medicalenigma Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 anyone else have trouble with this?? Today I had to climb just 5 steps and my heart was pounding by the time I got up there and I was out of breath.. same thing going back down... thank goodness i am no longer living in a 2 story houseis this a POTS thing or I am thinking I am just totally out of shape or maybe a bit of both!thanksnj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hi,When I was 17 years old I was swimming 2 miles a day and I was out of breath climbing one flight of stairs.Now I have to sit have 4 steps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Yes ,I really hate steps. I am fit, so it's not that for me. I will add tho that my issue is with a flight of stairs. I have 3 steps into the house and do fine with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 this is a common problem for dysautonomia patients... not just steps, but exertion in general can provoke major symptoms.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Stairs are awful for me. I can climb up to three stories (I did so for class; I hated the looks I got when I took the elevator), but one flight makes me have to sit for a while. We put a handrail in our stairwell at home last year and I don't know how I functioned without it!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Yep, stairs are a tough one. I avoid them if at all possible. When I must do a flight of stairs I either crawl up them, or my husband carries me. Even in high school when my POTS was manageable, and I was in great shape as a competitive swimmer, a flight of stairs would cause my heart rate to jump up by about 80 bpm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jump Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I wonder why stairs are particularly hard, instead of all exertion being equally unmanageable? In the first year or so of developing POTS, I had symptoms only in the mornings so I could exercise fine in the afternoons (I ran about 8 miles a day and was in very good shape). But even then, going up a flight of stairs any time of day would make me breathless.I no longer run, but most days (now that I'm on meds) I can exercise some, like walk or bike. But every time a flight of stairs just leaves me panting!! I feel so embarrassed about it sometimes!jump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I have the same problem. I have good endurance except when it comes to climbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I live in a flat with 34 steps to climb to my front door. On a good day my heart rate will go from 80 to 140 when climbing slowly up the stairs. On a bad day my heart rate will go over 200 and I have to stop to sit down on each half-landing (every 7 steps or so). Carrying anything up the stairs s a big no-no for me so going shopping either involves getting someone else to carry the bags or taking things upstairs in very small loads over several days (good thing I don't buy much ice-cream!!).Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarct Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Stairs cause me to go breathless and brings on an instant headache. I hate stairs, but can climb the 4 going to my house no problem. I often wonder why I can do somethings fine and other things cause problems. Also why one day I can do something, and other days I can't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Yep! Stairs can really get me too!!! And you can get looks for using the elevator and being lazy, also sometimes I am afraid for my life in those creaky elevators- one on campus killed a student recently... Anyways, yes HR increases and quickly out of breath, and legs kill me. I think some of it is due to our sensitivity to gravity and the amount of exertion being put on the body when going up stairs, it makes the body work so hard, and that causes these symptoms.But, it really stinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse1919 Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Stairs are bad. When I first got sick I would see stars after climbing a flight. Climbing a step ladder is surprisingly hard too. Elevators that start and stop quickly are bad too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Elevators can trigger a bad reaction too if they go too fast or are jerky- worst one was a 12 story jerky elevator when I was off meds and no sleep, and it triggered a big reaction. Glad I am not the only one elevators don't like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 It's always a tough decision for me to take the elevator or the stairs because I find both will "set me off". If it's a good day and I only have to go one flight, I will usually take the stairs even though it is difficult. I got stuck in an elevator once when I was a teenager, and I guess I never got over it. I also seem to get motion sickness on elevators. Escalators are not much better. They make me dizzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Stairs became such a challenge that we actually sold our home four years ago so I could avoid them!!!!Yes, stairs cause me SVT's and I was so worn out that I too would have to stop and sit on the way up. It was becoming dangerous and I was more worn out!We were