Getting up causes me to get dizzy and my vision to blacken

[PixieKrys]

Well, my vision use to blacken and I'd get dizzy when I got up to fast, every now and then. As of late though it has been getting worse and I am not even getting up fast. My vision just starts to black out and I get dizzy then bout ten to thirty seconds later I'm fine. Though sometime I do have to sit back down cause it just gets so bad. I'm a seventeen year old, things like this shouldn't be happening. My parents want me to see a doctor about it, but I'm a bit scared of what it is, or what is happening with my vision and in my brain. Can anyone help or give me advice..?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I'm going to try to give you a little advice.  Don't be stubborn, and let your parents help you to make an appointment to see your doctor.  The fact that you are having this problem - AND you don't want to go to the doctor is not a good thing.  I think you may be spending too much time worrying about it and not getting anything done about it.  Your problem most likely has something to do with your blood pressure being a little low when you stand up quickly.  The question is why?  There are many different possibilities some not so bad at all and some that are more serious.
Now, get some courage, be strong and go see your doctor.  You'll feel much better when you do.

Michael Kutryb, MD

[Diamondeyes]

Just to help you get up your courage for the exam that you really should have - I began noticing the  same "symptoms" when I was a teenager. As it turns out it was just low blood pressure. Nurses usually take my blood pressure twice or even go and get a different cuff thinking the first one isn't working properly. The near blackouts have become less frequent and less severe with age. Now more than four decades later most of my peers are dealing with high blood pressure while I'm happily well within the normal range. But like the doctor said you should get it checked out in case it is something that needs treatment. Not to do so would be short changing yourself and those who love you.