I have to say I am somewhat concerned and annoyed over my blood pressure. Last week at the primary it was 100/52 and today when I took it myself, it was 100/55.
I asked my primary about it being so low and he said there is no such thing as too low. I tend to disagree. He looked at my chart and said my BP is always around 100/55 when I am there and has been for a year.
My LLMD told me to not worry about my BP either. She said hers was 80/40 when she was pregnant and I should never worry about it being too low.
My cardiologist does not seem concerned either. He wants me to take Toprol XL when I get tachycardic or have PAC's but I have avoided it because my BP is so low.
I do notice when I am sitting, it is lower than if I am standing. My POTS seems to have reversed itself. It is around 120/78 if I stand. Resting or sitting is closer to 100/50.
I had tried more salt on my food but it does not help much. I will get lightheaded spells sometimes if I stand up too fast but other than that, I do not have any other symptoms. I am not sure if my fatigue at times is related to my BP or not.
How can I level this out or what can I take to raise it?? Is my blood pressure too low? I am concerned.
-------------------- Lyme, Babesia Microti, possible Bart. Posts: 173 | From A little south of sanity - PA | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Mine runs around that and I am on a beta blocker for tachycardia........I HAVE to take the beta blocker or my heart beats 150 to 160 with no exertion......I am much more concerned about passing out from that than I am about my BP being on the low side.
I do eat lots or sea salt because my adrenals are out of whack, and that helps me some.
-------------------- TL Posts: 365 | From OK | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Also, make sure you consume enough fluids.........not caffeinated ones.
-------------------- TL Posts: 365 | From OK | Registered: Jul 2007
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Lauralyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15021
posted
Licorce root can be helpful
-------------------- Fall down seven times, get up eight ~Japanese proverb Posts: 1146 | From west coast | Registered: Mar 2008
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disturbedme
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I have chronic tachycardia from no exertion whatsoever. Just 24/7 I'd have chronic tachycardia -- this started when I was a teenager (I was bitten when I was around 14, so that most likely is the underlying cause of it) and I also have very low blood pressure.
I have been on Toprol XL for a little over two years for my chronic tachycardia as well as palps and on-again, off-again murmur and was put on it even when my blood pressure was extremely low. It did not lower my blood pressure any more than it was already. It's always been 80/40 or 90/50, sometimes even 70/40, even before I was on Toprol XL. The Toprol didn't seem to lower it more, so that was good because it didn't have much more to lower to since it's already so low!!! LOL.
Though I must say that I do believe I went way too long with low blood pressure. My first LLMD never took it into consideration. The LLMD I have now really didn't think it was something to be concerned about until he realized that every time I went in to see him it was on the low side and I guess at the last visit we had, my blood pressure was lower than usual so that got him concerned and he decided to put me on Florinef which raises blood pressure.
I have to say it's been one of the best medicines I've ever been on. It's helped SOOOO much with my lightheadedness and wooziness. I can go through the day now not feeling lightheaded or woozy at all. It's been a major help in that category of symptoms. I am so thankful he put me on it. And to think I thought before that my low blood pressure was not giving me the lightheadedness or wooziness -- I was way wrong! I can tell such a huge difference now that I'm on Florinef. The Florinef hasn't raised my blood pressure a ton... The few times I've checked it, it's raised it about 101/53 or 90/60, which is still kind of low, but I can sure tell a difference from where it was before the medicine.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
are you also diabetic?
i know many on here run low and those w/diabetes do too good luck!
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Dear disturbedme, I was the exact same age when I may have been bitten! I also suffer from wooziness and lightheadedness. It is not exactly dizzy, but more of like being on a boat, as if you are sort of bobbing up and down slightly. The feeling is similar to the point you are at right before you faint. My blood pressure is normally low, but my pulse tends to race due to my Thyroid being overactive.
I am going to go see an endo soon to see if hormones, thyroid, or adrenals are playing any role in this. I have lost weight to the point where I am concerned and also I feel very shaky/nervous/jittery at times.
I have had tachycardia when I stand since April of last year when I got sick.
