[Alone & confused]

Anyone ever hear of this happening? Never in all my years of dealing with anxiety have I ever had such low blood pressure from it! This is basically what the local "bandaid" hospital told me tonight. They called it hyperventilation syndrome. I WAS NOT, at any time today, hyperventilating. Nor was I having my usual anxiety attacks. So unless this is some fresh, new hell my body is pulling on me, I just don't get it!
It started with my arms, hands, and face going numb, followed by dizziness, weakness and feeling faint, and low blood pressure. It was even lower (98/35) by the time I got to the ER. (Family insisted I go! )
They did an EKG, blood work, kept me on monitors and crap for awhile and came back with "your potassium is low".

[pegasus]

Hello Alone & confused,

The symptoms you describe with the numbness, dizziness and feeling faint can be a result of a bad panic attack. I don't know about the blood pressure side of things. I'm glad they did a load of tests, at least you know your heart is ok. I presume they are doing something about the potassium levels?

[kaliope]

that is really interesting because I have bad anxiety and my blood pressure has been really low at times too with no explanation. I have always just thought that I have had low blood pressure.

[-jimi-]

Anxiety does not cause hypokalemia. Two things can cause this. Lack of intake and excessive loss. They should first tried to put you in one of those groups. One of the biggest reason for lack of intake is undernutrition. It should be ruled out, and if so they should have looked into how potassium is lost. This is not something that just happens.

Undernutrition can also cause low blood pressure. If that is not the cause, that should also be looked into since that severe hypotension is not normal.

IMO it can be hard to have a proper exam once they know I'm a psych case, then suddenly I lack a body neck down.

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by pegasus

Hello Alone & confused,

The symptoms you describe with the numbness, dizziness and feeling faint can be a result of a bad panic attack. I don't know about the blood pressure side of things. I'm glad they did a load of tests, at least you know your heart is ok. I presume they are doing something about the potassium levels?

They gave me ONE pill and told me to eat bananas. I understand some of the symptoms can be from anxiety, I've dealt with this for 30 years or more. But blood pressure THAT LOW?? Low potassium?? I looked up low potassium on webmd and none of the causes for this had anything to do with my dx. Not to mention I WAS NOT having anxiety when this happened.
It seems as though every time Drs see me at the ER, if it's not an infection or bronchitis or anything like that, as SOON as they find out I'm bipolar they attribute whatever is going on with me to my mental health. I'm well aware of my MI, and the mind/body connection, but I ALSO pay close attention to my body and I HONESTLY think something more is going on, but due to my MI I can't get the medical "professionals" to take me seriously.

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by kaliope

that is really interesting because I have bad anxiety and my blood pressure has been really low at times too with no explanation. I have always just thought that I have had low blood pressure.

Have you ever had your potassium level checked? Apparently that plays a role in controlling blood pressure.

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

Anxiety does not cause hypokalemia. Two things can cause this. Lack of intake and excessive loss. They should first tried to put you in one of those groups. One of the biggest reason for lack of intake is undernutrition. It should be ruled out, and if so they should have looked into how potassium is lost. This is not something that just happens.

Undernutrition can also cause low blood pressure. If that is not the cause, that should also be looked into since that severe hypotension is not normal.

IMO it can be hard to have a proper exam once they know I'm a psych case, then suddenly I lack a body neck down.

Exactly! Thank you! The last person in my family to have low potassium and low blood pressure was my grandmother. And she had internal bleeding, lymphoma, lymphatic leukemia and died from it. But she didn't have mental health issues, so I guess she was looked at as a REAL PERSON!

I have also had this happen. I went in for pain associated with a past cancer. Anyway at intake it was normal and then about 2 hrs later they tested me again and it was drastically low. They used different bands, monitors, etc. And said they would have to admit me if it didn't go up before my final paperwork got to me. They kept me forever. The cause? Not a d@mn clue. "Just one of those things, follow up with your PCP". so I definitely relate..the potassium thing is weird though, did you go to your primary care physician for follow up?

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by KaraD

I have also had this happen. I went in for pain associated with a past cancer. Anyway at intake it was normal and then about 2 hrs later they tested me again and it was drastically low. They used different bands, monitors, etc. And said they would have to admit me if it didn't go up before my final paperwork got to me. They kept me forever. The cause? Not a d@mn clue. "Just one of those things, follow up with your PCP". so I definitely relate..the potassium thing is weird though, did you go to your primary care physician for follow up?

No, not yet.

Oh ok if you want, let us know how it goes. I'd be interested in the cause of your low potassium