Tessa update

[tex]

Hi Tessa,

Several manufacturers make wrist blood pressure monitors that are built like a large wrist watch. With the ones that I have seen, you just strap it on, with a velcro band, and press the button, and it does the rest. They have a built-in pump, digital readout, and use a couple of AAA batteries, for power.

I have a Panasonic, model EW3006s, which works fine. It is self-contained, and very easy to carry anywhere you need to go. I paid $52.88, (USD), for mine, but there are some cheaper models. I selected this one because it will store up to 90 readings. I bought it to monitor the accuracy of a Microlife digital BP monitor that I bought, which can download the data it collects to a PC, for analysis, and printout. IOW, I can just print out all the data tables, and graphs, and hand them to the doctor, when I go for an appointment. Both give very close BP readings, and record the heart rate, also.

Love,
Tex

[Lucy]

Hi Tess,

By the way, Mom's long-term neurologist told us to try to keep her systolic BP (upper number) from dropping below 90 at any time, if at all possible in order to protect her brain. This is why we take so many measurements.

No, the BP machine isn't a watch, but does wrap around the left wrist like a watch. gotta go, Luce

[Tessa]

Thanks for the info. , Tex.


Luce, you confirm my worries. I always thought it was not healthy to keep such a low bp all the time.
But what can we do? I have tried to get it up. What do you do with your mother when you notice that it is too low?

We checked it today and it is still at 80-40


What really worries me is the blood test I have on Tuesday morning... Having hypotension...


Love,
Tessa

[Lucy]

Hi Tessa,

We just get Mom up very slowly, seeing what feeding her sitting on the bedside is going to do to her BP before giving her Midodrine, then waiting half an hour or so before putting her on the bedside commode as BM's will also drop her BP as well as standing and other medications will drop ones BP, but that's one reason why we stopped those other meds.

Wow, I'm hoping that this will just be a temporary situation for you. It seems like I read it is sometimes on one of those sites you gave that I looked up.

Do you feel light headed or anything when it's at 80 systolic
like that?

Yours, Luce

[Tessa]

Hi Luce

Thanks for keeping posting, trying to give me some support on this situation.

I am glad to see that you are able to handle your mother´s low blood pressure. At least you know what and how to manage. I hope she can get some relief from Midodrine... She is in good and loved hands and your support and help is also of great help I am sure.

I do not think that this is just a temporary situation because I have always suffered from health problems since I was a child, though not knowing why and what and as they were coming and going, noone really worried about them and even doctors did not bother... Their answers were of the kind: "Well, if you feel unwell when having to go to gym, I will issue a statement that forbids your school to oblige you to excercise", etc.
When feeling lightheaded, dizzy and weak, my parents answered I should eat more... And when I fainted because of being standing for a while: the next time, I got a chair...
But the real reason of all my health issues was never really investigated until they became worse, I was admitted into Hospital and made me go to the ER. It was my husband and me who started looking into this seriously, knowing for sure that it had to be an illness and struggling to get an accurated diagnosis and help... It is a long story, very long, but then we got to MC. Later to my food intolerances: gluten and casein and now... to disautonomia (POTS).

Since August 2005, I have been feeling most of the symptoms of POTS the whole day. Sometimes less, sometimes worse. Both our lives have changed because we had to adapt to this "disability".
Lightheaded, dizzy and chest pain has been constant, as well as a rapid heart pulse. By that time, we had no idea that I had a low blood pressure.

When I started the Betablocker (prescribed by the Cardiologist), my heart pulse slowed down and from then on keeps at 60 bpm. although I am still unable to many activities and have to organize myself for the homework, grocery shoppings, etc.

Even though my heart rate was controlled, I was still feeling dizzy, lightheaded, with chest discomfort, breathing problems, etc. Then I had my Tilt Table Test and the Cardiologist said I had to take Florinef... But we noticed that it had lactose...

The chest discomfort and dizziness dissappeared the first day I started taking the Licorice Root (similar to Florinef), but my blood pressure keeps at 80-40... Sometimes I feel dizzy and lightheaded, yes. I assume it is because it lowers even more...
I wonder if the underlying condition is still uncontrolled...

Thank you for taking your time to read my long post.
Take care,
Love,
Tessa