Orthostatic Hypotension

I can’t stand on my feet for more than a minute or two without feeling like I’m going to collapse.  Whenever I stand in line at the grocery store or stand anywhere for that matter, I sway back and forth, assume the tree pose, or crouch down and end up sitting on the floor.  I thought I was just really out-of-shape.  I hated myself for being so unhealthy!  I never understood why I never had much energy.  I felt like a failure because just the idea of going to theme parks with my family was torture for me. I never knew why.  I never connected the dots that my lack of energy and my disdain for Disney World were connected.  Until I found out why.  I’ve always known I have low blood pressure, but I found out that I also suffer from orthostatic hypotension – and I can’t STAND it!

Diagnosis

My blood pressure is low:  88/50, 90/70, strange numbers like that.  On more than one occasion I have had to warn the nurse before they take my pressure that it is going to be low because I’m tired of the same old joke.  “You pressure is so low!  Are you sure you’re alive?”  That is always followed by, “You’re so lucky to have low blood pressure.”  Really?  I don’t think so.

I’ve had mono twice; once after my first semester of college and once about eight years ago.  Both times I was knocked off my feet.  The first time I had it I was down and out for one year.  The second time, I felt like there was something else going on because the fatigue never subsided.  After several trips to my regular doctor, I went to a cardiologist for multiple tests and they all turned out fine.  And then at one appointment, as I was about to jump off the table to get dressed, the doctor’s light bulb went off.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “Lie down.”  He then proceeded to take my blood pressure while I was laying down, sitting up, and standing.  I was strangely excited when he said he knew what was wrong.  He then proceeded to tell me that I had orthostatic hypotension and went on to describe that the reason I was so fatigued is that in addition to having low blood pressure, my pressure drops when I stand up and goes even lower.  So that 88/50 pressure drops to about 70/40 when I stand.

Gravity

For most people, blood pressure rises upon standing.  It has to do with the veins in our legs.  Gravity does something to the valves in the veins in our legs that makes the pressure rise.  My valves don’t do that.

Remedy

I’ve tried everything!  The “poor man’s” remedy is to add tons of salt to my food.  Check.  I feel better when I use a lot of salt, but it doesn’t make a difference.  There are a few medications but they don’t work.  I drink as much water as I can, but nope, that doesn’t work, either.

I have been to different specialists and I was told that it’s not fatal.  So there’s that good news.  Yeah.

So what do I do?  Well, it’s more of a mental game now.  I don’t beat myself up anymore.  I know I’m tired because I have a physical limitation; my fatigue has nothing to do with my own personal failings.  I salt my food.  I drink water and coke.  I eat greasy stuff.  These things are unhealthy, but they make me feel better.

And I need to feel better because I’m going to Disney World soon.  More on that later…