LymeNet Flash: Lyme treatment and physical exercise

This is topic Lyme treatment and physical exercise in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

When I was healthier I used to exercise a lot but with progression of the disease any exercise has become very unpleasant. Currently I don't exercise (I walk a little) and I am on antibiotics for about 10 weeks only. I have an impression that I am done with my major herxing.

What do you think about exercising during treatment? Is it recommended by your doctors?
Have you tried it? What was your experience if you try exercising on antibiotics?
Was it helpful or vice versa?

If I'd pushed myself I could probably do some exercise.

Posted by IBelieve (Member # 6834) on :

Both of my ID doctors say that it is a good idea to exercise. I also was a big exercise nut before being hit with this.
I have been walking and I just started hitting the gym again a couple of days ago. Boy, did it feel great.
My advice would be to exercise, but not push yourself.
I am not a doctor, but was once a personal trainer.

Posted by NP40 (Member # 6711) on :

My son needs a cane at this point, but the doc still wants him to take a walk everyday. Even if he can only go a half a block, he needs to get out.

Seven months ago, he was playing on his high school football team, and now he needs a cane to get around ! Nasty, infuriating disease !

Posted by shazdancer (Member # 1436) on :

Yes, exercise, even if you have to take a nap afterward.

Exercise helps keep the metabolism elevated, and the body warmer (keets hate heat). An elevated metabolism keeps the blood moving, removes toxins more efficiently.

Exercise helps build lean muscle, which burns more calories when moving or at rest -- helps keep down the weight gain.

And the by-product of exercise is endorphins, the feel-good hormones.

Just don't overdo it, especially if you have severe joint, heart, or lung involvement.

Regards,
Shaz
(dance/gymnastics teacher)

Posted by cmichaelo (Member # 5873) on :

I'm not a doctor, but everything I've ever heard about exercising is that it is important to anybodys overall well being.

It's important to your mind.

It's important to your heart.

It's important to your flexibility.

It's important to your muscles.

I don't think it's bad for anything.

Michael

Posted by beachcomber (Member # 5320) on :

Exercise will oxygenate your blood naturally, which will intern help with inflammation and a whole host of other positive things.

I practice yoga a few days a week. In the warmer months I always jogged when I could or cycle when I can, even for very short distances. This winter I started swimming.

I do have some heart related issues from Lyme so, my MD begs me to go light on the cardio. I am stubborn and want so badly to be back where I was before getting ill so, I do not pay attention and sometimes I pay dearly the next day. But, the hurt I get from exercises feels somehow right, unlike the overall achy, crummy feeling I have when just laying low. It is a mental boost as much as it is a physical rush for me.

I too walked with a cane for a while. I could only walk as far as my mailbox but, I made myself do it every day. I am now able to do much more and my muscles are beginning to get some tone back.

So, I say exercise is a good thing. I felt absolutely vomitous (is that a word) this morning. But, I asked my sister to drive me to the gym so I could swim a few laps. I am a different person this afternoon and will sleep well tonight.

Do what you can, no more & no less.

Posted by lymiecanuck on :

I often wonder if exercise is what kept me from getting sicker sooner, and actually surviving when I went down so horribly hard.

Important not to push it and watch your joints and tendons and warm up very well and stretch your muscles everyday.

My leg is much improved by stretching eveyday. Often does not hurt at all now, and was in excuriating agony with contracture before.

lymiecanuck

Posted by artbyjessie2 on :

I exercise almost every day. I force myself to go to the gym to do the elliptical trainer or some form of cardio for 30 mins.

as a former triathlete i DID learn that overdoing it can result in a regression.

i think we all know what our limits are - whether we choose to accept them or not is a different matter.

when i first got sick I was in denial and kept trying to train hard (90 mins at the gym every day)

i got very sick. when i cut back i noticed improvement.

everything in moderation!

PS if you belong to a gym with a sauna, make use of it!

Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :

I was an avid gym rat........... 6 days a week pre-lyme. Did weights and cardio. A lot.

Now I do what I can........try to make 5 days but that is hard.........and my workout is sometimes barely a workout.

But I do believe I stayed healthy, before crashing as a result of the exercise......but eventually the bug did me in.

My suggestion .....like everyone else's is to exercise as much as you can without over doing it.

Overdoing it will cause you to regress in your recovery.

Dr. B says:
" Even with successful treatment of the infections, chronic Lyme patients will not return to normal unless they pursue a formal program of therapeutic exercise, as outlined below. "

The link is:
http://www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.html#rehab

You gotta move to get well.........oh and did I mention....... ya gotta hafta definately must quit smoking if you want to get well.

My opinion,
robi