LymeNet Flash: what do others do-exercise

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Posted by rosemary (Member # 6555) on :

I know this is a sometimes impossible task but as I keep reading it seems folks really do try to do something. I have gained 25 lbs. since I've gotten lyme since I don't exercise at all and I use to alot. I just don't have the energy it seems. Do some of you just simply push yourselves to the max to try and do something? I'm amazed folks can do it. I realize we are all different but I cannot handle the weight too. Any of your personal stories will be most helpful.
rosemary

Posted by snowboarder (Member # 6346) on :

I've been doing pilates, yoga, some walking, light weights, stationary bike, and just bought a gym ball that has resistance to it which works like a weight program.

My routine varies a lot depending on how I'm feeling.

It just depends upon how mobile you are.

Yes, I have pain but not as bad as some. There are days where I can do nothing and other days I feel pretty godd.

The other day I over did it and cleaned my duaghters room and play room and now I'm in some pretty serious pain.

If you've not done anything for a long time you might want to start with a PT to get going or some gentle stretching.

Posted by trecetetodromonmetabia (Member # 6250) on :

Maybe everyone is different but I find that the more I exersize, the better I feel.If I miss a day I feel dead the next day. Exersizing makes you healthy and strong so that you can fight the lyme,babesia better.
Swimming is good if your joints bother you.

Posted by cmichaelo (Member # 5873) on :

I exercise every week. I like it a lot.

Sometimes I don't feel like though. But I do it anyway, just at a lower level.

Often what happens is that when I exercise at this "lower level", the interest and energy sort of returns to me.

It's like getting out of bed in the morning. I don't want to do it. But once I'm out of bed and moving about doing things, I'm glad I got out.

I would second what some said earlier about getting started slowly.

Swimming, walking or doing any other cardiovascular equipment at a slow pace is a safe start.

Make sure you warm up slowly, take your time.

You can do it!

Michael

Posted by keylyme (Member # 6622) on :

I wondered about this too. Depending on how you feel I believe it helps. My doctor seems to think exercise is beneficial. Whatever you can handle. I do tend to push myself but overall I think it does give me more energy and helps get me out of the Lyme Blues.

Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :

I lift weights and do situps and jump on a jumpy little trampoline.

Posted by TheCrimeOfLyme (Member # 4019) on :

I lift weights and use an exercise bike.

Other than that, I cant do much more.

Posted by zipzip (Member # 6226) on :

good thread. so important to stretch, stretch, stretch!

it obviously depends on how mobile or sick the individual is, but can't let those muscles get into knots or atrophy.

5 pd weights are great too. due slow motion curls and other weight lifting procedures.

finally get a product called a "dynaband." it is a resistance trainer. the black ones are the strongest. there are many exercises you can do with this.

before i got sick i used to lift weights, run, etc.

i didn't know how to exercise "lightly" for my condition. i have been, for the last month, seeing a p.therapist. she's awesome. top trainer, ex-surfer, etc. chick is in awesome shape.

she has made exercise sheets for me to follow. i'm going to revise them to make sense for everyone (to the best of my ability) and post them in a new thread.

Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :

I feel that exercise is essential. I know that some of us really can't do much. I have been at the point where walking was an incredible chore. But, I made myself do it every day. My muscles had atrophied to the point that my limbs had to "relearn" how to move.

I started slowly with short walks with a cane and the arm of a friend or family member. I worked up to stretching and Tai Chi. Then, I progressed to yoga, weights and cycling. Yoga has been the most beneficial for me. I have recently started jogging - only a mile or so.

This may sound like a lot but, pre-Lyme treatment I was cycling 7 - 20 miles a day in good weather, hiking & climbing, playing tennis and golf and swimming. I worked out every day.

It is an incredible mental boost to exercise - gets those endorphins working.

Whoever mentioned stretching - that is vital!

Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :

I feel that I could be forcing my body too much/..

Is working out an hour a day on the ellyptical too much excersise?

