Blood Pressure Very Low

[olalisa]

Hi Everyone. I've been struggling with low blood pressure for a while now (some years) and I'm wondering if this is related to the celiac and if anyone else has this problem. Lately at the dr and also at the dentist (right before they cleaned my teeth, which I would think would make it go UP if anything) it has been extremely low. It was 76/48 at the dentist a couple weeks ago and 72/44 at the GI dr the other day.

So....how low is TOO low?

Anyone else have this?

Any suggestions?

The drs. don't seem to be too worried about it, but I know it makes me feel really puny sometimes.

HELP!

[DingoGirl]

Hi Lisa,

I have had incredibly low blood pressure my entire life, to the point of nearly blacking out. Wow, you're the only person I know of who's ever registered as low as mine! Kind of hard to function, isn't it (it was for me on the days when it was inordinately low)? I was extremely athletic, also, and most of my life my resting pulse was 55 to 60, so that may have had something to do with the BP also.

I'm happy to report that my blood pressure is consistently normal now, for the first time ever. Something like 110 over 80, something like that. I was shocked when getting those readings these last few months.

I have no idea if it's connected to Celiac, I haven't done any research on this, maybe someone else knows. I DO know that my platelet count showed that my blood cells were small and getting increasingly smaller.....I was severely anemic most of my life.

I don't know how helpful this is, but hopefully yours will improve on the diet.

Blessings -

[olalisa]

Thanks for responding Susan! Did your blood pressure improve after going gluten free? Or was it unrealted to that? I just really want to feel better....less droopy, and I think that would help quite a bit to have it higher....

[DingoGirl]

Thanks for responding Susan! Did your blood pressure improve after going gluten free? Or was it unrealted to that? I just really want to feel better....less droopy, and I think that would help quite a bit to have it higher....

Yes, all the dramatic and wonderful changes in my life began early this year, when removing gluten. My blood pressure has been consistently up and recent blood test showed that cells were normal size. I almost never, ever feel droopy and sleepy any more! You'll get there too, give it time.

I did, BTW, change my diet radically, in addition to just removing gluten. I eat a pretty whole and balanced diet now, much produce, lean meats/chicken/fish, some dairy, but hardly any processed foods, UNLIKE before - - I was always so tired, it was easier in teh end to just go to a drive-thru and not cook that much. I went out a lot and always managed to eat veggies and fruit and tons of protein - - but was eating TONS of pretzels, chips, cookies, candy, etc - junky stuff in addition to food. ugh.

Keep at it, you will feel better, I'm pretty sure! If your BP stays that low after months, or a year being very strictly gluten-free, there may be other issues that will need to be looked into.

Good luck!

[evie]

Hi Everyone. I've been struggling with low blood pressure for a while now (some years) and I'm wondering if this is related to the celiac and if anyone else has this problem. Lately at the dr and also at the dentist (right before they cleaned my teeth, which I would think would make it go UP if anything) it has been extremely low. It was 76/48 at the dentist a couple weeks ago and 72/44 at the GI dr the other day.

So....how low is TOO low?

Anyone else have this?

Any suggestions?

The drs. don't seem to be too worried about it, but I know it makes me feel really puny sometimes.

HELP!

Olalisa; I have the same problem, especially since I was diagnosed a few months ago and a few months before that. I don't know but I suspect being Celiac has a connection. That would make us draggy and tired, hopefully when we get our innards healed better we will get our BP up more normal. When nurses take mine they speak of my GREAT blood pressure about like yours. Of course they consider us very lucky!! I have only been completely gluten free since late Jan. 06. Many years ago my BP ws low enough I took lots of naps and that was while recovering from surgery. It is so easy fro me to take a nap now and hard for me to get much reading done (just go to sleep).Hopefully we will both be peppier as we heal. Hang in there!! evie

[tarnalberry]

I don't have blood pressure that low, but am regularly in the 110/70 range. I gave blood today and was about 100/60, which is lower than average for me. 120/80 would be rather high for me. I didn't realize that a resting pulse of 60 was so good! That's what mine's been for a while, and I didn't think I was in that great of shape. :-)

BTW, if they measured you with one of those automated thingys, and you're a fairly small person, it may be a misreading - they are notoriously imprecise on the small armed. :-P

[olalisa]

I don't have blood pressure that low, but am regularly in the 110/70 range. I gave blood today and was about 100/60, which is lower than average for me. 120/80 would be rather high for me. I didn't realize that a resting pulse of 60 was so good! That's what mine's been for a while, and I didn't think I was in that great of shape. :-)

BTW, if they measured you with one of those automated thingys, and you're a fairly small person, it may be a misreading - they are notoriously imprecise on the small armed. :-P

110/70 is about as perfect as you can get, I think and that pulse rate garners envy, too !

