Recently feeling light headed

[Onibaba]

I'm new here. I just recently started feeling light headed.. I had an MI 15 years ago and no problems since , on the usual medications

Should I be concerned?

[SmokeAKipper]

Yes you should be... see your GP if it’s bad go to casualty..

looks like a cardio gram and blood test needs doing

[tapfoot]

Hi. The main symptom I had of aortic stenosis was lightheadedness and feeling tired. I had put it down to age and migraine for a long time. It was neither. I’m due a valve replacement very soon. I’d advise you to be checked by your doctor just to be sure. Best of luck.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

Good advice from the others, It’s worth taking notice of any real change in any symptoms, and discussing it with GP.

[Hidden]

Agree worth checking. Whilst you’re waiting, you could check if any other factors eliminate /reduce the problem, and if they don’t, then that’s a stronger signal, and more info for you & your doc.

Stay well hydrated. When I don’t drink enough, I get very light headed. Once I drink, it stops for rest of the day, and till next time I forget to hydrate ! Sometimes I only remember to drink because I got dizzy. Exercise means drinking more even if you don’t sweat, as you lose more water vapour breathing out when exercising. Heat as well obviously. And see if your salt intake is moderate. If it is very low, you won’t retain any water and may also add to light headed-ness. These hydration factors are about low blood volume & resultant low blood pressure. Some people also have a blood pressure drop when they stand up -> dizziness.

Ensure you’ve had enough to eat including some carbs, so your brain has the glucose it needs. The brain uses 20% of our calories and only really likes glucose, so you might feel it ‘in the head’ if you’re no-carbing or fasting.

Not suggesting these are the causes, it’s definitely necessary to get checked out, but it’s beneficial to have these correct anyway, so worth experimenting.

[Sunnie2day]

I'd say (as the others have before me) yes, you should be concerned. Concerned enough to telephone your GP and report the light-headedness along with any other symptoms, what you were doing at the time the spell hit, and how long it lasted.

Light-headedness can sometimes be a signal of low blood pressure - do you have a home monitor? If yes, log your BP reading at the time you experience the light-headedness so you can report the readings to your GP when you telephone. (If you don't have a home blood pressure monitor, you may want to consider buying one. I got my Omron Basic from Boots, once a year they check it for calibration and I also take it to the GP and cardiologist to ensure the readings agree)

Owing to the pandemic your GP will prefer to talk to you via phone consult to take the decision as to any need to see you in-person.

Please update us when you've talked with the GP.