Ive heard that only 30 minutes a day is good.

Posted by twinkles (Member # 4623) on :

the only thing i can do is click my mouse and sleep and brush my teeth
all esle i am too tired or dizzy for

i hate lyme

Posted by sofy (Member # 5721) on :

Exercise gets first priority of my small allotment of energy each day. I have a pilates machine and a mini trampoline.

The pilates machine is the best cuz its just stretching, which if I dont do religiously, I wont be able to touch my knees and Im 5' 3" tall and 105#. My muscles have lost all their elasticity and its a fight every day to stretch them out.

The pilates I can do at a slow pace and rest between each set.

The trampoline tape is just 15 min. but it exhausts me and sometimes Im down for the rest of the day but I keep at it.

I do the pilates more than the tramp cuz some days I just cant make myself climb on the stamp but I can the pilates.

I love to walk my dog but I wake with horrible shin pains at night when I do, even after 10 minutes, so I limit it.

Find something you can do and start small and just keep on keepin on. I might be completely disabled by lyme but Im not going to be bent over with osteoporosis too. We loose more bone from inactivity than anything else.

When I started I started while lying on the bed and worked up

Posted by suvvyb (Member # 6474) on :

I horseback ride!

Horses are my life.

I also walk my dog as much as possible.

Riding has been the only exercise that has diminished the neuropathic pain in my legs . I have been a rider for most of my life, and I ride at a facility for people with disabilities, so they have worked with me through the good days and bad, and to create adaptations as I need them.

If any of you are interested, www.NARHA.org has a list of therapuetic riding centers nationwide, or just email me to learn more (I also work at this center, so I know a quite a bit about it).

Posted by zipzip (Member # 6226) on :

hi. i posted a lyme workout regimen on general.

Posted by jo3 (Member # 6317) on :

I walk the dog at least once a day- the walks are shorter than before. And I go to Curves 3 times a week-sometimes I can't workout as hard as others.

Posted by mountainmoma (Member # 6503) on :

I agree that of course excercise is good, but start slow and watch your individual reactions. I know I get more post exertion fatigue and brain fog, neurological symptoms when I do aerobic excercise. So that I may have to choose not too if I need to work or drive my kids, you know cant afford to have that much post exertion down time. I know though, how long (short actually) of a walk I can do and only have a resonably short down time to recuperate. Non aerobic, stretching, etc. is always ok. Doesnt burn calories tho. Anyway, find your own level, it doesn't make all of us better. Try it a bit before you sign on. Good luck. Oh, have you tried different foods ? Not like a diet, but it's alot slower wheight gain on vegan food, for example.

Posted by lifeline (Member # 3445) on :

I jump on a minitrampoline for about 10+ minutes daily and walk, either on a treadmill or outside, weather permitting, for two miles, sometimes three.

Anyone know of a good "senior" Tai Chi tape.

Thanks,

lifeline

Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :

I do restorative yoga, working up to regular yoga. I just got a new IR sauna, and that is supposed to be very good for building cardiovascular conditioning. They even use it for people with congestive heart failure.

When I have a good day, I dance. That gets everything moving. My hope is to get back to light weights as well, which I used to do three hours a week.

ZipZip, thank's for posting Dr. B's protocol. I'll print it out and keep it on hand. It looks good.

------------------
Sonoma County Lyme Support
[email protected]

Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :

Right now I can swim again one day /week when de-accessed. I am up to 15 min of swimming then 15 min of sauna.

I'm having to relearn to do everything again.

On good days, I can walk a mile or two.

I'm making it to "Curves" for circuit train once /wk. Still dealling with herxing up and down. Hope to increase to 2 then 3 x's /wk

I mostly don't have to pull myself out of my car anymore.

I tried to ski yesterday...usually ski all winter long. My balance was way off, and I had severe pain in my left leg and foot.

I ended up playing on the bunny hill in my high preformance brand new skiis...

I suppose I looked kind of silly , but it felt good to have my balance slowly improve, and to be outside.

