Update on Ivabradine for POTs (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

I've just read back through my first entry after taking Ivabradine and thought it might be worth a very short update on how I'm feeling about the Ivabradine now.  Back then when I was first taking it, I comment on  the horrible feeling of malaise and heaviness that I got straight after taking it.  I am happy to report that this is no longer the case.  I fact next time I see my cardiologist, I am going to have to admit to him that the drug he nagged me to try for a year before I did is actually helping!  It is definitely bringing down my resting heart rate and controlling it at the higher end which is allowing me to be more active I think.  It's making a difference to the standing/sitting/bending down scenarios, so not an instant 20 or 30 heart beat rise on standing from sitting for example.  In my yoga class I am able (to some extent) to participate in sun salutation type moves that require lots of bobbing up and down.  This is something I could not have done before the Ivabradine.  However, just as with the pancreatic enzymes I used to take, as soon as I have any sort of relapse I seem to loose the effects of the drugs and my body just does it's own thing.
Two more things to note this morning.  After going 7 months without a period, I've now had two within 30 days of each other??!!!!  This has tied in with an extraordinary period of good sleep this week.  I have had three or four days in a row where I slept for 6 hours straight without waking, this is most unusual, my normal pattern was to wake at about 1.30 and 4.30am.  I'm dreaming lots too.
I haven't made it to physio at the therapy centre this week and I now really notice how the hardness in my thigh muscles gathers gradually if I don't do the cycling exercises.  I need to make sure I prioritise this to fit it in every week.  I have been letting it go for other things that need doing, but I am now convinced it is helping and definitely makes a difference.  I need to try and fit it in, but it's that old story of balancing out what can and should be done with the energy and time available.

Tag along

Well today the bicycle did come out of the shed : )  Not only the bicycle, but also my sons tag along bike that attaches to the back.  We cycled together down to the village to the library and shop.  Getting there is easy as it's mostly down hill, still, when I got off the bike in the village I felt light headed.  We did the few things we had to do and then mounted our bikes again ready for the return journey.  Coming up the hill I realised that my gears 1 to 7 weren't working.  I anticipated that we would have to get off before the top and walk but actually we made it all the way.  I had to shout lots of encouragement to DS behind me to peddle like billyio as my engine was running out of power.  Pedal he did and together we made it all the way home.  I felt quite emotional when I got inside as I thought about us coming down a slope in the lane both exclaiming "Wheeeeeee" as our bike freewheeled towards the final incline before the house.  Doing something physical with him like this felt great.
This situation came about following a Mickel therapy session I had this morning via skype.  We talked about my sleep patterns.  Also about not feeling guilty about my current need to put myself first.  I need to look after my own needs so that I will be stronger and be able to do more for the family.  We also talked about my fear to commit fully to Mickel because of it's conflict with lots of the medical advice I've been given.  This is a tricky one.  Anyway, I was inspired to get on my bike.
My challenge now is to not think about what negative effects the cycling will have on my body, but to enjoy the fact I've done it and look forward to and plan my next activity.  It is about retraining my brain to have positive thoughts associated with physical activity and get rid of all the horrible thoughts of symptoms and funny turns that my brain currently associates with physical activity.  Hopefully today will have gone some way to helping that.
Earlier this week we took in a delivery of logs.  They are emptied on to our drive and we have to wheelbarrow them around to the back and load them in the log store.  Eighteen months ago I tried to help Ant with this task and made myself ill with a relapse that lasted several days.  This week however I'd like to think I was a real help.  I moved about a quarter of the logs in the wheelbarrow before realising that I'd done enough and stopping.  This was a good achievement.  It's really useful to have a like for like comparison with such an activity to see how much I've come on.  The only negative effect?  My body was aching for the next two days, but how nice to have a body aching from some physical activity : )