Swimming

[Roselover]

I just got home from my first swim per Dr. Grubbs insistance. I love swimming and really enjoyed it, but my heart rate did go up over 160 at one point and I am extremely exhausted and my legs are cramping up. Of course, some of that is par for the course of being out of shape.

Dr. Grubb told me that I had to do it, but that it would make me feel worse. We'll see tomorrow. I know in the long run I will be helped at least a bit by strengthening my leg muscles, but I do wonder about the cardio workout, when just standing is a cardio workout

Do any of you swim? How has it impacted you? What do you all think about the HR stuff?

~Rose

[Ernie]

Hi,

I swim in the summer but I have to take it slowly because I would paralyze and drown.

[futurehope]

I'm finding this topic interesting. My doctor suggested "walking in water" to strengthen leg muscles.

I actually thought the idea amusing because before I had POTS I always found that being around the water and then getting out made me very tired.

I can't really imagine what would happen if I tried going in the water now. My guess is that I would have an excessively hight heartrate and I would feel woozy and dizzy and scared that I even tried.

I admire your courage in trying.

Where do you have a pool to use? Keep us posted on your progress.

[Guest tearose]

Good going Rose!

I'm not worried about my heart rate going into high spikes as long as the rates come back down too. When I walk on the treadmill my rates go anywhere from 68-180 bpm in spikes. I do average a better rhythm once I am doing the exercise regularly. Run it past your pcp if you are worried.

I can't imagine how you could manage a swimsuit in the winter!!! I would beg to wear a wetsuit. Is the pool kept at a therapeutic temperature? You are very brave!

I also mention temperature because if your body is struggling to stay warm and you are swimming...your heart was working very hard to supply all the demands you were putting on it.

Take it slow and have fun getting stronger!

tearose

[yogini]

Hi Roselover,

I got into swimming when I went to visit my parents last fall. I found that I was able to swim for 1/2 hr even though I couldn't ride a bike for 5 minutes. I came home and joined a gym with a pool, but I wound up with a couple of bad colds last year, so I decided to wait until the spring to get back into the pool. Right now it is freezing here, but I hope to start back up in a couple of weeks.

I had the same problem with the bike that you are having with the pool. I found that my HR went too high and I felt exhausted and had headaches/nausea for a while afterward. I know it's a big pain to get into the pool for such a short time, but maybe you could start out slowly and build up over time? I found that gradually increasing my level of exercise has really helped.

Good luck and let us know how it goes,

Rita

[gdomaracki]

Swimming. That's what my specialist wants me to start doing to help build up my leg muscles cause i'm pooling so bad. But I'm scared. He said not to get into hott water because it will only make me worse, and i'm scared that I will drown. Maybe, ill try the shallow end if i can work up enough courage to get it..just looking at the water makes me sick. lol. Best of luck to you, let us know if it helps you.

Nicole

[Roselover]

I'm trying out a health club that has three pools. An outdoor one only open in summer and two indoor pools. One is a theraputic pool (nice and warm) that is not deep (you wouldn't drown blondie) and the other is an olympic lap pool, but still kept at a pretty comofrtable temp. I called around and found the health club with the warmest pools. I love swimming and spent hours in the pool as a kid, but still I kept a kickboard with me in case I got in trouble.

Dr. Grubb told me a couple of things about swimming. One - it keeps you horizontal so less POTS problems, and the water works a little like compression around your legs so even water walking is easier on POTS than regular walking, it would strengthen the leg muscles so that they could help compensate for the lack of vein constiction and that it wouldn't neccessarily make me feel better, but I had to do it!

This morning, I feel a little sore, I'm tired and fuzzy in the head, and I didn't sleep very well last night. Wonder if that has anything to do with the exercise? Sure hope not... I NEED to keep sleeping or my Fibro acts up bad and that will ruin the exercise. With my Fibro, I know from some testing I've had that my body does not produce growth hormone when I exercise or when I don't sleep well and this causes the pain.

I'll let you all know how this trial goes and if I really keep up with this or if I give up after a couple weeks.

~Roselover

[Roselover]

An update on my attempt to excercise through swimming:

I've been able to get to about 10 min. of exercise. I feel great while I am swimming, though I tire out very quickly. Usually, my HR doesn't go much above 120 and the great thing is I DON'T feel like I'm going to pass out! Any other excersise would do that.

On the negative side, it sets me back - sometimes the day I swim, sometimes the next day, but everytime, I end up with most of my day in bed. A big price to pay. It's like being prescribed something that is good for you but makes you feel worse!

