Mom Still Passing Out

[gja1000]

Passing out on the toilet from the vagal response is caused by bearing down to pass the bowel movement. Bearing down triggers the vagal response which slows the heart rate way down and causes her to pass out and I imagine the slow heart rate is lasting for a while which is causing the extreme weakness afterwards. She should try not to bear down so hard or so long to pass the stool.

Hopefully the doc can give her something for the orthostatic hypotension (passing out from the blood pressure drop when sitting or standing up). I think she may be invoking the vagal response when she is scooting up in the chair.

[judy]

Good luck at the doctor! I hope they can find an easy treatment.

[Janet]

Dr visit went well. He wants to try and raise her BP top number to around 140. There were 4 days last week that she didn't pass out....did get lightheaded, but didn't pass out. He's thinking she (like some older people) do better with ther BP a little higher.

I'll try to do that first by changing the dialysis fluid and see if that helps. It's what he suggested so we'll see. Plus she needs to eat or drink something salty when she gets light headed. Anxious to see if the adjusting the fluid will help.

She was really weak today. We went to the heart dr. and then to the kidney center for some iron then home. Also the PT came so Mom is really wore now. She didn't so any of the walking exersices...just too weak for those, but she did do the others sitting in the chair.

[DianaB]

I'm glad to hear that yur dr. visit went well. There should be something that can be done for her low blood pressure.

Once when Glen's Mom was in the hospital her blood pressure was measuring too low.......so Brenda (Glen's sister....and clown!!) takes a step and then starts yelling that she had turned her ankle......then she told the nurse to take her blood pressure again.......and sure enough it wasn't low any more!!!!

You could try that before you life her off of the toilet!!!!