I think it's great when people ask a lot of questions, though sometimes it makes doctors go batty.

By H & H, do you mean hemoglobin and hematocrit?

I wonder what your pulse was when your blood pressure went down. When there are changes in fluid status, it affects both the BP and pulse.

No, I don't mean go in right this minute. Sorry, I should've been more specific. If you are feeling awful, that's when you should go in. I might've said to turn your car around and go right back right after the treatment for an evaluation. They can't tell what's going on after it stops, only when it's happening.

The body tries to compensate for changes in fluids/electrolytes but it can't do it right away sometimes. I won't tell you my fluid horror story but just want to say that those changes can be very damaging to the body.

Are you on blood thinners? Just wondering. I have no idea how much blood you lost but if you were already short on fluids, it might've made a difference. Were you already feeling bad before they took the needles out?

In a hospital setting, they do labs fairly quickly; usually within an hour. If it meant better care, I would surely stay an hour longer. Talk to your doctor about it. These "episodes" should be taken seriously by everyone involved.

I'll give you one example of what they could do if labs are off. If they've taken off too many fluids, they can give you some. If they have overhydrated you, they can give you a dose of a diuretic. Or they could have you eat some celery, which is a natural diuretic. Of course, they wouldn't probably know that. And if those fluid changes caused an increase or decrease in electrolytes, they can give you those or balance those too.

When you are overhydrated, you can get hyponatremia (low sodium). That can cause agitation, dizziness, nausea, bradycardia and some even worse symptoms. For example, those who binge drink can get it and actually die. They drink too much fluid and dilute whatever sodium is in their body, making it way too low. The body can't catch up sometimes. So can marathon runners who drink too much fluid without the necessary electrolytes like sodium.

I'm not trying to scare you! But when new symptoms come up after what most doctors do NOT consider to be a routine procedure (plasma), you really have to let them know and get it checked out. Even when my Dad had his dialysis, which is basically the same sort of procedure, they were very careful about checking his albumin, etc. afterwards.

I have no way of knowing what went on to cause those symptoms. Please be your own advocate with symptoms in the future! Suffering isn't necessary!

Annie