Being told I could never workout again to figure competitions

[leydengs]

First of all here is a little background about me. I have a 4 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. These two are my life! 2 months after having my daughter I went into a doctor appointment to get checked out for numbness and tingling in my hands and legs, dizziness, fuzzy vision, etc. I stood up to hand in my paperwork and I collapsed and ended up being in a wheel chair for over a week. I could use a walker to get to the bathroom but that was it. I had lost all strength in my legs. The doctors thought I had MS so I had multiple MRI’s, multiple EEG’s (very painful), a spinal tap (extremely painful) and lots of other tests to finally rule out MS and other MS related disorders. I was admitted into the Neurology floor at UNMC. I watched 90 year old men and women walking up and down the hallway better and faster than me. I couldn’t hold my new born daughter because her movements hurt my eyes and made me sick and my arms weren’t very strong. That was the worst part of the whole thing. I was finally diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). This disorder affects my autonomic nervous system so if affects my heart rate, blood pressure, stomach digestion, sweating, etc. Basically when I change positions (ex: sitting to standing) my heart will go from 50 bpm to 110 bpm in a matter of seconds and my nervous system doesn’t know how to get it back under control so I go completely blind for about 20 seconds, lose my balance, get an intense/painful headache and become very dizzy. Once it passes it’s fine but I’ve had these “episodes” since I was a teenager. This also causes extreme fatigue and muscle and joint pain. My doctor told me I would probably never be able to work out again due to the pain and the fatigue. He told me to try at walking a few minutes a day to help with the pain. I asked him about a figure competition and he laughed and said I could try as long as I keep my sodium levels high (sodium helps my blood flow and my blood pressure since it’s so low) but he didn’t think it would be possible. I left his office determined to compete. It took me 6 months to build up a tolerance to working out. Just going up and down the stairs to my gym in the basement wore me out some days. On top of that I kicked my husband out and filed for divorce so I quickly became a single mom of these two beautiful kids. The anger from the divorce helped push me in the gym. A little over a year later I competed in my first figure competition and I got 5th place. I did all my own training and nutrition (mostly due to a lack of money so I couldn’t afford a trainer). I plan on doing at least 2 shows next year. One is the first part of June and the other is the last part of June. Please follow my progress and I would love any advice for my next shows.

[HopeSmallwonder]

Thats so inspiring girl! And truly touching! One of the gyms I go to has 2 flights of stairs... ill never complain about those again. If you can do it, I sure as heck can LOL. Its so great to know such a strong women and when I do legs tonight, Im going to be using you as motivation ( hope you dont mind :P ) . I look forward to watching your continued progress and hope we will be both stepping on stage the same time next year!

[leydengs]

Thank you Hope I appreciate it. I'll post before pictures in a couple weeks when I officially start my nutrition and stuff

[gobbles23]

Wow, that's crazy! I look forward to following along with you! Best wishes!!

[leydengs]

Wow, that's crazy! I look forward to following along with you! Best wishes!!

Thank you gobbles23, it's been a crazy couple of years but the gym and eating healthy is what got me through it

[ClassickQC]

Woah! You went through quite a lot! Strong woman indeed!!

Will follow for sure!

Keep up the good work!!!

[HopeSmallwonder]

Have a great weekend girl!

[leydengs]

Have a great weekend girl!

Thanks hon! No big plans. I have my kids Sat, otherwise I will be at the gym working on these legs and doing cardio and maybe some posing I hope you have a great weekend as well!!

[leydengs]

I have my meal plan brown up so I will have a low, medium and high carb day. My plan is to make a grocery list of exactly what I need, no extras, (this way I don't have to stop at the grocery store every day lol) and I will use Sunday as my cooking day to prepare all my meals. As for workouts, tonight is leg day (focus on hamstrings), Sat is rest or cardio day and Sunday is arms and cardio.

I am currently 5'9 and I'm at 153 lbs.

