LOW BP!!!!

[tg1058]

yesterday my HWP fell 3 times from low BP ! Seems about 1.5 hours after a dose of stalevo is when it drops then he takes 10 mg of midodrine. It’s a constant thing! He has to stand about a minute before walking to be sure he’s stable. Try to make him drink through day, Anyone else going thru this and how do you manage it! Thx

[JCRO]

A little bit of dysautonomia maybe, POTS is fairly common. Google those terms together with Parkinson’s. Things might become clearer.

[pdpatient]

Yes. It has become quite problematic these days and I get to the very low 100s on most days and sometimes I drop down to the 90s or even 80s. I have a couple of BP monitors at home and try to keep one in the car. Usually it happens during the end of the day after the levofopa stacks up.

The only way to deal with this is to stop taking the Sinemet when that happens and wait for the BP to cone back up before I take the next dose.

Hope this helps.

[Boscoejean in reply to pdpatient]

two thoughts - I have been told that becoming dehydrated can cause low blood pressure and my husband has always had blood pressure in the low range, he does not take sinemet, but I think his blood pressure is now sometimes going lower (low 100 and into 90s) and it seems like this affects his strength. He has had blood pressure that is consistently 110 to 112 over whatever.

"Dehydration. When the body doesn't have enough water, the amount of blood in the body (blood volume) decreases. This can cause blood pressure to drop."

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con....

[pdpatient in reply to Boscoejean]

Good information, thanks. I do take other medications that can dehydrate.

[JcbRed]

hi. I have pots /dysautonomia as well as pD and constantly on midrodrine and droxydopa with bp 80:50 at times. I see a good cardiologist as well. . I have 2-3l water daily, salt tabs and compression stockings and don’t get out of bed at night bc of falls but find it worst when I don’t sleep well or am very stressed. So just try to do less those days and a bit more self compassion. I find it more difficult than pD symptoms sometimes as stops me exercising. But good days or average balance out bad days and I keep on going. Thank you for sharing as I don’t feel so alone!

[Wonky-Bride]

I have experienced low bp quite a bit recently. Higher temperatures don’t help, so hydration is seriously important. I add a sprinkle of cooking salt and some elderflower cordial to a jug of water or a bottle if out and about. The ‘sweet & sour’ helps. Neuro said to add a small amount of salt to meals. Smoked salmon is good!

[Hikoi]

i guess your neuro is aware because it might be time to review his meds. He is having peak dose hypotension. He may do better off stalevo and just on lev carb.

[Kat343]

I will comment as an ex-paramedic and have a HWP whose BP will dump in the60's, 70's and 80's with symptoms. We spoke to our cardiologist and of course, hydration is necessary, but that can be difficult at times with HWP. So he agreed and I give him a good electrolyte solution, and I have drink it as soon as can. I only give him a half to almost full dose as too many electrolytes can have serious effects on the cardiovascular system. I only do this when he is symptomatic, not every day. Now, as an ex-medic, get him seated or lying down asap and elevate his feet. Hate to say this, but if he falls, do not try and catch him unless you are completely stable and safe - you cannot afford for you to get hurt as well, trust me. If it seems esp bad, try raising his feet your self above his head - gets the blood flow where it needs to be and works pretty quick, but its just a temporary help. Good luck; extremely low BP is scary - affects their mentation and all other abilities. Bless you!

[pdbuzzboard]

BP is the biggest issue we are facing with PD. Full disclosure, the DIY vibrating glove has substantially reduced other symptoms. It appears to have "stabilized" her BP swings a bit, but she still runs low and can drop to very low.

She is on Droxidopa 3x per day and Midodrine in the morning. Currently 7.5 mg of Midodrine in the morning to "get her moving".

We have added grapefruit essential oil. Grapefruit has been clinically shown to raise BP (thus the warning for the high BP crowd). I have a nebulizer and she has some inhalers (from Amazon) that are helpful. Not a miracle, but will give a boost.

Our neuro recommended drinking V8 to get both fluids and sodium (salt). Staying hydrated helps as well as binders (although she finds binders to be uncomfortable).

Those are things we are doing to manage. The latest (literally 6 days) trick I am trying is good old fashioned smelling salts (the strong Ammonia stuff). When she starts getting "light" and feels like she may have an episode, I have successfully used smelling salts to snap her out of a spell.