Dizzy Dame Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Hi All,Over the past few days I've been feeling well enough to begin "exercising" again. I've started by walking up and down the hallway outside my apartment. I started with 2 minutes and today was able to extend it to a 5 minute walk . Suprisingly, with the combination of the AC and the low light levels I feel pretty good when I'm walking, much better than if I were to go outside. I've noticed, however, that when I'm actually exercising, I feel okay. In fact, today as I was finishing my five minutes, I realized I wasn't dizzy at all. I felt my pulse and it was "normal", maybe 100 bpm, which is to be expected when a person is walking. I came in and took my blood pressure immediatley after sitting down and it was also normal. However, within a few minutes of sitting down, the dizziness struck. I feel like my brain up and melted out of my ears, and I also feel a bit short of breath. My pulse and BP are both normal, so I can't figure out what's making me feel so sick. Does anyone also experience this after exercising? Do you know what's causing it?Perplexed,Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kortnei Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 I too feel fine when walking...but when I stop walking the problems start. I will tell you too housework is hard for me because of all the bending and what not. It just wears me out very quickly. But hey I can walk away from the mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Sounds to me like your body has trouble adjusting to the "change" from motion to stationary.Maybe you need a "cool down" where you just move arms or legs a bit before going totally stationary.I bet with time, your body would adjust. Sometimes we have to go through a period of adjustment when the body learns the new activities we are doing. I know when I had dizziness (before POTS) the Hopkins clinic where I went for it had me doing exercises that actually made me dizzier. But with time it diminished.Other than that, I assume you've had your heart checked out and it is okay, right?I'm glad you were able to do some walking. It took me a while to get used to everything I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Dame Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Ha! Courtney, you made me chuckle. I don't think we've "talked" before, so welcome to the forum!Futurehope, I have an abnormal EKG...funny T-waves, PVC's, PAC's...I have just about every idiopathic or benign arrhythmia that exists! I think you might be on to something when you suggested my body isn't used to the changes. That makes sense to me seeing as I haven't been able to exercise regularly since getting sick, I'm sure my body's like "what the h*** is going on here?!?". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquie802 Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 When I saw your post I had to reply, because I am fine if I am walking outside, etc. but once I go to sit down or stop walking I get lots of dizziness!Jacquie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kortnei Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Dizzy Dame,Glad I could make you chuckle! Nice to meet you too. I have a few of your DX's also. Peripheral neuropathy and Fibro. I also have EDS so my husband keeps telling me to find people like me I should go to the circus Glad to find a friend on-line and not at the circus though.Sincerely,Kortnei Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dionna Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 i get dizzy immediately after walking or running. okay i say running because when i first started passing out i still tried to run my 10 miles a day... i pass out a lot though. eventually the marine corps listened to me and they didn't "make" me run anymore. i would always have marines wait at the finish for me to catch me because times i stop running... i would faint. same with walking. if i keep pushig myself until i can sit or get to where it is safe for me to pass out... i keep a steady pace and then allow my body to do whatever it wants to when it is better for me. okay now i am dizzy when walking or whatever but it is just more so when i stop. make sense. i don't know why our bodies have to adjust like this... perhaps the sudden drop in the blood pressure and whatever with the heart rate since we aren't exactly excerting ourselves any more. who knows? be careful and i hope you are able to continue your walks.dionna i'm in bethesda every now and then. i use to live there at the naval hospital. i saw on your thing that you are dc metro and i checked out your websites... that food from Hawaii that you mentioned you wanted to find in the dc area.... i have been trying to look for you but i haven't had any luck. i will let you know if i do though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Dame Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 Oh thanks Dionna! I think I'm just going to have to learn to make them myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyamby1981 Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Same here! I think that's why it's so easy for me to OVER do it. I do know though that if I do a little everyday, I feel better. It's the over doing it that I haven't figured out yet.Amber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jersey Girl Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hi! I have the same thing happen to me when I exercise -as long as it is not too hot (which it is now) or I don't have my period AND I don't over do it, I feel so much better once I get started, but then 15 minutes later after stopping I am dizzy again. I was told that during exercise the skeletal muscles pump the blood more effectively to your brain. Swimming for me is better tolerated because I am supine! (I tried shoveling snow once and because it was cold, I could actually last about 20 minutes and surprised myself.) Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miriam Poorman-Knox Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 This is perfectly normal. We need to stretch sitting for about 5-10 minutes so that our blood flow gets back to normal. It doesn't seem like alot, but it works. Miriam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunfish Posted August 2, 2006 Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 hi lauren-sorry i'm a bit late in replying, but i do have an explanation for you - at least the one that was given to me by dr. grubb many years back. in my initial years of syncope, i was pretty darn healthy in between to the extent that i did triathlons, varsity sports, etc. at that time i was okay as long as i was moving. watch out below though if i came to any kind of stop. timber in recent years when i've been able to do some activity - recumbant bike in cardia rehab last year, swimming, etc. - i've NEVER been able to stand afterward without laying down for a decent amount of time afterward. and sitting has always been at best uncomfortable. now i'm lucky to be able to get some seated stretching in along with a few walks of less than a minute each (within my apartment) but that's not really the point at the moment.back to the explanation though. essentially by moving muscles are helping to keep circulation going throughout the body, thus helping keeping BP/HR/blood flow more stable for many. upon stopping the "muscle help" also stops and thus a system/body that isn't so grand at regulating itself may struggle while readjusting. makes a lot of sense to me....hope this helps, melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Dame Posted August 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2006 That makes perfect sense Melissa, thanks! I'm hoping that with time, my body will become better at managing the transition between "active" and "resting"...but if it can't manage the transition between sitting and standing, I guess it would be fair to assume it won't adjust to this either No matter. I'm going to keep exercising as long as I can.I hope you're feeling a bit better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldicedance Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Our Fish's reply was what I was going to say. Walking keeps your blood circulating better and your heart pumping. At times during my numerous hospital stays, I encountered the same thing--a walk was ok, but afterwards the symptoms appeared with a vengeance.Also, I have learned to take the "cocktail party" position when I am standing. I cross my ankles. That help's keep the blood from pooling as much.Moreover, I think there is some deconditioning going on.Keep plugging away...hopefully, each day will be better than the next.Lois Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Hi Lauren,I'm glad you're feeling up to exercising these days! Just wanted to say me too - I definitely had this symptom. I still get it sometimes (rarely) - but it has improved a lot over time. Mine used to last a couple of hrs. A few times it lasted for a day or two, which meant I was exercising too hard. Cooling down does help a lot, but if you're starting out by walking there's not much you can do to cool down - LOL! -Rita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Dame Posted August 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 Hey Guys,I just wanted to say that I've been sticking with the exercise, and have started stretching a bit as soon as I'm done with my walk. I think the stretching seems to be working since I haven't been getting as dizzy since I started it, also I think my body's starting to get used to the exercise a bit on its own. I just finished a 7 min walk and aside for about 1 minute of lightheadedness when I stopped, I feel fine. Hopefully I'll be able to continue to "work out" by going on these walks. My goal for the end of August is to be able to do 15 minutes of walking with minimal dizziness afterwards. Thanks again for your comments and suggestions, they really helped!Hugs,Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdqm Posted August 3, 2006 Report Share Posted August 3, 2006 i am also ok exercising, but i need to do the cooldown/stretching laying down. even sitting after exercising i go unconsious. the physical therapy i was doing to i scared the staff every time i laid down, and finally they discharged me because they were so afraid i was going to pass out all the time. i kept telling them i laid down so i would NOT pass out, but they did not care. it was the same building as my pcp so they had to call him over every time i passed out. it probibly was becoming to much paperwork Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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