I am so glad the Florinef helped you disturbedme. My cardio does not want to see me for 6 months but I may go sooner to ask him about the Florinef. He does not seem concerned about my BP at all which bothers me.
Betty I am not diabetic. My glucose tends to run towards the low end of the scale.
I did notice my BP was better while treating Babesia and when I stopped treatment, it got worse. Do you guys think this blood pressure thing is form of dysautonomia caused by Lyme or Babesia?
-------------------- Lyme, Babesia Microti, possible Bart. Posts: 173 | From A little south of sanity - PA | Registered: Jan 2009
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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Jin - I have underactive thyroid so my heart should be slower than normal.... but it's NOT. LOL. It's extremely fast and crazy, so you'd think I had hyperthyroid instead of hypo.
Bluecheetah - My LLMD is the one who prescribed the Florinef for me. I am pretty sure my cardio wouldn't have either if I had asked him. My cardio is convinced I'm a "healthy young lady" and he "doesn't know why some young people have these heart issues, but it's completely normal". Yeah right, I wish!!!! I am sure chronic tachycardia since I was in high school is so very normal.
And yes, I do agree it is probably some sort of POTS due to the lyme. I think mine is, at least. Even though my POTS doesn't seem to be exactly like it, since my heart races non-stop, not just when I stand after sitting, etc. But my blood pressure has always been very low with the tachycardia too.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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BlueCheetah, have you looked into Hawthorn Berry Extract? Not sure about your exact prblem, but it has helped my palps, and is good for a lot of heart issues.
Posts: 175 | From SW PA | Registered: Mar 2008
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Mine has been as low as 58 over 28. I have not found anything to help it. It cycles like everything else in lyme. I stopped taking it, but I know when it is bad. I think your LLMD should have a nice co-infection panel done on herself. That BP is scary.
I've also read that pulse pressure matters: the difference between the two numbers. If it is more than 40 points, it is indicative of a problem. What that problem is, I haven't learned.
My sister offered to hire some scary person to threaten me. . but stress doesn't raise it either.
Nice that she offered though. : )
Posts: 564 | From Tick Hell | Registered: Oct 2008
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Dear BlueCheetah, The weightloss, shakiness, and nervousness certainly point toward an overly active Thyroid. Make sure they run the TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 panel. For some odd reason, mine showed up in the TSH instead of the usual other parts of the panel. Some of these symptoms also are a part of Hypoglycemia, which I also have. I have to eat an unbelievable amount of carbohydrate to raise my glucose up to 80 mg/dl.
Dysautonomia sounds highly likely. POTS and NMH (Neurally Mediated Hypotension) both could cause this. I suspect these in my situation as well. Neurologists do what they call a Tilt Test for it. Our bodies are so messed up, if it is not one thing, it is another! Finding out the source of the trouble is very difficult.
Dear disturbedme, I have found sometimes I had opposite symptoms with an overly active Thyroid. It may be our bodies flip the other way due to the Borrelia. That is the only thing I can figure, anyway. When your body is atypical, your symptoms will be as well. Regardless, the issues are often frightening and worrisome.
posted
Disturbed - That is great that your LLMD gave you the Florinef. Your cardio sounds a lot like mine.."We have ran all the tests and your heart is perfectly healthy"...Yeah right! I am so sorry you have been dealing with the low BP and tachy for so long. One year of it is enough for me. I hate it so much.
Months ago I would have a drop in BP when I stood and my heart rate would go up. Now that has changed. My BP is normal when I stand or move around. When I am sitting or resting, it is lower. I am certain it is some sort of dysautonomia.
Tiramisu - I have wanted Hawthorn for a while now and my LLMD said I could have it. I am just not sure how much to take or what type to buy.
Jin - I agree with you on the thyroid issue. I had a TSH, free T3 & T4 about 6 months ago that were normal. But the weight loss, etc has come on since then. A lot of the crazy heart stuff like PAC's come on before my period so I know the issue is hormone, thyroid, or adrenal related. I have an appointment on July 10 with a great endocrinologist so hopefully I will get some answers.
Thank you everyone for your replies.
-------------------- Lyme, Babesia Microti, possible Bart. Posts: 173 | From A little south of sanity - PA | Registered: Jan 2009
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