Low blood pressure

[Thetans]

Does any one have symptoms of low blood pressure from Parkinson’s? My dad BP was at 70/50 today during lunch time and he felt unstable. Supplements suggestion ?

[theAfrican]

drink salty water

[Hikoi]

He has postural hypotension which means his BP drops when he stands up. It is very common in PD. He will have felt dreadful and needed to lie down until it passed.

yes salt and water are recommended. He should drink plenty of water .

Had he just had his tablets? They can lower BP, and had he just eaten ? That can do it too. After food it is called post prandial hypotension. He is not on any BP medication prescribed before his PD diagnosis is he? . .

[caitilin in reply to Hikoi]

I’ve had high blood pressure most of my adult years; and developed postural hypotension within this past year. I’m 5 years post DX. My General practitioner advised me to increase salt intake and drink more water 💦 life is full of surprises💦💦🫤

[Boscoejean]

michaeljfox.org/news/low-bl...

[Boscoejean]

parkinson.org/library/fact-...

Tips: Avoiding Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension

Drink lots of water and other fluids, at least one cup (eight ounces) with meals and two more at other times of the day.

Regularly practice gentle exercise and avoid long periods of inactivity.

Eat small, frequent meals. Reduce alcohol intake and avoid hot drinks and hot foods.

After consulting your doctor, increase your salt intake by eating prepared soups or pretzels. Note: for people with heart disease, this should be avoided.

If you expect to be standing for a long period of time, quickly drinking two eight-ounce glasses of cold water will increase blood volume and causes blood pressure to go up for several hours.

Try wearing compression garments such as anti-gravity stockings.

Do isometric exercises, like marching your legs slowly in place, before getting up.

Shift slowly from lying to sitting and then standing.

[Thetans in reply to Boscoejean]

thank you

[caitilin in reply to Boscoejean]

Thank you, Boscoejean💦👍🏻

[JJAJJ]

My husband has profound OH/SP. I found the guide Preventing and treating orthostatic hypotension: As easy as A, B, C - PMC . Sorry I have forgotten how to attach the link. Just google it. A lot has been said about OH on this site so I won’t repeat but you do need to get a BP monitor and learn to live with this complicated symptom.

[Hardgate100 in reply to JJAJJ]

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[Hardgate100 in reply to JJAJJ]

I have Parkinsons and recently found out I have low bp, 90/65 so I now take fludrocortisone. Stand up slowly otherwise you will feel light-headed. See your doctor or the Parkinsons nurse.

[donheff]

Thanks for the reference, I found the final edited PDF available free at the Cleveland Clinic. I have nOH and typically have BP in the 90/50 range when standing and have measured it at something like 60/38 when feeling lightheaded. Generally, if I get a bit lightheaded I can bend over and clear up quickly but I worry about where it will go in the future. I ride a bike regularly and luckily I don't have any problems - maybe because it is sort of a seated position. I will be blown away if controlling it is as easy as A, B, C. Here is the link: ccjm.org/content/77/5/298.long

[JJAJJ in reply to donheff]

When my husband was diagnosed with PD and profound OH his Doctor put him on Madopar which brought his BP below 60. He fainted everyday and sometimes was out of the game for over 30 minutes …so worrying. So he stopped taking Madopar. Madopar didn’t make any difference to improve his balance and walking anyway . The Dr said there was nothing else to replace Madopar. I read that people with a very high BP are prescribed Madopar to lower their BP so I was quite confused as to why Dr. prescribed it! Generally Doctors just wished us Good Luck ! I naively thought there was a cure or at least tablets he could take to control his BP but all they do is rocket his BP sky high.

Water, water, water. Gulping cold salty sparkling mineral water helps within ten minutes if he has to transfer from one chair to another. Putting his feet up on a wedge so the blood transfers to his head when he is sitting on a chair. An electric bed to higher his legs before getting out of bed. Midodrine also helps to higher BP high if he has appointments. x

[donheff in reply to JJAJJ]

Madopar is an alternative to Sinemet, both of which replace dopamine lost because of Parkinson’s. Both can lose BP. His doctor may be able to advise whether one is better than the other for your husband.

Many doctors and even general neurologists are not good with PD. If he is not already seeing one, I would strongly encourage him to see a motion disorders specialist.

[caitilin in reply to donheff]

… thanks, donheff.