Question:
My wife is gets headaches and is often exhausted. Today we took her blood
pressure and it was 104/57. Is it possible to have blood pressure that is
too low (yes, I know, death would be one example)? Could her symptoms be
from low blood pressure? She is slender and is very careful regarding her
diet. .
Anyone out there have experience with low blood pressure and symptoms and
making changes and raising blood pressure and reducing symptoms such as
fatigue and headaches?
Answer:
Yes her symptoms could be from low blood pressure. It could be evidence of
adrenal problems. There is a correlation (but not a perfect one) with neurally
mediated hypotension, which as an autonomic nervous system disorder which
causes lower blood pressure standing than sitting . (It is supposed to be
just the opposite). It is diagnosed with a tilt table test which is very
uncomfortable and also expensive. This can cause dizziness, fatigue, etc. The
NMH can be treated with taking lots of salt and water throughout the day (some
people do better with electrolyte replacement water), licorice, or the
prescription drug Florinef, which is a mineral corticosteriod. Many people
with this condition find that they feel much better with a high protein lower
carb diet like Eades. Certainly hypoglycemica can be part of this as well, and
frequent small meals, all with protein and very low on grains can help a lot.
There is a little more information on this in the book From Fatigued to
Fantastic by Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. If your wife also has low body
temperatures, she could have hypothyroidism, even in the face of normal blood
testing. For information on that see
http://members.tripod.com/~TDmagicmom/altFAQ.html
Something less complicated that the tilt table is Raglan's Test.
Take BP seated, then pump up the cuff again & have her stand up, checking
BP immediately. If it goes up 4 mm Hg or better, she's not hypoadrenic.
If it fails to rise or drops, she is. NMH is frequently from adrenal
fatigue due to chronic nerve root irritation at the corresponding spinal
vertebral motor unit level (usually T9/10 articulation), but can also be
due to inadequate iodine in the diet. Check for both.
