Hi, I'm just seeking some advice. I'm 17, turning 18 soon. Anyway, this doesn't ALWAYS happen, but it happens so I was wondering if it means something. Every now and then I get a little dizzy or everything seems like it's going to blackout when I stand up from a sitting or laying down position. Sometimes it's really bad, to the point where I think I feel like I might blackout (I actually haven't blacked out before). Most of the time I'm fine, I just might get a little dizzy every now and then or something. But sometimes it's kind of scary because I feel like I am going to black out. Is this because of blood pressure or something? I think I have relativley low blood pressure 100/60 or 105/56 somewhere in that range. I just went to the doctor last week to get a physical for college, but I didn't have to pee in a cup, I didn't get a blood test or anything. It was just all ur basic, heart, lung, throat, ears, stomach, spine (I still go to a pediatrition). I have to go to the doc this monday to get my first Hepititis A shot, should I ask the nurse about these symptoms? Or is it nothing and I should just not make a deal out of it? It hasn't really happened that recently (within the last month or so) but it has happened before, and I'm sure it'll happen again in the future, what do you think? Thanks in advance.

Just a quick question...have you recently changed your diet? That could be the cause..if you're not eating enough, that could be it, or if you've dramatically increased or decreased a caffeine intake...that sometimes makes me dizzy. Just wondering as you hadn't mentioned anything about your eating habits.

Amy http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bouncing.gif

Hi. No I haven't made any drastic changes in my eating or sleeping habbits lately. I guess I'm pretty small I'm about 5'4" 114lbs size 3 in pants, and I usually eat whatever I want to, whenever I want to, but I do have atleast 2 or 3 square meals a day. It's not like I've changed my living or eating habbits, so I don't know why sometimes I get dizzy/black out like when I stand up, and sometimes I'm completley fine (like now). It's really bizzare to me...

This is definitely something to ask about. Your blood pressure seems a bit low.

Yeah, I think my blood pressure seemed a bit low too, but the doc never said anything about it, cause when it was measured in their office it was at 100/60 and it was about 10 in the morning, isn't the morning suppose to be when ur blood pressure is the highest? But yeah I haven't been feeling like this these days at all, so I'm kinda hesitant to ask, because it's not bothering me, right now...

It's a pretty common thing for someone with lower blood pressure. It's caller postural hypotention.

Postural hypotension is the most common type of low blood pressure. In this condition, symptoms appear after a person sits up or stands quickly. In normal people, the cardiovascular system must make a quick adjustment to raise blood pressure slightly to account for the change in position. For those with postural hypotension, the blood pressure adjustment is not always adequate or it doesn't happen.

Many people have a chronic problem with low blood pressure that is not particularly serious. Riing more slowly, or getting out of bed in slow stages, helps the problem. Low blood pressure with no other symptoms does not need to be treated.

You could mention it to the doctor especially if you get other symptoms. Good luck.

My blood pressure is usually in the range of 100 to 105 over 60 to 70. I sometimes have the same kind of thing happen to me, where I stand up quickly and everything goes black for a moment, and my head spins, like I'm about to faint. Also, very occasionally, I will get a sensation when I am lying down that the room is spinning very slowly. My doctor attributed it to my low blood pressure, but you might want to mention it just to make sure.

Another name for this condition is orthostatic hypotension. This will link you to the home page for low blood pressure on MedLinePlus:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lowbloodpressure.html

Suggest you learn about hypotension because there are many specific things you can do to manage this condition such as eating regularly, staying hydrated, getting enough rest and improving your vascular tone/fitness. You also need to learn what to avoid to minimize the risk of blacking out.

In my undergrad days, there was always a blood drive during the first month of college and all frosh were expected to participate. If this is still common practice, do not donate blood - you'll pass out because your blood pressure is too low/ unstable.

Yes, Jay, I found that out by passing out while giving blood! At my former workplace we were given four hours annual leave as an encouragement to donate blood when they had blood drives at our office about twice a year. I gave a time or two with no problems, other than feeling somewhat faint, but the last time I gave blood (and I mean the very last time!) I had to take the four hours leave and go home sick, plus take off the next day because I could not get out of bed!

I had something similar when I was just a little older than you. It turned out that I'd had an infection in my middle ear. Might be worth getting it checked. Let us know how you get on.

Halcyone

Wow, hi! Thanks for all the replies! I just went to an allergist today actually, and turns out I have a chronic sinus infection? Do you think that might be the cause of some of the symptoms? Thanks for everyones help!!!

it could also be that she is a little anemic....i feel the same way when i am running a little low on iron. u could take some iron tablets and bring it back up to a normal level. or just eat foods with iron in it...too much can be dangerous though and very binding. but i feel the same way when i am low on iron. just a thought in case its not your blood pressure!!