Recovering while hang dogging

I recently had to give up on a climb and will have to return another day to finish. I was on an over hanging crack with terrible cupped hands the whole way up. As I pumped out and flailed getting to the final hold I needed to hang and take a breather. My partner lead the route, I was on the most challenging top rope I've tried yet.
The issue I had was trying to recover while hanging. I was in free space and starting to panic a little. I felt as if I was going to puke. I checked my belayer and then the wind. I was perfectly fine with emptying my stomach and giving the final moves another go but decided not to rain down on my belayer and had him lower me. I didn't feel like I was able to get my blood flowing again. The leg loops in my harness would not allow my legs to refresh while hanging. Big deep breaths didn't seem to help me when I needed blood flow.
How do you climbers deal with recovery while hanging after a difficult and pumpy section?

LOL.

Hahaha, Love the guidebook, I need that one, I always spend all my time hanging. while hanging I especially try to take my weight off the rope after a big fall (ie clip direct to bolts or gear) also focus on breathing, you are trying to lower your heart rate so long slow breaths aiming for 5 seconds in, 5 second hold and 5-10 seconds out. This also applies to resting on rock. I don't know what is up with your legs loosing circulation. Maybe try a wider leg loop?

I'm an experienced and life long surfer, so my breathing and stamina are pretty good. This particular climb was extremely pumpy and over hung. When I was hanging, I couldn't reach the cliff. I had to swing back and forth to grab back on. While hanging, after giving everything I could, I was trying to hang upside down, sideways, whatever to relieve the pressure from my harness so I could relax. I have a BD momentum harness. Not the best but not terrible. My legs were working the pitch pretty good as my hands flailed for a hold. Just curious if anyone else has had issues with slow blood circulation in a harness and how to deal with it if you can't grab the rock to rest.
I never get anxiety and rarely get nervous. But this time I think I got it.

JoeGaribay wrote:I have a BD momentum harness. Not the best but not terrible. My legs were working the pitch pretty good as my hands flailed for a hold.

I can't help you on a solution, but I have been using a momentum and had the same problem this summer. I hung working on a crux move with a very high heel hook, it required a lot from the hamstring. After hanging to rest I came back with my legs feeling weaker, it didn't get better. Had to lower off and go walk around for ten minutes to get the blood going again.

Attach a prussik and long sling on your rope, above the harness. Stand up in the sling and adjust your harness.

Probably more trouble than it's worth...?

Fitness from other sports doesn't always translate to climbing.

If you're cleaning a route, and you know you'll be hanging, climbing from piece to piece can help. The gear will keep you closer to the wall as you're hanging, thus reducing the effort required to get back into the climb. You can also place a piece of gear to keep you closer, or go in direct as someone has already mentioned.

It sounds like you may have been struggling with exposure a little too, possibly from climbing at your maximum limit. Trying more stuff at or above your limit could help too as you'll become more accustomed to climbing while pumped and while failing. In the very least, you'll become stronger!

Lol, that guidebook!

edit: didn't see the TR part of the OP, reading comp fail

Lol. Thanks everyone for the light comedy and helpful suggestions. I was bummed that I couldn't regain the energy to finish. Then again, if I had made it, I still would need to go back to lead the route.

The prusik is the way to go.

Everyone should carry a prusik - handy if you get in a tight situation. Note that climbers have died when hanging which constricted their breathing.

Handy as an autoblock too when rappeling.

I personally use a Purcel prusik as my PAS at the anchors. Handy tool I learned how to use on Teton County SAR for rope rescue and helicopter ops. It has an adjustable loop that you can stand in.