Exercise causing flareups?
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Benji49
Posts: 419 Member
I've just gotten back into walking (trying for 5-6 days/week). I had stopped for awhile because I had an optic neuritis flareup and I couldn't focus and balance well.
So I've been walking since late December - I started to "feel my eyeball" about 4 days ago. And by that I mean most of the time I just go through life not thinking that there is an eyeball there - now I can feel it moving, and it's like there is a coating of something on it. When first diagnosed with ON and MS I had the same feeling but I also had a loss of vision in the left eye. My diagnosis was after a few months of intense training for a marathon. Suddenly had double vision, dissyness, blurring vision - and then wham loss of vision and dx. This time there is no loss of vision - just the yucky feeling like I should be rinsing my eye because something is on it.
That's the major problem - I also have found that my left leg drags and if I get walking too fast or not concentrating on the walking (into a song that's playing) my left leg slows down. I also seem to swerve to the left when walking at night - fatigue is a part of that I know.
Is this a flareup- or just residual from the earlier one???? I feel like I've spent way too much time at the drs office this year - I'm hoping to avoid going in for anything other than my usual appointments.
Bea
So I've been walking since late December - I started to "feel my eyeball" about 4 days ago. And by that I mean most of the time I just go through life not thinking that there is an eyeball there - now I can feel it moving, and it's like there is a coating of something on it. When first diagnosed with ON and MS I had the same feeling but I also had a loss of vision in the left eye. My diagnosis was after a few months of intense training for a marathon. Suddenly had double vision, dissyness, blurring vision - and then wham loss of vision and dx. This time there is no loss of vision - just the yucky feeling like I should be rinsing my eye because something is on it.
That's the major problem - I also have found that my left leg drags and if I get walking too fast or not concentrating on the walking (into a song that's playing) my left leg slows down. I also seem to swerve to the left when walking at night - fatigue is a part of that I know.
Is this a flareup- or just residual from the earlier one???? I feel like I've spent way too much time at the drs office this year - I'm hoping to avoid going in for anything other than my usual appointments.
Bea
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Replies
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Since I got sick, whenever I get tired my right leg drags......I have constant headaches in Left eye feels like someone is putting a spike in it, being on computer to much, reading or being tired makes it worse,,,,,I take Amitriptyline for it, my eye does not hurt anymore & I have not had a headache(migraine) since I started it....The more tired you are the harder it is to compensate for things that you do not realize you are doing when your not tired....You know I suffer from permanent vertigo due to nerve damage in left ear...I do fine until a med gets changed or I get tired then it is very hard to hold self in check!
By the way it is telling me I spelled that medication wrong which I did not, when I clicked it to see it says the correct spelling is, it says pantyliner...LOL0 -
Thanks, I've been wondering if I should be looking at steriod treatment to maybe put a stop to this one. I've never yet gone that route but it seems like this is happening more and more often.0
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I'm having a problem with my throat right now- can't talk very well and am having problems swallowing. I started steroids this morning. One of the side effects: increased appetite. Man, that's hitting below the belt.0
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I'm having a problem with my throat right now- can't talk very well and am having problems swallowing. I started steroids this morning. One of the side effects: increased appetite. Man, that's hitting below the belt.
How long do you have to take them? And when will you know if they are working?0 -
If I am not careful when working out heck even in just every day life and I push to hard for to long my sx flare, but it isnot an actual flare up just residual effects from past damage. If it only happens during workouts I would say it maybe that, if it starts happening other times then it could be more. Good luck0
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When I'm certain I'm relapsing, I go on a short (4 day) course of high-dose oral steroids. They work, but the sides can be tough (I have meds to help with stomach upset and sleep during the course). For me, the roids typically end the flare in about a week. It takes about 2 more weeks to get over the side-effects and about 6 weeks to be fully back to baseline. I have tried longer course low-dose oral steroids as well as IV medrol and neither worked for me. It's just as well. The short course orals are pretty easy to do and it's over relatively quickly. I hope you feel better soon.
Sue0 -
I'm having a problem with my throat right now- can't talk very well and am having problems swallowing. I started steroids this morning. One of the side effects: increased appetite. Man, that's hitting below the belt.
How long do you have to take them? And when will you know if they are working?
I only have to take them for 5 days...3 pills at a time for 5 days. I've only tried the steriod thing one other time, with optic neuritis and it seems like <its been 9 years> I felt the effects fairly quickly.0 -
OK, so I think I'll talk with the MS Clinic nurse and see if the steriods might work to put an end to this. It isn't just when I exercise it's all day long - I just think the exercising (over heating) triggered it. It's not long to "silly season" at work and I'll be working 6 days/week starting March to end April. Can't afford to have the MS slow me down.0
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I have been on steroids once with my MS 3 times a day for 5 days. They made me so poorly I wouldn't go back on them. However obviously everyone has their own experience with them. I hope everything is okay soon for you!!0
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Hi All!
I'm new to this group as well as newly diagnosed.
Short version- In Jan 2012 I got serious about diet and exercise. Jioned MFP, counted calories, got my *kitten* in the best shape of my life. Around July I started noticing my arms and legs were "falling asleep" more than usual.. like multiple times a day. I figured it was a circulation issue (because I have a prestigious medical degree from University of Nowhere). Went to the Dr, got referral to Neurologist, who couldn't see me until September. Late August I "fell off" the exercise wagon. September came, lots of tests, MRI's and the MS diagnosis. Started Copaxone injections in October.
