Toileting, Sweating and Dizziness: What's wrong now?

[Socrates]

Hello

I'm new to the forum, but I've been reading through on and off for around a year and a half. I've never really had any problems with it, merely took everything as it happened and then asked various nurses or doctors for information and whether it was related to diabetes or not. This has worked well apart from just recently. I have a problem at present and am unsure as to whether it's related to Diabetes or not, the doctors have so far let me down so can anyone advise me as to the following:

I go to the toilet, I empty my bowels not unlike everyone else I should imagine. The problem is however, that at the time that I finnish the procedure, I stand up and find that I become light headed, not only that but I start sweating and feel quite dizzy. I immediately sit down and repeat the exercise with the same results. It feels not unlike someone has stolen my 'energy' which is what brings me here as obviously I'm concerned that it maybe linked to something more serious and therefore am looking to anyone with diabetes that has suffered this same mix of symptoms who could enlighten me as to what it is and how I can combat this problem?

Thank you for your time.

 

[cugila]

Socrates.
Welcome to the Forum.

You mention this happening when you have been to the toilet, does this happen at any other times when you stand up from sitting ?

Do you know what your blood pressure readings are ?

Ken

 

[Socrates]

Socrates.
Welcome to the Forum.

You mention this happening when you have been to the toilet, does this happen at any other times when you stand up from sitting ?

Do you know what your blood pressure readings are ?

Ken

Hello Ken,

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my plea.

My BP readings were around 169/90 before entering the loo. Obviously I do not know about them when I was IN the toilet.

Thank you.

 

[noblehead]

Socrates,

Those bp readings are quite high, I would go and see your gp.

Nigel

 

[cugila]

Hi Socrates.
Nigel has given you good advice, I agree totally with him. The BP is high and definitely needs checking out. If that happened only when you went to the toilet there is something called a Vaso Vagal response which can cause the BP to go massively high when you have been defecating, again see your GP and discuss.

Ken

Edited. to remove word (straining) and replaced with defecating.

 

[Socrates]

Socrates,

Those bp readings are quite high, I would go and see your gp.

Nigel

Hello Nigel,

I am actually IN hospital now! Literally sat here in my bed with the laptop on one of those funny tables. I was admitted due to having a temperature. I'm asking regarding the aforementioned question as it's something I've experienced prior to being admitted to hospital, and am of course experiencing it whilst IN hospital. It's not something they're treating too seriously, which is the reason I'm here kind of out of desperation -: If I can find someone that says, 'yeah I've suffered the same thing its .... ' then I can inform the ward doctors and perhaps they may take it a little more seriously.

It should also be pointed out that I wasn't straining quite the opposite in fact, last night I had dihoreah I hardly had to err engage any muscular control at all.

 

[cugila]

I should have said when defecating, not just straining......sorry ! So either way really. It's called Defecation Syncope.

 

[hanadr]

If you hadn't said your BP is high, I would have said it sounded like some kind of reactive hypotension.
Your Bp dropping after the "performance".
I would nag until I got an answer.
Hana

 

[noblehead]

Socrates,

Was the bp reading taken at home before going into hospital, or taken whilst in as a patient?

Not that it matters though, what is important that they are treating you and advising on your bp. I don't know anything about this problem I'm afraid, so can't share or offer any advice, I was just alarmed when I seen that your bp reading was way above normal.

Try and tell them everything in detail, and I hope you find the cause of your problem and make a speedy recovery soon.

Nigel

 

[Socrates]

Socrates,

Was the bp reading taken at home before going into hospital, or taken whilst in as a patient?

I've just asked and lastnights bp reading was: 167/77 the previous one I provided was the bp reading of this morning.

Not that it matters though, what is important that they are treating you and advising on your bp. I don't know anything about this problem I'm afraid, so can't share or offer any advice, I was just alarmed when I seen that your bp reading was way above normal.

Try and tell them everything in detail, and I hope you find the cause of your problem and make a speedy recovery soon.

Nigel

I shall and thank you for offering what you did.

