I DID IT - A Treadmill Stress Test

Headwaters Hospital on a sunny day in April

Today (and by that I mean Monday April 15th, as it's technically tuesday as it's 1:37am) I was in Orangeville at Headwaters Hospital for a treadmill stress test and let's just say I didn't have too much faith in my ability.

Hooked up each cord is a different electrode. This photo
bugs me as it extensively shows my weight gain from my condition. :(

Last night I slept maybe one hour, so I thought it would be a disaster but it wasn't too bad. I was having a "good day" which means for POTSies an okay day that isn't highly symptomatic only regular headaches and aches/pains.  I went in for the test and my blood pressure was decent. GOOD START!

The monitor while I was sitting down. BP 128 over 92
before we started and heart rate 87 after I had been laying down.

I thought I would only last a couple minutes on the treadmill before passing out aka having to get them to stop it. I know I am still physically fit but my brain doesn't allow me to. I had a nuclear stress test in the fall as everyone didn't think I could go on the treadmill. So although I am a determined persona and I push myself too much. I made it past the first level of walking (3 minutes), then onto the next 3 minutes. I then got some chest pain, started sweating and felt a bit off. It was into "Level 3" at the just before you have to run speed at a higher incline, that my heart rate went up and to the target heart rate that they stop you at which was 170 bpm.  The doctor thought as did I that stopping would be the worst, so she got me to walk a bit but I almost collapsed. She came running behind me and they checked my blood pressure but it didn't drop too much. I made it 8 minutes. It seems lame but I am proud of it. I wasn't out of breath per se. My heart rate was high, due to the POTS and meds but physically I know I could of done a lot more.

The treadmill. YAY for handles.

She said that aside from an initial drop that wasn't quite in the dangerous zone and some not to be too concerned about abnormalities of my heart beat itself that it went relatively well. I know the moving helps the blood flow a lot so it feels better but I think it's the moving in place holding onto a bar rather than moving in space that also helped the situation.

Back at home with a few electrodes still on and the hospital bracelet. 

Even more electrodes and another yes I've gained weight shot.

My leg shook/tremored a bit after, I felt a bit dizzy and got a bit of a headache but all in all it wasn't bad at all. I really went above my expectations. Yay for good days. Turns out I'm not so physically unfit/ de-conditioned as they thought - HA.

Electrodes

I got home and after having some soup, almost immediately fell asleep. This isn't too normal, even if I don't sleep at night. It normally happens when I push things. I woke up 3 hours later just in time to leave to pick my bf up from work. All night long I've been exhausted. I actually think I'll be able to sleep soon tonight (It's 1:53am). Normally, well for the past 2 weeks or so, I've been not able to sleep until about 5-7am. Fun. Maybe I just need to walk fast in place for 5 minutes a day, then it might help me sleep properly again. Lol. That might actually be worth a try.

The electrodes were not fun to take off.

They left just a few marks. :P


UPDATE Thursday April,  18, 2013 2:45am. Maybe I was a little over zealous in saying that it went well.  I'm so utterly exhausted. I haven't been able to do much the past couple days. I feel like I ran a marathon rather than 8 minutes. I did read that 8 minutes means you are considered fit. YAY. Now if only my body could co-operate. I could start getting back to my old body shape.