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11079760 tn?1483386130

Another exercise question...

This may be a dumb question, but can I cause any permanent damage or bring on a true exacerbation through exercise? Or is my biggest problem from pushing a little harder that I might feel crummy for a few days?

I'm not really understanding why my Sx flare (and a few new ones show up) during exercise, so was curious about causing more damage. Thankfully everything seems to quiet down pretty well, except for some annoying buzzing and the extra fatigue in my arms (even after walking on the treadmill!).

Cheryl
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Avatar universal
I second the Spoon Theory reading. Changed my life quite literally and helped a lot of people understand my fatigue.

I am not experiencing any MS symptoms after exercise (except muscle fatigue in my weak leg but that happens on a good day even without the gym).

My thought would also be that heat is responsible. I rarely break a sweat with my workouts because it is broken up into 10 minute chunks. I have also noticed that I don't seem to be able to speed things up on the cardio machines. I can increase my speed a bit but do not it is not much at all so my heart rate is not getting up high enough. That is the main reason that I go 5 mornings a week because I don't think I am necessarily getting enough benefit.

I am concerned that the 10 minute chunks are not "sufficiently healthy" so I am looking at switching my food/med schedule and trying another gym so that I can go earlier and try 15 minutes chunks and see how that works. In the meantime I am gradually increasing the levels of the cardio machines that I use.

Hang in there,

C.
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Thanks, Corrie. I suspect it is heat related, and find that my internal thermometer rises rather quickly now. I keep a fan on me at all times while on the treadmill - and I notice that Sx start at around 15 minutes.

Slowing down definitely helps, but like you, I'm worried that I'm not working hard enough then to get the benefit of moving. So, I'm pushing myself to go longer, if not harder on the cardio.
987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hey Cheryl,

Understanding what happen's because of physical excursion, is still one of the things that doesn't make sense to my pea brain. lol I know the ins and outs of it but i've been an athlete all my life and i still can't seem to get 'normal' out of my head, :D maybe one day...

Repetition doesn't make me physically stronger like it's suppose too, it does the opposite.....fatigue starts kicking in, right arm and leg get really heavy, walking and balance goes caput, some muscles stiffen, cramp or tingle, my double vision and depth perception take a holiday hmmm brain turns to mushy peas and talking becomes a challenge too.

Every one has their own unique tipping point, and you need to learn yours because it is important to understanding how much you can do before you start setting off your symptoms and put you into pseudo territory. Technically you can't bring on a true exacerbation through exercise, causing permanent damage in my view would be more about an accidental injury ie falling off the treadmill, which could happen to anyone but the odds are higher if say it brings on foot drop, balance issues etc.

Oh something that might help, is reading  'Spoon Theory' written by Christine Miserandino who has Lupus, one very  simple way of explaining what it's like to live with fatigue.... http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

Hope that helps.......JJ
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Very helpful, JJ! Thank you.
11079760 tn?1483386130
Thanks! So strange...
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5265383 tn?1669040108
My symptoms ramp up after exercise as well. Especially the foot drop on right, and tingling in both legs.  It goes away.  My various physiotherapists have all assured me that the benefit of exercise outweighs the temporary escalation of weakness, etc.
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Forgot to add, possibly because of heat?  Not sure the reason.  In the summer I have more trouble because my double vision comes back with exercise in heat ...
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