POTS Exercise - General Thoughts

I'm not the first person to tackle this subject. That much I know is true.

It seems to be generally accepted that exercise is an effective way of controlling the symptoms of POTS. In my experience, the guidance coming from the medical professionals is fairly slim. I was told "work out daily, build gradually, start off recumbent" and that was about it.

I know there is a certain doctor who has a very detailed POTS exercise protocol. I have heard that some people have good results using it. But after that, the details are sketchy as all get out. I understand that the original exercise study was conducted in 2011, and I believe a second study is still in process. Details of the current program are not being released during the study, and past participants signed confidentiality agreements. So the only way to get his exercise plan is to sign up for the study. Soooo... it's great that someone is working on this, but not much help to me right now.

POTS patients need clear guidance, a plan, something simple and attainable. Something safe and, dare I even breathe it, maybe even free. I've seen a few people who have shared general guidelines they were given, but they all seem to start a bit further out (in terms of exertion) than the more extreme cases would be able to handle. No, I'm not a professional. However, I have access to a few. I cannot claim a study or any sort of research, but I can share what has been working for me. There's nothing stopping me from doing that much.

So I'm going to be delving into my own exercise regimen. I'm going to share the opinions of the doctors who are treating me, what they think of my approach. I'm also going to bring in thoughts from a personal trainer who is a good friend of mine, just to get a sports medicine sort of look at things. And, most importantly, I'm going to tell you what has definitely been working for me. Because I can honestly say that exercise has turned the tide for me, inactivity has heralded my worst episodes, and from where I started (early September was my darkest hour) to where I am today is a total 180.