Exercised!

[boymommy3]

I did 1.15 miles on a treadmill tonight. I walked and jogged. Once I got going pretty good I felt pretty good, but my HR was 160 with very little effort. Also, the very second my feet stopped moving when I was finished the whole room was spinning! There was a chair that was pretty close to the treadmill and I made there to sit down. I was so dizzy and thought I might faint. I never really do faint, but I will feel like I am going to. Is this normal for POTS people?

[futurehope]

The response you had is not a response that I get.

Also, FWIW, you should not be getting your heartrate "up there" without warming up first. Also, "cooling" down and gradually decreasing your heartrate is preferable to exercising, then just stopping. Even "normal" people can cause syncope if they stop exercising cold turkey.

[Guest Alex]

Yes to the getting my HR into the 160's really easily (despite being on a bunch of meds that should 'blunt' my response to exercise - including propranolol, florinef, and mestinon), but no to the dizziness and faintness afterwards.

I used a bike though, not a treadmill - if that makes a difference.

My HR stayed elevated for a long time after exercising though, and my BP responded 'normally' to the effort.

I will second futurehope here in saying that you should warm up and cool down, rather than stop exercising abruptly when your HR is that elevated.

Best,

Alex

[seattle chris]

I was an avid runner until my symptoms started last year. I have a few times and had the same issues. The moderate running didn't give me any issues but once I stopped I felt dizzy and weak. I thought I might pass out but never did. I had the same experience during a stress test a couple of months ago, but the dizziness took about 5-10 minutes afterwards to arrive. I don't have POTS but have some kind of undiagnosed dysautonomia condition.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I get dizzy on a treadmill--sometimes very much so. I think it is something about the treadmill not about exercise itself, for me. I never get dizzy from moderate/fast walking outdoors. I rarely try running anymore.

[FarmerAmy]

I get dizzy, too. If I'm moving fast and my heart rate is up, I feel a lot better. But if I slow down at all I get dizzy right away.

[boymommy3]

Sorry I wasn't any clearer. I did warm up and cool down. My HR didn't stay that high the entire time. When I would start to walk again it would come down some (140's- 150's), but then as I started jogging it would go back up. It's just that I felt like when my heart rate was 160 I wasn't exerting myself enough for it to be that high. And even though I did cool down, the minute the treadmill stopped I was so dizzy, but again my HR had slowed because of the cool down. I take Toporol Xl 25 mg./bid to keep my heart from flying out of my chest. I seem to respond really well to that. I just wonder if I should contact my doctor about how I felt after the exercise.

[boymommy3]

Alos, I have had an ultrasound before that was completely normal, holter monitor, and a bajillion EKG's. None of which ever show anything. I haven't ever had a stess test, though.

[brethor9]

I have the exact same reaction .feel okay during activity but as soon as I stop WHAM! ... I assume it is related to having blood volume issues and mast cell reactions.....but not completely sure

[Kellysavedbygrace]

Good for you for exercising! Getting started and persevering through the difficulties we have is the hardest part.

I started an exercise program last March- beginning slow and all recumbent gradually increasing in intensity and uprightness. Like you, I usually feel good when working out. I tend to have better mental processing and less pain during the workout. I do have to watch my tachycardia and use preventive/reactive measures to handle frequent greying out. I decided to bite the bullet and work w an exercise trainer once a week to help. It is typical for me to have my HR jump from 115 to 170 in 30 seconds of strenuous work so my trainer has me continuously increase and then decrease work load. After warm up she'll let me get my HR up high for a couple of mins then she wants it in the lower range for a couple of minutes. When I'm doing something like rowing or recumbent bike I aim between 140-160 bpm.

As a note, like Mom to G I cannot tolerate the treadmill, upright bike and have difficulty with most upright machines that move. I think

it is the movement of the machine that makes me dizzy. I'm ok on weight machines but use countermanuvers to keep blood pumping. (ie: sit stands, ankle pumping, etc.)

Perhaps the most difficult part of exercising for me is what my body does in the following exercise. If I walk for more than 15 mins I typically get faint as soon as I stop. So I constantly do counter maneuvers to avoid the faint and I make sure to slow down a long time before I stop. If I go from a brisk walk to a stand I will likely faint within the first min. This is why my hubby and I avoid walking in the neighborhood during the day - because we always run into people that want to stop and chat. Also, if I sit following a brisk walk within about 15 mins my HR will drop to the 80/50 range and I will get symptomatic. So it's best for me to do chores or some other movement ( not a shower) for the first 15-20 mins after a walk.

Following more intense exercise at the gym within minutes of stopping I often feel this rush of draining in my head. And, I struggle with dizziness and fatigue everyday, but following exercise I usually have to allow recovery tfollowing used to crash every time following a workout, especially when I started building up my stamina. It was just part of the price I paid for exercise. Now I don't crash but I make sure to go home and rest for a while, usually in a reclining chair and do reading or quiet activities for a couple of hours before doing anything else.

Overall, exercise has been one of the most helpful tools in combatting my POTS. It really hasn't improved any symptoms but it has improved my functioning. I went from homebound, struggling to get out of bed and not able to drive to driving a little and with the help of family and friends being able to run groceries, a little cooking and helping take care of my kids.

I don't think it has increased the size of my heart as some have theorized but I believe it has improved my blood flow and strengthened my muscular tone which gives me endurance for the daily POTS battle.

[boymommy3]

Ok, so I exercised again tonight. I wasn't able to go quite as long. Just under a mile with jogging and walking. My heart rate was over 100 just walking from the car up the steps to even get into the gym. HR still went up to 160 but felt like it took a little longer this time. The difference tonight was that I started to feel nauseous and like my legs were going to give out. That's why I stopped. Again the moment my feet stopped moving I was so dizzy and had to sit for a few minutes. I did do a few other exercises with my husband after that but nothing that required me to be on my feet. While we were leaving I felt like I couldn't even walk down the stairs to get to my car. My muscles are so stiff now! I also had that yucky bloated feeling and feeling like I couldn't breath good on the way home. I am also having muscle twitches tonight which have slacked off the last week or so.

Does any of this just seem to strange?!

I guess I will call my doc tomorrow and just see what she says.