low blood pressure

[lph]

I've always had a tendency to start blacking out when I get up from a sitting position, but recently it's almost every day and is getting a bit annoying. I've never actually fainted though I have spent plenty of time on hands and knees

My blood pressure usually measures to about 100 over 65, which I've been told is low but not extreme. I'm pretty sure my normal blood pressure is lower, cause I always get a bit psyched up about going to the doc and measuring stuff like this.

But I think the blacking out thing has more to do with how I deal with a sudden drop in blood pressure than the numbers in general, am I right? And does anyone have any handy tips on how to deal with it, apart from "don't get up quickly"?

- getting a bit bored of having to crawl around the weight room at work...

[NbyNW]

My BP is in about the same neighborhood as yours, and I occasionally get a "head-rush" when I sit up from lying down or stand up suddenly. It's not anything I've ever been concerned about. I have no idea whether it's related to BP.

Could blood sugar level also be a factor?

[redrhodie]

I have those same blackouts, and low blood pressure. When it's happening, put your head between your knees to keep from fainting. Your blood needs to get to your brain. This stops it pretty quickly.

I once did faint, and hit my head on a metal shelving unit on the way down, giving myself a concussion. I saw stars. I haven't fainted again since learning to put my head below my heart.

[OakLeaf]

If it's happening that often, I'd see a doctor.

Have you tried anything OTC? Caffeine? How's your hydration?

Supposedly orthostatic hypotension gets worse with age...

[ny biker]

That happens to me all the time. It started happening more often a few years ago. I told my doctor and she seemed to think it was not important, since all the tests she did during my last physical were normal. I told my sister and my cousin, who are both nurses, and they said to get up more slowly.

I did some extensive googling some months back and found one or two articles that indicated a possible link to migraines, which kinda made sense for me because the frequency of the problem increased at about the same time that I cut back on the daily meds that I took to control the headaches.

However since the migraines are much less severe and less frequent than they used to be, I haven't gone for a checkup at the neurologist in a long time, so I haven't asked him about it. Also unless it gets much worse, I really don't want to spend the money on lots of tests.

For me it's most likely to happen when I've been slouching or sitting with my feet up, so I try to get up very slowly after I've been sitting that way.

[zoom-zoom]

I am another 100/60 gal. I see stars if I stand too fast. I also am prone to vertigo/inner ear infections, so the combo can really make life rough at times. I have just learned to never get up too fast.

[shootingstar]

I've always had a tendency to start blacking out when I get up from a sitting position, but recently it's almost every day and is getting a bit annoying. I've never actually fainted though I have spent plenty of time on hands and knees

My blood pressure usually measures to about 100 over 65, which I've been told is low but not extreme. I'm pretty sure my normal blood pressure is lower, cause I always get a bit psyched up about going to the doc and measuring stuff like this.

But I think the blacking out thing has more to do with how I deal with a sudden drop in blood pressure than the numbers in general, am I right? And does anyone have any handy tips on how to deal with it, apart from "don't get up quickly"?

- getting a bit bored of having to crawl around the weight room at work...

Daily? Hope you have seen doctor recently....

I was warned nearly a decade ago to simply not get up too quickly from a lying down/prone position. I keep on forgetting my blood pressure which has changed a different times.