I'm not a big person, but not tiny....my arms are especially not tiny, since I'm a massage therapist...I look a little like Popeye I'm afraid but that comes with the territory. My pressure is low with whatever device they use to measure it. That is a good point, though, those automatic thingies are for the birds!

Yes, all the dramatic and wonderful changes in my life began early this year, when removing gluten. My blood pressure has been consistently up and recent blood test showed that cells were normal size. I almost never, ever feel droopy and sleepy any more! You'll get there too, give it time.

I did, BTW, change my diet radically, in addition to just removing gluten. I eat a pretty whole and balanced diet now, much produce, lean meats/chicken/fish, some dairy, but hardly any processed foods, UNLIKE before - - I was always so tired, it was easier in teh end to just go to a drive-thru and not cook that much. I went out a lot and always managed to eat veggies and fruit and tons of protein - - but was eating TONS of pretzels, chips, cookies, candy, etc - junky stuff in addition to food. ugh.

Keep at it, you will feel better, I'm pretty sure! If your BP stays that low after months, or a year being very strictly gluten-free, there may be other issues that will need to be looked into.

Good luck!

Susan, you've given me hope! THANK YOU! I am trying to eat better all the way 'round, also. I, too, tended to eat out way too much pre-diagnosis. I was just too darn tired to cook. But now....well, I don't have to explain it to you...but you have given me one more reason to keep the junk to a minimum.

Bless you!

When nurses take mine they speak of my GREAT blood pressure about like yours. Of course they consider us very lucky!!

You know, they used to say I was lucky before it went soooo low, and now they seem alarmed, take it multiple times, and ask me If I've had my heart valves checked. I actually did have an echo-cardiogram and stress test (which came out just fine) before my celiac diagnosis, since my dr was concerned about the ongoing edema in my legs/ankles/feet. The edema has actually almost resolved since going gluten free .

[rinne]

For thirty years my blood pressure was completely normal, this winter when I was ill my blood pressure dropped to low. The nurse didn't seem concerned about it but for me it was a real sign that something was/is going on. I have been thinking it is related to the Celiac.

[dionnek]

there was another thread on this somewhere, but mine has always been extremely low (one time it was 68/45 - they took it 4 times to make sure!). Even when pregnant the highest mine ever got was 98/68 (or something like that - I can never remember the bottom number). Anyway, I've always asked the nurse/dr's about it and they were never concerned, except for my reproductive endo who did an echocardiagram (graph?) on me b/c he thought he heard a heart murmur - of course it was fine. Then the last endo appt. I had (different endo now) the nurse took it and it was my normal 90/65 and she said "people are dieing from that" - no joke! And then she went about her business.

Bottom line, I'm not concerned about it since it doesn't seem to affect me. I've only been gluten-free for 2 1/2 months, so not sure if it will change or not.

[CarlaB]

Mine used to be about 90/55, when I was pregnant (that used to be the only time I'd have it taken ). I've eaten healthy for years with very little salt. I had two docs and a nutritionist over the years tell me to start using salt, but I thought they were nuts! I've been gluten-free for 7 months and started salting my food a little before I went gluten-free, now my blood pressure is right in the normal range. With so many people having high blood pressure, I think those of us with low blood pressure get overlooked. I found it to be a real problem for my energy level.

[oceangirl]

Mine used to be about 90/55, when I was pregnant (that used to be the only time I'd have it taken ). I've eaten healthy for years with very little salt. I had two docs and a nutritionist over the years tell me to start using salt, but I thought they were nuts! I've been gluten-free for 7 months and started salting my food a little before I went gluten-free, now my blood pressure is right in the normal range. With so many people having high blood pressure, I think those of us with low blood pressure get overlooked. I found it to be a real problem for my energy level.

I've always been in the low range. If I got sick, I inevitably pass out. Not fun. I read an article by a gastroenterologist- can't remember where, that links low blood pressure with celiac. A low platelet count is another fun by-product. When pregnant I was always considered "high-risk" because my platelet count would bottom out. Saw 5 jillion specialists, doctor's orders, finally just called it idiopathic thrombocytopenia. Fancy way of saying they have no idea why you have no platelets. Also, a low white blood count seems to go with the territory in several medical journals on celiac. I researched all this and went back to get all my records just to see if I could document for myself some of the "unexplained" things in my medical history. So... MAYBE you will see an improvement as you continue gluten-free. I hope so!

lisa

[Lymetoo]

mIne gets really low, but I think it's mostly because I have to take a beta blocker for tachycardia.