fortunate to find a "no step" place to live. I saved tons of energy and stamina by not having to deal with stairs daily. Now, if I need to go up a flight on occasion, I pace myself and keep it to a minimum.best regards,tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 5/30/2008 at 10:41 PM, Rachel said: Yep, stairs are a tough one. I avoid them if at all possible. When I must do a flight of stairs I either crawl up them, or my husband carries me. Even in high school when my POTS was manageable, and I was in great shape as a competitive swimmer, a flight of stairs would cause my heart rate to jump up by about 80 bpm. Hi, several times I had symptoms like chest discomfort, sweating, breathlessness, nausea, fatigue, malaise mimicking cardiac arrest while climbing stairs. Is it due to POTs/dysautonomia or due to some heart issues Doctors are not able to diagnose? Can somebody please reply. Thanks, Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 Hi @NathanI do go thru this as well at times but is a tough one to completely figure out for me at least. I used to get POTS like symptoms and stairs could be a challenge my heart rate would jump to 132, fatigue was awful and would be short of breath. My Docs finally figured out i was having a reaction to one of my bp drugs (Lisinopril) and since i have withdrawn from it at least my POTS (tachy when in an upright position) like symptoms went away. I do still run into issues on a bad day or when my bp is too low and will be fatigued and short of breath I do have Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension so yes dysautonomia is getting me. (I have passed out going down the stairs as well so be careful) And in the past same thing would happen but was heart related. Have you had or talked with your doctors about having a stress test? if you are having a cardiac issues the test will ferret it out. Also if i get dehydrated i will run into the same symptoms so keeping up on fluids for us dysautonomia folks is important as well.   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nin Posted September 24, 2021 Report Share Posted September 24, 2021 On 9/23/2021 at 2:36 PM, Nathan said: Hi, several times I had symptoms like chest discomfort, sweating, breathlessness, nausea, fatigue, malaise mimicking cardiac arrest while climbing stairs. Is it due to POTs/dysautonomia or due to some heart issues Doctors are not able to diagnose? Can somebody please reply. Thanks, Nathan I really struggle with stairs because of pots. I haven't got any heart issues so don't worry something is wrong with your heart. Do you struggle with just walking as well? I'm so exhausted from walking and only seem to be able to walk for a few minutes before I start struggling. Its so frustrating having all these limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted September 25, 2021 Report Share Posted September 25, 2021 Dear @Nathan when I was at my worst I would get the same symptoms you describe when exerting myself, including using stairs. However - I would NOT necessarily just write that off to dysautonomia. In my case I ended up with a heart cath and they found a type of angina that is caused by sudden constriction of the coronary blood vessels, same mechanism as in Raynauds, which I also have. Anytime you experience symptoms as you describe it should be taken serious and be discussed with a physician. I would make an appointment with your PCP - definitely an EKG and possibly even a stress test would be appropriate depending on your health history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POTSie78 Posted September 26, 2021 Report Share Posted September 26, 2021 On 9/25/2021 at 4:26 AM, Pistol said: they found a type of angina that is caused by sudden constriction of the coronary blood vessels, Did they see this on a stress test or just the cath? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted September 26, 2021 Report Share Posted September 26, 2021 @POTSie78 - they saw it on the cath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger_ Posted September 6, 2022 Report Share Posted September 6, 2022 I’ve been having this issue as well.  When climbing stairs (more than one flight of 8 at a time) my HR can go from 75 before, to 165-175 during/after and sustain being 40+ bpm over the resting starting rate for several minutes.  It’s quite annoying, is there anything to help calm it?  I’m not de-conditioned so it doesn’t make sense.  I can swim 500 yards at a fast pace no problem, avg HR of 155 peaking for a moment at 165-170, yet on stairs it goes higher.  Does anyone else have similar? It seems like the horizontal position with swimming really helps, it’s just crazy the difference in intensity and the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana Posted September 15, 2022 Report Share Posted September 15, 2022 I have a milder form of POTS, so I can do stairs, but I feel myself get drained every time I do, and of course my heart rate does not like it at all. When I had my huge flair post COVID when I got diagnosed, I flat out could not go up the stairs. I had to only do two steps at a time and take a break. It was a very slow process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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