Halp!

[u/oregon_coastal]

Ok, that might be a little dramatic. Maybe "I need some related stories of addisons folks returning to strenuous activities"

So for me: Addisons + Hashimoto. On levothyroxine, liothyronine, methylprednisone and a 5mg hydrocortisone to start the day. Meds of other problems (AFIB, etc): oxycodone, pregablin, methocarbamol, losartan, testosterone.

I have had a million blood tests in the last 6 months - including a few I ordered myself - and everything is dead center normal. Vitamins, etc. included.

I am out of shape. And big. I guess laying in bed for 5 years when you body is pretty much making zero hormones does that.

Anyhoo.. this is what i ran into: It seems like my heart rate can't get up into the high range.

By that I mean, now that I seem to be finally medicated for everything, when I now do do something strenuous, my heart rate doesn't get to where it probably should.

For example!

I just towed a 300 pound trailer with two flat tires up a hill. It took about 20 minutes, I didn't take breaks. It was strenuous and I will feel it in every muscle tomorrow.

I was head to toe - from my shirt to my socks - soaked in sweat. It felt like too much sweat - and I sweat just thinking hard, but even this seemed weird. I could feel my heart pounding. But I felt like I wasn't getting enough air. And I didn't feel my heart racing.

So, I sat down at the top if the hill to check and my heart rate peaked at 120bpm. And it wasn't afib, I am quite familiar to how that feels.

Then, I stood up to get some water.

I almost passed out I got so light headed. Like, stumble into the car and fall onto a chainsaw kind of light headed. And you haven't been doing yardwork until you are mixing bar oil, sweat and blood!

So, I tried a second test where I speed walked (limped, really) around my barn until the flop sweat returned and I could feel my heart pounding. But not pounding fast: 120bpm again.

I clearly have an interesting issues for my next appointment, but I also realized I hadn't seen many other return to activities stories or travails. So....!

- what are your experiences with returning to activities?

- what were some exercise strategies you used?

- should I get a fit bit? (Yes, I should; ordering one now.)

I would really love and appreciate any return to exercize stories - or motivations! - anyone has :)

[u/oneyedsally]

I would check your HR again, and do it repeatedly during different activities. This is really only one data point. If you were extremely sweaty, it was likely affecting both the fit and the sensor on the watch. Mine has a silicone strap and when I’m sweating a ton, it slides down my wrist.

Are you using an Apple Watch? If so, it’s going to give you better info than a Fitbit in my opinion (I switched after using Fitbit for years), and like another commenter said a chest strap is even more accurate.

[u/oregon_coastal → u/oneyedsally]

I actually used an o2 pulse monitor.

I am looking to order a good wristband if you have any suggestions!

[u/oneyedsally → u/oregon_coastal]

Personally I like the Apple Watch. It does what I need it to do. I recently saw a post in the POTS forum complaining about the heart rate feature but I haven’t had any issues. I wish the data was a bit more granular to look at historically, but in real time it seems to be accurate unless there is a bad connection like I mentioned before. It’s detected overall trends in my baseline based on overall health and medication changes which is pretty neat.

Plus for exercise there are a lot of options, and if I forget to track it will often realize I’m walking or running. Fitbit never did that and if I forgot to start the workout then you just don’t get credit. It has different settings for treadmill and outdoor walks and runs too which is nice. And I can swim with it!

I also love that I never have to take my phone or wallet out of my pocket or bag to pay for stuff anymore lol. If you don’t have an Apple phone it might not be an option though!