 

[pleonism]

Hey Socrates,

I am surprised they did not tell you this in the hospital when you asked about the light headedness in the bathroom, but when you sit, especially at the angle of pooping, you get relaxed to due your duty :} which is usually long enough time for your body to go into relaxing mode a bit. but when you are done you tell your body to stand. but your body and BP does not adjust for this until after you stand and when you stand you bp is too low and your blood is now a bit stuck in your legs. it takes 1/2 of a second for the pushing to happen and that 1/2 of a second causes you to feel light headed momentarily. ( I asked my DR. this a few years ago because I was wondering the same thing)

Btw, Welcome to the diabetic club. Although a bit freekie it is not the end of the world.

Good luck,

pleo

 

[Dobbs]

hi socrates,
I started getting the same kind of lightheadedness about a year ago, about six months after diagnosis as T2, but with me it happened after I bent over to tie my shoelaces, not on the bog. Never had anything like it in my life. Didn't feel "serious" but certainly wasn't pleasant. Anyway, after a few months it passed. (In the interim I began low carbing and brought my blood sugar levels down). I get occasional milder relapses of it now from time to time, but I can't work out any pattern in the occurrences. My BP tends to be around 125/85 most times I check it.
My doctor didn't have any explanations. But like I say, it came and (sort of) went. I hope yours is the same. Try to press your doctor to talk with you about it, as hanadr says, if you can.

 

[noblehead]

hi socrates,
I started getting the same kind of lightheadedness about a year ago, about six months after diagnosis as T2, but with me it happened after I bent over to tie my shoelaces, not on the bog. Never had anything like it in my life. Didn't feel "serious" but certainly wasn't pleasant. Anyway, after a few months it passed. (In the interim I began low carbing and brought my blood sugar levels down). I get occasional milder relapses of it now from time to time, but I can't work out any pattern in the occurrences. My BP tends to be around 125/85 most times I check it.
My doctor didn't have any explanations. But like I say, it came and (sort of) went. I hope yours is the same. Try to press your doctor to talk with you about it, as hanadr says, if you can.

Dobbs, is your doctor fine with the bottom reading of your bp? My gp prefers this to be below 70 with diabetes, nothing wrong with the top figure though.

Nigel

 

[Dobbs]

hi Nigel,
yes, he always says "it's fine". I know 85 is possibly a bit high - sometimes it's more like 82 and other times more like 87. Ho hum.
Pardon my ignorance, but because I live in Amsterdam and am on a blood pressure pill there called "Micardis Plus" which is not a name that seems to ring any bells in the UK, I wondered: what is the "standard" blood pressure lowering pill generally prescribed in the UK? Or isn't there such a thing?

 

[noblehead]

Hi Dobbs,

That's good to hear then that your doctor is pleased with your bp. I was told to keep mine on the low side due to previous treatment of diabetic retinopathy, and was put on a small dose of ramipril to keep below normal. Ramipril is also given to people with diabetes to help protect from kidney damage, but I was told a few years back that it also a good drug at protecting the heart too. My own bp varies from day to day, it can be 125/65 one day, and 132/70 the next, but I do keep a eye on it at home with a bp monitor, checking about once a month.

I can't really help with the common treatments in the UK, but here is a site I found that does explain the different drug types used in this country.

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Medicat ... essure.htm

Regards

Nigel

 

[Hobs]

hi Nigel,
yes, he always says "it's fine". I know 85 is possibly a bit high - sometimes it's more like 82 and other times more like 87. Ho hum.
Pardon my ignorance, but because I live in Amsterdam and am on a blood pressure pill there called "Micardis Plus" which is not a name that seems to ring any bells in the UK, I wondered: what is the "standard" blood pressure lowering pill generally prescribed in the UK? Or isn't there such a thing?

Micardis Plus is prescribed here under the NHS but not very often. It is a type of ACE inhibitor (like the usual Ramipril) called Temisartan and a diruetic (water pill) called hydrochlorothiazide ... I have a friend on the 80/12.5 type which is red & white.
I take Amias (candesartan) which is a form of ACE inhibitor and there are quite a list of other 'brands' too out there. I was started on Ramipril but I found it caused a dry cough ( a common complaint) so the Candesartan was substituted to good effect.
I am sure it does not matter what type of ACE inhibitor you are taking, just so long as it suits your needs without any intrusive side effects.