Light headed when getting up? Low BP?

[IMT11]

Basically sporadically when I get up from laying down on a couch or a bed I sometimes feel very light headed and dizzy and I need to sit back down for a second. Interestingly this never happens when I get out of bed first thing in the morning.
This is definitely a new phenomenon for me though I don't know if it is attributable to the reta itself or it's potentially my diet (more of an indirect cause)
Not something I have seen get much discussion and searching didn't seem to bring much up.
Was curious if any of the smart people here had any thoughts or if there are things I should be adding to my diet or doing a better job with to avoid it.

 

[ambot88]

light headedness can be caused low blood pressure but more likely dehydration or low blood sugar. Your body is maybe not used to how few calories it's consuming and it make you feel a little light headed. Drink electrolytes but honestly if it's just a slight dizzyness I'd just endure and it will pass, I had this but it passed as my body adapted.

 

[AxlBundy]

Positional hypotension. As you lose bf, there is less compression on your veins and arteries. BP drops drastically. I’ve actually hit the ground twice so now when I feel it, I’ll immediately put myself in a position to lay back down or get to a safe position should I faint all the way.

 

[Gr33dyOctopus]

Oof, i lost a ton of weight, was still on a high dose of losartan ( 75mg daily ) and started getting dizzy. It wasnt till i collapsed onto a table, bounced off a chair and ended up on the floor with people around. And i said? Why are we all on the floor???

That was three weeks ago, i can now bately sleep on my right side, pretty sure i cracked some ribs. Could have been a lot worse. Obviously i cut down losartan ( 25mg daily ) and talked to my dr.

You should talk to your dr. So you dont end up being me, and maybe even take a worse fall.

 

[IMT11]

Positional hypotension. As you lose bf, there is less compression on your veins and arteries. BP drops drastically. I’ve actually hit the ground twice so now when I feel it, I’ll immediately put myself in a position to lay back down or get to a safe position should I faint all the way.

Scary, I have not yet actually fallen but came concerningly close the other day.

I drink a lot of water but not a lot of electrolytes, will try adding some of those to my daily routine.

 

[Gr33dyOctopus]

Scary, I have not yet actually fallen but came concerningly close the other day.

I drink a lot of water but not a lot of electrolytes, will try adding some of those to my daily routine.

When you fall, you just lose consciousness standing and hit the ground like a dropped sack of potatoes its very uncool

 

[SeaGypsy]

When you fall, you just lose consciousness standing and hit the ground like a dropped sack of potatoes its very uncool

I can see where it would ruin your day. I've gotten lightheaded and dizzy when getting up, for me it was dehydration. Improved massively when I added electrolytes to my water. Hope ya feeling better soon

 

[kj4otu]

I started having the same issue after losing quite a bit. Had to get with my doc and drop the BP meds in half to compensate. Good new on my end. I hope yours is the same.

 

[mtomm]

I have one sofa that almost every time I stand up from it I get light headed. Just that sofa and rarely anywhere else. It's bizarre but it tells me that it is something positional like mentioned by Axlbundy. I avoid that sofa.

 

[PineCone99]

This happens to me too, I'm not clear on if it's dehydration, electrolytes, low blood sugar or low blood pressure. Sorry, I'm of NO HELP lol. But I commiserate as I have to hang onto something a few seconds after I stand up.. eeks.

 

[BlueDog55]

I would say low BP or sugar. My guess on it not happening when you wake up is because your BP gets lower when sleeping so no big swing to notice and your body releases sugar from burning fat when you sleep so with no activity when you sleep your blood sugar wouldn't be low... I am just guessing at this but I think it might be right.

 

[ktg123]

Could be adrenal fatigue. In that case, Ashwaganda may help.
But low BP is more likely.

 

[wildweasel]

Basically sporadically when I get up from laying down on a couch or a bed I sometimes feel very light headed and dizzy and I need to sit back down for a second. Interestingly this never happens when I get out of bed first thing in the morning.
This is definitely a new phenomenon for me though I don't know if it is attributable to the reta itself or it's potentially my diet (more of an indirect cause)
Not something I have seen get much discussion and searching didn't seem to bring much up.
Was curious if any of the smart people here had any thoughts or if there are things I should be adding to my diet or doing a better job with to avoid it.

buy a blood pressure cuff to monitor yourself.

I'd say 90% chance you have low blood pressure. the lower number on the blood pressure reading means more to this than the top number.

other 10% chance is its fatigue/exercise/adrenal/something esle

if you've lost weight lately, id say low bp is very likely.

monitor yourself and figure it out. if its low bp, sodium helps raise blood pressure. so does not taking bp meds if you are on any. water also helps, but not without sodium.

 

[rixsternaz]

Get a BP monitor so when this happens again you can measure you BP and have the answer.

 

[IMT11]

Forgot I have a whoop sitting in a drawer, i will throw that back on and see if it gives me any insights
For the record no history of low BP and not on any BP meds and I have "only" lost ~15lbs so not some kind of insane weight loss or drop that I would think would cause something like that.

