Blood Pressure Roulette
One of the things you never know about having a spinal cord injury until you have one is that your blood pressure may become a rollercoaster. You don’t know that it can crash your blood pressure. Or elevate it. Or both. Within the same hour. Or not.
I am not a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional, but I have learned a lot in the eight years since my spinal cord injury. I remember that when I was first injured I received many dire warnings telling me to watch for the throbbing headaches and other symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia. I was briefed by doctors and nurses on what to do if it occurred. Luckily, I have never had that problem, but that does not mean I have not had to worry about my blood pressure. There was little knowledge communicated about the every day challenges the injury would bring in this regard, but in the years since my injury, I have become somewhat of an expert on my own blood pressure. When it spikes, I know to take off my compression socks and loosen my clothing. When it drops like a rock, and I feel light-headed, queasy and short of breath, I know to lay down, elevate my feet, and not to stand up quickly.
My medicine cabinet looks something like the local pharmacy, with multiple medications to increase my pressure, and an equal number to reduce it. And at varying times over the years, I have needed one or the other. I have been under the care of a cardiologist for several years, trying to balance the physical effects of what my physical therapist once called “blood pressure roulette”.
For most of us with spinal cord injuries, fluctuations in blood pressure are only one health challenge we face. We have to find new ways to go to the bathroom, we have to watch for pressure sores, we have to build muscle where we can, we have to avoid shoulder injuries from using our wheelchairs, and the list goes on and on.
Join Our Movement
What started as an idea has become a national movement. With your support, we can influence policy and inspire lasting change.
Become an Advocate
But we are also strong, resilient, creative and courageous. I find that sharing our medical challenges and other obstacles, and discussing our own experiences, helps us deal with them when they arise. Knowledge is power.
Swings in blood pressure are more than an annoyance. High blood pressure (hypertension) can be debilitating, or even fatal. Low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause falls or blackouts. The biggest lesson I have learned is to know your body:
- Take stock of what it feels like when your pressure is at a “normal” level for you, which may not be the textbook “normal”.
- Know your own symptoms of both high and low blood pressure.
- Have a blood pressure cuff at home, and periodically measure your pressure, even if you are not feeling symptoms.
- Record the results, so you know your history and whether there are patterns.
- And discuss your blood pressure with your doctors, so there are no surprises. Discuss the lifestyle changes that can either raise or lower your blood pressure. And there are good, safe medications to help if you need them.
There are millions of people who go through their lives and never worry about their blood pressure. There are millions more who are diagnosed with hypertension, and who control it with medication, diet, and exercise and don’t give it any more thought. But if you are one of our community who faces the vagaries of blood pressure swings, stay strong. You can handle it. Know your own body and get good medical advice. It will not only make you more comfortable, it may very well extend your life.