I do love the swimming though - I haven't felt the ability to be active without passing out for a long time so the activity is really fun. The afterwards is not. I wonder what it would be like to get an IV right after exercising? Well, that's one thing this fitness center does not offer

I think my legs are getting stronger.... I'll give you another update in a month or so and we'll see if my endurance increases or if it just stays the same and it'll always be like this.

Hugs to all my POTS friends!

~Roselover

[Sunfish]

Rose!

i'm super sorry that i wasn't able to chime in when you first posted but i have SO been thinking of you & your swimming. i was actually thinking about checking in with you to see how it's going so was excited to log on & see your update.

i can TOTALLY understand your explanation of things. i too feel great in the water but afterward is another story. i wish i could swim more often but i absolutely cannot if i have anything else that needs to be done in the least. but i do feel wonderful in the water (hence the "fish" part of my name ).

b/c i feel so great in the pool i have a hard time limiting myself but know i need to b/c more swimming makes a bigger crash for me afterward.

and i hope your pool is easy to get to...for me the parking is WAY too far from the athletic center & the pool is a trek even in the center. the only way i can do it is to use my wheelchair & even then the getting to & from is much rougher than the swimming itself. the one time i tried it without the chair it took me 2 hours to get back to my car from the pool. uh...yeah. not a good plan. but the parking distance makes the weather affect my ability to get there too....

but anyhoo...now i'm bordering on whining

i am glad you've been able to stick with the swimming and can empathize with the catch 22 of the enjoyment of it. i'll definitely be thinking of you. wish we were closer & could meet at the pool!

melissa

[Stace915]

I just got back from joining an indoor pool (at Dr.Grubbs request), I tried the treadmill last week and I could only make it for 8 minutes of slow walking and then I needed a 3 hour nap. When I got the tour of the pool I was upset because they have a full gym and I really wish I could work out and get back in shape. I have gained a few lbs from Florinef but mostly I just think exercising would make me feel better mentally and like I am actually doing something. Anyways I was just wondering if I should start out trying to laps in the pool, or just play around in the water, and how long I should spend in the water.

Anyone have a suggestion?

[runningshoe]

Just a few thougths...

I love to swim but have only tried it once since my dx because I am such a newbie. I think it is important to have someone watching you so you don't worry about what will happen if you pass out. The Worry makes everything more intense. Use a kick board at first so you are not adding in the breathing and arm component - that is very strenuous. Go super slow becaue even that will tone you. I am anxious to get back in the pool but my job/kids/dog take all my energy now. I think the wet suit is a great idea because then our bodies are not dealing with temp issues as well. It would also hide the fact that it is hard to shave when you are wobbly standing up in the shower!! Swim on....!

[Jan]

I swim in a "theraputic pool" with warm water at a center designed for handicapped people. I swim a few laps but most of the time I paddle around on a "noodle" and then I can exercise my arms and legs without increasing my heart rate.

I feel really good all day after wards, and the next day.

The other advantage of being in the center vs. a gym, is the other people all have a handicap of some kind and I usually feel grateful that I have both legs and arms when I leave.

[Stace915]

I am off for my first swim, I will let everyone know how it goes!

[kholdefer]

Hi everyone,

I haven't written in a while, because I've been feeling crappy but I wanted to chime in on this one. My cardiologist is very insistent that I swim, so I swim. It is very hard, because I am so tired afterwards. I have been experimenting with different methods for a while, and I am in a routine that seems to work for me for now. I swim for about 20 minutes every other day. I feel really good in the water, but like many of you, I've kind of shot for the rest of the day. That is why I do it every other day. It is important for my mental health that I can get a few things done the following day.

My card would also like me to do more walking and wieght lifting, but I physically can't right now.

Good luck to all of you who are trying to swim. Try not to push it even if it feels good in the water, because you might pay afterwards.

[Elegiamore]

Dear POTS swimmers,

Can anyone give me some ideas, or a website, of what exercises I should start with in the water? My POTS is under control right now, so I'm not afraid of syncope, but I am so deconditioned that I'm afraid I'll do too much.

I am not supposed to be walking, as I have damaged my feet (tendonitis/two types) from walking too fast/long-once my POTS/CFS got better, I couldn't judge when to stop. The lady at the Y says that 15 minutes walking in the water is like 45 on land - goodness, how in the world do I start?

