jangle Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Just thought I should share this story with y'all, not that anyone is probably looking to going skydiving but just as a future warning I guess.Last year before I knew I had POTS I went skydiving as a tandem jump. Everything went well until the parachute pulled.When you're on the ground you have 1 g of acceleration on you =9.81 m/s^2. When the parachute pulls your body rapidly decelerates and you have an effective 3g - 4g of acceleration.I've not passed out with POTS on the ground before, but when that parachute pulled I could literally feel my blood pooling into my feet and my vision going out. I just barely hung on to consciousness, but I can imagine if someone were worse off and they were jumping alone, skydiving would be very dangerous. If you pass out in mid-air, even with your parachute pulled you need to be conscious to be able to control the chute safely to land.I would definitely not advise anyone to go skydiving, or if you do, make sure it's only tandem jumping and be prepared probably to pass out 5,000 feet up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Wow. never thought of that. I must admit that two things that always remind me ive got POTS are jumping on a trampoline and walking on a tree high seethrough metal walkway. And this was when i was quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I'll tell you what else not to do. Allow you neice to talk you into going into the House of Terror in Disneyland and not know what you're in for. It's a seat that they strap you into and then all of a sudden you are dropped from about 4 stories on a bungee cord and it bounces you up and down, up and down and you see out the windows of this tall building each time you go up and down. Oh man, talking about almost losing it. In more ways than one. I used to love stuff like that - but, when POTS hit much worse in later years - things like that are not good. Of course, she loved it. I also, rode a roller coaster (small one) with her. It was the first one in her entire life and I had to experience that with her. It wasn't the best feel either - but, I survived it.Issie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Issie good gosh I remember that ride before I had POTS. It was difficult even then! I'm surprised you didn't pass out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Issie good gosh I remember that ride before I had POTS. It was difficult even then! I'm surprised you didn't pass out.I wondered if I'd make the rest of the day. LOL! I had to just sit in an out of the way place for a bit and drink something and regain my composure. I couldn't let her down. She is 16 and her first time to any amusement park and I wanted her to have fun. She and I opened the place and closed the place. Thank goodness for those riding carts. Got to be the BEST Aunt - I think she thinks I am. We had a blast. We did two full days.By the way, I've always wanted to sky dive - but, get this - I'm terribly afraid of heights. I don't know if you could push me out of the plane - but, I would love the thrill of it. Young at Heart. I like adventure and to have life experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Well, good. I have consistently refused to ride "The Tower or Terror" and now I know why. On another note, the Soarin' visual "ride" at Futureworld at Epcot made me sick. The seat is still, but the scenery is gliding over "California" and over other heights. I hated it. I hated the feeling of falling and of looking down and gliding over landmarks while my feet were dangling. Ugh!No, skydiving is out for me. The problem is...there may be someone out there that is not yet aware of their body's difficulties, and that person may go skydiving and end up killing themselves because they passed out. You could have wound up as a casualty. I'm glad you're still here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Yeah, that Soarin Ride almost got me too. But, it is soooo beautiful. I'd just close my eyes when I'd start to get naseaus and look at bits and pieces of it. It is absolutely gorgeous.Hey, what can I say - I'm an adventurous person. I have swam with sharks and I've done night dives to watch mantarays. I want to experience life and not let it pass me by. I will honestly be able to look back on my life and not have any regrets. There's one place I haven't been that I want to go - Austriallia and New Zealand. (I guess that's two places.) You guys that live there - watch out - cause one day I'm going to make it there. It's a really long airplane ride and right now - I couldn't do it. But, life is getting better and I'll make it there one of these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 futurehope that was what I was thinking. I was in a more safe position because I wasn't the one pulling the parachute, I went with a trainer. But I could imagine someone with undiagnosed POTS maybe trying for a solo jump (my friends were egging me on to do this - and I almost considered it)That'd be really bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I couldn't imagine wanting to skydive with POTS. I seem to spend most of my life trying to NOT get that adrenaline rush/rapid heart rate thing going. While my kids love doing the most ridiculous roller coasters and drop towers, and yes they've even gone skydiving several times, I tell them I can get the same reaction out of my body just standing still every morning. In fact while I was at CC doing all my testing at the autonomic lab, they were at Cedar Point doing all those silly rides. If you'd moitored their vitals and mine there probably wouldn't have been a big difference I suspect. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I wish people could actually see your brain the way it feels with POTS - on a trampoline my brain felt like it was up when i was down and down when i was up - like it was a metre outside my actual head. But I wonder if prolonged, daily exposure to a trampoline might re-regulate it a bit?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 But I wonder if prolonged, daily exposure to a trampoline might re-regulate it a bit??Feel free to expirement and let us know. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I was hoping you might incase it has adverse effects LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puppylove Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Funny you say that about the trampoline because we have an exercise one and I told my cardiologist that's what I would do for exercise. They actually said it would make my symptoms worse and I shouldn't do that for exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Well, there's your answer. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted February 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Trampolines are fun though, no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roxie Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 It could have to do with G-forces, too. Â My brother is studying to be a fighter pilot and it's pretty widely known among them that at certain altitudes and g-forces, even sifting down, you can easily pass out. Â Issie- I've always wanted to go to NZ. You know the climate is very even there. Mostly in the 70s similar to parts of HawaiiRama- sometimes I feel like different parts of my body are moving when I'm not. I don't need a trampoline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I've been to HI and love it there. But, would love to visit New Zealand. It was supposed to be one of my anniversary presents a few years ago - but, I was too sick to make the trip. So, maybe one day in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 My wife drives badly and sometimes she take a corner and my brain is still back there on the road so it feels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 My wife drives badly and sometimes she take a corner and my brain is still back there on the road so it feels.Ha!Ha! Sorry, but I had a visual cartoon character come to my mind. I do the same thing. I get so motion sick - it's not even funny. I have my "Motion Mate" homeopathy in one hand and some water in the other. Then, I'm always telling hubby to smooth out the corners. LOL Must be something we all deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 I was hoping you might incase it has adverse effects LOLHaving had 4 kids, it's not my brain that I'm worried about on the trampoline. LOL (you males might not be able to relate to this issue.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 It could have to do with G-forces, too. My brother is studying to be a fighter pilot and it's pretty widely known among them that at certain altitudes and g-forces, even sifting down, you can easily pass out. My kids are all really tall and the boys have all blacked out on various rollercoaster rides from the G-forces. My brother-in-law flew F-14s off aircraft carriers so he's had the same experience as your brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roxie Posted February 22, 2012 Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 Chaos- that's awesome! My brothers just starting out with it, he's in crash-fire rescue right now but is very interested in being a pilot if he re-upsRama- I lived in the country till last fall & would get carsick. Now I live in a big city & when my mom drives my brains flies everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 I gray out, if not pass out on many roller coaster rides. My doctor wasn't too terribly concerned about it and said as long as I go with someone else & try to stick to rides with full/larger restraints & get the restraint as tight as possible so my body doesn't whip around when I pass out. Ironically, this means I have to skip some of the tamer rides that only have a lap bar. I feel exhausted afterwards, but I still love going on them.The one ride I've skipped is Epcot's Mission:Space ride. With my heart going into asystole sometimes, 4+ minutes in a centrifuge scares me. Asystole for a few seconds here & there doesn't worry me. When there's the potential for it to be minutes with no way for me to get out of the situation, no way. I tend to ignore my symptoms and push through no matter what, but even here I draw the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firewatcher Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 My downfall, literally, is a playground swing. I used to love them, so I took my kids when they were little and got on one myself. I ended up with nausea on all fours while they swung...it was awful. I havent' tried roller coasters in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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