BP Query

[Poppylicious]

Firstly I would like to offer my apologies for asking a question which has been asked before; I have used the search function and read responses to similar queries, but I suppose I'd just like answers that are written for me.

Blokey didn't arrive home from dialysis until much later than normal last night, and it transpired that during the course of the evening his BP had dropped to 72/? (he never tells me the second number!).  When he first began back in June his BP was always ridiculously high, but now it just seems to always be too low.  He said that the nurses told him they didn't know why it was happening (I still don't know if he tells me porkies, or if he just doesn't take things in when they tell him!)

Is it likely to just be that they're removing too much fluid or could there be something more sinister?  I worry far too much about anything and everything as it is, so I think I just want to know how worried I need to be.

Also, apparently they had to take him off the machine, strip it and hook him back up because his blood started clotting (does this happen lots?) ...

As always, thanks for your help. 

[KICKSTART]

You could do to find out the second number (Diastolic) as that is really the most important one ! If his other number was only 72 then im guessing the second number was pretty low. The most common cause of this is fluid removal, if you notice people on dialysis when they first start on the machine their BP is raised (due to fluid retention)then as they finish their session and fluid has been removed the BP lowers. Another cause it may have gone so low is , is he on BP medication ? You are told NOT to take this before you come in for dialysis (just in case his is). As for the clotting , sorry cant help you there as i have a tunnel line in atm.  You will also hear the term 'crashing' this is when to much fluid is pulled off and people BP drops way to low , making the person faint (crash). I would be very suprised if the nurses DIDNT know what was going on !!!

[Hanify]

When I did haemo it was relatively common for them to have to strip the machine.  If memory serves me right this was due to having to stop the heparin cos I was going to have an operation.  Also, it could easily be true that Blokey doesn't really remember what's been said to him!  I remember that feeling!

[cloud393]

They may need to increase his heparin, that's what they had to do for me when I had the clotting issues and they had to strip my machine and start over.  I also had to hold my BP meds before dialysis because I would bottom out.  Never fainted but came real close.  Good luck!

[Restorer]

When I had emergency dialysis in the hospital, they were going to try to release me about midday on the third day - my last dialysis was that morning. They had to take my femoral cath out first, and give it some time before I would be able to walk, so they wanted to take it out as soon as possible - right after dialysis - so they didn't give me any heparin on that session. The nurse had to disconnect me and strip the machine more than once. I kept clotting.

[lizabee]

My BP tends to drop during treatment.  It goes as low as 50/30!  My weight fluxuates so sometimes the drop is because they took too much fluid, but not always