Question by MAR: Could dehydration be the reason for blood pressure and heart rate reading all over the chart?
Hi there,
I’m currently 33 weeks pregnant, and after a few scary nights where I felt my heart rate skyrocket for apparently no reason, I ended up going to the hospital for some tests. They put me through every test there is, and no body had any answers for me. I came home from the hospital last night and tonight, yet again, my heart rate jumped to 130 when I was just laying down.
I got up, practiced deep breathing and began research on the internet. I found that some folks suggested water drinking for this problem and others potassium increase.
When I was at the hospital my blood pressure went from 131/90 to 94/49 and all points in between. Needless to say they didn’t give me any food or hydration the entire time I was there. But my blood pressure steadied at 113/70 when my husband gave me water.
So, about an hour ago, after reading this information on the internet, I ate a banana (high in potassium) and drank three bottles of water.
I can’t help but notice that I feel almost 100% better. Is it possible that dehydration is causing this rapid heart beat I’ve been experiencing? If so, why didn’t any of the doctors that saw me think of such a simple solution? It could have save me and my baby unnecessary CT scans and medicine….
Thanks for the sarcasm, but I was measuring my heart rate at home by counting my pulse for thirty seconds and multiplying by two. I was basing my blood pressure by what it was earlier the evening when I had a reading done with a blood pressure cuff. Also, at the hospital I had a clear view of my monitor, which was constantly reading my blood pressure via a cuff. And yes, they let me go home.
Top answer:
Answer by someone’s wifey for lifey
sorry you said you went to the hospital and they didn’t know what was wrong with you, but they checked your bp it was fluctuating and they let you go home?
what sort of hospital is this?
and how is it possible that you were lying down and you”felt” you bp jump? I would love to know, you seem very special, to be able to read your heart rate and bp without the help of any apparatus
If you know better then please let us know below.
Your blood pressure is/was in a normal range. Your heart rate was high in the 130′s, and yes, your heart rate can increase from being dehydrated.
But another thing to consider is that pregnancy does weird things to your body….your heart is pumping blood for 2, so there could be many reasons why your heart rate shot up like that. Even doctors and hospitals may never know!
I don’t really think potassium has anything to do with it. At least, I have never heard of/learned anything about that.
Keep drinking plenty of fluids, and if you feel your heart rate race up like that again, do the deep breathing, but also you can bear down gently for a few seconds (like your going to poop almost) and hold your breath…it will slow your heart rate down.
And take it easy!