A blip

So as advised by my doctor I walked my first 30 minutes increasing speed then dropping back again. Of course I thought I can do a jog but but I walked. After a day of rest I had a 45 min aqua class where I could actually jog and run right through due to the water. Tired but felt good I kept up. I thought I'd do my next walk in the gym as I was feeling so strong. Fully hydrated on slow release blood pressure tablets. Blood pressure 120/70 at start. PT started me on cross trainer to warm up. Legs felt very strange like water then jelly like as if I'd run miles. I thought it was a reaction from my aqua class muscles repairing. Had to stop PT advised going on the treadmill. 10 mins couldn't come quick enough bottom half of legs were like dragging walked to stretch area didn't feel right. Told my PT so he said lets take it gentle. Starting stretching and bent over to do floor stretch. Weakness in legs really jelly like then felt really sick then felt faint and actually went out for a few seconds. PT came back and he had a sugary drink for me. Then I recovered got up walked to treadmill although felt exhausted and just did a gently walk but felt so was exhausted after. Quite cross with myself as I've been building myself up wondering what the hell was happening. Anyway PT says lets try some weights. Stupid as I was I did I shouldn't have as I used everything up in me. Now I have had two days rest apart from saw legs I feel absolutely fine.

Obviously don't want this to happen again so have been trying to work out why this happened.

1. Was it because I had worked out day before intensely in the aqua class and then exercised next day on cross trainer was the blood having trouble pumping around the body as it was going to my legs?. Is this the reason I felt sick and fainted.

2. Or was it - before working out a history was taken

Age 57 taking blood pressure tablets to obtain healthy pressure which it had been sometimes lower. 15 Stone 5 I used a machine that measures everything and it said that I should be eating 1600 plus calories but I've been eating 1400 per an old slimming world diet I did a couple of years ago. I have an App called Lifesum that I enter everything I have which I shared with my PT and food wise it was excellent Lifesum I am scoring Healthy to Perfect I also drink 2 litres of water a day. Only thing it kept stating was I needed to eat more as overall previous three weeks with exercise I'd been doing it was equivalent to only having 850 calories a day!!!! Never been told this before. Confused my PT said it's correct. So I'm was wondering if I should actually be eating those extra 200 calories. (Well I have since Thursday) Of course I want to lose weight too while getting fitter and I usually lose 5-7lbs first week then 2lbs every week. In past 3 weeks I've only lost 3lbs totally shocked Im a big loser usually. I'm wondering if by increasing my water two 2litres a day and having built up muscles this might be the case. Although measurement wise I've lost 18 inches all over.

3 Could my blood pressure tablets be affecting me I know probably only a doctor could answer this question just wondering if anybody else is on meds and maybe experienced the same.

On the positive Im still feeling motivated just feel let down by my body. I've done some stretching today to help with the legs they still feel heavy but have managed to go around the garden doing some bits but grateful to sit down. Tomorrow morning Im training again.

I have a Memory Walk at Hylands Park on 17th September. I would like to get around faster than a normal walk and hopefully build up to jog.

Just wondering if anyone else on meds have had same experience.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

I am slightly concerned that your instructor moved you on to weights when you were quite clearly feeling unwell and already struggling (for what ever reason). We can't give medical advise on here but if I were you I would go back to your gp and seek further advise on what exercises you are ok to do at the moment and what you should avoid. You could also discuss this in light of your dieting and reduced calorie intake. I really hope you get back on track and find what is going to work best for you but am sure it is not just about losing weight quickly, it is about being healthier isn't it? Good luck🙂

[Hidden in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandraj39. Yes totally agree on all counts. Being healthy is definitely the most important step for me.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Oh dear! Are you following the C25K..not sure ?

Do as Sandraj39 says..head back to the GP! get checked out and find what you should or should not try?

My advice..not medical... would be to rest up until you know?

[Hidden]

I agree. Get some medical advice and a different instructor. I think you said your blood pressure is low. I am not a medic but can say from personal experience that low blood pressure plus low blood sugar can make you feel like that.

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

I agree with a lot that has been said above. If your getting that dizzy then a talk with your Gp is on order. Anything that seems that extreme it is not good to continue with your exercises until it has been sorted out. It is possible you are down on your calories and used up a lot the day before with your aqua class but even then you have had quite an extreme reaction and your Gp will be able to advise you on your tablets and diet along side your new healthy program. I would also make a note for the future that with you and your PT you are the customer and if they are asking you to do something that you don't feel it is safe, Don't do it, there isn't much they can do or say to you as the paying customer.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

From what I can see, it costs as little as six hundred pounds to get Personal Trainer certification. That would not inspire much confidence in me that my PT knew what he was talking about. Yours sounds decidedly flakey to me.

While we are a friendly bunch, only too willing to help, this forum is in the main for new runners undertaking the NHS C25k training plan. You make no mention of this, making me wonder if you intended to post on this forum. You would not be the first in recent months to have landed on the wrong site.

[Hidden in reply to IannodaTruffe]

In answer to your queries IannodaTruffe

Yes I am doing the C25K this is my second post to the forum . As advised by my GP walking was the way forward but also swimming and aqua class to increase strength and stamina increasing to jogging. Also a 5k would be a goal and Couch to 5K was a possibility to me.

Joining a club was also mentioned for strength training and support.

I am aware my trainer is new although qualified and past some extra training that Virgin Active requires. The PT sessions that I have were included in my joining.

Having read many posts on this site I may be misreading the forum but walking is a good place to start and repeating days until you can follow on and build up to running. As we know we all have to start somewhere. Some will progress quicker than others. If this forum isn't for beginners then I will of course leave and hopefully find another site.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Hidden]

Great to hear that you are having a go at C25k, it is a brilliant programme and you are in control. I did have a look at your previous post, straight after I posted (should have done that first).

Walking is a fine way to start and many on this forum did just that, so you should find plenty of advice.

I hope you won't think me impertinent for suggesting that, if you want answers to questions, then it is more efficient if the post is relatively short.

Wishing you all the best with your journey.

[nikkiwabit Graduate]

You don't say why your doctor said walk not run. If the BP tabs are new then yes definitely go back to your GP.

The blood won't have trouble pumping round your body as it is "going" to your legs". It goes preferentially to your head but BP tablets work in several ways (speak to your GP as they know which you are on - can dilate vessels, slow heart etc.) and all can mean it has more trouble getting there. If your brain cant get the blood and so oxygen you faint as a defense mechanism. i.e.blood gets to your brain easier.

Again ask your GP to explain, it will then help you understand what exercise you can do and why and how to safely increase depending on what your body is saying.

The PT sounds like he pushed you a bit too much. He also gave you sugary drink but no evidence of a low blood sugar from what you say. I am concerned that you carried on after actually loosing consciousness.

You are definitely eating enough and maybe it could be less but one thing at a time, get walking without fainting first. Never hurts to have more fluids (and some BP meds make you pee more).

So back to GP - more explanation of what BP tabs, how they work and how that affects exercise. Your GP should be keen to help as exercise definitely helps your BP.

[nikkiwabit Graduate]

Read your post again and you mentioned BP sometimes lower. If you haven't had, then might be worth asking your GP for a 24 hour BP monitoring before starting tablets (it is national protocol but not always done) in case you have white coat syndrome or something similar. If you take your own BP at home and it is still high, then this may not be necessary.