My BP has been in the 70's over 50's....when it's that low, I feel like death warmed over!!!!...so I hear ya on this!!!

Now it's around 100/65 pretty regularly. I can handle that! Maybe mine will go up too after being gluten free for awhile!!

[covsooze]

I have really low bp too. My endocrinologist said it means I'll be long lived. he also said they do worry about people having low bp in Germany but not in the UK I didn't realise it could be one of the reasons I lack energy so much.

Like oceangirl, I have a low white blood count. The heamatologist said my wbc reacts correctly (ie goes up when I've got an infection and when i was pregnant) but is just over all v low. She couldn't think of any explanation for it apart from the ceoliacs.

[thomas3000]

low BP means that your adrenal glands are fatigued, go to the health food store and get some adrenal stress or b vitamin complex...You have something causing this....Do you have some mental/emotional stress going on and have you been checked for parasites??? Go to www.biohealthinfo.com

[debmidge]

hubby's B.P. just yesterday was twice taken (he's 56 years old)

1st time: 98/70

2nd Time: 104/72

Kind of low first time (this was after a quarter mile walk to the doctor's office).

Pretty good for an old guy.

Maybe it's due to celiac somehow after all.

[sspitzer5]

I've always had low blood pressure. Today at the doc mine was 98/66. I too wonder if it related to Celiac?

S

[marciab]

Mine has always been low too. It will be interesting to see if it comes up now.

[jmj0803]

low BP means that your adrenal glands are fatigued, go to the health food store and get some adrenal stress or b vitamin complex...You have something causing this....Do you have some mental/emotional stress going on and have you been checked for parasites??? Go to www.biohealthinfo.com

NO JOKE! My daughter after a year and a half of still not getting better on the Celiac diet was just diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency or Addison's disease. This is another autoimmune disorder that is linked to undiagnosed Celiac. Symptoms Low Blood pressure, fatigue, muscle weakness, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss etc.. Sound familiar????? To learn more follow the link below.

Open Original Shared Link

Jessica

[Guest Doll]

Just wanted to point out that Addison's is extremely rare and you will be normally quite sick from it. The tell-tale sign in many cases is darkening of the skin. Addison's is NOT caused by untreated Celiac, it simply shares the genetic basis for it, as do all other autoimmune diseases. Many people get additional autoimmune diseases even if they are following the gluten-free diet simply because their "leaky guts" are continuing to let in other whole proteins, triggering additional autoimmune reactions.

If you have true autoimmune Addison's, adrenal "supplements" etc. from the health food store will NOT help you and Addison's if let untreated, is FATAL. You need to replace the hormones your adrenal glands can no longer make as they have been destroyed. This requires Rx hormone replacement from your doctor for life.

Many people who are underweight tend to have abnormally low BP. If there is no underlying problem (heart failure or defect, dehydration, etc) normally it is a good thing! If you have symptoms or it is severely low, it may have to be treated.

[jknnej]

Before going gluten free my blood pressure was always 120/70 or 80.

After going gluten free my blood pressure plummeted and is now in the range of 90/60.

Who knows why???? The doctors can't say. They don't seem worried about it, either, so I guess I just deal with it.

[evie]

NO JOKE! My daughter after a year and a half of still not getting better on the Celiac diet was just diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency or Addison's disease. This is another autoimmune disorder that is linked to undiagnosed Celiac. Symptoms Low Blood pressure, fatigue, muscle weakness, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss etc.. Sound familiar????? To learn more follow the link below.

Open Original Shared Link

Jessica

Thank you Jessica for your URL's, I followed though to thyroid and it was very interesting. My thyroid has needed supplementation for a long time. Over the years a larger amount annually or more so, I suppose it must be slowing down. My mothers quit entirley when she was in her late 60's and her neck swelled as big as her head. we knew she had been so cold the winter before, suppose that was a warning and her energy level went down. So not surprising mine is low. So many of these things are inherited, I would not be at all surprised if she and her sister had been celiac knowing what I know now!!

From what I read on your research Addison's disease is a bit serious, wishing the best for your daughter. Hope she is improving. Apparently she has a good Dr. My prayers will include your daughter. Take care, all!! evie