I have LOW blood pressure..

Is it a bad thing to have low blood pressure? 

The past couple years when I have gone to different doctors offices the nurses are always surprised like "Wow, you have a really LOW blood pressure!" But they have never really said whether or not it has any bad health effects.. 

What is your blood pressure?

I think it was between 50/85 and 60/95 somewhere in that range??

edit: deleted

Yes, I get the same thing. Surprised doctors, and parents going on about how low my pressure is. There are times when the pressure monitor can't even DETECT my pulse, which is downright embarassing. 

From what I can understand, the only real side-effect is that low blood pressure leads to lower 'vitality'. It might make us slower, drowsier, and more likely to go wondering around inside our heads rather than being alert and attentive (which I think a lot of people can relate to). A good way to get your pressure up is through regular exercise. OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD. *bam* *bam* *baaam*

I do too.


My doctor has me eat more salt.

Same.

Do you also have a low heart rate?

I think low blood pressure and a low heart rate go together.

I have both.......

Same here. I also have a problem where I tend to black out if I stand up too quickly or don't cool down after exercise or if I let my blood sugar spike and drop. My doctor told me to make sure I keep my electrolytes up by eating salt, drinking gatorade, sticking to low-GI foods, that sort of thing. Don't know whether or not that's related, but it seemed to be. 

Mine is either borderline low or normal; my doctor didn't have anything to comment abt it but told me not to forget to drink some coffee in the morning. Works wt me! lol

When I was obese, my bp was normal.  (120/80)

After losing 110 lbs, my bp is now 95/68.  My doctor says low is better than high and I need to stand up slowly because I get light headed sometimes.

I believe my pulse rate is normal.

~H~

Original Post by cadysue:

I think it was between 50/85 and 60/95 somewhere in that range??

 I think you got those 2 numbers backwards.....

~H~

It depends on what is causing the low blood pressure.  If you are healthy with no heart problems and if you have no adverse symptoms, then it's ok and that's why your doctor isn't concerned.

If you had dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath or other symptoms, they would check to find out why.

I have very low blood pressure because of a congenital heart defect. 

bicycles- I already exercise on a regular basis though?

perannum- I think my heart rate is fairly normal.

haley_2008- my bad.

I do get dizzy, light headed and black out more often than a normal person should. I went to the doctor for this and he said I have presyncope (I posted about this one other time) but he said I'm not anemic so, he didn't really give me an explanation for why it happens??

I actually just heard to-day that licorice tea can raise your blood pressure.  Maybe if you like that flavour you could give that a try?

I have always had low blood pressure. In fact, when I was morbidly obese and pregnant I was in the hospital for pre-term labor and I kept setting off the alarms becuase my blood pressure was about 80/40. I get a little dizzy sometimes but I've had no other problems at all. I am a salt addict, I have been known to go past the pretzels to get at the salt at the bottom of the bag. I don't restrict my salt intake because I really don't need to, that's great for me!

I also have a resting heart rate of 42, I never knew that my blood pressure had anything to do with that, I just thought I was in kick butt shape. What the heck, I still think that.