Hi Kim,
I used to suffer chronic low blood pressure myself and the symptoms of it were dizzyness,
Feeling really tired all the time even first thing in the morning while still in bed.
I didn't get much of a result from Dr's when I consulted them yrs ago in my early 20's when I had fainting spells,
No tests and the advice to "Avoid smokey rooms, You'll probably end up in an oxygen tent when your old"
I was borderline iron deficient anaemic for yrs it turns out altho I did eat red meat,
Used to donate blood too and as I was borderline they would still take it,
(silly now I think on that, Me donating and them letting me)
Just over a year ago I started getting increasing fibrilation,
A burning pain at the back of my chest in the heart region and pounding heart while at rest episodes,
Had a couple of days when my fingers fumbled the pegs on hanging out the washing and I wasn't the brightest in thought processing,
Mini stokes I now realize.
Andrew and I started researching it on the net and between us we worked out I might have either a faulty heart valve or similar fault
with the heart,
(Based on all the symptoms and Andrew having a good ear when he listened to my heart and heard a peculier sounds like
blood backflow which turned out to be right I must add Lol)
I had a stroke before I saw any Dr's and when I did consult them as a result I was given the same test as you along with blood tests for
clotting factors/cholesterol levels,
Ultrasound for cholesterol platlets in the neck arteries,
Non of these tests turned up anything except to reasure me my cholesterol levels are fine,
They wanted me to go for an MRI scan but I refused and as a result even had a local cardiologist refuse to see me,
(He decided I was difficult for refusing the MRI)
As the echocardiogram was based in his private rooms Not the hospital I ended up going to the other end of Tasmania,
Consulting with another Cardiologist I chased up and phoned.
I had an echocardiogram where they did that bubble thro the arm vein test Andrew mentions (no it doesn't go to your heart and kill like
in the movies ;o) Lol
The cardio reasured me after seeing my facial expression) also an echosophiogram? I think it's called,
It turned out I had a Patient Forman Ovale(PFO)2 in my case actually,
Which is a hole in the heart causing the blood to backflow taking any little clots and cell debris with it thro to the brain
hence the stroke,
A lifetime on warfrin was suggested but as I had already been searching and reading about this and the closure device used I asked
for an Amplatzer Occulder PFO device instead,
The cardio I had consulted was reluctant as he called it contravetial but knew the cardiologist/surgeon in Melbourne
who'd pioneered this op in Australia 10 yrs ago so refered me to him.
It was a great non invasive proceedure done thro the main artery in the thigh and didn't keep me down for long at all,
There was some immune reaction to the device which is nickel/titanium alloy but 3 mths after that seemed to subside really
well, (as the cardio predicted with heart tissue growing over)
This might pop up on occation but taking oral vitamin D and using the uv vit d lamp seems to keep it in check.
I know there is a good chance you might not have this problem but...I had a loooong time of low blood pressure and did get heart
problems,
This can lead to heart damage from a lot of things I've read as it is a symptom of deeper issues,
Everyone is born with this hole but it closes over within 1 yr after birth but the % of bods who's hole doesn't is about 20%? I think.
I'd really recommend you look into it further as Dr's can be not only complacent but obstructive also, Its easy for us to be
dissmissive too,
Especially if we feel fine in later yrs as I did after better eating habits,
I've since discovered thro lots of reading on the net that yrs of being iron deficient and also having low blood pressure
damages heart sometimes even if the iron deficiency is addressed later thro better eating habits,
Causing it to enlage to enable better function which I have on the left ventricle area of mine altho luckily no sign of heart disease,
(The cardio says there is a high chance this will downsize and heart will do some growing now with better function,
One of the reasons I use the uv vit d lamp for promotion of growth factors also)
Not trying to scare monger but think it's a few good reasons to question your situation,
The Dr's do seem to try and send you down wrong alleys, I had quite some oppositon at all stages of looking into and seeking treatment for this.
Eileen.