postural hypotension anyone?? (big drop in bp from lying/sitting to standing)

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Melissa75

Administrator
Has anyone seen a cardiologist for postural hypotension? Was it related to your lungs?

My gp referred me to a cardiologist after I did poorly on some bp tests in his office and bloodwork showed I'm adequately hydrated/nutriented. I've a hx of passing out and the past six months, lots of dizziness and pounding heart when I change position.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
Well, i figured I was fit, hence hr of 60s at rest, maybe lower when I'm really relaxed e.g. half asleep. I'm also the most winded person in zumba but again i like to think that's cause I'm shakin it so hard ;).
 
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Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
It could be just bradycardia, but obviously have it checked. I actually have a resting around 40ish and set the alarm off at doctors one time when it was 30ish. (When giving birth nurses had to reset "alarm" b/c they were running in every 2 minutes.) Did a heart monitor about 10 years ago and basically asymptomic, BUT I do get lightheaded/dizzy easy when getting up etc. Hopefully it's just that.
 
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Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
Yeah, I guess so, I never really thought of it. . . feels more like lots of heavy breathing if working out. Mostly I'm just exhausted all the time! I tell DH he'd need 10 hours of sleep too his heart was just going boom . . . . boom . . . . boom. And then the lightheadness etc when moving around. I always laugh then the doctors ask if I'm a runner, as that ain't the problem!! Definitely try doing a heart monitor for 24 hours and they can give you a full report of what's going on.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
Giving an update:
The cardiologist offered me a couple of meds or the wait and see approach for my intense head rushes. I'm doing the latter for now. Also, he explained i should clench my butt cheeks when i stand up :). This i guess helps keep the blood upstream.
Apart from that, my ekg had an abnormality that i have to check further in a couple of weeks. Didn't seem to be anything urgent.
We talked a bit about my hx with pericarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart) and he said that pleurisy and pericarditis often team up because of geography, which makes sense.
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
Well, I had my "further testing" and need further testing.

The echo (ultrasound of heart) showed light pulmonary hypertension, which the dr said makes sense with chronic lung infections. I'm a bit weirded out, though, because I thought my high PFTs, though admittedly not crazy high like they used to be, kept my heart "safe". Maybe--haha definitely--I don't really understand how this all works. I also have a leaky mitral valve, which is "not a concern."

The stress test didn't go so well. Abnormalities in the last 4 minutes. Could be false positive...for what I'm not sure. I was extremely out of breath toward the end and felt like throwing up. Dr had to coax me to do the last 30 seconds. The target max HR programmed into the computer was 183, and I don't know what the formula used was, but it is not 200-age as I am 37. I don't know where my HR was when I ended the test, but I stopped focusing in the 160s. Compared to last year, that is kinda low for me to be such a mess.

The next test is an echo-stress test--exercise with simultaneous imaging.
I asked what would be the result of the testing if I do have right-side heart issues/hypertension. "Good information for your pulmonologist to have."

Anyone have any insight?
 
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Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
Melissa,
So sorry you are facing all this. I don't have any insights other than to ask: Did they have you where a 24 hour heart monitor to see what is going on????
Hugs and Prayers,
Love
PS I always find the blood comes back when I have DH grab my butt cheeks instead! ;-)
 
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Aboveallislove

Super Moderator
Hmmmm. I'd follow up on that bc that was first thing I had and when mil passed out for no reason they had her do that as well as initial info gathering.
big big hugs!
 
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Melissa75

Administrator
I had my testing today and everything went great. Love those false positives. This time, my EKG during the stress test looked just as wacky as the first one, but the echo/imaging done while I was stressed, after 8 minutes of exercise, looked good. So, I AM indeed an example of a "young" woman false positive.

Oddly, the pulmonary hypertension didn't show up today either. No idea what that is about, as the only difference I can think of is I had a left-lung plug wheeze for echo #1 and not today for #2.

I put a few more details about stress tests in the "My daughter can't breathe" thread in the exercise section, but this is the end of testing for me for now. Now, I have to follow-through on those promises I made the universe/God if I passed these tests. :)
 
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