Dizziness, Black Outs, High BP. Why Is It Happening Again? Why Am I Bruising Easily?

Posted on Mon, 25 Jun 2012

Question: I was severly dizzy last night to where I was fighting off blackening out went to Er by ambulance my BP was 183 I am 50 year old female my Bp HAS NEVER BEEN ABOVE 138. Normally it is 122 or lower. Only one time did it go to 138 but last night was scary 183!! I felt horrible double vision freezing, ended up with bad headache after. ER didn't seem concerned I was having waves of severe dizziness I thought I was going to pass out and not wake up. Today I am dizzy all over again not as bad but scared enough not to drive. I have been bruising from just carrying a purse and bp cuff and have had swelling of my ankles I think it might be a circulation problem what do you think, bruising from just wiping my face with a towel?

Answered by Dr. Andrew Rynne MD (3 hours later)

Hi there. Thank you for posting your question . I will do my best to help you.

I do not think that raised BP is in fact your problem. You say nothing of your diastolic (lower) reading but a systolic (higher reading) of 183 is not all that alarming. This reading could easily be explained by an ambulance trip and being in a stressful place like an ER department.

In any case dizziness is not a symptom of hypertension but rather of hypotension or low blood pressure.

You come across as a very anxious lady with psychosomatic illness. I wonder if psychotherapy might not be an option?

I hope that I have answered your question fully and been of some help. Please accept this if you are satisfied. If you have anymore questions please contact me again anytime.

Dr Andrew Rynne.
WWW.WWWW.WW

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Andrew Rynne MD (1 hour later)

Hysteryical female are you serious? Did you not read my question? My mother died at 41 after all the drs. told her nothing was wrong with her heart. She complained of angina, then just died, oh by the way seizure disorder was somthing she had, I also get very dizzy from hot shower and have had two or three seizures when I was younger. I think you are a fraud. Never mind

Answered by Dr. Andrew Rynne MD (22 hours later)

Hi there.

I hope I had not offended you with my previous answer. I am sorry you think me a fraud and now I feel like a messenger who has just been shot!

All I can do at this stage is reiterate -- your symptoms are not those of high blood pressure.

Dizziness after a shower is classical hypotension (low blood pressure) not hypertension. If you are being treated for high blood pressure which you do not have then dizziness and emergency ambulance trips into the ER will become the order of the day.

If you would like to prove me right, the way to establish your real blood pressure situation would be to have a 24 hour BP monitor check done on yourself. This would yield powerful information for you.

Thanks. Take it easy and here's to your good health.

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T