My ortho doctor is absolutely no help and won't return my calls - any advice? I am in such pain from deconditioning/fibro that I can hardly wash my hair (not that showering is easy for any of us).

Thank you for your ideas and experiences....

Elegiamore

[ellen]

I bought a heart monitor watch, water proof for swimming, and it helps me pace myself. It has an alarm when your heart rate goes either too high or too low. It also has a timer. I love swimming with it. :lol:

[Jan]

Would walking in the water be OK on your feet? A lot of people at the pool I go to just walk back and forth.

When I started swimming at a therapeutic pool, before I could do independent swim I had to meet with a physical therapist in the water, who asked what I wanted to work on and had a whole list of exercises a person can do in the water. I wonder if the Y has someone like that. If not, could you get a referral to a PT who knows knows about water exercises or maybe they could just print up a list of water exercises.

The pool I go to has spongy type weights where you "lift" weights by putting them under water, and they have weights for your legs and floating noodles etc.

There a fibro exercise groups at my pool too. I bet a PT would have water exercises designed just for that.

I sure hope this works for you, I went to the pool today and feel GREAT as a result. I never overdo it, sometimes it seems like just floating resets my autonomic system.

[lalalisa]

Roselover,

Hello! I'm sorry it has taken me a while to join in. I'm excited for you as you begin this challenge.

I, like you, was told by Dr. Grubb that I had to exercise. Swimming was definitely the form of exercise that he recommended so I went for it. I've been swimming now for about 10 months and have definitely made slow but steady progress. 10 months ago I started out by just getting in the pool and holding on to a kickboard (for dear life!) and kicking for a couple of minutes. I now "swim" 6-7 laps in an Olympic sized pool. I still use the kickboard for half of the laps and then I swim on my back for the rest (the back stroke is much easier than an all out "free style" stroke which wear me out way too quickly)

For the first few months I got a LOT of rebound fatigue....meaning I was just completely done for the entire day - and sometimes the next. I am happy to say that I now get less rebound fatigue and after a long nap I usual feel ok the rest of the day after a swim. Al this to say that it gets easier. The beginning is DEFINITELY the hardest part.

I also wanted to add that I am definitely noticing that my legs and arms are quite a bit stronger than a year ago. (i actually can see muscles!) I am also overall feeling a "notch" less fatigued - as you know every "notch" counts!

Please feel free to ask anything.

Cheering you on!!

Lisa

[flop]

I was once a competitive swimmer and got selected for our national squad when I was 14. I got bored of swimming and haven't really swum much at all in the last few years. The friend that helps care for me dragged me off to her gym to go swimming a while back. I did rather over-do things by doing 20 laps of a 25m pool (I used to do 50 laps of a 33m pool as a gentle warm-up before starting a training session!!). I was really tired for several days afterwards but really enjoyed the freedom of the water.

Now that my chest infection is clearing I am planning on going again but limiting myself to 5 lengths and then sitting in the spa pool to relax.

The worst part for me is having to shower and wash my hair afterwards. I have really frizzy longish hair that has to be deep conditioned then blow-dried and straightened to stop me looking like I've been electrocuted. I can't stand for long enough in the shower to wash my own hair and holding the dryer / straightners above shoulder height is impossible at the moment especially with the heat involved. I've tried swimming caps but my hair still gets soaked with chlorine. Any suggestions as I would really like to start swimming regularly again (I'll try anything that might help the POTS).

Flop

[lalalisa]

Flop,

Hello! Wow, you are quite the swimmer!

The only suggestions I could think of were possibly showering in a handicapped stall (the kind with a bench). I also blow dry my hair and get ready while sitting on a stool afterwards. (the locker room where I go has tons of stools just sitting around so I take advantage!)

(I avoid sitting in the jacuzzi because the heat makes me so symptomatic)

Take care!

Lisa

[lthomas521]

I used to live on a sailboat, and I used to like swimming. But around the time I really started having trouble with POTS, I really started to hate swimming. I was cold all the time, even when everyone else was comfortable.

[yogini]

I did water exercises for a while and had the same problem showering. I put conditioner in my hair before swimming and then took a break before showering - either stting in a chair by the pool, or just going home and resting for an hr before showering. It isn't great for your skin or hair to wait, but it was much easier for my POTS....

[flop]

Thanks for the suggestion about using conditioner before swimming - I guess it makes it easier to get the chlorine out and protects your hair? The gym make you shower before using the pool anyway so I guess throwing o load of conditioner on shouldn't be too much extra work.

