low blood pressure since surgery

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

Practically since the day of surgery 3 weeks ago, my blood pressure has dropped from 130's and 140,s over 70s or 80, to just above or below 100 for the top number and 50s or low 60s for the bottom number.

I am taking 4 blood pressure meds, so the nurse said to delete the Water pill til I see the doctor (on June 17). But my blood pressure is staying as low, and in the last two days, I have GAINED THREE POUNDS! I assume I am retaining water, so went back on the water pill today (without consulting the dr office cause it's Saturday)! And I started weaning off one of my other three bp meds.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[vickyd 24]

It sounds like you do need an adjustment to your meds but I would caution you to wait until talk to your Dr on Monday to start weaning off of any meds. Your blood pressure isn't so low that it's dangerous so you will be fine to wait. I can also tell you that once I went off of my BP meds, I lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks so it is very possible that your meds are causing you to retain Fluid.< /p>

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

It sounds like you do need an adjustment to your meds but I would caution you to wait until talk to your Dr on Monday to start weaning off of any meds. Your blood pressure isn't so low that it's dangerous so you will be fine to wait. I can also tell you that once I went off of my BP meds, I lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks so it is very possible that your meds are causing you to retain Fluid.

Thanks for the advise. Can you remember any thing else that was helpful for you during the first month after surgery? When did you get your first fill?

How many blood pressure meds were you on? How soon after your surgery did it positively affect your bp? When did you start weaning off them? So you are totally off all by meds now? Fantastic!! That is one of my big goals!

Very good news that once I am off all of my bp meds, I could drop up to 10 lbs! Great!

Congrats on your weight loss! And on your great improving health!!

[Sistersue 12]

I am not on any BP meds but my BP has dropped to 106 over 60 since banding I have also had a couple of near faintings.

[vickyd 24]

Can you remember any thing else that was helpful for you during the first month after surgery? The best advice I can give you is to weigh and measure your food (to make sure your portion sizes are good)and to track what you eat on a daily basis. I use the MyFitnessPal app on my IPhone to track calories and Protein as well as exercise and Water.

When did you get your first fill? I have only had one fill which I got 3 months after surgery. I am a bit atypical in that I felt restriction from the very beginning and never really went through "bandster hell".

How many blood pressure meds were you on? I was only on one medication - Atenolol How soon after your surgery did it positively affect your bp? Within 2 months of surgery I noticed a significant change. When did you start weaning off them? I started weaning off of it after I had lost 65 lbs (around 4 months post op) and am now completely off all meds with the exception of my Thyroid med which I will have to take for the rest of my life because I had a total Thyroidectomy (but as my weight has gone down, my dose has been reduced twice).

Good luck to you and congratulations on already seeing improvement in your blood pressure. It is so nice to go to the doctor now and not be afraid of getting on the scale or hearing bad news...I have a long way to go but the results so far have been beyond my wildest dreams!!

[finallygettingthere 0]

I too had my blood pressure drop after surgery. I never took any blood pressure meds, ever. Before surgery I was about 130/79, and now I'm at 102/70. My PA had asked me at my follow up if I took anything for blood pressure-nada. She couldn't explain it. I feel fine, no fainting or anything. Pulse now averages about 50-55 now too. But that was always in the 60's.

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

I am not on any BP meds but my BP has dropped to 106 over 60 since banding I have also had a couple of near faintings.

Thank you thank you for your wise advise and suggestions! I do measure my intake, and I do track my Water and Protein each day....but I do it the old fashioned way....on a chart my sister made up for me. I love it, because without keeping track, how do you really know when you've had enough?

That is amazing that you only had one fill! My doctor is stressing the lesser fills, too. After your fill, did you go back to liquid Protein again for a few days? How do you gradually eat more if your stomach and the opening are the size of a ping pong ball?

So how much do you eat at each meal? They tell me that eventually, it will go up to one cup or 1 1/2 cups for each meal, which seems like an awful lot right now!

I soooo agree with you about my outlook about going to the dr now!! I also feel like this is so the answer for me. Can hardly wait to get to what you have achieved!

Super congrats to you. And again, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful thoughts and ideas.

