Does bending over trigger your symptoms or is that linked to another issue?

[lieze]

I have a full house here and many things end up on the floor. I can bend once or twice but when I start looking around and there are a dozen things laying on the floor I get overwhelmed. I’m not sure I’m tolerating all this bending well. I have had grippers from time to time but I think the ones I gave bought have been cheaply made and fall apart easily. I’m looking more at getting a heavy duty one that can handle picking up heavier items. Either that or get a kid to help with that task. 

It honestly has been a cause of much frustration that my family will just leave things on the floor or I think my husband will purposely go to the store and come home pull the food out and throw the bags on the floor and there they lay. It is a small thing not worth fighting over. But I think it might be my POTS or health in general that makes some of this stuff that should be trivial like climbing a mountain for me. 

I realize my family already sacrifices and have to put up with having a sick mom/ sick wife is how they view me I think.

yesterday when I walked out to the kitchen and saw the bags once again on the floor I was like screw it just get a gripper pick the stuff up and quit stressing over it.

i just wondered if you think it’s POTS that makes all of this more challenging both physically and emotionally. 

[dancer65]

I use to go really dizzy when I bent over when I was at my worst. I used to sit on my bum and scoot around the floor! 

I understand your frustration it's awful not being able to do what you want, it's even worse when someone else made the mess! I use to feel exhausted just getting up so seeing chores that needed doing use to make my heart sink. I am so grateful i am no longer like this most days . I really think it's hard for others to really appreciate how hard simple things can be for us. 

Could you not make chores list for each child/ teenager . I use to reward mine for helping eg  pocket money,  choosing what we did at the weekend, choosing a movie .

 

 

 

 

 

[Goodr189]

Surprisingly bending over while walking or standing drops my heart rate. I can be at 130 standing and go strat to 80ish bending over. It's like pressure on the vagnus nerve helps.

[Pistol]

@lieze - yes, bending over makes my symptoms much worse. If I pick up things off the floor as you describe ( like straightening a room ) I get very lightheaded and often feel like passing out. I have to take my time, rest after every few minutes and have even picked up while sitting on the floor, to avoid getting up and down.  ( I thought about sitting on a mop while doing that - saves time mopping, too! 😁) 

[p8d]

I asked my neuro about this a couple of years ago and she said it’s basically like doing a mild valsalva maneuver.  I have a grabber and I think years of PT and strengthening have helped.  I still get dizzy if I do it too much but not as bad.

[Delta]

Hi,@lieze, in my case, it's the getting upright again *after* bending over!  One of the things my doc advised when I was first dx'd was, "Don't bend over and get up too quickly!"  Funny thing is that when my symptoms first hit, I actually was doing stuff in which I was repeatedly bending over and returning upright.  (Do you become symptomatic while you're bending over the first time, or after you have bent over, gotten up, and then bent over again to pick something else up)?  The grabber absolutely helps.  If you have a Harbor Freight near you, they have them for $2-$3, or you can order them from their Web site.  The type I have won't help if I'm wanting to pick up, say, a can of soup that fell on the kitchen floor, because the grippers don't open wide enough and there's no place on a can you can grab on to, but they help for almost anything you can manage to get a grip on.  And, as you said, they make heavier-duty ones, and ones with longer reach, etc.  You will probably laugh at this, but I have also used long kitchen tongs with rubber grippers to pick up some things!  They're not as long as the grabbers but, in some cases, they get the job done.

Another thing that helps me when I'm working outside (when it's not hot and sunny) is one of those little rolling carts you sit on and move along as you do things like pull weeds, etc.  I'm wondering if something like that might help you in your home; if the wheels wouldn't damage your floors, you could kind of roll from item to item to pick things up (have a li'l bag with you to put them in).  And if you're able, use your feet - I did this pre-POTS anyway just for fun - pick up soft stuff like clothes or grocery bags with your feet or even a broom handle or similar.

I'm sorry you're going through all of this frustration with such a houseful  - I thought I had a fullish house with a husband and several dogs!  I hope things improve for you soon.

 

 

[TCP]

I can't bend over as I get weak and lightheaded. I fall sometimes. I avoid it at all costs.

[bombsh3ll]

Bending over exacerbates the searing pain in my head, & coming back up again worsens the lightheadedness. 

I sit on the floor to pick things up, or get my kids to do it (as it is usually them who have dropped things).