Low carb day: 160g protein 50g carb 25g fat (840 calories)
Med carb day: 150g protein 90g carb 20g fat (1140 calories)
High carb day: 145g protein 115g carb 20g fat (1220 calories)

If anyone has any tips or advice on this breakdown I'm all ears

Also any tips on water. I have to have salt in my water. If I drink plain water I get very dizzy due to the lack of sodium. I don't want to eat too much salt, plus it's gross so I'm trying to find other options. I do currently drink diet mt dew so I'm working on cutting that out. I use the caffiene to help keep me awake. I don't sleep well and I get up at 4:30 am so I am usually tired. Any advice on something else I can use to help. I go to bed early (8:30-9:30pm) but I never feel refreshed.

Also Sunday is my cheat meal day. My bf is looking to do a show next year (his first) so we use Sunday as our relaxing day and we will have either cookies or ice cream. Does anyone have any healthier desserts that we can try that will help the sweet tooth?

[megdaig]

Also Sunday is my cheat meal day. My bf is looking to do a show next year (his first) so we use Sunday as our relaxing day and we will have either cookies or ice cream. Does anyone have any healthier desserts that we can try that will help the sweet tooth?

Try sugar-free jello. Or my fav, slightly thawed fat free/low fat Cool Whip....

And I'll definitely be following along with your progress. We are roughly the same stats and I'm shooting for a June show also

[leydengs]

Try sugar-free jello. Or my fav, slightly thawed fat free/low fat Cool Whip....

And I'll definitely be following along with your progress. We are roughly the same stats and I'm shooting for a June show also

That's great megdaig! Do you have a log? I look forward to watching your progress as well. Are you using a trainer and/or nutritionist or anything?

[megdaig]

That's great megdaig! Do you have a log? I look forward to watching your progress as well. Are you using a trainer and/or nutritionist or anything?

My log is linked in my sig.... http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=139228463

I'm actually using a trainer I met here in the Journaling section...Rutzilla. It's been great, he keeps the workouts fresh and changing and provides input on nutrition. I've been stuck doing the same or similar routine for years on end so the change has been welcome. And there are all the trainers at my multitude of gyms that give me lots of advice.

Good luck in your workouts and have a wonderful weekend!

[leydengs]

Here is the leg workout I did Monday (12/13/2011). I do legs (focus on quads), it’s my favorite workout day.

Squat (wide stance) – 4 sets 10-8
Squat (normal stance) – 4 sets 10-8
Squat (narrow stance) – 4 sets 10-8
Farmers walk – 3 sets (1 set included 1 time down and back holding 45’s and 1 time down and back holding 35’s)
1 Legged Leg Press – 3 sets 8
1 Legged Calf Raises – 3 sets (1 set included 10 reps really slow and holding for a second then 10-15 fast while holding 30 lb dumbbell)

Cardio – only had time for 15 minutes of walking at a high incline

Nutrition wise I did pretty well but I was starving all day.

[KimPossible98]

Checking in!!!

Wow, I must say that is quite an inspirational story there. Good for you for proving those doctors wrong and giving it your all. I did the divorce thing as well so I understand how that can make life flip upside down. I think it just makes you stronger though

So your diet, are you for real that you are eating 840 cals on low carb days? Your math doesn't add up, it should be around 1065 cals but even so, if that is what you are eating these days AND you are working out on top of it then this is just not enough food.

I ran into those low sodium issues as well and if I don't salt my food and watch my water intake I get horrible muscle spasms. I drink 2 gallons a day.

[leydengs]

Checking in!!!

Wow, I must say that is quite an inspirational story there. Good for you for proving those doctors wrong and giving it your all. I did the divorce thing as well so I understand how that can make life flip upside down. I think it just makes you stronger though

So your diet, are you for real that you are eating 840 cals on low carb days? Your math doesn't add up, it should be around 1065 cals but even so, if that is what you are eating these days AND you are working out on top of it then this is just not enough food.

I ran into those low sodium issues as well and if I don't salt my food and watch my water intake I get horrible muscle spasms. I drink 2 gallons a day.

