posted
I've read all sorts of threads here about excercize...those who believe it was the key to recovery and those who say no sort of any aerobic excercize. The Doctors professional opinions are just as varied.
So how do you know if it right for you? I was a very athletic person pre-lyme. I still think it is important to move my body. I can't do what I used to do...I just lower my level of intensity when I kick-box, weight-train, cycle etc.
How do I know if it is damaging my heart? I wear my Heart rate monitor and make sure to work-out at 75% or less of my maximum capacity. I don't feel bad when I work-out nor do I feel wiped-out. I don't seem to herx or have crappy side effects. My med's seem to sit better with me when I am as active as my body will permit.
Any feed-back? I don't want to do anything crazy to hurt my body or wreck my recovery.
-------------------- bitten: ? diagnosed: 2/25/10 started tx: 3/1/10 Posts: 26 | From Raleigh/Durham NC | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
IMO/E you need to listen to how your body reacts to your exercise duration and intensity.
I was a competitve athlete before getting lyme and I still am. I just cannot train and compete like I use to - not yet anyway.
Since you were very athletic prior to getting lyme then you should know your bod's response well enough to know if you are doing harm or not.
It is all relative.Prior to getting lyme I ran 50 miles a week and biked /swam a few times a week. Now I run 25 miles a week. For me it is doable - 50% of my pre-lyme routine.
But for someone who never ran a step in his or her life, 25 miles with lyme would not be a smart thing at all.
I follow a 50% rule and to date it has worked very well for me. I do 50% of the duration and intenstiy of what I feel my body can do. Sometimes I need to ajust it but 50% usually works for me and my recover continues to go well.
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Regardless of how active one was prior to infection, if infection is present, hard exercise can damage the heart. And that can't be seen by wearing a heart monitor.
Aerobic exercise is not allowed until recovered. There are many reasons for that. However, Non-aerobic exercise is very important but not even every day.
It's best to discuss with one's LLMD.
Tai Chi or Qi Gong - or yoga- can all be done daily. For some, water therapy or slow walking, even slower biking can be done at certain stages. Pilates can be excellent. All these can be adapted for individual needs, on a daily level. Some can be done in a chair or a bed.
But, remember it's not just the heart affected. The liver is greatly affected by aerobic exercise and, if already overwhelmed, more toxins will be spilled back into the body during hard exercise.
Adrenal function is also greatly damaged by lyme. That requires very special care to prevent set-backs that can last for months.
The brain is often swollen and aerobic exercise makes that worse. The immune system also is stressed by aerobics and not to its advantage. It's very complex. The idea of pushing hard and "no pain, no gain" can be damaging for lyme patients.
There is a great deal of damage to the mitochondria with any stealth infection. That must be considered regarding aerobics.
And, most lyme patients have a mix of stealth infections. It's not so simple.
Exercise requires a whole new mind set regarding chronic stealth infections. Gentle movement can really have dramatic effects when done with thought. Do things you enjoy that get you moving - just not too fast.
If you enjoy kick-boxing and that seems to work for you, as that can be done at all speeds - tuning it down is possible to still getting balance and agility training with some fun. Fun really matters. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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WildCondor
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posted
Exercise is crucial to recovery. Keep exercising as much as you can just give yourself rest days in between so you do not wear yourself out. If you are extremely ill then just use weights, yoga, etc. As you recover you canget back into cardio. It took me 4 years to get back to climbing mountains and mountain biking again, you just have to start slow.
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Keebler
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From Dr. Bruno's "Fainting and Fatigue" in the Spring 1996 CFIDS Chronicle
Post-polio expert Dr. Richard Bruno points out that physical over-activity is the biggest cause of post-polio symptoms. [3]
Excerpt:
``when mice infected with Coxsackie B3 were forced to swim in a warm pool, the virulence of the virus was drastically augmented.
In fact, viral replication was augmented 530 times. This did horrendous things to the animals' hearts. We all know that to play squash with the flu can lead to heart attacks.
Much the same danger can be courted by undertaking hard exercise with M.E. (CFS).'' - End quote.
posted
One's post lyme fitness level is important.
What an inshape/athletic persons heart percieves as "hard"(VO2 Max) is going to be much different then someone who is out of shape.
Person A may be able to run a 7 minute mile at 50% of their max. While Person B may do the same pace at 90% of their max. It is very relative.
I totally agree you do not want to do hard exercise during lyme /treatment but hard exercise is a relative measure and has alot to do with ones fitness level prior to getting sick.
My LLMD stresses the importance of cardio in recovery when done in low intenstiy with plenty of recovery time.
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
I am an advocate of exercise during lyme treatment when you are feeling well enough to do so.
I use to mountain bike about 10 hours a week and prior to treatment could not ride at all.
Now, 6 months into treatment I am riding about 5 hours a week and handling it just fine.
It IS a relative thing. I have co-workers who don't have lyme but they could never ride the amount of time and distance that I do with lyme!
What is hard for one person may be easy for someone else and that is based on ones fitness level.
The key is to know your body well enough to know how much and how hard to train. I don't let a LLMD decide that for me - I can do that all on my own and to date it has only helped me.
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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posted
Thank you, Keebler, those links provide a bunch of food for thought. I especially appreciate the link to the cardiomyopathy issues.
Wild Condor, glad you are climbing mountains again.
TriGal, I, too, run bike and swim...least favorite is running. I don't run with lyme.
Desertwind, Thanks for the advice. I now ride about 35-40 miles a week at 14/15 mph whereas I used to log about 120 miles per week at 21 mph. My hubby still rides like crazy so I live vicariously through him
This Lyme mess is crazy. I do think the key for me is balance...but finding that balance is challenging.
