Low blood pressure / Vasovagal . Will it ever kill me?

[iPodClassic]

Hi, I am looking to hear from people who have had / has issues with low blood pressure.

I've talked to a lot of people, family, friends and doctors (even went to therapy for months with no success whatsoever).

I suffer from low blood pressure spells and vasovagal responses after a severe inflammation in my bowels (almost peritonitis). Thing is, it's been like this for over two years, and every time it happens, I'm scared I'm going to die (which I never did, so far).

Has anyone suffered this fear of dying due to your body ACTUALLY losing your vitals signs, of only for a little? How can I convince myself I am NOT going to die if my pulse decreases and my blood pressure drops to around 90/40?


Thank you.

[netminder1976]

What is your average blood pressure and what does it get down to? I seen you said what if on the 90/40. Do you get really dizzy or ever faint?

[iPodClassic]

What is your average blood pressure and what does it get down to? I seen you said what if on the 90/40. Do you get really dizzy or ever faint?

Hi Netminder. My average is 120/80 - 130/80

It goes down to 90/40.-

I get supper dizzy, short of breathe and nausea (sometimes even vomit) and I fall and had passed out only twice or thrice out of hundreds of times this happened.

[netminder1976]

That does go pretty low but I don't believe it would just drop to nothing at all. I think I'd be more worried about a fall from fainting. What does your doctor say about this? Also what happens to your pulse during this? I would think it would speed up to make up for it, I'm far from a doctor though.

[iPodClassic]

That does go pretty low but I don't believe it would just drop to nothing at all. I think I'd be more worried about a fall from fainting. What does your doctor say about this? Also what happens to your pulse during this? I would think it would speed up to make up for it, I'm far from a doctor though.

Yes I know, it actually feels like I'm dying but I can hold it almost together and not faint so much, just lay on the floor feeling miserable.

My doctors say it's all in my head, even though it started happening after an almost peritonitis episode, and always related to when my bowels are innervated in some way (have to poo, feel bloated etc).

My pulse before the episode is really slow and faint, and yes, once I go lower than 90/40 I feel a severe, non-anxiety tachycardia; actually, this one episode was the first time I felt my heart being messed up and it wasn't because of anxiety or something 'mental'.

[netminder1976]

Doctor said it's all in your head? That's crazy, has he seen it go down to 90/40 or is that a home measurement?

[Annie0904]

My BP is always low. Never over 90 on the top. I have had it 55/40 before and I am still living. I get dizzy spells but just lie down for a while with my feet up. A cup of tea and a biscuit often helps. Make sure you eat regularly.
My GP is not concerned about it.

[iPodClassic]

Doctor said it's all in your head? That's crazy, has he seen it go down to 90/40 or is that a home measurement?

Yeah, they say it's because I strain to go to the toilet (even though it happens before and after going to the toilet), and also because of stress. He never seen it go down because those measurements happen whilst I'm having an episode, mostly measured by EMTs and in pharmacies where they have people trained to measure BP.

---------- Post added at 09:02 ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 ----------


My BP is always low. Never over 90 on the top. I have had it 55/40 before and I am still living. I get dizzy spells but just lie down for a while with my feet up. A cup of tea and a biscuit often helps. Make sure you eat regularly.
My GP is not concerned about it.

Thank you so much for your reply Annie, it is quite reassuring. Good thing is I love cups of tea and biscuits!

Yeah, I eat regularly, although sometimes because of work, etc I skip snacks and also noticed I don't hydrate that much.


However it's just terrifying; when my BP goes down I literally feel life leaving my body, it's horrible and quite scary.

---------- Post added at 09:40 ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 ----------

It's really funny, for example right now, I can feel it again. It's almost as if I could only be lying down, otherwise I'll feel terrible.

I'm skinny, so you can really notice the veins on my hands; however during these episodes, they are non existant. I start feeling really nervous and short of breath, in a very calmed down way. My head hurts mildy, almost as if there was no oxygen getting to it, and I feel nauseated all of a sudden (even gagging).

My hands and arms feel light, barely numb, and I get the feeling I will have a bowel movement.

I get cold and you can barely notice any pulse on my wrists and neck, (when I'm alright, you will actually see the pulse on my wrists and neck, no need to even place your fingers on it, you will literally see the artery pulsating).

Shit, I'm really going to die, ain't I?

[james1067]

I suffer pretty much the same symptoms. I recently saw a cardiologist. He diagnosed me with vasovagal attacks (dysautonomia). I've had pretty much every heart test done under the sun; ECG's, 24 hour holter/blood pressure monitoring, echocardiograms ect which came back normal. The cardiologist said this is normal in young people and blood pressure isn't stable in young people. I'm now prescribed medication to take for when it gets bad otherwise it's pretty harmless unless your actually fainting. I find avoiding standing for long periods of time helps alot. Also, avoiding triggers can help as well. Have you seen a cardiologist or had heart tests for this?

