Gym overkill??

Davina_JH
Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started strength training this week, after doing cardio and circuit training videos at home for a few months. I worked different muscle groups on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Since then I have felt terrible. I have been super sore from Thursday on. My abdomen and legs are still sore this morning. I feel sick, like I got hit by a bus. I feel like my body temperature is high, but the thermometer says it's normal. It's almost a flu-like feeling.
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night freezing. My teeth were chattering and I couldn't get warm. I took a very hot shower while drinking hot tea. I was literally praying in the shower, I was so scared! I felt nauseous as well. After about 15 minutes I felt okay and I got out. I bundled myself up and went back to bed.
I was really scared. I still feel ill this morning.

Factors to consider:
I don't think I actually have a cold. It doesn't feel like it, and I don't have any other symptoms.
I had 3 cocktails last night (not in my diary because I didn't finish logging), and I rarely drink alcohol anymore.
I had two ibuprofin in the evening and I think by taking them I exceeded the recommended daily dose.


My husband thinks I over did it at the gym. My thought at the time, while lifting, was if I can lift it then it's fine. I did work hard...I used the heaviest weights I could. Kind of thought I was supposed to do that. :frown:
I am not going back until Monday...hopefully I am better by then.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? Any thoughts?

Replies

  • kgb6days
    kgb6days Posts: 880 Member
    It's normal to be really sore after a good workout but I have some seemingly weird questions for you. What color is your urine? How much fluid have you been drinking? When you lift weights heavy, your muscles tear - then they rebuild. The broken down muscle waste (creatine)is filtered out of your body in your kidneys. This is what they are supposed to do so don't freak about that. However, if you work way too hard and don't adequately hydrate with fluids the muscle breakdown waste can literally clog up your kidneys and damage them. This is called rhabdomyolysis. It also occurs when people 'fall and they can't get up' and they lay on the ground /floor for a day or so. Below are the symptoms of Rabdo:
    The following are common signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis:

    Painful, swollen, bruised, or tender areas of the body
    Muscle weakness or trouble moving arms or legs
    General feelings of illness
    Nausea or vomiting
    Confusion, dehydration, fever, or lack of consciousness
    Dark-colored urine; reduced or no urine output

    This condition can be serious and I would suggest you be seen by a physician to determine if that is the case. I'm an ED nurse, and I've seen inmates from the local jail come in with this because they try to impress the other inmates and bust their hump lifting as much weight as they can. Therefore the question about your urine color. Is it dark and or foamy? Do you have pain in your kidney area? Easy way to diagnose - go see a doc.
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    That is scary! I noticed I was especially thirsty yesterday. I was thinking maybe the alcohol dehydrated me more, and that's why I woke up freezing, etc. Honestly, I've noticed my urine has been darker than usual.
    If this is the case, or a mild case, will it resolve on it's own? Is there anything I can do nutritionally to help, besides more water??
    I would rather not go to the doctor, ya know :frown:
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    As for prior hydration, I am usually over 8 cups a day.
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 567 Member
    Sounds like DOMS! Delayed onset muscle soreness. especially if you are new to weight lifting. It can last for several days after your workout, so if you did weights M/T/W, you could certainly still be feeling the effects. Massage, a hot bath, the sauna... all these help me a lil with DOMS after I've had a kickbutt workout... and be sure to continue to move around! Don't want to stiffen up.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    I would rather not go to the doctor, ya know :frown:

    Yeah, definitely better to ask people on the internetz.....
  • heyjay31
    heyjay31 Posts: 79 Member
    The days that you lift. Drink a protein shake immediatly following and be sure to keep your protein up those days.
  • brainfreeze72
    brainfreeze72 Posts: 180 Member
    I'd recommend talking to your physician and/or a dietitian, if you're logging all your foods you can print out your diary and take a look at what you're getting and what you're lacking. It could be a nutritional deficiency or it could be working to hard at the gym but take a look at everything....and if you're feeling that horrible your body is telling you something, I'd recommend taking a break if you're still feeling unwell.

    I had something similar happen a couple months ago. My physician was totally useless. Everyone thought I was starving myself but I looked at my food diary and knew I wasn't....not in the denying myself calories sort of way. I focused on getting plenty of sleep and drank lots of water and caffeine free herbal teas. I had to drink meal supplements because I couldn't eat, if felt like someone had my insides in a vice, pulling and twisting. I was drinking so much fluids my urine was almost clear yet I was still having gut wrenching pains which leads me to believe it was my Iron, which according to my food diary I wasn't getting enough of. During my 3 pregnancies I became anemic so I started focusing on getting more Iron. It took about 2 weeks of a break from running along with Iron supplements and lots of rest to feel normal again.

