livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Has anyone ever lost consciousness (or had presyncope) after exercise? Today I went jogging (at a slow pace and for about 3 minutes). I had to stop suddenly instead of slowing to a walk as I usually do, and immediately my vision went black, and my husband basically caught me on the way down. For 5-6 hours after, I struggled with brain fog, chest pain, and a resurgence of all of my POTS symptoms that have been slowly improving over time. I have been trying to work on reconditioning lately, in the hope that my symptoms will improve - and because I miss the days when my husband and I would go on long runs together! I can jog for a maximum of about 3 minutes, before I get chest pain that radiates up into my neck and jaw. I'm thinking this is some sort of post-exertional hypotension, due to poor venous tone. Does anyone have any other theories or similar experiences?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Thank goodness your husband was there to catch you. This happened to me once exept I white-out instead, but it was because I consumed nutmeg. Nutmeg is EVIL! lol and then I took my daily walk and passed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 What was so unsettling for me was how quickly I passed out after stopping. It was like someone flipped a switch - no warning at all. I have been trying to exercise as much as my body will tolerate, but this makes me nervous to try again. The interesting thing is that the only time this happens is when I stop suddenly. If I gradually slow down, then I'm fine. My theory is that when my leg muscles stop contracting (and helping pump blood back to my heart), my vascular tone is so poor that my blood pressure tanks and all of my blood ends up in my feet. Has anyone else experienced this or found a way to overcome it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 I always felt like total **** when I stop running too. When I did my stress test this last time, I noticed my bpm went up 30 bpm instantly upon stopping my inclined walk. I felt gross and out of breath. I barely even go to the markwt anymore. I used to jog and bike. Now Im in my hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Wow, that's so interesting! When I was in cardiac rehab last year, whenever I would stop exercising, my HR would jump up 30-40bpm. No one could figure out why it would do that, and not go down like a normal person. Perhaps it is a compensatory tachycardia responding to a post-exertional hypotension? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 I dont think it was hypo for me. It could have been but I don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 My pots neuro has told me that this can happen even in runners that don't have pots. The contraction of your muscles while running is pumping a lot more blood, and therefore, oxygen to your brain. When you stop suddenly and don't continue to move around, you have asudden blood/oxygen deprivation to your brain resulting in syncope. I have to be careful even just walking that I don't stop suddenly or if I do that I sit down even if it's on the curb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Ever since this happened yesterday, I feel like I've taken giant steps backwards in terms of symptoms. I haven't felt this bad since before I went to the mayo clinic over a year ago! How long do flare ups usually last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Livingwithpots, My understanding is that normal people should not stop abruptly after exercising to avoid the same response that you had.Why did you have to stop suddenly?As long as you have someone there with you, and you are aware that you must cool down, I would not let this episode scare you into stopping all together from trying some form of exercising.Maybe, you can try a recumbant bicycle or a rowing machine if you become too fearful of fainting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 My relapse (after the nutmeg) lasted a little over a month. Hopefully it wont take long at all for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecom Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 I would second considering starting with recumbent exercise as per Levine protocol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 futurehope, I accidentally ran through a bunch of goat head thorns, and about 30 of them got stuck in my shoes. My husband told me to stop so we could pull them out, and then he got a little more than he bargained for, lol! I think my response to stopping exercise is exaggerated compared to someone considered "normal". When I was in cardiac rehab, I gave them quite a scare when I stopped the treadmill after the regular cool down regime that they have for all of their patients. After I collapsed, at future visits they designed a special cool down program for me where I had to slow the treadmill down by 0.2 every 2 minutes, until the treadmill was at 0. All of the other patients (post MI/CVA/bypass etc) thought it was so funny how slow I had to go before they would let me stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingwithpots Posted August 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 davecom, I completed 5 months of cardiac rehab, which started out on recumbent bike and graduated to treadmill over a period of months. I have been trying to make the next step of getting back to baseline by jogging. My goal is to be able to run with my husband again like we used to. At this point I can only jog slowly for about 3 minutes before the chest pain starts radiating to my neck and jaw. But when I started I could only do 1 minute, so I feel like I'm making progress! Yesterday's syncopal episode wouldn't have bothered me so much if it wasn't for how horrible I have felt since it happened. I'm hoping it's only temporary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Yes, the heart rate jump is compensatory for the hypotension. HR and BP have an inverse relationship to each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 They took my bp when I finally sat down and it was high 140's/? But my bp does go up when I sit normally. Like 104/75 - 130/86 from standing to sitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyPooh Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Honestly I never feel good doing cardiac exercise. I was chasing my dogs ( who ran over next door to harass the neighbor's dachshund), and after I stopped running i felt a wave of dizziness and knew I needed to sit down. Today is one of those ' weak' days for my NCS, i could feel that before i even started running.If you are determined to jog as exercise, i would say to make sure that you only stop when you are in an area where you can lie down momentarily to cool off. Take the cool down slow, then lay down for a few minutes, flexing your leg muscles as you do. then slowly work your way to getting back up after your HR and stuff has stablized.Otherwise, I have found that swimming is a great exercise for dysautonomia, as you are practically horizontal most of the time anyway, and the water cools you down and keeps things stable.Also, while jogging i would consider bringing salt tablets with you to munch on while moving, so that when you stop it won't be quite so harsh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinner Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 maybe a treadmill at home with someone right there is best before you attemptrunning???? Just a thought.I always err on the side of caution.For example, i never excercise when its hot, i wait for dusk.I walk uphill, often walking with a bicycle in case i need to coast home. We need to really know our symptoms and triggers, and be in our best condition that is possiblebefore attempting anything more challenging than we're really prepared for or dont knowhow will turn out.Not giving advice, but following how i do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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