Low blood pressure after seizures

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skyfire322

skyfire322

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I had a simple partial at work on Friday, and when they took me to the ER, my blood pressure was very low (89/50). All of my blood tests came back perfectly normal.

I did some research online and noticed that low blood pressure was a sign of a non-epileptic seizure or syncope.... I'm scratching my head because one doctor said it was syncope, but the other doctor said it was an actual seizure.

Has anyone experienced LOW blood pressure after a seizure?
 
Low blood pressure can cause a non-epileptic seizure or syncope, but it can also be a trigger for an epileptic seizure. Low blood pressure can also be a marker of other things going on in the body (like dehydration or infection) that can trigger epileptic seizures.

I've experienced low blood pressure after a tonic-clonic. I didn't go to the ER right away, so I don't know whether the low BP was immediately post-ictal or a later development. But in the ER they found I was dehydrated and gave me a drip to help. The trigger for the seizure was most likely problems with my med at the time (Zonegran) relating to both dehydration and low blood sugar.
 
Thanks for the information! My blood sugar was normal, but I am currently on Zonegran, so that could be it. Hopefully things get sorted out sooner rather than later.
 
I almost always have low blood pressure after a tonic clonic. Well, there's usually not anyone hanging about in my kitchen closet waiting to stick a cuff on my arm, so I can only say that I have that syncope feeling after TCs.
 
skyfire322 said:
It varies really. Usually between 110/60 to 120/80.
Click to expand...

Mine is also usually about 110/60 to 120/80. Occasionally it crashes - it has gone as low as 70/40 and I feel like I am going to die. I always tell my husband I love him and go to bed and pray that I wake up. I have never associated it with seizures.
 
I have come to understand there is a lowered postictal blood pressure because of the blood spread through the entire body musculature and not just through one set of opposing muscles.
I may not be entirely clear on that though.
 
I see that there has been a lot of study into this issue because doctors are trying to figure out how much the cardiovascular system affects SUDEP. So there are some doctors who are saying that post ictal LOW blood pressure happens, and doctors who are saying that post ictal HIGH blood pressure happens. I don't have the energy to look into it further but here are two little pieces.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23758665 (post ictal hypotension)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC531654/ (post ictal hyper tension, or so it seems anyway.)
 
When my blood pressure crashes I don't think clearly (as if I ever do). I have told my husband that I want to go to the hospital next time it happens. It is positively not from dehydration, maybe it is actually related to the seizures. I told my physician's assistant about it and she suggested I call my cardiologist's office. They just kind of blew it off and suggested support hose.
 
The nurse at work sent me to the walk-in on Friday because my BP dropped to about 90/50 again. The doctor said that from the sounds if it, it's not heart related, but something neurological. They did blood tests just to make sure all my nutritional levels (sodium, blood sugar, all the vitamins) were alright, and they came back perfect.

The EKG came back fine as well, so they had me do a 48 hour Holter test. I'll be getting the results back by the end of the week, and I'm getting the results from my 48 hour EEG back next Monday.

I have been noticing something lately. I've been sleeping a lot more. I usually sleep for approximately 6 to 7 hours, but since my seizure last Friday, I have been sleeping 10-11 hours and wake up feeling absolutely drained.

Once I get all my results, I'll update! Thanks again for everyone's responses!
 
I was rushed to the ER yesterday due to an apparent anxiety attack. I told the ER doc all my symptoms, and also stressed the low BP (and now low heart rate), and he had no answer other than "you were just hyperventilating."

Five doctors, five different answers. I think the doctors down here got their degrees in a Cracker Jack box, lol.
 
skyfire322 said:
I was rushed to the ER yesterday due to an apparent anxiety attack. I told the ER doc all my symptoms, and also stressed the low BP (and now low heart rate), and he had no answer other than "you were just hyperventilating."

Five doctors, five different answers. I think the doctors down here got their degrees in a Cracker Jack box, lol.
Click to expand...

That's why they call it practicing medicine. I think they are just practicing on us, like we are lab rats.
 
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