I'm lucky that this friend's gym has steam rooms, sauna and jaccuzzi which I obviously avoid but it also has a spa pool which is just about right for sitting in without getting cold, without being like a jaccuzzi. The air/water jets are so powerful that you can float on your back and get a massage at the same time. I think that it only really the spa that will persuade me that the effort is worth it.

I have only been to this gym once and I didn't notice any disabled shower cubicles but I shall phone and ask them. If not maybe they could get a plastic shower chair? I'm waiting to see an occupational therapist to try to get a shower chair for my house.

The hairdryer problem is unfortunately still a problem when sitting down. The effort of holding the dryer above my head and the heat is just too much for me. I will have to persuade someone else to do my hair for me (I have to get people to help when I just wash it normally or pay to go to the hairdresser's).

Lets try to keep this thread going for a bit as I know I am going to need encouragement to actually make the effort to go swimming. I'm sure with a bit of support we can encourage each other?

Happy swimming,

Flop

[Guest tearose]

Good for all you able to swim!! This is great.

I wish I could tolerate the water! I even went to a therapy pool...I get so cold in water that after 10 minutes I am shivering and some of me is turning blue. I hate then getting out and being in a cold, wet bathing suit and trying to get showered and dried and dressed...it is just all too much for me! I even have a (second hand) partial wet-suit and don't have the courage right now to try to get wet!

I enjoy the feeling of being in water and I know it is healthy...I just have no energy to deal with that shivering!!! Give me a large hot tub and 90 degree air temperature and then I'm better.

go figure, tearose

[Roselover]

Hi everyone!

Since I started this post... I have been swimming regularly. I also use the weight machines and sometimes the recumbent bicycle. The weights I use are very minimal ( I go with my daughter who is a dancer and I put the weight at the top and she moves it to the middle of the stake ) LOL!

So after almost a year of swimming and exercising here's what I've found.

1. I LOVE the feel of being in the water... it's a weightless freedom I never feel at any other time. Some times I just float around and swim underwater like a seal just to feel the freedom of movement!

2. Crawl stroke is still almost impossible for me - even after a year of consistency. I swim breaststroke and back stroke and side stroke, attempting to use all my muscles. I often use a kickboard. When I first started I only swam with a kickboard becuase I was too scared. My husband would sit and watch me. But after a while I gained confidence and did it all my self.

3. The hardest and scariest part is getting out. I almost always feel close to passing out. I do lots of head down, stooping etc... and I swim in the lane right next to the stairs and there are benches right there to sit.

4. The very hardest part - like may of you have said... is the shower afterwards. My gym does have a handicap shower, but often, there are others who have put their clothes and towles on the chair - this frustrates me a lot when I know I need to sit to shower.

5. I enjoy the weight machines... many of them allow me lay back or I don't sit up long. I avoid all the machines that require me to lift my arms above my head... but my muscles have become much stronger.

6. At the begining, I noticed some very slow improvement in my stamina... but it only went so far. I've now faced the fact that doing this exercise in not about getting stronger. I have exersice intolerance... and it doesn't go away just because I am consistent. This has been hard to accept having been very athletic before this illness. But it is about keeping muscle and trying to avoid osteoperosis in the future, so I force myself to keep going. A typical week for me is exercise one day with a long nap that afternoon - worse fatigue the second day and by the third day I exercise again. It's is basically ALL I can do in life! But I've learned to make it fun and going with my daughter is really great.

7. I CAN NOT drive after I have exercised!!! My sight is often blurry- my head doesn't think straight... etc... so my daughter drives.

8. There are times where my fatigue is so severe that I can not exercise at all... then I just rest... take a break even for a month or more and when I can, I get back to it. I figure this is going to be life long!

As for ideas for excersing in a pool... I would suggest anyone who is just starting to just enjoy the weightlessness, swim around alittle, and do some normal stretches you might want to do on land. Holding the side of the pool so you're vertical is best for the POTS... kick your legs a little, stretch them back and forth and don't push too hard!. And we need to not be afraid to get our heart rate up a little... that's what exercise is all about... of course - we mustn't go too far with this either. But talk to your cardio about how high he/she is comfortable with when you are exercising! When my HR goes to high with swimming - which some days it doesn - I just stop and go very slowly with a kickboard or just hold the edge and swing my legs!

Well there's a swimming novel for you!!! But I thought I should share how it's gone for me!

~Roselover