B xxx

[Random-Symptom Man]

I'm right there with you! I've had to stop bending over. When I stand back up from a bent forward position, I pretty much always get faint, dizzy, nauseous and stay tachy for a while. If I do it twice in short time, I'll be useless for the rest of the day. Sometimes I get tinnitus or light sensitivity afterwards.

I don't wear shows with laces any more, so I don't have to bend over and tie them. It's slip on's all the time.

I usually don't wear shoes at home so I can pick things up with my toes. I'm getting better at it.  I've contemplated buying a grabber, but I know I'd forget the thing on the other side of the house - always. 

But thankfully, the kids have recently stepped up their game. 

[Pistol]

16 hours ago, Random-Symptom Man said:

But thankfully, the kids have recently stepped up their game. 

Wow - what's your secret? 😲

[Random-Symptom Man]

@Pistol - No secret. Just lucky. They're 9-year-old twins (boy girl). I think it's just a developmental phase they're in. My guess is that a year ago they wouldn't have been any help. In another year, they'll start showing pre-teen angst and start revolting. But I'll take the good mojo it while I can.

 

20 hours ago, Random-Symptom Man said:

I'm right there with you! I've had to stop bending over. When I stand back up from a bent forward position, I pretty much always get faint, dizzy, nauseous and stay tachy for a while. If I do it twice in short time, I'll be useless for the rest of the day. Sometimes I get tinnitus or light sensitivity afterwards.

I don't wear shows with laces any more, so I don't have to bend over and tie them. It's slip on's all the time.

I usually don't wear shoes at home so I can pick things up with my toes. I'm getting better at it.  I've contemplated buying a grabber, but I know I'd forget the thing on the other side of the house - always. 

But thankfully, the kids have recently stepped up their game. 

 

[lieze]

Thank you for all the replies and helpful suggestions. 

[Scout]

Bending definitely makes me feel worse. As does turning. 

I've noticed that when I am in a car, and the car turns, my head spins, often wildly, and I feel odd. Makes me feel unwell. 

It's actually made me interested in finding out if there's anything there linked with the baroreceptors (many of which are in the neck) — as I know that's a type of dysautonomia. 

Sometimes, when I bend or move my neck, it's like I can feel my neck muscles or carotid artery, sort of clenching or spasming. It's very hard to explain. But a very strange feeling, indeed.

I'm sorry to hear so many other people are also having this reaction when we move our necks! It's not pleasant at all. 

[lieze]

Scout one of my episodes at work was triggered when I turned to look over my shoulder so I get what you are saying. I had been “okay” up til that point so I have also wondered what was up with this head turning ability to trigger an episode. 

[DizzyPopcorn]

Bending difficulties was my first symptom.  Its definitely a trigger for me as well. Thats why i usually use my feet to pick things up

[Tstotts]

I have severe symtoms  when I get down on the ground and bend forward and have all of my life. I tachycardia, tunnel vision and severe coathanger pain in my neck shoulders. I havent been diagnosed yet as the VA doesnt seem to want to figure out what is wrong with me. They think Diabetes out of control is the cause even though I have had symptoms as long as I remember. I also get motion sickness very easily. So frustrating. 

[DizzyPopcorn]

On 9/13/2019 at 9:57 PM, Tstotts said:

I have severe symtoms  when I get down on the ground and bend forward and have all of my life. I tachycardia, tunnel vision and severe coathanger pain in my neck shoulders. I havent been diagnosed yet as the VA doesnt seem to want to figure out what is wrong with me. They think Diabetes out of control is the cause even though I have had symptoms as long as I remember. I also get motion sickness very easily. So frustrating. 

Did they give you a glucometer so you could test yourself at home at least? 

[Tstotts]

Yes, they did give me a glucometer and a pharmacist and home monitoring. But, they seem to be stuck on the Diabetes thing and its frustrating. 

[DizzyPopcorn]

2 hours ago, Tstotts said:

Yes, they did give me a glucometer and a pharmacist and home monitoring. But, they seem to be stuck on the Diabetes thing and its frustrating. 

But if your readings are normal after a few weeks, then it's not diabetes and they should move on to something else. 

How long have you been testing yourself? 

[Tstotts]

I definately have Diabetes. But the Autonomic syptoms  have had all my life and they are getting worse. i have gone on a No Sugar No Grain diet and that is helping my bloodsugar and I hope to be off of insulin by the end of the year.