posted
I'm working through my symptoms here and have been relatively lucky to have slow but fairly constant improvement over the last 8 months - seems to be that my cognitive symptoms are improving although I'm still pretty ADD these days...
fatigue is still pretty bad though...I'm sleeping 9 or 10 hours a night. Is this the last thing to go for most people?
Would an exercise regimen make this worse initially but better in the long run? So far I haven't been exercising much...
Thanks all.
-------------------- long road since 2010 abx got me over the hump diet, detox, and herbs have got me to heal Posts: 174 | From CT | Registered: Jan 2010
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
I still have the same problem. I was found to have mild/moderate sleep apnea, and the CPAP is helping my overall stamina and my dark eye rings, but I am still able to sleep 9-10 hours a night, sometimes more if it's a bad spell.
So with the increased stamina, I am hoping to exercise, and I'm hoping that'll help. I want to strenghten my legs first, then I'll hike and possibly walk/run (alternating). I am already able to take walks on days I feel up to it. But I want to increase the intensity of those. Hoping that'll result in deeper sleep, which might result in sleep that isn't so.......long.
Because even after 10 hours, it can be hard to wake me. I talk about this a lot on here. Hate it.
Good luck! I'm thinking for some of us, it's the last thing to go.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Also, I tend to feel drowsy during the day, which I hate too. I can't figure out if it's Lyme, CFS as a syndrome, or what.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
It's so different from person to person. When I'm doing well it's the first symptom to be alleviated.
Posts: 339 | From Outer Space | Registered: Aug 2009
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I strongly advise you to begin an exercise program. My lyme doc told me that I would NEVER get rid of this disease until I did.
I got rid of it over 5 1/2 years ago, and I am still symptom free. I began doing the 1 hour Burrascano weight lifting (calesthenics) exercise program as described in his Guidelines.
Looking back, I now see that the exercise program did so much for me--for fatigue and many other things. Strength and conditioning, endurance, feeling more normal mentally, etc.
It took me months to work up to a 1 hour routine that was a full body workout because my main symptom was extreme muscle weakness.
This exercise was great in so many ways. It enables you to see progress as you are able to lift weights for a longer and longer period, do more reps, lift more weight, etc.
You really start feeling better because of the exercise. Burrascano believes it drives the meds deeper into your muscles and other tissues, heats up the body to a temp that kills the germs, etc. Read the 5-6 ways Burrascano believes weight lifting works to effect a cure.
You only exercise every other day. Never more than that. Your immune system needs the day off to recover. This strengthens your immune system so that it is able to fight the lyme and you will not relapse when treatment is finished.
Here is a quote from p. 31:
"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. It is known that Bb will die if exposed to all but the tiniest oxygen concentrations. If an aggressive exercise program can increase tissue perfusion and oxygen levels, then this may play a role in what is being seen.
Also, during aggressive exercise, the core body temperature can rise above 102 degrees; it is known that B. burgdorferi is very heat sensitive. Perhaps it is the added tissue oxygenation, or higher body temperature, or the combination that weakens the Lyme Borrelia, and allows the antibiotics and our defenses to be more effective. Regular exercise-related movements can help mobilize lymph and enhance circulation. In addition, there is now evidence that a carefully structured exercise program may benefit T-cell function: this function will depress for 12 to 24+ hours after exercise, but then rebound. This T-cell depression is more pronounced after aerobics which is why aerobics are not allowed. The goal is to exercise intermittently, with exercise days separated by days of total rest, including an effort to have plenty of quality sleep. The trick is to time the exercise days to take advantage of these rebounds. For an example, begin with an exercise day followed by 3 to 5 rest days; as stamina improves, then fewer rest days will be needed in between workouts. However, because T-cell functions do fall for at least one day after aggressive exercises, be sure to never exercise two days in a row. Finally, an in intermittent exercise program, properly executed, may help to reset the HPA axis more towards normal."
page 32:
"a whole-body exercise program, consisting of light calisthenics and/or resistance training, using light resistance and many repetitions. This can be accomplished in exercise classes called "stretch and tone", or "body sculpture", or can be achieved in the gym with exercise machines or carefully with free weights (see cautions above).
3. Each session should last one hour. A gentle hour is preferable to a strenuous half-hour. If the patient is unable to continue for the whole hour, then decrease the intensity to allow him/her to do so.
4. Exercise no more often than every other day. The patient may need to start by exercising every 4th or 5th day initially, and as abilities improve, work out more often, but NEVER two days in a row. The nonexercise days should be spent resting.
5. This whole-body conditioning program is what is required to achieve wellness. A simple walking program will not work, and simply placing the patient on a treadmill or an exercise bike is not acceptable (except very briefly, as part of a warm-up), as aerobics can be damaging and must be avoided."
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
I second the suggestion for exercise. It's necessary. I don't think I'd be recovered without it.
Insomnia was the last to go for me. It took me months to wean off the sleep meds. I'm still not as heavy of a sleeper as I was before, but I do sleep 8 hours straight if not disturbed.
I slept 9 hours per night for months after I was well. Now I naturally sleep 7-8 hours.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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