    I hope you're feeling better soon.
  • kgb6days
    kgb6days Posts: 880 Member
    That is scary! I noticed I was especially thirsty yesterday. I was thinking maybe the alcohol dehydrated me more, and that's why I woke up freezing, etc. Honestly, I've noticed my urine has been darker than usual.
    If this is the case, or a mild case, will it resolve on it's own? Is there anything I can do nutritionally to help, besides more water??
    I would rather not go to the doctor, ya know :frown:

    Treatment is lots of IV fluids, but can potentially lead to a need for dialysis. IF, and a big IF, this is what it is you really don't want to play with it. Better to see a doc. If you refuse to do that, then LOTS of fluids till your urine is clear. are you feeling any better? Really, it is best to see a doc. Internet diagnosis and treatment is not something you want to do.
  • a2o3
    a2o3 Posts: 11
    It's very normal actually. I've experienced that at least twice before, both occuring after trying a new workout :smile: Rest well and take it slow from now on and you should be fine.
  • phiddy23
    phiddy23 Posts: 103
    Go to a doctor, don't trust people on internet forums, don't treat yourself based on any advice on here or self-diagnose, just go to someone who actually knows what they are talking about and can physically examine you.
  • brendddda
    brendddda Posts: 33
    On occasion, after a particularly hard workout, I feel ill, achy and slightly feverish. However, it usually goes away the next day.

    I am surprised that no one commented directly on this-- it is usually recommended that you lift 3 days a week, taking days off in between (ex. monday, wednesday, friday). I think you jumped into it quickly, pushed your body pretty hard, and didn't allow it adequate time to recover.

    You may want to see a doctor and make sure it's not something serious, but in the future, make sure you allow your body time to recover and repair your muscles.
  • efranz12
    efranz12 Posts: 46 Member
    That is scary! I noticed I was especially thirsty yesterday. I was thinking maybe the alcohol dehydrated me more, and that's why I woke up freezing, etc. Honestly, I've noticed my urine has been darker than usual.
    If this is the case, or a mild case, will it resolve on it's own? Is there anything I can do nutritionally to help, besides more water??
    I would rather not go to the doctor, ya know :frown:

    Treatment is lots of IV fluids, but can potentially lead to a need for dialysis. IF, and a big IF, this is what it is you really don't want to play with it. Better to see a doc. If you refuse to do that, then LOTS of fluids till your urine is clear. are you feeling any better? Really, it is best to see a doc. Internet diagnosis and treatment is not something you want to do.

    The nurse is right. I had a friend who got Rhabdo from jumping back into heavy lifting after an extended break. He was hospitalized for 3 days and very close to needing dialysis. It took him weeks to recover.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i was prepared to go look at your diary and see consecutive 1000> calorie days, but actually good job with the food intake.

    we can't really say what happened to you. it could've been a number of things, including the three drinks AND the ibuprofen. i seem to recall a night when i did something similar, and was passed out in a basement with people taking care of me and my head in a trash can puking my guts out.
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    If anyone's still following this, I just wanted to update you on how I am doing. I will paste the message I just sent to kgb6days, the nurse, the first poster on this thread. Thank you to everyone else as well. I didn't know this could happen...

    Hi Kristy,
    I actually just logged on to MFP with the sole purpose of finding you and sending you a message. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to reply to my post and let me know about rhabdo! I was feeling very scared this morning and in all truth I felt AWFUL!!!

    Your response led me to do some more internet research, and with everything I found I was very concerned for my health and my kidneys. I had a terrible morning, feeling very ill and afraid. It took all my energy just to get off the couch and walk to the bathroom. I kept drinking water yet I was still so thirsty- my mouth was so dry. Many other symptoms...

    I couldn't take the agony any more and I sure didn't think I could survive feeling Worse so I had my husband take me to the ER this afternoon. I could not wait for the IV fluids!!! They gave me two bags of fluid and a bag of antibiotics. I had a 100.7 fever. They diagnosed me with Pyelonephritis...a serious kidney infection. They sent me home with more antibiotics, pills for nausea, and orders for rest and lots of fluid. I did tell them about starting strength training, so they knew about that too. He did say my CPK levels were a little high. If I have not seen improvement within 1-2 days I am to go back.

    Anyway, I cannot tell you how many times today I thought of you and how thankful I was you took the time to reply to my post and give me the information you did. Thank you so much...I am not sure what I would have done otherwise. :flowerforyou:

    :heart: Davina

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