fatigue, exhaustion .....

[Lulu54]

Here's my question for the week - I am having extreme fatigue, feelings of lightheadeness as if I could faint (but I haven't!) and overall feeling of having an  "out of body" experience.  It sounds like MS, right?  

Maybe not.  I had a cardiologist appt Friday and my blood pressure was 88/53 with a pulse of 93. My EKG was unchanged from January.   The nurse suggested that maybe I shouldn't even drive myself home. My BP has been running low for about a month.  I had stopped my heart meds for the angina (norvasc) a couple weeks ago to see if it would help, and it really hasn't. My cardio orderd labs - cbc, and a complete panel of everything else to check for anemia, sodium, electrolytes, etc.  

He ordered an echocardiogram - which they squeezed me in for on Tuesday.  In the meantime he gave me two choices because we have to get my BP up - for now he has me adding sodium to my diet to see if that will help.  I immediately went for Chinese at Lunch on Friday - that's the saltiest food I could think of.  It didn't help.

If that doesn't work, he said there is a drug we could try, but it constricts the vessels, and he is unsure how my MS might react to an artifially induced hug of my vascular system. It doesn't sound like a particularly good option.  

I have NEVER  been hypertensive in my life, and that adds to my heart attack mystery.    My BP runs around 90/60 to 100/70 most of the time.  I run no risk of wearing out my heart from overworking it.

I mowed the grass in 80 degree heat the other night - my MS leg objected to the heat, but my BP didn't really budge.  When I came in to rest my BP was only 94/62.

there is a water aerobics class I am doing twice a week - it does make me feel better and I told the doctor that the exercise helped but it was only temporary.  By the time I get back to my desk I am again exhausted.

I have been eating like crazy - I told him I am eating everything trying to find something to make me feel better -nothing seems to work, but I am enjoying the extra sugar and carbs!  LOL

I did ask about the possiblity of lesions affecting the autonomic function, and he said it was possible but deferred to the neurologist for more on that. He is going to look at it as a cardio issue .

the drugs I am on right now are ampyra, baclofen, aspirin, and hiprex in the morning doses - I don't see BP issues as a side effect for any of them.  I cut back on my daytime baclofen and am walking like the  tin man but figure it might have something to do with this.  No change there, either.   Both my neuro and cardio are ok with my tweeking my drugs as needed.

My question - yes there is one in all of this....... does anyone have any experience with this problem or perhaps I should role over to my old heart site and ask those fine heart sisters.  The tiredness is crazy - i just nodded off typing this messsge. I'm wondering if the MS fatigue is playing a role....

I'm open to suggestions if you can make any sense out of my ramblings here. - Lu

[Khiba]

If you are going to load your salt, please get some good salt like celtic sea salt or himalyan salt. They are more natural and haven't been bleached and aduterated!

I have low pressure too, and take thyroid which does help raise it some. Straight T3 or Cytomel for me. If I hit 100/72 its a great day. Usually, mine runs 90/60. I have low heart rate too and am no longer athletic. Sigh.

There are also some fluid drops out there that replace the minerals in your water that reverse osmosis takes out. I find I am not nearly as dehydrated when I take them. Try googling YogaBody E-water or ConcenTrace Trace Mineral Drops by Trace Minerals Research.

Its sad that even our water lets us down. :(

JJ

[Lulu54]

Mary,
Thanks for checking in and making me laugh.  Six weeks?  That is quite a haul, and I wish I could blame it on the decadron, but this started before I did that round for the relapse.

My labs all came back normal.  I haven't heard on my Echo - but the tech said nothing looked abnormal.  

The diastolic is still hovering below 60, but I have gotten my systolic up to 95 or so a few times, so perhaps I am on the rebound here.

Funny, but exercise makes me feel better and obviously it must increase my BP.

thanks,
L

[twopack]

I've been thinking about you Lulu.  Are you getting any symptom relief at this point?  My MSologist mentioned on Monday that the steroids would keep floating around for about 6 weeks.  I'm sure their influence gets weaker as time marches on.

Has the cardiac investigation been wrapped up yet?  Those low BP reading are great if you can go there without symptoms.  All too often the brain starts complaining about how blood is being distributed poorly and how unfair it is being treated as a VIO (very important organ).  When your brain starts threatening to "take you down" so it can recover it's entitlements it is definitely time to call in a mediator to help resolve the despute.

Hope it is going better.
Mary

[twopack]

I never said or meant to imply this was a bad choice.  The point is to always read labels.  Electrolyte replacement drinks have changed over the years.  Many are low cal and low carb.  Some certainly are not.

How about nuts?

Mary

[Sumanadevii]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmm...there is a low cal gatorade.  

[MonkeyMom4]

Ok, yes, gatorade may not be low calorie...but I figured it's probably lower than the pizza and potato chips others had suggested.

;-)