it's any help my B/P was 140/70 and thats quite normal too.

 

[catznolan]

its the bottom number that the doctors look at so THINK 60 is normal and then under is getting low etc!! the bottom number is the pressure at resting level or something long that line!!
say ur delighted it was ok, worrying for nothing!!
hope mine is ok lol!!