 

[BNLFL]

If I bent over and raise up quick, I'll get a little of that. Not bad enough to pass out. I've had a BP cuff and HR/O2 finger thing. Been normal, BP has been around 125/72, HR depends on the time of day. O2 is always 99-100%. I have been taking electrolytes liquid drinking.

 

[Whiynot20026]

light headedness can be caused low blood pressure but more likely dehydration or low blood sugar. Your body is maybe not used to how few calories it's consuming and it make you feel a little light headed. Drink electrolytes but honestly if it's just a slight dizzyness I'd just endure and it will pass, I had this but it passed as my body adapted.

I was thinking the same thing. Ready increases the heart rate and metabolism. These symptoms are from something else.

Bill

 

[Don]

Basically sporadically when I get up from laying down on a couch or a bed I sometimes feel very light headed and dizzy and I need to sit back down for a second. Interestingly this never happens when I get out of bed first thing in the morning.
This is definitely a new phenomenon for me though I don't know if it is attributable to the reta itself or it's potentially my diet (more of an indirect cause)
Not something I have seen get much discussion and searching didn't seem to bring much up.
Was curious if any of the smart people here had any thoughts or if there are things I should be adding to my diet or doing a better job with to avoid it.

Honestly, it’s been the same for me recently. Being in a deficit, Reta suppressing thirst, and glycogen stores being depleted, I think electrolytes helped a lot in my case.
I still try not to jump up too quickly from sitting or lying down. I get up more slowly now, like over 4–5 seconds instead of instantly like before.

 

[CJsMom]

Same issue. Cut out one of my hbp meds and it went away. BP is still good on the remaining pills.

 

[Bioexplorer]

I checked my BP when the lightheadedness started for me and it was very low. You probably out to rule that out first.

I've been on 3 hypertension meds for over a decade. I dropped the diuretic first and then the calcium channel blocker a couple weeks later. My BP is now around 120/70 on one remaining med after less than 7 weeks on Reta. And my PVCs went away.

Looking forward to my next blood work results to see what else reta 'cures'. I'm fine replacing the BP meds and possibly others with once a week pins for the foreseeable future.

 

[lessthanhalf]

Basically sporadically when I get up from laying down on a couch or a bed I sometimes feel very light headed and dizzy and I need to sit back down for a second. Interestingly this never happens when I get out of bed first thing in the morning.
This is definitely a new phenomenon for me though I don't know if it is attributable to the reta itself or it's potentially my diet (more of an indirect cause)
Not something I have seen get much discussion and searching didn't seem to bring much up.
Was curious if any of the smart people here had any thoughts or if there are things I should be adding to my diet or doing a better job with to avoid it.

This is very clearly postural hypotension. Not sure why it does not happen in the morning, but I think BP is usually a bit higher in the morning. It is very common with weight loss.

I had high blood pressure before losing weight, but as I lost weight I started getting greyed out vision on standing with some dizzyness, and it has persisted for the past few years.

Losing weight will drop blood pressure, as you are going to carry less fluid in general, reta will drop blood pressure as a drug effect and weight loss itself drops blood pressure from the loss of back pressure on the veins in your legs and abdomen, where there is less fat pressing on the veins pushing blood upwards and resisting the effects of gravity.

Probably worth a basic medical opinion for advice mostly, but first get a blood pressure reading machine and test blood pressure lying sitting and standing so you can verify and monitor what is happening and it would be useful info to show a doctor.

The first thing to know if you feel there is any risk of falling is to get your head down quickly so you do not faint, for me just bending over a bit for a few seconds is enough . If blood pressure to your brain is too low for long enough, the vasovagal reflex will kick in and force you to get horizontal by making you faint, by dropping blood pressure suddenly as a way of restoring brain blood flow.( after you fall over )

Compression stockings can help, and making sure fluid and electrolyte intake is adequate. Getting up from lying down to sitting to standing in stages can help. And if on high blood pressure medication, it might need adjusting or stopping.

 

[Justatechdude]

I’ve gotten more light headedness after starting GLP1s. I am on a mix of TRZ and RETA right now and I think it’s lowered even further from Reta but didn’t track so no true proof. I just know that my current is 102/64 and yeah I get light headed once or twice a day.

 

[Jfrick11]

Forgot I have a whoop sitting in a drawer, i will throw that back on and see if it gives me any insights
For the record no history of low BP and not on any BP meds and I have "only" lost ~15lbs so not some kind of insane weight loss or drop that I would think would cause something like that.

For someone with no hx of low pressure, no BP meds, and only about 15 lbs of weight loss, I wouldn't immediately assume the weight loss itself is the culprit.

