Does physical activity lower your HGB?

[pcds]

Thinking about what happened to working dog.  Anyone with some real knowledge regarding your red blood cells and physical exertion?  I would guess HGB is not lowered  by strenuous activity.

[shanro]

hey billy - check out my other post about those who have finished incivek... i have a few questions on there... i can't wait to feel better!!!  only 3 1/2 more weeks of the incivek!!!  wooo hooooooooooooooooooo!!!

[working dog]

you'll feel way better when your done with the incivek...way better...now that i'm off the incivek and i can take hgb of high 7s...but have to be very careful to not lift anything heavy...i take a break at the top of the stairs...but i can talk ok...i couldn't  talk when i was 8 on the incivek...i would pass out...theres such a difference for me when off the incivek...your gonna love it...hang in there......billy

[shanro]

do you find that your muscles burn really easily?  i have a second floor apt and i find that my muscles are burning by the time i'm 3/4s up... like i just ran a marathon!!!  i thought it was low rbc????

[crossroadsec]

The mental benefit is huge for me. I actually make extra trips upstairs at work just for the burn. You know? Prove I still can. Good responses.. Karen

[shanro]

I did some research and there's some people who are symptomatic in the 10s and some who aren't until under 10... I think you and I fall into the former category... I feel very similar to you and my hgb is in the 10s also... hope that helps!!  I still don't understand why that is but it must be one of the mysteries of the uniqueness of individuals like why some get the rash and some don't...

[flcyclist]

oops, forgot a link for further reading:

http://www.sportsdoctor.com/articles/anemia.html

[flcyclist]

I've read several articles related to this that seem to agree that the immediate effect of intense exercise does temporarily lower hemaglogin and hematocrit.  However, I doubt many of us are doing enough intense exercize to have an impact on these levels.  As James said, when athletes train, their RBC/Hgb becomes more efficient at transferring oxygen and getting rid of waste, like lactic acid, etc.   In the end for most of us, I'm guessing little or no influence on the Hgb at all.  But maintaining muscle mass and the psychological effect of exercize are some definite benefits if you're feeling up to it.  Just do what you can.

[pcds]

These past 2 weeks when I've been feeling so awful I was sure my HGB was down even with the procrit and I was surprised to find both weeks my HGB was over 10. I was told by a great friend on this site Spectra that treatment just ***** and is hard.  I keep wanting to understand why these past weeks are so much worse.  But my blood work doesn't give me my answer.  I just think the teleprevir is wearing me down over time in ways that don't show up on a blood test.   Judy

[working dog]

i took 40000 yesterday....i always have a month ahead....i stay on top of the drugs like you can't believe....my doctors office is very good at helping also...i talk directly with the companies...i also have nurses and doctors in the family...that helps...my oldest daughter is a nurse practitioner in fl...shes a great help when needed..i took years setting up tx and that pays off...the thing i wish i had done was ask more questions before tx...about rescue drugs...all that...vitamins to take...i now started d3 and fish oil...wish i started that way before tx maybe my rash wouldn't be so bad...i take 40000 of procrit a week...billy

[pcds]

When did you last take procrit??  You mentioned you don't have insurance, are you getting the helper drugs regularly or just once in awhile.  

[working dog]

thanks james...that was good info.....being a high school drop out i love too suck up this stuff..i'm way down today on the hgb...i can feel it...i could never exercise without having a heart attack...i'm walking around but thats it...still i really don't feel that bad otherwise which is neat..i'm not in bed all day...i can lift my head up fine.....it would be nice if someone knows about exercise with low hgb..(.does or can exercise lower your hgb and how fast when on tx and having already having low hgb....)  billy

[James10500]

In theory exercise increases red blood cells.  This is how athlete "get in shape"  If this was not true athletes would not train.  Whether your body has the ability to do this while on tx is the question.  Ribavirin saturates the red blood cells and leaves little room for anything else in the cell.  Remember this is why it takes 6 months after you stop taking it for it to be cleared out of your body. All the RBCs have to die and be replaces with new ones that are Riba free.

[pcds]

I get our breath real easy  too.   Have you been on a regular regime of procrit?   I understand feeling tired after lots of activity but you reported a very low HGB.  That is what I'm wondering about.  Somehow I don't think the activity affects you level of HGB

[working dog]

i really feel good today.....i just took my riba...i think i just plain over did it...i'm bad that way...i was feeling so much better i pushed too hard...at least i hope so...this is a great question....i also wonder how fast hgb can go up or down...i'm going 3 hours to watch a race ...my gf is driving though...i'll see how i feel later...a puppy came in and went on the floor as i'm writing this...i just cleaned it up and that took my breath away just bending over ...so i'm pretty anemic..can't stain at all...billy