blood pressure lowering after extreme bowel movement

[trishyb59]

hi as a sufferer of ibs for 20 years . i have been mostly housebound with my systems . but recently I've noticed that when i get an extreme bowel movement my blood pressure is dropping 85 over 65 .i get very light headed and dizzy. GP says not to worry just get up off loo slowly. has anyone else had this problem.

[Bernadette]

Seems very low..but I don't think I have had this problem.

[rachelt]

I have this problem too. I lie down until I feel better

[Hidden]

I do have low blood pressure but it hasn't been tied to my Ibs but very interesting to read this. Maybe I need to look into it more

[Respo in reply to Hidden]

This sounds like when the blood is acting on your digestive system I think they call it vasa vagul blood pressure drops when you move quickly obviously lay down raise the legs to increase venous return and up your BP try and get an ecg to check heart rhythm ti put mind at rest .

[Suzannes]

I have felt very light headed too maybe this is the reason

[blazing_saddles]

Finally, someone else who has the same problem. As well as IBD, I suffered a series of heart attacks a few years back and so keep a close I on my blood pressure so that I can adjust my BP medicines and I started to it dropping after bowel movements a couple of years ago. Have raised the subject with my GP but as with most of my symptoms it was just brushed off with some throw-away remark. I am not a doctor but from the information I have gleaned it would seem that a short term drop in BP is not as serious as longer changes. That does seem very low though and a trip to your local surgery is probably a good idea. Do you also suffer from cramps and/or pains in your legs? If you do, this can be symptomatic of something more serious and may not be attributable to your IBD at all. Hope you get to the bottom of this (no pun intended) but try not to worry; modern medicine may have no answer to our IBD but blood pressure anomalies are well within the capabilities of your average GP.

[Respo in reply to blazing_saddles]

Cramps can be caused by low levels of trace elements such as potassium which can be a problem but your bp is usually raised before passing urine or a movement .it will then drop to a resting level .The resting level is when you are sitting arm relaxed same level as your heart feet on ground back supported .take it three times to get accuracy

[Sp1952]

yes I get very light headed and dizzy have no way of checking my blood pressure

[blazing_saddles in reply to Sp1952]

Personal BP monitors are generally available from pharmacists and some supermarkets from around £10GB. Also if you are in any doubt as to it's accuracy your GP will calibrate it against their own equipment if you ask.

[Sp1952 in reply to blazing_saddles]

thank you

[blazing_saddles in reply to Sp1952]

Glad to help.

[trishyb59]

hi yes I'm on medication for high blood pressure which keeps my pressure in normal limits. its just now and again my bld pressure drops. after using the loo. good to hear from others with same probs

[maggi1954]

Hi, I have IBS C for a while. I also get, approx 3 times a year, episdoes of severe left sided abdominal pain causing me to have to run to the toilet. Before I pass a watery stool I come over all sweaty and feel faint, sometimes I nearly do pass out. All passes once I have opened my bowels. Consultant said I feel faint because of the sudden activity in my bowel causing my BP to lower thus causing me to feel faint. Its very frightening and scary if happens away from home. Does anyone else get this too ?

[trishyb59 in reply to maggi1954]

yes thats what happens to me , except i have ibs d. and it takes abt 2hrs fo effects to go

[sickandsore]

Yes me too, in fact I have passed out several times, the most frightening time was abroad I was driving to Paris with my two youngest children in the back, stiopped at services and I had a couple of bowel movements tried to walk back to my car and dropped!!! very very scary, has happened here too I had an ECG all normal, had bloods which each time showed raised white cell count just not sure where the infection or virus was! but I often feel faint after a particularly bad episode of loose or upset bowel motions, I get shivery somtimes and hot at other times, its weird...there is some kind of link in the bowel to heart problems I know this cos my mum has had bowel problems since her late 30's many ops and she has heart disease and needed a bypass which in turn caused twisting of the bowel she has an ileostomy now after too many bowel resections she lost her large bowel completely that said Ive never seen her so healthy in years since she had the ileostomy, the large bowel was the cause of so much misery to my dear mum..I have a sinking feeling I will end up in the same predicament...

[ThatEMTguy]

I thought I might shed some light on this. What you're experiencing is a triggering of the Vagus nerve. It's totally normal to lower your bp when having a difficult bowel movement.

This is more common with older patients and people with ibs for obvious reasons.

[Blueness047 in reply to ThatEMTguy]

Thank you!!! When I have A bad IBS day I am so light headed after passing my stools . Seems this is a average event.....So glad to hear that. Anything that might help??? I take BP meds twice a day, maybe should just do one on those days....

[PaulCos]

I suffer from this. It's Vasovagal IBS. I think my attacks are caused by intolerance to sulphites if I eat dried apricots fruit or drink wine. Some people do actually pass out from this.

[mistyboo]

yes i have had this, a few times, like feeling light headed and eyesight went fuzzy. Also passed out on the loo once, luckily i was in hospital at the time. Doctor says its the body's reaction to the sudden pain.