This week is suppose to be really warm, so I'll try skiing again when the conditions improve.

I just realized the skis won't rot from disuse!

Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :

Strething in bed is the best for me when I wake up!

With my heel spurs, walking is very difficult.

Herxing joints are really bad making me walk like a 90 yr. old lady.

Used to exercise in warm swimming pool, but became allergic to chlorine & other smells plus what's when my rashes started appearing & been with me 7+ years. Good post.
Betty G.

Posted by skimpbiz (Member # 4433) on :

I've gradually worked myself up to the point where I can walk 3 miles at a normal pace and 1.5 miles fast walking.

My goal is to get it up to 3 miles fast walking.

I'd also really like to build my upper body up a bit, seeing as how that's sexy to the lovely ladies but not sure if I can withstand weightlifting yet.

Posted by marie (Member # 3980) on :

Does anyone get increased nervous system symptoms with activity?

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

The key to exercise is slow. Even if you start at 5 minutes a day, start there.

When my symptoms were at their worst, I started exercise by stretching. I did very simple stretches I got from physical therapists focusing in my trouble spots (first shoulders and neck, then hips).

I try to do yoga now. I don't push if it hurts too much. I've learned when it's muscle pain (which I find is ok during exercise) and joint or tendon pain (which is not ok).

I do eliptical or stationary bike for cardio. I stop if I'm lightheaded.

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

Marie -

I get increase myoclonus jerks during cooldown after yoga. I don't know if it's the activity of yoga, or the resting part that triggers it.

I also sometimes get lightheaded with exercise. Again, I'm not sure if it's neuro related or cardio related.

Posted by Thomas Parkman (Member # 3669) on :

Reosemary, dear heart, I hate to tell you the bad news but the only thing that seems to really work to fight this madness and the vicious trailer trash burgdorferis is EXERCISE. Since I am a walkaholic, and come from a long line of alcoholics-instead of getting hooked on booze-althought I do love the stuff-I am hooked on using my feet and moving. I love to get out and just wander around.

So the best exercises are walking and swimming. Having seen the incredibly ugly men in the locker room I no longer have a problem with going swimming. While I may be truly positively revolting in a bathing suit there are others even worse. There was even one brave soul who looked about 198 who was just about ready to get in his coffin. He got in there and thrashed about with the best of them. If he can do it-no modesty there- I can too. Just to swim a few meters a day or everyother day is wonderful for your system. Even if it is painful just keep moving. When you quit moving you are dead.

You are putting oxygen into your system and Boris and Myrtle and their 900 million distant realtions just hate oxygen. For them it is a poison. So just get out there and breathe and up your metabolism away. Walking is just wonderful. Find an area which brings you joy and go for it. Bicycling is just great. Get out and run over the people and dogs/cats/sheep that get on your nerves. It will be so satisfying. You will even get to see a lot more of the world than you do lying in bed being in misery.

I feel awful you say. Well of course you do, but even so get out there and root hog or die. After all if you lie abed, and I realize-boy do I realize-that there are times when you just cannot go. But there will be those times when you can.
So get out there and do what you can, and try to make yourself do more than you think you can. YOU CAN DO IT!!! Besides as I have said you are making the microscopic swine miserable and you will be amazed at how many times how much better you feel. Besides you can get out and talk to people or compare yourself to them and often it turns out that you and things are not as bad as you thought. Cheers!!!! Thomas Parkman

Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :

One of my doctors has recommended that I plug into an oxygen tank when exercising large muscles in order to get even more oxygen into the system. This makes the workout more effective in terms of increasing oxygen.

It is called EWOT (Exercise With Oxygen Therapy) and is used for many chronic illnesses. Large muscles must be exerted with this therapy otherwise the oxygen won't make enough of a difference to be worth it.

It makes sense, can't hurt and because I still don't have a lot of energy I'm doing it so as to increase my oxygen levels as much as I can with the little I do exercise.