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1210403 tn?1277953086

water therapy and fatigue with nausea

So I have started water physical therapy.  I have gone three times now.  The first time was absolutly horrible.  I felt like I was going to vomit when I got out of the pool.  I was so shaky I had to sit down.  The second time was much better.  So today, I drove myself thinking I was use to it and could go alone.  I finished and could barely get out of the pool again, I was so fatigued that I could not move.  I felt nausous again and was so hot. I did not think I could drive home, all I wanted was something to eat, so I pulled over to Wendy's (bad choice I know, but I NEEDED food).  I ate my food on the way home, and kept dropping it, over and over.  I finaly pulled over and sat, not knowing what was wrong with me.  
I am starting to feel that something is seriously wrong, it goes from bad to worse.  Is this normal for someone with a probably MS diagnosis?  Shouldn't I be building strength instead of losing it?  Could something else be causing my MS symptoms, and maybe I do have a different diagnosis?  I realize that MS causes lack of strength and fatigue, but my goodness, I thought I was going to pass out!
Karen
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Avatar universal
I recently started physical therapy at a new place that has aqua therapy.  When I mentioned to the evaluating PT that I was looking forward to having aqua therapy, she told me that wouldn't be possible because of my MS.  She said the water temperature causes more harm to people with MS than the good the therapy itself would do.  To say I was disappointed is understating it.  

Sharlene
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, Karen, it looks as if the temp may be the problem. There's a Health Page on heat and MS, and we've had a lot of discussions here too. If you'd like, try doing a 'Search this Community' for more info.

ess
Helpful - 0
560501 tn?1383612740
   Oooopps Looks like while I was writing my post a couple other people posted.
Did not mean to sound redundant....

~Tonya
Helpful - 0
1210403 tn?1277953086
Yes, there is a therapist there.  I have had my blood sugar tested before, and now signs of hypoglycemia.  I ate lunch 2 1/2 hours before I went in, protein and vegetables.  A friend brought me over a chai tea as well, but that was 3 hours before I went in the water. The water temp was 85 degrees.  I was in the cooler of the 2 pools.  
After I ate I came home and showered, and now feel 100% better.  Weird.
Karen
Helpful - 0
560501 tn?1383612740
    Hi there. i am wondering a couple of things.
Is the pool that you are doing thereapy a "HEATED POOL"?
Also, is the water therapy class that you are in....is it an aerobic / resistance
class?  Or is is more of a gentle strestching?

   The reason I am asking these questions is because First of all Heat + MS = no good!
it raises your core temp thus giving you these pseudo flares and well.....Just basically Tapping you out.

    The other thing is IF you are doing more of an aerobic /resistance type of class BEFORE  you have started any kind of "Learning to strectch and get a bit conditioned" class, that is not good either.

    Heat for certain is not a good thing w/ MS. you have (2) negatives going for you....
* The heated pool (raising your core temp)
* Raising your own core temp by all the moving around (excercising)

I hope that makes since. Pease be careful if you do continue this class as you are having some terrible affects from it....Your body is trying to tell you something.
~Tonya


  
Helpful - 0
1045086 tn?1332126422
Aquatic exercise is great but you have to be careful.  It is easy to do too much when you first start because you feel so light and free in the water.  You also have to be very careful about the temperature of the water.  The warmer it is the shorter your stay can be.  Heat can bring on temporary flair of symptoms.

It's interesting that you had such a strong urge to eat.  Do you ever have problems with your blood sugar falling?  What did you eat before you exericsed?

I hope if you go slowly this will work out for you.  The water is a wonderful place to move around.  You do have a therapist in the water with you, right?

Mary
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, Karen. This sounds really lousy. One question---how warm was the pool water? If it was on the warm side and you were exercising diligently, you could have gotten just plain too hot. That often causes pseudo-flares in MSers, with reactions very much like you describe.

Are you better now?

ess
Helpful - 0
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