[Annie0904]

I don't even think about it now, I have accepted I have low pressure and if I feel dizzy I just think "oh it's just my bp" :) Will rest for a bit and have a bite to eat and carry on :)

[iPodClassic]

Well, I went to the pharmacy, twice. BP on Friday was 120/90, then it was 140/80. HMmm, weird, I could feel it was low. I even passed out and puked.

[AlexandriaUK]

Hi you say your skinny,do you mean extremely thin or just slim.

[iPodClassic]

Hi you say your skinny,do you mean extremely thin or just slim.

Slim, I usually weigh around 70kgs and am 180cm. However due to anxiety and bowel problems I've lost around 5kg, sometimes gain them back, sometimes lose some more. I am not skinny as in anorexia skinny, but really thin.

---------- Post added at 13:26 ---------- Previous post was at 13:25 ----------

Last week I puked due to allergies, I called my friend and went to get my BP read cos I wa sure it was low. 100/60

HA! WHO'S THE HYPOCHONDRIAC NOW??

[countrygirl]

I once had a severe stomach bug and everytime I had a bowel movement which was about 30 times a day I fainted off the toilet just after the bowel movement. This happened for 2 days and my Gp explained to my why it was happening and how it is caused by the auto nervous symstem that we have no control over. She told me some people get this every time they have a bowel movement and whilst not dangerous as once you go down your bp goes back up again the risk is in the falling - so this fits perfectly with your bad abdominal episode and could have been the cause of your ongoing problem. You need to see a different Dr!

So you can be reassured that your bp will not cause you go die as it goes back up again and if it gets low enough to make you actually faint then that faint puts it back up again, the danger is in hurting yourself if you faint.

[iPodClassic]

I once had a severe stomach bug and everytime I had a bowel movement which was about 30 times a day I fainted off the toilet just after the bowel movement. This happened for 2 days and my Gp explained to my why it was happening and how it is caused by the auto nervous symstem that we have no control over. She told me some people get this every time they have a bowel movement and whilst not dangerous as once you go down your bp goes back up again the risk is in the falling - so this fits perfectly with your bad abdominal episode and could have been the cause of your ongoing problem. You need to see a different Dr!

So you can be reassured that your bp will not cause you go die as it goes back up again and if it gets low enough to make you actually faint then that faint puts it back up again, the danger is in hurting yourself if you faint.
Thank you so much Countrygirl. Although I reckon I've been telling this to myself for two years and some, and I still find it hard to believe sometimes. It scares the living hell off me.

I wish there was a way to kill that stupid vagus nerve that causes my bp to go down every time my bowels feel upset in any kind.

[kickingout]

I have had these symptoms for over a year. At the start it sucked. Personally I have lost friends over it because they do not want to be friends with a liability. You have to be true to yourself and not freak out because it will only make you feel worse.

At one stage in my "journey" I had five to eight faints a day. I have had every brain and heart scan possible and there is nothing structurally wrong. I usually have a blood pressure at 85/32 when I pass out. If these symptoms are troubling you, go to an endrocrinologist by a referral from a GP to have blood pressure tablets prescribed.

Get help. You will not die. It will be okay.

[Capercrohnj]

I have low blood pressure. The top number is usually between 75-95. I'm still alive

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Thank you so much Countrygirl. Although I reckon I've been telling this to myself for two years and some, and I still find it hard to believe sometimes. It scares the living hell off me.

I wish there was a way to kill that stupid vagus nerve that causes my bp to go down every time my bowels feel upset in any kind.

You don't want to kill that stupid vagus nerve. I have gastroparesis which is extremely delayed gastric emptying caused by damage to the vagus nerve. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[Fishmanpa]

This is old thread from 2016...

FMP

[Capercrohnj]

Oops

[iPodClassic]

I have had these symptoms for over a year. At the start it sucked. Personally I have lost friends over it because they do not want to be friends with a liability. You have to be true to yourself and not freak out because it will only make you feel worse.

At one stage in my "journey" I had five to eight faints a day. I have had every brain and heart scan possible and there is nothing structurally wrong. I usually have a blood pressure at 85/32 when I pass out. If these symptoms are troubling you, go to an endrocrinologist by a referral from a GP to have blood pressure tablets prescribed.

Get help. You will not die. It will be okay.

Hi kickingout, sorry for the late reply; life has been hectic lately, but I did save your reply notification on my email and did not forget about it, thank you. Really, thank you. Your words have given me a lot of courage to keep on going. Even though I wished you would not be going through hard times, It's comforting to hear someone has the same issues and survives.

You were right, I did not die, and I'm doing much better since I started clonazepam and meds.

I should get an endocrinologist appt, I did see one like two years ago and everything was fine though.

I hope this message finds you well.

---------- Post added at 22:22 ---------- Previous post was at 22:20 ----------


I have low blood pressure. The top number is usually between 75-95. I'm still alive

---------- Post added at 15:05 ---------- Previous post was at 15:03 ----------



You don't want to kill that stupid vagus nerve. I have gastroparesis which is extremely delayed gastric emptying caused by damage to the vagus nerve. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'm kida, KINDA in the same boat. My bowels are almost non functioning, it's hard, sometimes it feels like it's gonna kill you.
I hope you're doing better now. Any options or treatments?