I went to the university health center today to get checked out for a sudden feeling of heaviness and irritation in my chest, just a few days prior to a hellish road trip I have to take. They x-rayed my chest, no pneumonia. They did an EKG and measured my oxygen saturation, my heart is fine. My lungs sound clear. What they did find is that when I stand up, my pulse is 20 bpm faster and both my systolic and diastolic blood pressure drop by 30 points, compared to when I’m lying down. Well yes doc, I have been feeling lightheaded for a few days…
The doctor said this is a symptom of dehydration, and wanted to give me IV fluids. I convinced him to let me go home and drink and drink and drink, and come back two days later for evaluation and possible IV.
So help me, save me from being dehydrated and intravenated: WHAT ELSE could the change in vital stats indicate??? My Merck Manual isn’t organized to handle this question!
You can save yourself from getting an IV, just do what you promised: drink lots of water!
It’s realyl not that hard. Get a vessel of some kind (it doesn’t even have to be a cup), go to the tap, turn the knob until a clear liquid flows out, this is water. Place the vessel into the steam of water, turn the knob to the off position when the vessel is close to full. Put vessel to mouth, and tilt it to allow the water to go into your mouth (make sure your mouth is open first!)
I don’t know about the blood pressure thing, but I was having quite alarming pressure in my chest about a month ago and also went in to be evaluated. My EKG was normal and I had had a recent chest X-ray, which was also okay. What my doctor suggested as a first thing to try was Prilosec, since gastric reflux can sometimes mimic angina. I haven’t had any problems since. I just thought of that since you said you had been stressed out about the trip.
The same idea came to me while I was talking to one of the three nurses who handled me today. I took a couple of antacid chews, and it didn’t change anything–though you’re right, I have had heartburn that felt like heart palpitations, in the past.
Bouv: you’re very cute and ought to go into manual writing. My concern, though, is that the doctor–being a university doctor, if you get my drift–is barking up the wrong tree. The man wanted to put me on an IV there and then, and I didn’t feel that bad. I drink two or three big glasses of water a day, plus some herb tea. Maybe I’m dehydrated, I just want to know if my symptoms warrant any other consideration.
There’s always blood loss. This past September, I passed out and was taken to the ER. After a cursory examination, I was declared dehydrated (I had the high heart rate / low blood pressure thing happening). After getting some IV fluids I did feel better. For a while. They released me. Just after Thanksgiving, I passed out again, and went through the whole process again. This time, they were a little more thorough, and found that I had lost approx. 70% of my blood due to internal bleeding.
Lightheadedness + low BP + high heart rate is probably not something you want to leave to drinking a few extra glasses of water per day.
The question “What things could possibly make vital stats change due to a change in position?” is fair game. The question “Why did MY vital stats change?” is one that we cannot answer and should not try to answer. Your doctor needs to answer that, and your doctor has answered that.
If you want a second opinion, find a second doctor. But that doctor saw you and made an evaluation, and the Message Board folks, however well-meaning, don’t know what you look like (height and weight), nor what the readings were, nor what other factors the doctor may have seen (like that slight greenish tinge around the ears, or the discoloration on your tongue.)
Asking for medical advice on these Boards is not permitted and not even sensible. Talk to your doctor. Or get a second medical opinion.
Even worse, you have a hidden agenda here: you’re trying to avoid medical treatment, and you’re very likely only going to heed responses that say it’s minor and insignificant. What if such symptoms could indicate a massive heart attack is impending? Or a the presence of a potentially serious blood clot? (Please note: I have no idea whether such things are indicated, I’m just saying that coming to the Message Boards and asking for reasons that you don’t need to listen to what your doctor said, is NOT smart.)