tech said no legs down in recliner

[sullidog]

I suffer from wrestless legs every once in a while on the machine. The other day I asked the tech if she could put my legs down. She said no she didn't want to do that because it could cause my bp to crash. Is this true?
I have clonopin but it makes me very sleepy that I'm even sleepy on the job and that's not good. My neph told me to take it at night but it makes me feel like my first days of anemia.
Any suggestions on how to cope with this if I can't have my legs down on the machine?
Troy

[dwcrawford]

Yes it is  true about bp, but something you have no choice.  It just becomes so painful.  Tell them how much it hurts and put your legs down but watch your bp closely....

[YLGuy]

My old tech has a lot of experience and he swears that if you put your legs down your BP WILL crash.  I believe him.  There is a guy at my center who does leg lifts during D.  It looks kinda funny.

[tyefly]

  I am thinking that you should just put your legs  or feet in what ever position you want.....just do it....  its hard to believe that someone could make you sit in a certain position...... Not even your employer can tell you how you should sit at work ....  For me  I just do it...... 

[RichardMEL]

yeah we have the controls to our chairs and can move them whichever way we want. Very rarely if someone is in a specific situation they will tell them they should lie back or in a certain way for their BP, but generally we can do whatever we need to to get (slightly) comfortable. I don't have restless legs (phew) but sitting in the one position just doesn't work so I move mine every so often. Good luck!

[willowtreewren]

Try putting your legs down and monitor your BP. We were told that Carl should keep his legs up, but he is not comfortable like that. He started putting them down and it has not been a problem. He rarely has them up now, just for a change of position.

Aleta

[iketchum]

I had to put a chair under my heels and rest my legs that way instead of on my calves. It stopped the restlessness and cramping I was having.

[cdwbrooklyn]

Sullidog, with most of my treatments I put my legs down when I feel I'm about to cramp.   My bp is still stable.  However, I've experienced my bp crushing at one point.  When that happened, I laid all the way back and my bp was normal again.   Most of the times, my bp does not crush.

Have the tech put your legs down and tell him or her to watch out for your bp.  If you are feeling a little warm or hot, it's an indication that your bp has dropped. Ask the tech to lay you back until your bp is back to normal.  It may not happen most of the times, but keep an eye on your bp when your legs are down.

CDW  

[nursewratchet]

The BP can be an issue, and if it is, the legs have to be up.  Tell them you sometimes need to have them down, and that they watch your pressure carefully, and that you understand that they may have to throw your chair all the way back, without notice if it goes down.  Tell them you are ok with that, and that you WILL be sometimes having the legs down. 

[YLGuy]

Big toe started to cramp with 3 minutes left.  He let me put my feet down while he returned my blood.  When my shin cramped he let me stand up.  My bp dropped to 83/47 and I got REALLY dizzy.    I sat down and he threw my feet up until I felt better.  I know, standing is not the same thing as just putting your feet down.

[BigSky]

While it helps keep bp up it also makes it easier to pull fluid as the blood doesnt pool down in the legs.

[thegrammalady]

at my center we got new chairs for the nocturnal shift, the patient can completely control them.  with the old chairs one of the patients just hangs his legs over the side of the foot rest if he wants them down. you could try that. my bp often drops way below 90 and i never get sick or dizzy. everyone is different. have them turn your machine so you can see the screen. i monotor my own pressure. and don't let them tell you they can't. it's your life, they do it your way or they don't do it at all.