Does anyone have any exercise routines they would suggest? I know it's hard for many with this disease to even consider physical exercise, but I feel like since I sit at a desk all day and am still in decent physical condition, I should try to make the best of it.
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
Hey cjb425, I'm glad your thinking about getting into an exercise program...
We all react to exercise differently when one has Lyme and Co�s.
Start out slow but, definitely start!!! See how you feel after the first few days and go from there.
Good luck, I�m sure you�ll benefit from exercising� I DO!
Posted by cjb425 (Member # 23349) on :
thanks steve i definitely need to do something, you know? its just been so long.. i live such a sedentary lifestyle, i don't even know where to begin. maybe with a little walking? more and more each day?
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
Walking is always a good start, that,'s all I could do when I was realy sick. I walked everyday, pain, pain and more pain.
As far as I'm concerned, if you don�t exercise---you�re not going to get better. I�ve said this a million times here, and a lot of other sites.
Some - say � (pills, pills and more pills) I say exercise, exercise and more exercise!!! Let me know how you make out?
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Steve I agree that exercise is vital. I probably would not have said that before, but now I have experienced it.
I am working on a pilates reformer once a week. In the beginning I needed one week to recover. Now I am getting stronger and I can work out every other day. I have no doubt that my immune system is getting stronger.
I am in a state of euphoria when I work out. I just can't believe it.
Posted by cjb425 (Member # 23349) on :
Thank you both for responding! Haley, that is awesome and inspiring to hear. I would think that pilates would be too much for me right now, but maybe it is something i can work towards?
Steve - thank you, i will keep you posted!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Yes, I suggest one hour of weight lifting/calesthenics every OTHER day. That is the exercise routine prescribed by Burrascano. it strengthens your immune system and actually helps you fight the lyme.
A lyme patient will not get well without exercising. That's what Burrascano says and it is what my lyme doctor told me as well.
It worked for me. And, it will keep you from relapsing once you stop medications.
In about a month, it will be 7 years since I completed my lyme treatment and I am still totally symptom free, enjoying my life.
The weight lifting/calesthenics is non-aerobic exercise. That's what you want to do. Don't do anything aerobic at first because aerobic exercise lowers your immune system for a much longer time than does non-aerobic exercise.
Start out with very light weights. Do a full body workout each time. Rest every other day. You will get so excited as you see yourself being able to lift more and more weight, develop muscle, feel better, etc.
Start reading at page 31 of Burrascano's Guidelines and read through page 32. It starts with this quote:
"Despite antibiotic treatments, patients will NOT return to normal unless they exercise, so therefore an aggressive rehab program is absolutely necessary. It is a fact that a properly executed exercise program can actually go beyond the antibiotics in helping to clear the symptoms and to maintain a remission.
Although the scientific basis for the benefits of exercises is not known, there are several reasonable theories.. . ." (page 31)
I can't emphasize it enough; we have to exercise to get well.
Listen to your own body, do whatever you can do to get some exercise � That�s my opinion!
As I stated above, when I was really sick all I could do is take walks. Most days it was an effect, wasn�t easy but, I made it through each and every day �for a year.
Before getting sick with Lyme, I worked out 5-6 days a week. After one year of walking I started doing 1-2 days in the gym. It took me about three years to get back to 5-6 days of weights and cardio machines.
If you�re still too sick to walk, then start with stretching, you can even sit in a chair and move your body parts � arms, legs, neck etc.
Again, this is just my opinion, talk to your doctors and ask for suggestions.
I�m not dictating, I care about each and every one of you, we�re all in this together and I�m just giving you suggestions.
We all talk about, eating healthy, exercising, diet ETC � please don�t forget, having a positive attitude will help to get our lives back!
I would like to hear from more members, your success and failure with exercise?
Read these three short notes from Doctors.
Exercising With Lyme Disease
Answer from Dr. N. Yes. I agree with Dr. B. that exercise is important in the healing process. I suspect that he and I would agree that if you exercise to the point of feeling exhausted afterwards, and that if that exhaustion lasts a day or more, (what we refer to as post exertional malaise), that amount of exercise is not healthy for that individual.
The key point here is that a patient with Lyme disease is using so much energy to fight their infection(s) that they must no overdo in exercise, or they risk compromising the healing process. Having said that, in addition to the specific program recommended by Dr. B, I am a proponent of any form of low impact exercise that is well tolerated. It�s all about balance, and moderation, and listening to your body about what you can and can�t do. As long as you don�t overdo, exercise can be quite beneficial.
Dr. B. says to do no aerobic exercise, what about moderate walking. It is good for the spirit?
Answer from Dr. A. M. The point of this message is that aerobic exercise can temporarily deplete the immune system, which can make Lyme disease harder to treat. This lowered immunity is demonstrated by the well documented fact that marathon runners have increased susceptibility to viruses in the days following races. Some people with milder cases of Lyme do feel fine after aerobic exercise.
Listen to your body and speak to your doctor. If you feel invigorated after aerobic exercise, then it may be fine for you. If you feel more tired or stressed after aerobic exercise, then it probably is not serving you. There are many other kinds of gifts for the spirit. If aerobic exercise makes you sick, then it may be better to find a different kind of uplifting activity.
Answer from Dr. G. Dr. B. advice about avoiding aerobic exercise does not preclude long walks. He is warning against pushing yourself to get the endorphin rush that many athletic people love. Walking is fine as long as you are not exhausted when you finish, or do not feel more tired the next day.
Limit activity to a level that doesn�t wear you out. Do not use your memory of what you used to do to guide you. Be aware of what feels good in your present condition. A stressed body will not heal from a chronic infection. If your walk is all you can do for that day, you did too much. Start slowly and incrementally. Increase by 1-3 minutes as you are able and you will regain your health.
Push yourself, and you will stay stuck in the exertion and crash pattern. This inhibits immune function and adrenal recovery. Slow but regular physical exercise will increase muscle mass and help modulate your inflammatory response.
- While there are always a few who can run like the wind, regardless (and some can still do that with their LLMDs guidance). . . and most find a good place with non-aerobic choices like Pilates; Tai Chi, Walking, reasonable biking, weight training, water movement, etc.
it's important to note that there are some who are truly and medically "exercise intolerant" - they have to proceed differently as this can be a very serious situation.
For that crowd, pushing harder can be dangerous; yet going about this a bit differently, with specific support, can make a huge difference.
For instance, the effects of Tai Chi can be absolutely amazing. It looks rather sedate but don't let that fool you.
To understand more about what happens to some of us, and to understand some of the cardiac - and mitochondria (energy) - considerations with lyme . . . and what can help:
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i definitely need to do something, you know? its just been so long.. i live such a sedentary lifestyle, i don't even know where to begin. maybe with a little walking? more and more each day?