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

I too had my blood pressure drop after surgery. I never took any blood pressure meds, ever. Before surgery I was about 130/79, and now I'm at 102/70. My PA had asked me at my follow up if I took anything for blood pressure-nada. She couldn't explain it. I feel fine, no fainting or anything. Pulse now averages about 50-55 now too. But that was always in the 60's.

What an amazing, surprising side benefit to this wonderful, life altering procedure! Thanks for sharing.

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

I am not on any BP meds but my BP has dropped to 106 over 60 since banding I have also had a couple of near faintings.

So did your dr. say anything about it?

[vickyd 24]

After your fill, did you go back to liquid Protein again for a few days? My surgeon has be go back on liquids for 2-3 days and mushies for 1 day after a fill.

How do you gradually eat more if your stomach and the opening are the size of a ping pong ball? The size of the opening affects the size of the bites I can take and not get stuck. The size of the pouch does affect how much I can eat but all I can tell you is that I was able to increase my portion sizes slightly after the swelling from surgery went down.

So how much do you eat at each meal? I eat about 3-4 oz Protein and 1/2 cup veggies at lunch and dinner. Breakfast is usually 1/2 cup eggbeaters with 1 piece of turkey sausage or 1 package of oatmeal.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have...feel free to PM me whenever you want...

[Cocoabean 430]

I was on BP meds prior to surgery as well. My surgeon took me off of them the day before I had my op. Now my pressure is about 90/65 without meds.

I, too, have had some near fainting spells. My PCP says he sees it sometimes in his patients that have lost significant amounts of weight. Not just the ones who've lost with surgery. He says something seems to go haywire with the signals to the veins to keep the pressure steady.

For me, it happens when I have been standing for a prolonged period. All of a sudden my pressure plummets (and so do I). If I can sit down when I first start to feel woozy, I am fine. But my pressure has gone as low as 80/50. NOT fun!

[Jachut 487]

Mine usually sits at around the 95 to 100 over about 50 or 60 without medication. Its not a problem if you dont feel faint or unwell from it. I'd say your meds need adjusting but I'd wait till you see your doctor, its not anything to panic about.

[WEESIE 5]

My blood pressure has dropped considerably since surgery. I have not lost enough weight to have such a large change in BP. I know that my BP has been uncontrollable when I weighed 30 pounds less than I do now. I have a theory about what it might be. Before surgery I ate a lot of fast foods and canned or frozen foods/meals. I am thinking that my sodium intake has gone way down and that might explain it. I intend to keep the sodium down so I don't have to find out what happens if I add it back in.

[Jachut 487]

On the other hand, my DH is banded too, lost about 60lb and now has a BMI of around 28, so still a bit tubby but not really obese. His blood pressure has not improved at all - long travel to and from work in the car in horrible traffic, a stressful high powered exec job that is long hours, gets home late, hates exercise anyway so uses his job and lack of time as an excuse, so there's obvious concerns with his lifestyle. However he eats healthy and doesnt smoke or drink more than a beer or two once or twice a week so he's hardly abusing his body. Some people just have high blood preessure, pure and simple, and will always need to be medicated for it.

[oldiebutgoodie2 11]

My blood pressure has dropped considerably since surgery. I have not lost enough weight to have such a large change in BP. I know that my BP has been uncontrollable when I weighed 30 pounds less than I do now. I have a theory about what it might be. Before surgery I ate a lot of fast foods and canned or frozen foods/meals. I am thinking that my sodium intake has gone way down and that might explain it. I intend to keep the sodium down so I don't have to find out what happens if I add it back in.

Hi, Weesie!

Love your sense of humor!

My PA has a theory as to why mine dropped so quickly after the surgery, and it is similar to your thoughts-- she said that not only have I lost weight, but I went from doing fast food/carbs/salt/etc/etc! to practically straight protein! You could teach the class! :-)

So how are you doing? Any more feeling-icky days? Hope all is well your way. Try to stay out of the heat! That's what I'm doing. Supposed to be 104 here tomorrow! Yuck! I have an appt at 9 a.m., then I'm in for the duration!

Take care and hope all is going well for you!