CHOP Exercise Protocol Making Me Feel Crappy

[Knellie]

Okay so I know that the exercise protocols are supposed to make you feel crappy for a while but this is making me feel really bad. I can barely function. I started at the very beginning of the protocol, at week 1, day 1. If this is the easy part then the hard part is going to kill me off. How long does it take to feel better? I have classes starting in August and I can't feel this bad and do my classes at the same time so it has to get better. Any tips/advice/experiences? Thanks in advance

[MTRJ75]

I heard in one of the DI conference videos one year, a physical therapist said that you're going to fail if you haven't fully addressed any mast cell issues before embarking on something like this or any exercise program. Also, what are you doing? Do you have to go somewhere or have you found a way to do it at home? I couldn't find a way to do it without having to leave the house. 

I've tried to start with some pushups, light weight lifting and core exercises and it's been really tough. 

[MikeO]

My only suggestion for the exercise part is to only push as hard as you feel comfortable with and stop and rest if needed (moderate pain or discomfort). I did progressive incline walking on the treadmill was not always easy but have benefited by being able to tolerate walking on level surfaces for a longer distance.   

[Knellie]

@MTRJ75 - I ride my recumbent bike 3 days a week and I do strength training the other two. I do it at home because I have a recumbent bike and I can do the strength training exercises. I attached the exercise program my doctor sent me. I go really gentle and do the bare minimum but it still makes me feel really bad. 

POTS_Exercise_Program.pdf

[MTRJ75]

Part of my problem is that I don't know if I've overdone it until I'm done. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it right, but my body has problems shifting gears from active to inactive. I end up with blurred vision, shakiness and sweats after I start. 

[Sushi]

9 hours ago, MikeO said:

My only suggestion for the exercise part is to only push as hard as you feel comfortable with and stop and rest if needed (moderate pain or discomfort).

This is key for me as well. I successfully completed a cardiac rehab program which was individually tailored for me as a pa with Dysautonomia. It was only twice a week and I rested for 5 minutes after each short session on a machine. They monitored my pulse and oxygen after each tiny segment. In 4 months, I was able to double my exercise capacity without any crashing. 
I now follow a similar program at home, though without machines other than a peddle machine. The rest of the exercises use resistance (no cardio other than the peddle machine—and not on the same days as the other exercises though). This does not crash me. After about two weeks, I add one more rep of each exercise. The total time each day is 10 - 15 minutes now, though I started with much less.
I have found “baseline training” to work for me. For a couple of weeks you take note of any activity that you do that causes unwelcome symptoms and then for your baseline, you eliminate all those activities. I know this may be daunting but it seems to help increase tolerance of physical activity. From there you being to add TINY amounts of physical activity but back off if you get symptoms. The. You add a tiny bit more activity each couple of weeks as long as you don’t get symptoms. Requires a lot of patience but I find it works. (I didn’t invent this—it is part of well-known recovery programs.)

[Pistol]

4 hours ago, MTRJ75 said:

but my body has problems shifting gears from active to inactive.

Yes, @MTRJ75, the same happens to me. If I rest and then become active too fast I will pay for it. I have to carefully plan my active/rest periods in order to maintain some sort of balance.