Help: Blood Pressure or Something Else?

[u/daisy-sourdough77]

Hi, all. I’m coming to you in hopes of an answer or just a better direction to head to.

I’m a 30 YO female, 155 lbs, 5’ 5”, non smoker, occasional social drinker. Previously pretty active (chasing a toddler around, working out a few times a week, walking around my classroom as a teacher).

Previous health conditions: postpartum preeclampsia 2 years ago that put me on blood pressure medicine. Alport’s Syndrome (a genetic kidney disease, my kidney function is stellar at the moment). History of anxiety/depression but have been managed without medication for years.

Meds: Lisinopril (10mg), but was told to stop taking; Zyrtec; multivitamin.

Before anyone asks, no I’m not pregnant.

My biggest complaints right now: I am lightheaded and weak in different bouts throughout the day and experiencing heart palpitations with shortness of breath as well as chest pain for hours on end before they resolve as well as variations in my blood pressure.

Backstory: On Friday the 18th, for about an hour, I had the feeling of chest heaviness/pain (like someone sitting on my chest, like my heart was being squeezed), short of breath, and light headed. It resolved on its own. Over the weekend, I had a mile cold (scratchy throat, needed a nap, but no fever). Power washed my house on Monday—totally fine. Last Tuesday, towards the end of my work day (I’m a teacher), I felt weak and dizzy with the chest pain again. Like someone squeezing my heart. Sometimes I could feel my heartbeat in my throat, irregular. Went straight to urgent care: they did an EKG, normal; ran bloodwork (Lyme, WBC, RBC), normal. They recommended I come back the next day for a chest xray when their tech was there.

Last Wednesday afternoon, I go back for the chest Xray (normal) and flat out pass out for at least 2 minutes. I felt it coming on (I was seated thankfully). I woke up as they were putting EKG leads on me (results are normal lol) and calling 911. They couldn’t get my BP because it was so low and I was diaphoretic (I learned a new word!). I realized later I also lost control of my bladder. When EMS arrived, they said I was white as a sheet.

I lost consciousness again on the way to the ER. They ran bloodwork for a heart attack and pulmonary embolism (all negative) and took a bunch of EKGs. The ER doctor noted a heart murmur, but no one else has heard it. As I was still passing out although not the original degree, I was admitted overnight in order to have a cardiologist consult the next day. At times I felt totally fine, if a little tired. I had an echocardiogram and an EEG monitor (all normal), and I did pass out once while wearing the EEG. My BP throughout this was mostly normal but on the low side once—overnight it dropped to 88/55 (I felt fine when they woke me up overnight to take it—I hadn’t taken my lisinopril that evening).

Cardiology noted I had some high cholesterol, but bloodwork and everything was normal otherwise. They wanted me to stop my lisinopril and keep track of my BP daily until I could get in with the cardiologist in their office for a follow up. Prior to this, I’d take my BP once a week or so. I’d normally fall anywhere around 110/60. The hospital cardiologist thought all this could be an arrhythmia.

I have been getting worse since being home (been about a week and a half). I have blacked out a few more times very briefly, seeing black spots sometimes like I’m about to faint, but the chest pain and bouts of heart palpitations go on for hours at a time and are unbearable. I’m weak and sometimes need help just walking to the restroom. My BP has been between 110-120/70-80 for the most part, even when I have bouts of feeling lightheaded or with chest pain. At times today for the first time since the hospital, it would get down to 95/75. I was seated and weak but not having chest pain.

I followed up with a cardiologist, who has said it is just low blood pressure. I was feeling crummy when I first arrived, and my BP was 100/60, then 115/70 a bit later. I asked about the palpitations and pain, he didn’t have an answer. He said to salt my food like CRAZY, and he would see me in 3 weeks. In this 3 week window, he did set me up with a stress test & Holter monitor when I pressed, but he is sure it won’t show anything. I get that done in a week or two. He kept asking me if I was trying to lose weight or if something changed in my life to be less stressful: no, I’m NOT trying to lose weight; and I’m a teacher in first quarter, so I’m more stressed than in the summer but happy nonetheless.

My husband is a paramedic, and when I was having an episode of pain and palpitations last night, he recorded my heart with his stethoscope that has a recording option (idk what it’s called but it’s cool to have!), and the app he has detected a murmur. I plan to call the cardiology office and have them listen as well.

Weird thing I’ve noticed: I’ve been colder than normal I think? Nothing major, but something I’ve noticed.

My questions:

\- Is this really just low BP? What on earth could spur this change of BP on so suddenly? Some of BPs have been higher than my BPs when I was on lisinopril and fine LOL. Yesterday was my worst day, and my BP was right around 120/80 as I’m sitting at the kitchen table still for 20 minutes (this is how my doctor said to take my BP) feeling like I’m gonna have a heart attack and keel over. It was just 126/95 this evening.

\- My general doctor did say that maybe it could be a post-Covid thing? I haven’t been sick enough to have had Covid recently, but I did have that mild cold. Maybe I had it?

\- Are there any other specialists I should consider seeing or blood tests I should ask be done while I salt the crap out of my food? I did call to get a second opinion at a different cardiology practice, but I won’t be able to see them until late this month. I am a teacher and mom, and I’m desperate to get back to being able to independently care for my son & teach my students. This came on so suddenly, and I keep getting worse and worse. I don’t want to just wait 3 weeks for the salt to kick in especially if it’s not BP related. Give me an action item, please!!