Help + Weight lefting....?

[Hisoka]

Hi everyone, hope you're fine and enjoying life.

I wanted to help a friend through this forum, a friend who has MS, and as we all know, depression comes up with MS as a sideffect, and he decided to ignore all the anti-depressents and go for the illegal drugs option (Not heroine or anything), i told him so many times to quit but he never listens. What should i do about him? How can i help him? How will it effect his MS in the future so that i can convince him?

Now this is related to me, i just wanted to know, does weight lefting effect a MS patient? Because am trying to start weight lefting but am so worried that it would have many negative sideffects later on.

Any help would be great.

Take Care

Regards
MK

[Hisoka]

No smoking involved, just chewing, i actually stopped convincing him because i couldn't get any medical background of how it would effect any MS patient. He choosed his path as Lu said, so i guess he should bare the consequences.

Thats some new info for me about the muscles weakness, but as you said, muscles building could be could, so i guess i don't have to worry anymore.

Thanks for the advice, ill bare that in miind, and ill take Friday off, so that i don't push daily as Lu said.


Thanks alot guys. I guess i'll start weight lefting now.

Take Care
Regards
MK

[Lulu54]

Jensequitur is absolutely right - you must take a break in between days of weight lifting.  It is important you do that and not push daily.

Lu

[jensequitur]

Tobacco is a bad idea for MS patients, at least when it's burned and inhaled.  I have no idea how it will affect him in chewed form, but I do know it's very hard to quit.

Muscle weakness is a nerve problem, not a muscle problem.  No matter how strong your muscles are, if the nerves aren't telling them to fire, or they're not telling them to fire consistently, then they won't work.  I've experienced this firsthand - it's no fun!

Exercise is good for you, as it builds neurons, helps depression, exercises the heart, and helps stability.  There's nothing wrong with muscle building, either.  It will help keep your metabolism up, and core strength is an important part of staying upright.

One thing to keep in mind - don't exercise the same muscle groups two days in a row.  Try to alternate muscle groups.  What I do is exercise two sets of opposing muscle groups, like the triceps and biceps, or the gluts and quads.  I usually exercise three days a week, skipping tues and thurs.

[Hisoka]

hi, he's chewing tobacco i think, any ideas about that....?

Everyone keeps talking about muscle weakness. I really don't get that, shouldn't weight lefting make your muscles more stable/stronger and less trembling as time passes?

Thanks for the advice.

Regards
MK

[Hisoka]

Hi, i think he's chewing tobacco, and acccording to him, it's making him "feel better" thus he's curing depression in his own way. Am tired of helping him to be honest.

i am actually planning to left the light weights, but will that still be a problem if am planning to do it like everyday? i am definatley not planning to left like more than 25Kg or something like that.
I dunno why am having a feeling that it makes my muscles more stable and less trembling as jens said, but nerves wise, MS wise, does it have a bad effect? that am not sure about.

[jensequitur]

Hey, is your friend using marijuana?  I wouldn't be too concerned.  At this point in time, they haven't done enough studies to prove anything one way or the other.  The only concern is depression, but exercise cures that as well.

Weight lifting is a good idea, when done in moderation.  It won't help muscle weakness, though, so dont expect that to improve.  Weight lifting helps bone strength and your metabolism.

I try to work out three times a week, and typically I do cardio for thirty minutes.  At the end of it, I'm overheated and still don't feel like I've exercised enough.  So on Wednesday, instead of my usual routine, I lifted weights with the weight machines.  At the end of my workout, my arms and legs were trembling, and I definitely got a workout, but I wasn't too hot.

Weight machines are the way to go, I think especially if you have muscle weakness.  Instead of waving around a 20-lb. weight, you're lifting and lowering a bar.  It's a lot safer if you drop it.

[Lulu54]

Hi MK,

We can only control our own actions - your friend will choose his own path and nothing you say or do will change that.  Continue to be his friend, but allow him to distract you from your treatment and goals in life.  

Its impossible to know how the street drugs will affect your friend's MS, especially without knowing what drug he is using to alleviate the depression.  

You are wise to ask about the weight lifting because we know that repetitive motions when our muscles are tired are not good for them, and in fact can cause permanent damage.  Serious weight lifting requires that repetition, and I would seriously caution you against that.  If you just want to lift to tone your muscles, that is a different scenario.  That can be accomplished with light weights - I do a body sculpting class that works with light weights and I have seen a big difference.  

Talk to your neuro about an exercise plan that would be useful and safe for you.  

be well,
Lulu