System Not Calming Down After Cardio Workout

[Primetime]

Cardio exercise of any type has always made me very sick. Much more so than resistance training although that is bad also. It does not matter if I am in a pool swimming or on a bike, etc. What happens is kind of hard to describe in a way -- but -- it is like -- the feeling you get when you are really exerting yourself, like running, you feel that burning in your chest from breathing heavy, your heart is beating fast and you are breathless . I know these are normal sensations while performing cardio; however, when my cardio work is over -- these symptoms never go away completely. It's like my body does not calm down. If I make the mistake of eating within several hours of finishing the cardio, I get really bad chest pain that can last for several days. I can't do much of anything and I am breathless for up to 5 days after doing cardio. I also can feel abnormal heart beats during this time -- often associated with a feeling like I am going to pass out or "white out" - my vision grays out. Taking extra beta blockers helps somewhat but does not stop it. It's like my heart is starved for oxygen or blood or something. Do any of you have similiar trouble?

Lately I have been trying to start resistance training (again) , but even with that it's like I have to take baby steps. Spacing the workouts out for apart. Not doing each bodypart but about once a week. Not doing but a couple of sets each training day. I am only doing legs at this point. I can't squeeze any more body parts in. It's too much of a physical tool. I'm taking more beta blocker now that I am working out. It's been a roller coaster for 15 years. Sometimes I get nervous that I will have a heart attack or that my body is just going to "quit" on me.

Do you have similiar experiences on exercise?

[yogini]

Hi. I have had a lot of trouble doing cardio. I've had to work my way up from 2 min to 5 min to 10 min all the way up to 45 minutes. I've recently discovered that it helps to wear compression hose when I exercise. Other things that help are monitoring my HR closely (and not letting it get too high) and also taking my time to cool down, even lie down if needed afterword. I can't do resistance exercises much, but I have found that doing pilates with a trainer on a pilates machine is really effective.

[Primetime]

Thank you for replying to my post. I am glad to hear you were able to build up your exercise time. That is very helpful to us with dysautonomia.

Do you wear the hose while swimming? How long did it take you to work up from 2 minutes to 45 minutes.

[Sushi]

I have a reaction like that, though not as intense. For me I think that cardio workouts hype up the sympathetic system and it just can't turn off. I have had pretty good results taking meds that calm it down, or taking them before the workout and preventing it. But slowly increasing the time seems to be the way to go--very slowly!

[yogini]

It took me six months to go from riding 2 minutes on the bike to go to 45 min on the bike and then another year to be able to do 45 min on the elliptical. Exercising upright is really tough, although I just discovered the trick with the compression hose recently after my latest crash. I must admit that there were a few months here and there during that time when I didn't exercise at all - and when I re-started I had to take a few steps back. But going slowly and steadily really worked for me.

!

I didn't wear compression hose in the water - I believe the water acts like compression hose. Actually my HR has been in the 70s/80s when upright in the pool!