HELP Freaking out

[jessica780]

Okay So I have low blood pressure. Not too low I don't think. But I was talking to a guy at work and he said it means my heart is inefficient and that its slow and doesn't work properly. Now all I am focusing on all day is my heartbeat and Im scared I'll have a heart attack. Im a 21 year old female. pretty skinny but I am moderately healthy. I just keep thinking its skipping or something. I dunno what to do. what if I have a heart attack? I don't want to feel so scared :(

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi Jessica,

Please ignore what this person has said, they clearly have no understanding of blood pressure and the heart.

Did you know that low blood pressure can be naturally occurring? Unless it causes any symptoms, its harmless and people probably don't even know they have it. So, please bare this in mind.

If you are experiencing symptoms commom with low blood pressure, you need to contact you doctor who can perform the required tests and help you resolve it.

I won't post symptoms lists on here with it being the HA board, it can make things worse can't it?

So, here is the advice off our National Health Service (NHS) after they had explained all the symptoms and why they can occur:

What to do if you have symptoms

If you think you may be experiencing an episode of low blood pressure you should:


stop what you're doing
sit or lie down
drink some water

The symptoms will usually pass after a few seconds or minutes.
When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you have frequent symptoms of low blood pressure. Your GP can measure your blood pressure and help identify any underlying causes of the problem.




Palpitations are on the list but we all know they are also caused by anxiety so can you determine if your skipping has occurred because of this worry or whether it was there before? Please bare in mind the NHS advice as well because there are naturally occurring forms of this so if symptoms are not persistent, they are unlikely to be anything.

However, your doctor is always the best to discuss these things with.

[swgrl09]

If your own doctor hasn't been concerned, don't worry. This guy isn't a medical professional to my knowledge, so disregard him. A lot of people have low blood pressure, especially women. If anything, low blood pressure would make me think your heart was exceptionally efficient instead of inefficient. I thought that was HIGH blood pressure because it takes more pressure to pump blood through your body.

[MyNameIsTerry]

If your own doctor hasn't been concerned, don't worry. This guy isn't a medical professional to my knowledge, so disregard him. A lot of people have low blood pressure, especially women. If anything, low blood pressure would make me think your heart was exceptionally efficient instead of inefficient. I thought that was HIGH blood pressure because it takes more pressure to pump blood through your body.

Exactly. Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure on the surrounding area it is passing through.

[70sgirl]

Low blood pressure is generally a good thing and means your heart is strong and working very efficiently. I know several athletes and they all have very low blood pressure. Constantly high BP would be more concerning.

[anthrokid]

Sounds like this guy has no idea what he is talking about. Low blood pressure does NOT mean your heart is inefficient and does NOT mean your heart isn't working properly, that's just rubbish talk.

Young women in your age group are the most likely to experience low blood pressure. I've always had low blood pressure, and I saw my doctor recently for a general check-up and whilst my blood pressure was a bit 'low' he said that 'low' is actually normal for my age, being female and my build. If you are really concerned, check in with your doctor and see what they think :)

[RaverNeko]

I can understand why this would cause you a lot of stress and anxiety, but think about it: Isn't it better to have low blood pressure rather than high blood pressure? You see so many health ads here in the US for lowering your blood pressure, so yeah!

[jessica780]

You guys are all right. Thanks for the amazing support :)