Exercising with POTS can be a challenge - but there’s loads of activities you can do while horizontal. Ankle pumps, calf raises and butt squeezes have helped keep my legs strong without exhausting my heart. Swimming can be great for those who tolerate it.
Heavy meals high in carbohydrates can trigger tachycardia - so where possible I eat smaller meals with higher amounts of protein & fat. With MCAS mixed in this gets extra challenging but it’s worth the effort to avoid the post carb crash.
If you are experiencing severe tachycardia and dizziness - the best position to be in is legs up the wall. I will lay this way and put an ice pack on the back of my neck which helps to lower the heart rate quickly. Deep breathing & vagus nerve exercises help as well.
Standing still is always harder than walking. When we walk the motion keeps blood flowing. When standing still it pools faster & you get symptomatic quicker. Some of my worst fainting spells were after long waits in line or being on public transit unable to get a seat.
I found that learning creative ways to shuffle my weight in cramped spaces really helped reduce those episodes. If stuck in a crowded line I would stand on one leg or in yoga poses that engaged my leg muscles & kept the blood pumping.
It’s an awkward thing to do and people did sometimes stare - but what I learned over the years is they stare far more if you faint and an ambulance has to be called. So I put strangers staring out of my mind & stood whatever way resulted in the least amount of symptoms.
Remember that it’s always ok to sit down. It’s ok to take a break. You’re not being rude or weak - you’re respecting the limits of your body. Most people never have to think about their autonomic nervous system because it functions properly without effort.
As a result most people can’t understand the incredible difficulty of managing a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system. But the good news is it CAN be managed. These lifestyle tips make a big difference - and there’s a number of medications that can help as well.
Join patient support groups, find online communities that can help & adapt these tips to suit your personal circumstances. Your body will thank you. And never be afraid to lay down - wherever you are! Embrace the horizontal!
Broadwaybabyto /
npub1ll…8pa5s
2024-06-06 05:01:19
in reply to nevent1q…uvt3
Author Public Key
npub1llpk8d2y7t2mecc93rwufl9ta42qu400cn977c3v9wfl7sgmjhxsm8pa5sPublished at
2024-06-06 05:01:19Event JSON
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"content": "Exercising with POTS can be a challenge - but there’s loads of activities you can do while horizontal. Ankle pumps, calf raises and butt squeezes have helped keep my legs strong without exhausting my heart. Swimming can be great for those who tolerate it.\n\nHeavy meals high in carbohydrates can trigger tachycardia - so where possible I eat smaller meals with higher amounts of protein \u0026 fat. With MCAS mixed in this gets extra challenging but it’s worth the effort to avoid the post carb crash. \n\nIf you are experiencing severe tachycardia and dizziness - the best position to be in is legs up the wall. I will lay this way and put an ice pack on the back of my neck which helps to lower the heart rate quickly. Deep breathing \u0026 vagus nerve exercises help as well. \n\nStanding still is always harder than walking. When we walk the motion keeps blood flowing. When standing still it pools faster \u0026 you get symptomatic quicker. Some of my worst fainting spells were after long waits in line or being on public transit unable to get a seat.\n\nI found that learning creative ways to shuffle my weight in cramped spaces really helped reduce those episodes. If stuck in a crowded line I would stand on one leg or in yoga poses that engaged my leg muscles \u0026 kept the blood pumping. \n\nIt’s an awkward thing to do and people did sometimes stare - but what I learned over the years is they stare far more if you faint and an ambulance has to be called. So I put strangers staring out of my mind \u0026 stood whatever way resulted in the least amount of symptoms.\n\nRemember that it’s always ok to sit down. It’s ok to take a break. You’re not being rude or weak - you’re respecting the limits of your body. Most people never have to think about their autonomic nervous system because it functions properly without effort. \n\nAs a result most people can’t understand the incredible difficulty of managing a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system. But the good news is it CAN be managed. These lifestyle tips make a big difference - and there’s a number of medications that can help as well. \n\nJoin patient support groups, find online communities that can help \u0026 adapt these tips to suit your personal circumstances. Your body will thank you. And never be afraid to lay down - wherever you are! Embrace the horizontal!",
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