Well, New Years resolution time.. I decide to find that damn wagon. I exercised for 4 days in a row.. mostly Jillian Michaels stuff. I was pretty sore, but I figured I just needed to jump back in and the soreness will fade once my body gets used to exercise again.
Then... yesterday, out of nowhere, I had several bouts of major pins and needles in both legs to the point where there were times I couldn't walk. Not for long, like maybe 5 minutes or less.. but it happened several times. I googled it and it told me the exercise is causing my symptoms to increase.
Have any of you gone through this? Advice? Do I rest? Keep pushing through? How long did it last?
Yesterday was the first day since my diagnosis that MS actually prevented me from living normally (walking). Up until then its been tingling, numbness and that crazy electric feeling that comes from nowhere .. I get it in my face. All are annoying and inconvenient, but they never stopped me from going about my business. So yesterday was like a cold dose of my new reality and it scares the crap out of me!0 -
Hi All!
I'm new to this group as well as newly diagnosed.
Short version- In Jan 2012 I got serious about diet and exercise. Jioned MFP, counted calories, got my *kitten* in the best shape of my life. Around July I started noticing my arms and legs were "falling asleep" more than usual.. like multiple times a day. I figured it was a circulation issue (because I have a prestigious medical degree from University of Nowhere). Went to the Dr, got referral to Neurologist, who couldn't see me until September. Late August I "fell off" the exercise wagon. September came, lots of tests, MRI's and the MS diagnosis. Started Copaxone injections in October.
Well, New Years resolution time.. I decide to find that damn wagon. I exercised for 4 days in a row.. mostly Jillian Michaels stuff. I was pretty sore, but I figured I just needed to jump back in and the soreness will fade once my body gets used to exercise again.
Then... yesterday, out of nowhere, I had several bouts of major pins and needles in both legs to the point where there were times I couldn't walk. Not for long, like maybe 5 minutes or less.. but it happened several times. I googled it and it told me the exercise is causing my symptoms to increase.
Have any of you gone through this? Advice? Do I rest? Keep pushing through? How long did it last?
Yesterday was the first day since my diagnosis that MS actually prevented me from living normally (walking). Up until then its been tingling, numbness and that crazy electric feeling that comes from nowhere .. I get it in my face. All are annoying and inconvenient, but they never stopped me from going about my business. So yesterday was like a cold dose of my new reality and it scares the crap out of me!
Hi, if I could make a suggestion when you are looking up information to help you - go directly to mssociety.com (in the US) or mssociety.ca (in Canada) - sorry don't know the other names but I know there are ms society sites for almost every country. You will get the best, most up to date, usually accurate information on those sites. You might also, if there is one where you live, get a referral to an MS Clinic. They are a font of knowledge and information and it doesn't cost you to ask.
Having said that.... you will get to know how much you can push your body as your disease progresses. If the tingling doesn't stop you from walking then maybe just take it down a notch or two and don't push for that extra mile or extra speed. Do your 30 mins or whatever and then stop. Do it again the next day. Everyone's experience with this auto-immune disease is different because of where the lesions are in each individual. If the pins and needles are so bad that you can't make more than 5 mins and then you have to stop - then you need to rest for a day and let your body heal. What that usually means (I believe) is that your nerve is inflamed.
What type of MS were you diagnosed with? It makes a huge difference in what you can expect.
Hang in there - there are alot of us on here that have gone through similar things.
Bea0 -
I have RRMS.
Thanks for the tips!0 -
If I am not careful when working out heck even in just every day life and I push to hard for to long my sx flare, but it isnot an actual flare up just residual effects from past damage. If it only happens during workouts I would say it maybe that, if it starts happening other times then it could be more. Good luck
I agree. Any symptoms you have as a result of exercise are not a true flareup but what is called a pseudo flare. Same thing happens when I get over heated. Symptoms can take hours to days to subside. I tend to push myself and work through the symptoms but then my symptoms are minor these days. I haven't had a true flare up in about 7 years. ((((KNOCK ON WOOD))))) My typical symptoms from over doing it with exercise are weakness and fatigue, spastic muscles, tremors, left eye will jerk side to side, and double vision.
When i started out trying to lose weight I started my exercise routine slowly and added a new exercise every other week. Started with just walking. Had a treadmill and would walk on that for 10 to 15 minutes then built up to a half hour. Now I walk outside for up to half an hour. With my bike i started with a stationary bike doing 10 minutes up to half an hour. Now I can ride a regular bike for about 20 minutes around town. Any longer than that and my legs are like over cooked noodles. :laugh:0 -
Thanks everyone.0
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When I'm certain I'm relapsing, I go on a short (4 day) course of high-dose oral steroids. They work, but the sides can be tough (I have meds to help with stomach upset and sleep during the course). For me, the roids typically end the flare in about a week. It takes about 2 more weeks to get over the side-effects and about 6 weeks to be fully back to baseline. I have tried longer course low-dose oral steroids as well as IV medrol and neither worked for me. It's just as well. The short course orals are pretty easy to do and it's over relatively quickly. I hope you feel better soon.
Sue
This^^
Sometimes the exercise can cause old symptoms to temporarily flare up, which is not the same as a relapse and steroids wont help that. Usually with me it is because I got overheated during exercise, so I drink lots of ice cold water and rest afterwards, if the symptoms are not gone within 24hrs, they may not be exercise related.0
