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#1646 - 05/18/07 02:47 AM
ENCOURAGING LYME PATIENTS TO EXERCISE
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CJirongirl
New Researcher
Registered: 11/12/06
Posts: 9
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Hi everyone,
I was talking with someone yesterday about my experience with lyme disease having had it for over 17 years and being reinfected about 3 years ago. She asked how I got over it the first time and when I said that I started vigorous exercise to combat fatigue, she almost fell out of her chair...
But it's true. Exercise is saving my life. First - It's giving me something to focus on aside from pain. It makes me feel like I have accomplished something besides sleeping all day, and it makes me happy. I walk a little on my crutches, ride a stationery bike for 30 minutes, swim, or fly on the flying trapeze in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. (TSNY Baltimore). It is a lot harder for me to exercise with this bout of lyme than the last one...
But with the last bout, I was doing marathons and Ironman triathlons with chronic lyme. I know a lot of you are saying. I don't have the energy to do something like that, and I am saying it too some days, but if you put your mind to it, you can get through any workout. Read this: http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/holdingcell...-best-to-others
In fact, as a triathlon and marathon coach and general physical trainer, I would like to help you get healthy... We can do it together...
So if anyone out there would like a training schedule tailored to their individual bodies, I am happy to help out. Please email me at cj_irongirl@yahoo.com
Smiles and good health for all fo us,
CJ Jaffe (formerly CJ Texler), RN
Ironman
cj_irongirl@yahoo.com
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#1659 - 05/19/07 04:08 PM
Re: ENCOURAGING LYME PATIENTS TO EXERCISE
[Re: CJirongirl]
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Willo
Spirochete Hunter
Registered: 11/10/06
Posts: 81
Loc: South Puget Sound, WA State
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Thanks for sharing your experience! I've read stories in Confronting Lyme Disease that talk about exercise, and my hat is tipped, especially to those that run marathons.
I have days where I feel like I -could- walk five miles, and I have the part of the country to do that in! Puget Sound is gorgeous, and beckons me for a walk.. but my body has a good record of kicking my a$$ the next day when I do give to those impulses. So i've learned slowly but steadily wins the race.
Of course exercise is a part of my routine and has been regularly (every day) for 4 years now, and my friend from high school, Siri (who knew me before I became ill), said just the other day that I did a lot considering how sick I am. The remark surprised me as I didn't think it was a lot, but then I added everything up. I have a very carefully metted out exercise routine by occupational therapists, physical therapists which is approved by my LLMD. It includes stretches, exercises, tai chi and at the end a dance. Siri had trouble keeping up with me! *insert silly grin* ..but then she got me back when she got up to make us brekkie and I had to collapse on the bed. lol
I recommend exercise wholeheartedly, but recommend that you take it slow. Listen to your body, if it says enough - then enough is enough! You'll be able to build your tolerance levels.. at first I was doing 5 reps, these days I'm doing 25 with each exercise. As always, I would recommend you check with your physician before changing your routine.
Good luck to those that do this!
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#1675 - 05/21/07 09:16 AM
Re: ENCOURAGING LYME PATIENTS TO EXERCISE
[Re: Willo]
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Rich_skiweasel7
Forum Veteran
Registered: 12/29/06
Posts: 178
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I agree exercise is very important. At the same time, I would like to stress what Willo said, listen to your body. Don’t over do it!!! Dr. Burrascano stresses "non-aerobic conditioning". This is more like weight lifting rather that running marathons. My hat’s off to those of you who have run marathons with lyme, but I’m not sure if that will work too well for most lyme patients.
From Dr. Burrascano Guidelines:
LYME DISEASE REHABILITATION
Despite antibiotic treatments, patients will NOT return to normal unless they exercise! This is because in most cases the chronic Lyme patient is deconditioned. More importantly, a properly executed exercise program becomes part of the treatment, as it can actually go beyond the antibiotics in helping to clear the symptoms and to maintain a remission.
Therefore, a vital part of any plan for recovery must include serious efforts at physical reconditioning. This may begin with physical therapy: the physical therapy should involve massage, heat, ultrasound and simple range of motion exercises to relieve discomfort and promote better sleep and flexibility. Ice and electrical stimulation should not be used!
The program ultimately must evolve into a graded, strenuous exercise program that consists of a specific regimen of non-aerobic conditioning- see below.
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. In addition, there is now evidence that a carefully structured exercise program may benefit T-cell function in the immune system, an obvious potential benefit in an illness like Lyme that is known to weaken immune responses. To reap this benefit, the exercise sessions should last at least one hour, but never be repeated more often than every other day...
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