Have low blood pressure due to dehydration: How to hydrate?

@ruth36 I don't so I have to do the math way for finding blood pressure...

@sueinmn yes, I have mentioned that I thought I had low blood pressure to mom based on a school PE blood pressure assignment, but it seemed not to matter because I am often-ish/ do things that make me sore or such things and it usually isn't a problem, and she seemed to also think so, and we haven't talked about it.

@khelves
My son is 16, 6’ tall and 160 pounds. He also has low blood pressure (has a heart defect). He get migraines as well. His cardiologist and neurologist recommended he drink 50% of his weight in ounces of water each day (minimum) and add electrolytes like LMNT brand to help retain fluids in body. We don’t use the full packet of electrolytes. We add only about 1/4-1/2 of the packet to 32-40 ounce bottles (he doesn’t like too much of the electrolytes because it can be too salty).

The doctors also recommended taking magnesium and omega 3 supplements.

You may want to see your primary doctor to talk about feeling dehydrated and to get bloodwork done to check everything. You could also see a nutritionist/dietitian to review diet/supplements and determine if it would be good to adjust anything.

@khelves
I think it would be a good investment to buy a blood pressure machine so you can keep an eye on things before they get worse

I worked outdoors for years and years, and I kept on getting dehydrated and I kept on drinking more water. I came to find out that drinking too much water was pulling the necessary salts out of my body and causing the dehydration. It’s called “osmosis” as your cells try to balance what’s inside the cell to what’s budding up outside of itself. You are going to have to pay attention to your hydration and keep it balanced all of the time. In my home, I have reverse osmosis water, which takes everything out of the water, including the trace minerals and things I need for balanced water. So I have trace mineral drops, which I add to my water. If you exercise you need to hydrate before you start exercising and you need to have balance salts in whatever you’re drinking like electrolyte drinks especially if you’re exercising long distances and exercising hard. It’s just science if you deplete your body and sweat too much it’s gonna tell you so. Low blood pressure is nothing to mess around with, especially if you exercise hard at your tender age. You have to learn that your body is finally tuned machine and you can’t ignore it and what it needs to stay balanced. I also suggest seeing some doctors that specialize in kinesiology and sports medicine. They will have some more ideas good luck.

Just drink all the drinks you like but watch sugar consumption. You will be ok.

@khelves, kuddos to you for being proactive to figure out if you have a problem. I want to encourage you to keep asking questions and taking action to do the next best thing to find an answer.

Thank you for explaining more about what is going on. After understanding better I thought I would go back and use the link I sent you for a refresh read of Mayo Clinic’s Low Blood Pressure Overview. I am glad I did because it provides a good sort of checklist to help prepare for talking to a doctor. It may help with talking to your mom as well. Specifically,
Make a list of:
-Symptoms. Include any that may or may not seem related to low blood pressure, and when they occur.
-Blood pressure readings. If you track your blood pressure at home, keep a log of your blood pressure readings. Note multiple readings at different times of day. Also note when you have symptoms and whether they happened when your blood pressure was low.
-Important personal information. Include any family history of low blood pressure and major stresses or recent life changes.
-All medicines, vitamins or other supplements you use. Include the doses you take.
-Questions to ask your healthcare professional.

I agree, having a physical would be helpful. It may also be beneficial to talk to a doctor before buying a blood pressure machine. I ended up buying a replacement one that my doctor preferred. Before they took me seriously they wanted to confirm it worked so I had to bring it in to his office for them to compare results with theirs.

How are you feeling since you last wrote? What concerns are upfront in your mind by now, what’s next?

I kinda did a retake on this as well. There’s something that didn’t make sense in any of it. First off if you have low blood pressure, you have to get a handle on that. I come from a family that had low blood pressure. You have to talk to the doctor About how to keep your blood pressure in line. This might mean cutting back on your biking that you love so much until you get your blood pressure to stay in a normal range. Maybe it’s the excessive biking under extreme circumstances that is causing the dehydration. Maybe you need to learn how to keep things in line instead of pushing your body. There’s so much you didn’t tell us about your make up . Do you menastrate? are you a girl even? because that brings different circumstances than it would a boy. Do you come from a family that has low blood pressure? We have to deal with our genetics sometime. I suggest you consult with the doctor and if you have hereditary low blood pressure you keep a $20 blood pressure machine at home. Maybe it’s $40 now. That’ll be worth your weight in gold. I also suggest you consult with the doctor and have them run a battery a blood test. I started when I was 18 with getting my metabolic labs done. That was really important and over the last 50 years.(being 68 now.) those initial metabolic lab blood tests have served me as my body has developed grown changed, gone through childbirth, gone through menopause, and all the rest of the changes once body goes through overtime. I learned I was anemic very young and I had some issues very young. I am thankful I was responsible in the way. I approached my health. It served me well over the years to know what I can control and what I couldn’t.

Please see your doctor for this, if for nothing else peace of mind and some expert instruction. The hydration needs of an athletic, active teen are different from middle to elderly aged folk.

@deniseheart I'll talk to my mom about it