Medication makes delayed muscle soreness crippling...suggestions?

Witchdoctor58

I need to take two medications (and there are no better options re: side effects). They are both well known to cause muscle pain. I cannot discontinue either one, as one is a cancer suppressor, and the other treats the greatly raised cholesterol level caused by the first med.

I am fine if I don't exercise. But I was in excellent shape before my illness, and I want to recover that late middle-aged bikini body.

I take extra rest days between serious workouts, doing stretch or yoga DVDs. I find that the level of pain after what I would have considered a moderately strenuous now leaves me waddling because my quads are fried, and the rest of my body involved in a particular exercise is also much more sore than it used to be.

I take a Mvit, plus Co-Q 10, ginseng and ashwaghanda, calcium, magnesium, and vit D3. I find that if I am in pain, doing yoga actually makes it worse afterwards. Heat or cold has no effect.

If anyone knows of something else I can do to deal with the muscle soreness, apart from reducing intensity and frequency of workouts, I would be very grateful.

jimmmer

Hmmm... you're in a tricky situation. I won't claim to be an expert on these medications, but have you tried the standard recovery techniques:

1) quality unbroken sleep - say 8-9 hours a night.

2) drinking plenty of water

3) Epsom salt bath

4) Slim calorie deficit

5) doing sessions of mild LISS (such as walking) between (or even directly after) training sessions

Witchdoctor58

Re #1: I have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and am waiting for the insurance to approve the oral device for treatment. Lack of quality sleep has not been helping me, I know.
#2: I already drink lots of water. Except for protein shakes, recovery drinks and 1 cup of coffee/d, water is the only fluid I drink.
#3: Epsom salt doesn't do anything for me
#4: I've been on 1200 to 1500 calories/d, which should fit the definition of slim deficit diet. The scale is steady, but that's muscle replacing fat. Ideally I'd like to lose just 7-8 lbs total. I'm doing a mixed martial arts program (Les Mills Combat), but even the minimal weight training and plyo here is disabling.

I use a recovery drink after workouts, of course. Maybe it is the worsening sleep, and daylight savings time isn't helping! I might have to compromise in my workout schedule...sigh.

If anyone else is out there who knows other tricks to ease or prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, please chime in as well!

mbaker566

moving around a bit, like a stroll, could help. or you could try foam rolling.
warm baths are wonderful things. i've used eucalyptus and mint, or lavender and rosemary.

Cherimoose

Witchdoctor58 wrote: »

If anyone knows of something else I can do to deal with the muscle soreness, apart from reducing intensity and frequency of workouts, I would be very grateful.

Prevention gives the best results. DOMS can be minimized by starting with a small training volume and increasing in small increments each workout. So you may need to reduce the intensity temporarily and ramp up slower, to give your body more time to adapt. For example, starting with 5 minutes of Les Mills, and adding 30 seconds per workout. Just an example.

Keeping the muscles lightly working throughout the day also seems to help, especially full range-of-motion movements.

Witchdoctor58

I've been told foam rollers work...ill try that. Thank to all. I have to back up on intensity since I can barely move today after what I'd call a moderate workout.