First Time for BP Drop

[Restorer]

Yesterday I almost passed out at the end of dialysis for the first time. My total UF was set fairly high after a very, uh, hydrating weekend.  With about 6 minutes left, I started to feel lightheaded, a little nauseated, and like I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I leaned my chair back, called someone over, and told her, and she decided to just take me off. Everything was fine after I got my blood back.

The only weird thing was that my BP (which they only started checking after they started the return) never read below normal. 118/86 was as low as it got until I was feeling better and stood up, and then it was only at 106/82.

I wonder if one can adapt to high blood pressure, and then feel bad at only slightly low BP. I've had really high BP for a while, and nurses and doctors have been surprised when they measure something like 180/120 and I don't have any symptoms of high BP.

[Genlando]

I totally agree that your body can get accustomed to hypertension.  I walked around for several years with +200/120 BP.  Other than a slight headache, I had no real symptoms (other than my kidneys failing, but that's another story).  I started taking BP meds since April 2010, and I'm still not able to fully function.  I feel totally zonked if my diastolic ever drops below the mid-eighties.

[Rerun]

Yes, I think if you are use to high blood pressure you can crash at a normal bp just because your body is not use to it.

Now that you KNOW the feeling of crashing call them as soon as you start to feel light headed.

Also, when you crash it is an indication that you need to raise your dry weight a tad bit.

[Mizar]

 Interesting. My Husband, has been on BP Meds for about Ten Years. His BP, has always been good, both at D at out, however about Two Weeks, ago, His BP, was Low, everyday. Measured, it last Week at Home and it was only 85/60. D, only says, " Are You Driving?" We don't know why it has gotten low. Today, they told Him to stop all BP Meds as they, are not able to pull off enough Fluids, with it being so low. This in itself, should not be a problem, except, My Husband, has a Lung Condition and if they are not pulling off as much Fluid, it just makes Him,  that much Shorter of Breath, between Sessions.

[sullidog]

I agree, I think once your body adapts to a certain bp then what you think is normal, your body may think differently.
Troy

[Hazmat35]

I've had it happen a few times to me.  Usually, they have taken off too much fluid.  Always happens towards the last 30 - 60 minutes. 

VERY scary, when it happens.  It comes on so fast.  Luckily, my center has GOOD technicians / nurses and they keep an eye on you.  2 weeks ago, it came on so fast, so sudden, that I couldn't hardly move or speak I was so week.  My BP dropped below 46.  They ran over to me and squeezed me in some saline and in about 15 minutes, I was back to normal. 

[Tracy]

Before I started D, my blood pressure was going very high.  I was on a lot of blood pressure meds.  Then, after I started D, they started weening me off my meds.  It started reducing daily, then the Neph told me to stop taking my bp meds on D days.  Now, I don't take any and I still drop pretty low.  It IS scary.  I didn't know what was happening to me the first time.  Now I know.  Maybe if you stopped the meds on your D days, they could pull enough off. 

[Restorer]

Yes, I think if you are use to high blood pressure you can crash at a normal bp just because your body is not use to it.

Now that you KNOW the feeling of crashing call them as soon as you start to feel light headed.

Oh, I've known that feeling before. I'd never crashed on dialysis before Monday, but I've almost fallen over while doing things thanks to low blood pressure and sugar. It didn't come on all that fast - I felt short of breath for a couple minutes before it started to affect my head. I leaned the chair back in hopes that would help. Only a few minutes left, I figured, so if I can finish, I'll get some saline and be fine.

Also, when you crash it is an indication that you need to raise your dry weight a tad bit.

I think it was just because I had to take off so much thanks to the weekend. My dry weight is set at 50.5 but we usually take it down to 50.4 or 50.3. On Monday I was at 50.4 after I got off, and they didn't give me any saline other than the usual return. Today I came off at 50.3 and felt fine (in fact my BP was a bit high).

[Bruno]

My experience is that I can tell when I've got low blood pressure but I've never noticed when I'm high? (that doesn't sound right, does it?)
If you are on HD you need to learn how to handle Low BP during a session (saline infusion). I take my BP before a session and if it is low regularly during the session. I've bought a BP machine so I can do that.
Bruno