IST & exercise options

[starcheckered]

I was wondering - what kind of exercise do you think I could do while having IST? I take meds (metoprolol 50mg) and I feel like it really helps. I feel my heart race just walking up the stairs when I forget to take my meds in the morning, but when I take it I don't feel any different and don't experience any problems with daily activities like walking down the street/walking up stairs/running a very short distance. However, when I'm panicking (about doctor's visits, etc) I seem to break through the meds and still experience a 150-200bpm HR.

Running would probably be out of the question, so do you think doing exercises like riding a bike would still be good? Or would my heart still probably race? If so, what else could I try? I am starting to get a little fat :P

[starcheckered]

by the way, my e-mail is my nickname on here at yahoo.com. feel free to e-mail me anytime!

[starcheckered]

I also like meeting other people with IST! Before I was diagnosed with it, I had never even heard of it before, but apparently it is not as rare as we are told. I used to do a lot of exercise as well.. I used to ride my bike for an hour or more everyday and when it was too cold for that I played a dancing game called DDR which told me I burned 1,000-1,500 calories in an hour long session playing on "Extreme". I also used to run and do a lot of things... but now I feel like I can't.
I'm not symptomatic whereas I don't get short of breath or faint/dizzy or anything, but I feel palpitations after doing almost anything - even things as simple as walking up a couple flights of stairs or walking about a 1/2 mile. Sometimes I even feel palps when I'm in the shower from walking up the stairs to get there and they don't go away the whole time I'm in there. It doesn't really BOTHER me anymore now that I have come to terms that it does not kill me, it does not hurt me, etc, but it is a nuisance and it does annoy me when it doesn't go away. I do get short of breath but when I run a short distance or do a short bike ride like I usually would have had after running a LONG distance or finishing a bike ride but it's not unusual and it usually goes away within a couple minutes if I sit down and breathe.
I'm thinking about starting quite slowly, taking walks everyday and getting my heart up to some activity and then maybe upping it a little bit gradually. (I would ask my doctor about this... but like you know, it's become difficult for me to see my doctor!) Maybe playing my dancing game on "easy" or even "super easy" (now that will make me feel very sad!) and going for a bike ride on a track instead of up hills and whatnot. I'm not sure.
I've decided that I'm not going to look at this as a loss and rather just a challenge - I'll find out HOW I can beat it instead of thinking that I can't, and then I'm going to kick it's butt!

[sugarpea013]

Hey there! It's always good to meet someone with IST! Not that I'm GLAD you have it, but more I'm glad I'm not alone. ;-)  I came down with IST during and immediately following the birth of my daughter. SOMETHING happened that glorious day that really screwed things up in my ticker. Prior to having my daughter, all the way up until the day before I had her I was EXTREMELY activie. I worked out 6 days a week, intense cardio for an hour usually tae-boj or running and 45 minutes of weight training. Wellllllll things changed real quick when my heart went bonkers. ANYWAYS what I'm trying to get at is I may not be doing the exercises I was doing before but I still am able to work out. And I unlike you am very symptomatic with my episodes. I also wanted to mention I thought it was pretty interesting how you have the breakthrough tachycardia with doctors appts etc. I am the SAME way! Too wierd. I am now off my beta blockers and only take 12.5 mg when I'm having an off day. I went 4 months of not working out at all, because my heart rate was through the ROOF with the mere thought of doing something strenous. Then at month five I started walking short distances and doing ab work. Month 6 I walked further and added light weights to the mix. Well anyway...here I am now able to do light cardio workouts, go on 45 minute walks and lift weights. Definately not the marathons I was doin before but I don't care. I'm just thankful I'm regaining my health. In my opinion, as long as you have a structurally normal heart your good to go. Take care and good luck! Feel free to keep in touch :-)

[hava]

This exercise will help you very much.The heart and brain love the extra oxygen they get during this breathing technique. You will notice a difference in weeks.Start now and do it everyday.
Anulom Vilom - Deep Breath-in through left nostril keeping right nostril closed
then - Breath-out through right nostril keeping left nostril closed
then -Deep Breath-in through right nostril keeping left nostril closed
then - Breath-out through left nostril keeping right nostril closed
and repeat this cycle for upto 30  minutes twice a day(maximum 60 min/day).

[Thinline]

Hi starcheckered.  I also have IST and am totally incapable of doing any exercise.  I am considering starting yoga just to give it a try, also the classes are small and the teachers seem to have a fair understanding of various conditions.  The other option I believe would be Pilates, again personal attention and not such a big cardio workout.  Don't try push yourself into jogging and aerobic exercise it will just make you feel worse.  The one thing that I do try do is aqua aerobics.   The water resistance is very good and you can stop when you feel tired.  When I'm feeling better I'm going to start with that.  IST is fun isn't it?  A

[starcheckered]

i meant to include that i don't experience a shortness of breath either. at first i feel it a little bit if i breathe shallowly, but i never have a problem once i begin to breathe deeply.

[starcheckered]

apparently i have a "healthy heart" and there's nothing else going on with it besides IST. i don't feel symptomatic at all when it happens. i've never felt dizzy, never fainted, i never get shaky or anything like that - it's just a nuisance because i feel the palpitations. actually- the very first time i experienced the HR (at 200) i apparently did faint (i don't remember this but my boyfriend says it happened) but otherwise i've never felt anything else from it, not even chest pain.

i figure i would be okay with exercise because i won't feel symptomatic while doing it, but it could turn out badly in the long run if my HR continues to be high? if my heart rate continues to be high i probably would faint, i think? or maybe not, i'm not sure.

[CollegeGirl143]

Its probably a good idea to have a doctor advise you on an exercise plan.. is ist your only issue? is your heart structurally sound? Do you get dizzy/short of breath when you experience that high heart rate on exertion? .. I cant speak for you personally, but for me (i also experience a high exercise intolerance, 160-180 pulse at the walk), i just push through it.. i dont push myself past the point of that high heart rate, but as long as im not feeling symptomatic, i dont feel the need to back it off, ive seen my exercise tolerance improve a bit this way, however its definatly best to check with your personal doctor first before starting out if you have concerns..