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Suddenly Started Feeling Shaky. Using Less Salt In Food. What Are The Risks?
Question: Since about 5 pm I've been feeling shakie, and Im a very worried person. I'm a 20 year old male and was wondering how to tell if I'm goin into a coma or something? Or maybe since I've changed my diet in the past 5 days from lots of sodium to like none. I knw I was getting more the 4000 mg a day and since than I've only had around 2000mg but today I only had around 1570mg maybe less. Idk I'm scared.
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Hi and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your question...
I understand that you are quite worried about your health condition, especially with regards to your salt intake and the ? hypertension. Let me make a few clarifications to put you at ease. Usually, for any person, the salt intake per day is variable and it is practically impossible for everyone to accurately measure and monitor their daily intake. Moreover, in a healthy individual, the body has enough mechanisms to take in the required amount of salt and excrete the unwanted amount. It is only in cases of disorders like hypertension that one has to restrict the daily salt intake.
Now, in your case, I'm not sure why you are so strictly measuring and monitoring your salt intake. You have mentioned in your history that you are not even sure if you have high blood pressure or not. Even if that is true, very minor differences (like a few grams) is not going to make any difference or affect your body's functioning. So, the fears that you may go into a coma or have any other XXXXXXX consequence are unecessary.
Feeling shaky or jittery is one of the many physical manifestations of anxiety. In my opinion, your anxiety seems to be the major problem here which is causing you these physical symptoms, rather than any other major medical problem. So, controlling your anxiety is important, both to make you feel comfortable as well as to prevent any further physical symptoms. Please remember that excessive anxiety itself may be a reason for your high blood pressure. You can try simple measures like XXXXXXX breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, meditation / yoga, etc. If you find that your anxiety is difficult to control, please do not hesitate to seek the help of a professional. If you are not sure about your high blood pressure, then the best thing to do would be a daily monitoring of your BP for one week (since one reading is insufficient to make a conclusion of hypertension)
Wish you all the best.
- Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
I understand that you are quite worried about your health condition, especially with regards to your salt intake and the ? hypertension. Let me make a few clarifications to put you at ease. Usually, for any person, the salt intake per day is variable and it is practically impossible for everyone to accurately measure and monitor their daily intake. Moreover, in a healthy individual, the body has enough mechanisms to take in the required amount of salt and excrete the unwanted amount. It is only in cases of disorders like hypertension that one has to restrict the daily salt intake.
Now, in your case, I'm not sure why you are so strictly measuring and monitoring your salt intake. You have mentioned in your history that you are not even sure if you have high blood pressure or not. Even if that is true, very minor differences (like a few grams) is not going to make any difference or affect your body's functioning. So, the fears that you may go into a coma or have any other XXXXXXX consequence are unecessary.
Feeling shaky or jittery is one of the many physical manifestations of anxiety. In my opinion, your anxiety seems to be the major problem here which is causing you these physical symptoms, rather than any other major medical problem. So, controlling your anxiety is important, both to make you feel comfortable as well as to prevent any further physical symptoms. Please remember that excessive anxiety itself may be a reason for your high blood pressure. You can try simple measures like XXXXXXX breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, meditation / yoga, etc. If you find that your anxiety is difficult to control, please do not hesitate to seek the help of a professional. If you are not sure about your high blood pressure, then the best thing to do would be a daily monitoring of your BP for one week (since one reading is insufficient to make a conclusion of hypertension)
Wish you all the best.
- Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The past 3 days I've takin my blood pressure and it has been around 115/78 or close to that and today I took it and it was around 140/82 and I'm an anxious person and sitting there anticipating the results. I've been on blood pressure meds for 2 months and everytime I've been to the docs it's around 130/80. So could just being anxious cause it to go up? Also I talked to my doc about the low numbers and told me to stop taking it. It's only been 1 day I havnt takin it. So any words of advice would help.
Hi again and thanks for writing in.
It is very much possible that your anxiety is causing your blood pressure to shoot up. Like you have mentioned, most of you blood pressure readings are within normal limits and it is only occasionally that you have high redings. These on-and-off fluctuations are more indicative of being anxiety-induced. I feel that your doctor has made the right decision by asking you to stop the blood pressure medication. I would advise you to do the following:
1) Stop worrying excessively about your blood pressure or your salt intake. Just keep monitoring your blood pressure at regular intervals and take a low salt diet (there is no necessity for accurately measuring it everytime)
2) Try relaxation methods and maintain a healthy lifestyle (including regular physical exercise)
3) Consult a professional to help you control your anxiety - sometimes, you may require a small dose of an anti-anxiety medication for a short period.
I'm sure that following these suggestions and reducing your anxiety levels itself will keep you blood pressure under control.
Wish you all the best.
- Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
It is very much possible that your anxiety is causing your blood pressure to shoot up. Like you have mentioned, most of you blood pressure readings are within normal limits and it is only occasionally that you have high redings. These on-and-off fluctuations are more indicative of being anxiety-induced. I feel that your doctor has made the right decision by asking you to stop the blood pressure medication. I would advise you to do the following:
1) Stop worrying excessively about your blood pressure or your salt intake. Just keep monitoring your blood pressure at regular intervals and take a low salt diet (there is no necessity for accurately measuring it everytime)
2) Try relaxation methods and maintain a healthy lifestyle (including regular physical exercise)
3) Consult a professional to help you control your anxiety - sometimes, you may require a small dose of an anti-anxiety medication for a short period.
I'm sure that following these suggestions and reducing your anxiety levels itself will keep you blood pressure under control.
Wish you all the best.
- Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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