kidney infection and not being able to work out :(

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numinousnymph
numinousnymph Posts: 249 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone. I decided to post here because I'm needing some support, but i felt this forum was more appropriate than the motivation and support forum since it's centered around exercise.

So i had to be taken to the emergency room this past friday night/saturday morning because i woke up in the night in severe, crippling abdominal pain... Several hours, one CT scan and several blood and urine tests later they told me i have a kidney infection from an untreated UTI i didn't even know i had! They put me on antibiotics and I've taken time off of the gym thus far and am feeling much better, but I'm really struggling with not being able to do the long, hard workouts I'm accustomed to doing. I struggle with body image and disordered thoughts about food, doing appropriate amounts of exercise and how i feel my body looks and i tend to over-exercise. Even though it's been just 2 days off of the gym (i had a good workout just a few hours prior to the pain attack on friday) I'm already getting anxious about my fitness abilities decreasing and gaining weight because I'm not exercising. I'm deciding to do some moderate walking for 1.5 - 2 hours tonight just to feel more safe (and for the added security of knowing I'm burning calories) but I'm honestly struggling with only being able to do moderate stuff.

I guess I just need some reassurance that taking it easy won't make all my hard earned muscle and stamina turn into fat.. Right? Psychologically it's very tough right now and any support from fellow exercisers (especially those who have had to take time off for illness or injury) would be welcome.

Replies

  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    I'm sorry about the kidney infection and that you are emotionally struggling.

    I think you figured out from typing this post that you have a lot going on that you need to address. You *know* you should be resting. You *know* two hours of walking is not resting, even if it's less than you'd usually be doing. Have you thought about talking to a counselor?
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Firstly, no your hard work isn't just going to turn in to fat because you take some rest days.

    Secondly and most importantly, you should look to speaking to a professional counsellor. This is not a dig or having a go at you, but you already acknowledge you struggle with body image and disordered thinking. So please consider speaking to a professional.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Get an appointment with a therapist. It is good you understand what you are feeling is not normal, but it is not enough to snap out of it. If you were just diagnosed with a kidney infection and you think that 2 hours of walking is reasonable at this point, therapy is not a luxury, it is a necessity. I understand struggling with anxiety, and talking to someone who is certified to help can really make a lot of difference. Not in a session, and it will not be a magic solution, but long term it can completely change how you deal with these feelings.
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
    edited November 2015
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    I sympathise because I had the same thing back in August and I know just how ill I felt. I could barely get out of bed for 5 days and to be completely honest it took me nearly 3 weeks afterwards before I felt like I was back to my usual self with energy for workouts. That probably isn't what you want to hear, but you need to give your body the time it needs to heal.

    If it makes you feel any better, my kidney infection happened in what should have been the final few weeks of training for my first 10k, and I nearly pulled out of the race because I didn't feel ready. In the end I did it and finished only a couple of minutes slower than my original time goal, so as you can see I didn't lose too much fitness despite my enforced spell of taking it easy. However, that's not really the point of my post - please take care of yourself in the now x
  • bubble_wrap0428
    bubble_wrap0428 Posts: 88 Member
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    I've had a kidney infection before and it is no fun!! Don't stress about not being able to do moderate exercise, you need to take care of your body. First with kidney infections you need to consume A LOT of water. I'm sure in about a week in a half you should be back to normal. For now just keep going easy on yourself and don't beat yourself up. If you still want to improve why don't you really focus on diet when you can't exercise as hard? Create a good deficit to make up for lost exercise calories. And no you won't lose all your muscle. You should be able to still do a little weight lifting?

    Feel better and don't stress!

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