Lyme Disease Support Group

I just started a thread on Fatigue, but had another question since this is all fairly new to me. How do you draw the line between exercise and rest, as I know both are important. I get up and move around, do odds and ends around the house, but should I force myself to do more extraneous things (ie yardwork)? I could push myself to do more, but I will be drained for days!

You have to find your Limits...

One of the biggest problems with Chronic Pain - and Fatigue, is that we stop using our bodies. The less we use them the worse they get when we do have to do something...

Keep activities lite...and listen to your body. It will tell you if you are pushing things too far...

For myself, my body pretty much aches all of the time...its when something specific really starts to hurt that I know I have to back off.

And you have to find different ways to do things...if possible. But dont push yourself...but dont let yourself slack off - its all about balance.

Once you found balance - you will eventually be able to do more. Also get on some things that will help with energy.

Supporting the immune system - many products out there - including whole food supplement. Also adrenal support will help with the fatigue - and B12...

hang in there

Christine

No, No, No...do not push yourself because you are sure to pay!

That said...many of our household chore feel like a workout but lack the structure of exercise.

A yoga or Tai Chi exercise program is best for us. Both are ancient and powerful despite the low impact nature of the movements used.

BTW....welcome aboard!

just got the Wii Fit for my wife/family. I should try it.

I like rebounding even though I don't do it as often as I should. It's easy on the joints and helps with the lymphatics. On days I feel good, I do more, but then I pay for it, so it is hard to find that balance. When I feel good, I want to push myself but then I do pay, so I need to resist that urge.

Yes! I've heard great things about the Wii. It is most certainly a workout. I can't wait to try myself.

FSUFan - I love rebounding, too! It's one of the few exercises I can do that is beneficial right away, but can go easy and doesn't cause pain. My husband folded mine up and stored it for the holidays and I haven't seen it since! I need to find it and ask him to set it up again so I can get back into a routine. Even five minutes a day helps me.

I would think any regular, consistent, low-impact activity would be beneficial. Stretches, gentle movements, light resistance training. Working up a sweat can make us feel better at first but boy oh boy do we pay for it later!!

Valerie

my ex who has lyme now complains of shortness of breath....she doesn't look out of shape but recently she went downstairs to her basement and back up to check on something and got out of breath! I don't have lyme and am still relatively unfamiliar but would a consistent low intensity cardio routine help that? From the outside looking in it seems that it could.

It depends if the shortness of breath is a symptom of lyme or another co-infection, which I suspect. She may see that symptom improve with treatment. The regular rules of exercise do not apply to most lymies. A low intensity workout may help someone who is out of shape. It could help her, but only she can know what type of exercise, if any, she can tolerate. She'll know when it's too much if she wakes up the next day and feels worse.

I teach fitness classes, and one of the things I noticed prior to being diagnosed was definitely finding myself out of breath while teaching. I would laugh about not being able to get through my own fitness class, and figured it had to do with my asthma, or the fact that I was always sick. Out of the blue, I would have some days that this was not a problem. So that being said, if the lyme is the cause for shortness of breath, I don't think exercise is gonna help. I never stopped and I actually increased my workouts out of fear I was losing my endurance, but the shortness of breath was just there when it wanted to be. (It doesn't mean, she shouldn't attempt to increase her endurance. I don't care what the diagnosis, I am an advocate for the need to exercise, especially when something is wrong!)

I refused to stop pushing myself to work hard and even after I was diagnosed with Lyme, I continued to push myself because I knew if I didn't I would without a doubt lose the cardio endurance I had.

I have however been wondering and chatting with myself about the exercise thing since I got this diagnosis.

For me, more than anything, and perhaps the first symptom I noticed, was muscle fatigue. It started in my legs. I thought I ruined myself by teaching so many classes for so many years. Every time I attempted to squat or do any leg workout, by the 3rd or 4th one my quads were killing me. I would rest them for a few days, but nothing seemed to make a difference. More recently, I started to notice the fatigue in my arms. Raising my arms for any lengthy period of time was becoming impossible. That is what convinced me something was wrong.

(Try getting people to believe something is wrong with you when your symptoms are you're achy and worn out and you workout at least 9 times a week. For months all I heard was, "you're doing to much." "are you sure you didn't hurt your arm, hand, leg, ankle, feet, working out?" I even questioned myself!)

My question is, is muscle fatigue the same thing as muscle atrophy? Am I actually getting weaker, or am I just that tired. Despite how much I keep pushing myself, I can't figure out if I am weaker. Some days I have great workouts, but the muscle fatigue is always there. I walk upstairs and my quads are on fire. My legs are not nearly as toned as they used to be. I have gained a lot of weight with this. NONE of my clothes fit.

I don't know if I am losing muscle and gaining weight or just gaining weight on top of my muscle. THAT has been the most emotional and upsetting portion of this whole thing.... Call me vain, but I have struggled my whole life with my weight and gaining this much weight is really really unfair. : (

Post edited by: sosotired, at: 04/27/2009 08:12 PM