hholmes13 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hi Everyone!I haven't been very active on here for awhile as I have been doing quite well the last year or so. Life has just been quite busy since I was back to working full time and my daughter is in school. I have been logging on and reading on here, just not posting. I saw someone mention they wanted to hear from people who have improved, so I thought I would share what I have been doing. When POTS hit me in April of 2011, I was training for a half marathon. The 2 years it took to get my symptoms controlled obviously put that to a screaming halt. At one point, I was out of work for almost 4 months. I had multiple docs tell me because of EDS/POTS, it would be unlikely that ever doing something like a half marathon would be possible for me even though my symptoms were finally getting controlled. Well, that was enough to make me want to prove them wrong. (Spite is a powerful motivator!) I first did a round of P90X this spring to get my muscles ready and then started running in June. My training had its ups and downs, but I am so proud to report that in September I completed a 10 mile road race and that yesterday, I ran my first half marathon! It was a pretty tough terrain to run on, so my time wasn't quite as fast as I had planned, but I ran the entire 13.1 miles without walking once! This was a very personal goal for me because at my worst point, we weren't sure if I would be able to work again. We were looking into long term disability/SSI. I got so overwhelmed at the finish line yesterday. My mom was waiting for me there, and as soon as I crossed and got my finisher medal, we just sat there and hugged and cried. That is a moment I am going to carry with me for the rest of my life. I don't know how long this good spell I have had the past year or so will last. I hope it will be long-term, but either way I am so thankful for what I have been able to accomplish. I wanted to let those of you struggling know that things can get better. I hope everyone here is well and is hanging in there. I check on you all here often and am always sending positive vibes your way when I see your struggles even if I don't get a chance to post a reply. This site is such a wealth of information and support. You guys were a huge help when I was at my worst, and I will always be grateful for that. Sorry this got a little long, I really wanted a chance to share a happy story. Best wishes to you all,Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imapumpkin Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 thanks for the story! gives us hope =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katybug Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Congratulations, Heather! It's wonderful to hear you are doing well and have accomplished such a huge milestone in your recovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigskyfam Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 I felt like I was there with you... You tell a great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueskies Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Great news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjensen Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 That is great. I hope that you share another update saying that you are continuing to do well. Good for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noonoo Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Amazing! Well done and thank you x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenLR Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Thanks so much for posting a positive story! Congratulations on your tremendous accomplishment. I hope you continue to improve and are able to live a life of great health! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1234 Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 What an awesome story!! Thanks so much for telling us about your improvements and achievements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nymph Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Heather, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you. Thanks for sharing, too. It's very encouraging. As someone who thought all of my fatigue was autoimmune, and then learned some might be from POTS and that maybe exercise can help, your story is really an inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Thanks Heather, I love encouraging stories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Findinghope Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 That is SO awesome. I am getting ready to start the 21 day challenge and this totally motivates me. I want to get back into shape even when I don't feel good I feel better when I know I am in good condition. What meds are you taking how are you controlling this? I am just curious. I go back to my Dr. on the 23rd I want to start training. Not sure about you but I feel pretty good running but its when I stop I feel the worst.Again Congrats and thanks so much for sharing it made my night!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imre Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 wow congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hholmes13 Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Thanks so much everyone! findinghope I am taking Mestinon and Midodrine to keep things controlled. I also drink lots of water every day. Now that the weather is cooler, I don't have to be quite as careful as I did this summer. A few times this summer with the heat/humidity, I had to slow things down because I could feel my POTS starting to flare. It didn't take much to make me dizzy if I got overheated. I tried to counter this by being well hydrated and exercising early in the morning or later in the evening.Even though I have been doing well, my heat intolerance has never gone away unfortunately. Luckily for me, I don't feel bad after I stop. I have been feeling pretty close to normal. I can tell if I have overdone things, and then I know to pull back. Make sure to listen to your body. That is the most important thing. I am also doing karate classes two nights a week. This has been really fun exercise for me. I will hopefully be testing for my blue belt in the next few months. I am hoping to have my black belt sometime in the next 2 years. Oh and one other positive that came from all this exercise...I can take a shower without laying down afterward! Even when I felt good, hot showers and washing my hair were miserable. I would still end up laying on my bed for a good 15 minutes afterward because I would be so nauseated and dizzy. That doesn't happen at all anymore. I was so excited when I realized that a few months ago because that was one of the remaining issues I couldn't seem to shake.Thanks again! I will definitely keep you all posted on how things are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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