Bowling

[hilfgirl33]

Was just wondering if anyone has any problems with bowling? I was thinking that this might be a good activity for me to do, not very strenuous, able to sit down a lot - thank God LOL, lots of evening leagues - a better time of the day for me. I do have problems with certain lighting and vision at times. Was wondering if anyone does this or what you do for social entertainment. I mean, bar hopping is out, jogging and going to the gym are out (for me anyway), eating out as a recreational activity is too fattening.

Any ideas?

[MomtoGiuliana]

Bar-hopping, jogging and going to a gym are also out for me. But none of these are things I really was into prior to POTS anyway.

Bowling sounds great. As you said you can sit down when you need to. You aren't raising your arms over your head with that activity, which bothers many POTS patients. I have trouble adjusting to loud, indoor activities with artificial lighting. I don't know why this is, but it seems to cause my autonomic system to go a little off balance. I prefer exercising/recreating outside for that reason.

For exercise I walk a lot, pushing my daughter in her stroller. Walking is supposed to help reset your autonomic system--according to Dr. Weil and physicians of his thinking. I suspect this is true. For recreation we also go to the beach--but late in the day--like after 4 PM. It's a bit cooler then and the UV light isn't as bad. In the winter, we bundle up and walk the board walk or at a local nature park with our dogs. I also do yoga (used to take two classes a week) and am thinking about starting a pilates class once a week.

Katherine

[briarrose]

The bowling thing.

I haven't been bowling in years until recently. My kids talked me into going cosmic bowling with them. That's where they turn the over-head lighting down, turn on a strobe light and have shooting lights down the alley. OH MY GOSH, it was horrendous. I was so disoriented and dizzy that I fell on my butt. I didn't want to ruin the kids night out so I just kind of faked it. But it was too much stimulation and fatigued me. I couldn't really find a great fitting ball so my hand hurt from the first throw. By the time we were done I could barely drive us back home and I had problems with my hand for the next week.

But don't let my story scare you off!

I'm sure under normal circumstances AND depending on what kinds of symptoms you suffer from, you might have a better experience.

If the lights would have been on and there wouldn't have been loud music, I would have done much better. The only problems I would have had were my hand issue, muscle spasms flared up in my back and the Extreme over heating from the activity. I found my self constantly leaning over the air by the ball return to cool off and I'm a person that is normally always cold.

steph

[nantynannie]

The only thing I can think in regards to bowling, besides what was already mentioned, is carrying the bowling ball might give you extra symptoms. For me, if I even pick up my purse my heart beats faster.

Check it out and see what happens! Good luck with it.

Ann

[hilfgirl33]

Thanks. My bowling alley doesn't have disco lights, as far as I know, but I definitely have a hard time with lots of lights. The Christmas lights in the mall drive me insane.

I may pop in on a league night and just see how much it is. I hate to join and then not be able to go through with it.

I was thinking about the strain of throwing the ball down the alley, too, but since I can rest in between I was thinking it might be okay. My symptoms have been pretty good lately, but that is cyclical for me too.