Thanks Kim!! I must have mistyped that one. I dont' do that well with that low of calories so I don't always follow that day as strict. Yah the sodium is the biggest issue for me. I start getting extremely dizzy so I carry a salt shaker with me everywhere so I just run to the locker room and pour some in my hand, eat it and then I get better. I'm 25 weeks out I'm trying to stay fairly strict but not too strict since I only have a couple weeks left until I officially start with my nutrition guy

[leydengs]

Okay I'm back WOW a lot has happened since I started this post. A lot of stress that has been really tough to deal with which has caused me to have some big flare ups so I've put on about 8 lbs and cannot for the life of me lose it. The stress and the POTS causes my stomach to stop/slow digesting so I had to switch to liquids only which is not enjoyable. So...... today's a new day and I'm going to start fresh

[Pucci1]

OMG I just searched in google and found your post! I started competing last year in bikini and won 1st place in 2 shows and 1 overall! But I knew something was up...something wasn't right and my "dizzy" spells have shot through the roof along with migraines, blurred vision, aches and pains and not to mention EXHAUSTION!! I live in FL so walking to the car after a workout is brutal! Finally after my last show I went to a cardiologist after he did some things and went through my history he said you have POTS.. After reading all I could humanly possibly read it all clicked. But I did fine on my tilt table test so my Dr. Gave me a beta blocker (that gives me migraines) and said "not sure what else to do." Oh and "Eat salt drink Gatorade" I have a 3yr old and feel like she misses out on so much due to me feeling crappy all the time! I'm nervous to train again because the dizziness is so bad and how do you cut salt when that's what my body NEEDS!! I've been to so many Dr.'s and had too much blood taken and even did a "dizzy" test that was inconclusive??? I just want to live life and train hard again but so scared and annoyed! Need a dr that knows what the hell to do! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and it's so cool to actually see another competitor with this annoying syndrome!

[leydengs]

Congrats on your wins, that is exciting!! I've tried the beta blockers and blood pressure meds, etc and when those didn't work they started suggesting antidepresents (they are supposed to work well with helping symptoms of POTS) but I said "No thanks, I've been dealing with POTS for so long that dealing with it versus the side affects of these meds just isn't worth it!" Working out has been HUGE for me!! Leg day is the hardest for me as far as dizzy spells go so I take a shot of salt before I start and I made sure I have salt in my water or Gatorade which helps tremendously!! The guilt with kids is awful, I feel horrible when my kids want to go to a pool or a park and I can't go because it's too hot for me outside. I can’t even blow on my kids’ food when it’s hot because it makes me so dizzy, I feel terrible!! I just don't cut salt, I can't do it and it's not worth it to me. I can push myself pretty hard but the salt is really my only savior so I can't cut that out. If you look on Dysautonomia International I believe it has a list of doctors who specialize in POTS so you can try to find one in your area, there aren't many of them. There isn't much you can do, when I have a bad flare up where I have to use my cane for a few days than I just make sure I rest those days. I try to walk or do a very light workout to help with the joint pains. I try to not get discouraged. Every time I step into the gym I consider that a success especially since a large portion of people with POTS are unable to work and on disability. So if today I can only do a light 30 minute workout than WOO HOO for me lol It is a scary thing, my last flare up my boyfriend thought I was dying or that I was having a stroke because I was so out of it, I couldn't walk without his help, I was confused as to where I was and what was going on, I had trouble breathing and HORRIBLE pains in my arms and legs. He honestly started telling me how much he loved me incase I didn't wake up in the morning. After a flare up like that I am completely down for 3-5 days. I would love to stay in touch, especially with another competitor!!

Are you on meds right now? How long have you had it? It’s great to meat you!!

[tjf0220]

I know exactly what your going through. I am really into body building and can't get to where I wanna be cause I have POTS. I've had it for 3 years and luckily after a month if taking them, they started working for me. Keep up the good work and i will too.

[tjf0220]

If u need a doctor that is the best at pots, get to dr. Blair Grubb in Toledo,OH. There is no one better. He sees people from all over the world for POTS!!! They will take care of you there.