I'd probably think about it in this order:

1. Electrolytes/sodium.... especially since you're drinking lots of water but not supplementing electrolytes.
2. Calorie intake.... make sure you're not running too large a deficit and that you're getting enough protein and overall nutrition.
3. Orthostatic BP READINGS... easy to check at home with a BP cuff. Just Google "orthostatic blood pressure test" and follow the instructions.
4. Blood sugar swings ... CGMs have become relatively affordable, and you'd be able to see pretty quickly whether you're experiencing big highs or lows.
5. Labs.... things like anemia, iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, etc., if none of the above reveals anything.

Electrolytes are probably the easiest thing to try first. If you haven't already, I'd also do the math on what a healthy calorie deficit looks like for your size and activity level to make sure you're eating enough to support your body's needs. If the symptoms continue despite addressing those things, then I'd move on to BP measurements and blood glucose.... and ultimately, lab work.

 

[IMT11]

For someone with no hx of low pressure, no BP meds, and only about 15 lbs of weight loss, I wouldn't immediately assume the weight loss itself is the culprit.

I'd probably think about it in this order:

1. Electrolytes/sodium.... especially since you're drinking lots of water but not supplementing electrolytes.
2. Calorie intake.... make sure you're not running too large a deficit and that you're getting enough protein and overall nutrition.
3. Orthostatic BP READINGS... easy to check at home with a BP cuff. Just Google "orthostatic blood pressure test" and follow the instructions.
4. Blood sugar swings ... CGMs have become relatively affordable, and you'd be able to see pretty quickly whether you're experiencing big highs or lows.
5. Labs.... things like anemia, iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, etc., if none of the above reveals anything.

Electrolytes are probably the easiest thing to try first. If you haven't already, I'd also do the math on what a healthy calorie deficit looks like for your size and activity level to make sure you're eating enough to support your body's needs. If the symptoms continue despite addressing those things, then I'd move on to BP measurements and blood glucose.... and ultimately, lab work.

Appreciate the detailed response, I have tried electrolytes. I don't want to over-state the problem, this was something that was happening maybe 1-2x/week but obviously with starting new medication I am trying to be sensitive to any changes.
I think after some reflection there is a good chance it may be calorie related, I really struggled eating enough the first few weeks on reta. Have been eating more recently and so far so good (also could be the elctrolytes helping idk).
Will take the further advice if symptoms persist.

 

[agussie]

Yep, had to cut my Lisinopril dose in half

 

[Vbjeff13]

Basically sporadically when I get up from laying down on a couch or a bed I sometimes feel very light headed and dizzy and I need to sit back down for a second. Interestingly this never happens when I get out of bed first thing in the morning.
This is definitely a new phenomenon for me though I don't know if it is attributable to the reta itself or it's potentially my diet (more of an indirect cause)
Not something I have seen get much discussion and searching didn't seem to bring much up.
Was curious if any of the smart people here had any thoughts or if there are things I should be adding to my diet or doing a better job with to avoid it.

Are you sure it’s your BP? Like someone else said here, check you BP in the morning when you are laying down, then check when you stand up. Could be a sign but obviously go see the doc - cardiologist. This isn’t medical advice, just a tip!

I get the same thing with lightedness and dizziness and my heart starts racing which standing, but no change in BP. It’s potentially POTS but I’m going through the more extensive testing.

Depending on what it is, they’ll prescribe something - I used a beta blocker and it helped a bit, now moving on to something different.

Let us know when you identify what it is, folks may have more tips

 

[harradm]

Oof, i lost a ton of weight, was still on a high dose of losartan ( 75mg daily ) and started getting dizzy. It wasnt till i collapsed onto a table, bounced off a chair and ended up on the floor with people around. And i said? Why are we all on the floor???

That was three weeks ago, i can now bately sleep on my right side, pretty sure i cracked some ribs. Could have been a lot worse. Obviously i cut down losartan ( 25mg daily ) and talked to my dr.

You should talk to your dr. So you dont end up being me, and maybe even take a worse fall.

I was walking to the bathroom at 2:30 am, I guess I woke up as my forehead and nose simultaneously hit the floor. Broke my nose, lots of blood, etc. I had been experiencing the light headedness that others had described. I didn't think too much about it till the epic faceplant. Went to my doctor, we are working on it!

 

[neo6488]

So I went to my dr for this and they told me it was most likely dehydration. They said it was unlikely my BP was so low that was causing it. Since I started drinking more it's gone away. Start with that as it's the easiest and cheapest fix.

 

[Gr33dyOctopus]

I was walking to the bathroom at 2:30 am, I guess I woke up as my forehead and nose simultaneously hit the floor. Broke my nose, lots of blood, etc. I had been experiencing the light headedness that others had described. I didn't think too much about it till the epic faceplant. Went to my doctor, we are working on it!

Same!!! I have never passed out like that before, pretty crazy!

 

[BNLFL]

Yep, had to cut my Lisinopril dose in half

I'm on a low 10mg dose of that, and 50mg Metoprolol. Cardiologist has kept me on this since my 2 weeks in ICU and a week in a normal room 3.5 years. I had very bad double fungal and viral pneumonia that put me into AFIB and I had blood clots from laying so long. AFIB has never been back, and that's why he keeps me on it.