Why Monitoring Your Blood Pressure Is So Important If You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Many CFIDS/FM patients suffer from a condition called Neuro-Cardiogenic Syncope (also known as Neurally Medicated Hypotension ) Hypotension means low blood pressure and Neurally-mediated means caused by the brain.) Many doctors are not aware that it is often a symptom or side effect of CFIDS/FM. NMH is a miscommunication between the brain and the heart that can cause lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, nausea, mental confusion, headaches, muscle aches and profuse sweating. Not all people with NMH will experience Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but a large percent of people who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome do have NMH. As a result, just like people with Diabetes use a monitor to check their blood sugar levels, it can be helpful for people with CFS to monitor their blood pressure. I recommend that if you suffer from CFS and also have symptoms of dizziness, then monitoring your Blood Pressure on a daily basis should become part of your routine. This is because, like many of the symptoms associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome……you may have good days and bad days. So, being able to pinpoint a corresponding blood pressure to a specific symptom , can be important information for both you and your doctor. If you have been diagnosed with CFS/FM there is a good chance that some of the symptoms you are experiencing are the result of having NMH, and therefore more testing is required to rule this condition out of the equation.. In my case, I would be hit with sudden nausea, dizziness, extreme fatigue , weakness so bad I could barely move I lost track of the times my husband found me on the bathroom floor so sick I had to have help getting up. Or how many times I had to sit down in the isles of a grocery store until the spell eased enough do I could make it out to the car. One doctor during an ER visit finally listened to me and did a make-shift Tilt Table Test . Keep in mind that even people with high blood pressure can experience NMH. NMH is a symptom of CFIDS, not its cause. NMH is part of the larger picture of dis-regulation of the autonomic nervous system common to CFIDS. What is normal blood pressure? Blood pressure that is borderline low for one person may be normal for another. The most important factor is how the blood pressure changes from the normal condition from person to person. Most normal blood pressures fall in the range of 90/60 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 130/80 mm Hg. But a significant drop, even as little as 20 mm Hg, can cause problems for some people. If my blood pressure drops below 130/80 I begin to feel tired. By the time I reach 120/75 I am exhausted and feel like I have been hit with the flu and therefore, I need to lay down. By the time I reach the level my doctor told me was normal 117/65, I can't get out of bed at all. What can cause as sudden drop in blood pressure? It can occur after exercise, a period of standing (or even just sitting upright), or exposure to a warm environment. Some experience the symptoms after emotionally stressful events, since an inappropriate response to adrenaline is involved. Some experience the symptoms soon after eating, when blood flow shifts to intestinal circulation. Instead of sending signals to speed up the heart, the brain tells the heart to slow down and the vessels in the arms and legs to dilate. Blood pools in the extremities and not enough stays in the brain. What are the Symptoms ? Recurrent lightheadedness or feeling faint or weak. Unusual difficulty with prolonged fatigue after a modest amount of physical activity which can last 24 to 72 hours and could interferes with many daily activities. Muscle aches which can coincide with the fatigue. Headaches Mental confusion (difficulty concentrating, staying on task, paying attention, easily distracted or finding the right words) often described as a "mental fog". Feeling clammy or heated.