I know that one day in the future I will compete in an Iron-man again. Maybe there will be other Lymies that do it with me!!!!
-------------------- bitten: ? diagnosed: 2/25/10 started tx: 3/1/10 Posts: 26 | From Raleigh/Durham NC | Registered: Feb 2010
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I never did an Ironman but have done a couple of Half Ironmans..
My hubby is training for a half right now and I hear you about the vicarious thing!
Like you said, balance is the key and you will know what that looks like for you.
Best of luck! TG
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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randibear
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posted
i can only do walking. now with my heart condition, the doctor says it's best for me.
he says "running marathons are definitely out for you!"
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Time for me to sign off. Too depressing of a thread. I just want to be able to cut the grass Others are riding 40-50 miles or running or...... lol. I'm a lost cause.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- seekhelp, about "EXERCISE INTOLERANCE"
Many with lyme are "exercise intolerant" in that even a little bit can set them back for months. This is really not unusual but those with this are not about to talk about it due to the shame.
The links above, explain a lot about that, if that is your case. "When working out doesn't work out" is a very good article. Remember that ATP, mitochondria, liver and all sorts of things are involved.
This is no small matter. My exercise is just getting food cooked, dishes put away. Or a shower.
Tai Chi movements or Qi Gong (like Tai Chi but less head turning) can be excellent in that they don't require all the energy of most exercise but they still can be very powerful in many ways.
Don't be shamed. Just be smart and listen to your body. Don't push it. Many have to work smarter, not harder. We can't let the shame of "exercise intolerance" ruin our appreciation for just how hard our bodies ARE working. We can't let the shame make us think less of ourselves or that we aren't doing all we can.
Smarter, not harder . . . that is the way many have to plan their energy output. Again, please be sure to read WHY that is (explained in the links above). And we still have just a hint of all that in involved in this. Quiet yourself, check-in with your body, and trust what your body is telling you all along the way. It sounds strange but I almost have to do a dialogue like:
"Well, I'd sure like to do (this or that)." I quiet and wait for a sense of if my BODY is able . If my will is stronger, my body still has to agree or we just don't go. I've learned from hundreds of times when I did not honor my body. Release shame. Take on honor for accepting the responsibility of taking care of yourself as best you can. That includes holding back sometimes. This includes not accepting criticism from others.
I used to be ashamed to walk in a park when others ran. But, then - after not being about to even walk at all for many months, I was happy to just be on my feet and out in the trees.
This all requires lots of planning ahead and dropping the stuff that wears us out but doesn't get us anywhere. It's a real management experience.
As for what can help? Those links above also give good suggestions for support measures that can help. Good luck and, please, do enjoy moving your body is a way that works for you - here and now. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
good stuff keebler Posts: 220 | From Kansas | Registered: Mar 2010
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Remember to Smile
Unregistered
posted
Ditto. Keebler, that was spot-on.
Keebler wrote: "My exercise is just getting food cooked, dishes put away. Or a shower." Thank you! I'm such a Lymie, too!
Many times I find myself saying, "Food, clothing and shelter," then knowing it'll take all my energy to feed myself well, so I can't fold laundry or clean the house. Much less exercise. It takes planning to have the energy to empty the dishwasher and take a shower in the same morning!
And I earned a varsity letter in track...
But I like knowing why I feel this way. It's empowering to finally know it's LD, I'm not the first to have it, and I can recover.
I find more opportunities to stretch now. I cannot often tolerate walking my energetic dog, but I still go out in the yard with her. I kick a ball to her since it hurts too much to throw. I stretch my legs when I pick up sticks. I do neck stretches and arm & wrist stretches throughout the day.
posted
Keebler - I just wanted to say thank you. Your posts really came at the right time.
I have been so down about not being able to exercise. I feel like everyone thinks I am just lazy.
But even walking now is so difficult and the recovery time is ridiculous.
I took my kids to the zoo on Friday and I am still paying for it with the most intense feet and heel pain.
Thanks again.
Posts: 104 | From No. VA | Registered: Aug 2009
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lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
Heat and oxygen kill Lyme. Exercise helps get people well because it heats up the body and delivers oxygen. My son started a weight lifting program when he was sick. It was extremely hard for him, even the lightest weights. So he had to go slowly and his LLMd guided him about how not to go too far, things like trembling or shaking, are too far.
He is well now and still lifting and now he is doing heavy weights, cardio and totally fit and healthy and starting school to become a trainer.
He started me on weights, I couldn't tolerate it, not even 2 lbs. I use to do aerobics all the time, so I tried that, nope, not anymore. I have always been active and strong prior to LD. Finally, he recommended Resistant Bands and foam rolling (google or youtube them - not the Pilate's band workouts) for me. I could barely do anything with the lightest band at first and foam rolling was even hard to do. I stayed with it faithfully now for 6 months and I have moved up in band resistance and can tell my body is so much stronger than it was before I started. I use to shake and tremble at the lightest work out, it was bad.
Since I started even test results are changing - 2 co-infections have gone IgM negative and my c4A test (that shows inflammation in the body) has dropped dramatically.
Resistance bands I think are perfect for Lyme patients and foam rolling is a workout in itself. Always check with your LLMd though.
I only did a little here and there when I started until I could work up to a full "routine". I work out 6 days per week 3 days resistance bands, 3 days walking, everyday foam rolling entire body and one day off completely.
Burrascano says at every LD conference - without exercise, we will not get well. I believe that. He outlines a program in his guidelines.
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Others are riding 40-50 miles or running or...... lol. I'm a lost cause.
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