upcoming flu/cold, exercise and myocarditis

You can safely exercise with a cold. In fact, regular exercise helps boost immune system function. I would take it lighter - and the dr was right. You'll know what exerts you more than others right now. I'm also sick and I can tolerate walking... there's no way I can tolerate my run5k right now. I'm so dizzy from the breathing and coughing that even light walking is tiring! So walk to comfort. I think I'm gonna pick up a Wii Fit later and try some of those since I heard those can be lighter and there's yoga!

I also work in the ER and have never seen a myocarditis come in from a cold and working out...

"Myocarditis is often an autoimmune reaction. Streptococcal M protein and coxsackievirus B have regions (epitopes) that are immunologically similar to cardiac myosin. After the virus is gone, the immune system may attack cardiac myosin.[1]"

It's often caused by some of the common viruses out there so since it's due to an infection, pt have similar symptoms but different. Looks like they're generalized complaints... some not associated with most common colds. It doesn't list sore throat, runny nose, headache, etc.

"The signs and symptoms associated with myocarditis are varied, and relate either to the actual inflammation of the myocardium, or the weakness of the heart muscle that is secondary to the inflammation. Signs and symptoms of myocarditis include:[3]
Chest pain (often described as "stabbing" in character)
Congestive heart failure (leading to edema, breathlessness and hepatic congestion)
Palpitations (due to arrhythmias)
Sudden death (in young adults, myocarditis causes up to 20% of all cases of sudden death)[4]
Fever (especially when infectious, e.g. in rheumatic fever)
Symptoms in infants and toddlers tend to be more nonspecific, with generalized malaise, poor appetite, abdominal pain, and/or chronic cough. Later stages of the illness will present with respiratory symptoms with increased work of breathing, and is often mistaken for asthma.

Since myocarditis is often due to a viral illness, many patients give a history of symptoms consistent with a recent viral infection, including fever, rash, diarrhea, joint pains, and easy fatigueability.

Myocarditis is often associated with pericarditis, and many patients present with signs and symptoms that suggest concurrent myocarditis and pericarditis.

Causes

A large number of causes of myocarditis have been identified, but often a cause cannot be found. In Europe and North America, viruses are common culprits. Worldwide, however, the most common cause is Chagas' disease, an illness endemic to Central and South America that is due to infection by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi.[3]

Infections

Viral (parvovirus B19, coxsackie virus, HIV, enterovirus, rubella virus, polio virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6 and possibly hepatitis C)

Protozoan (Trypanosoma cruzi causing Chagas disease and Toxoplasma gondii)

Bacterial (Brucella"", Corynebacterium diphtheriae, gonococcus, Haemophilus influenzae, Actinomyces, Tropheryma whipplei, Vibrio cholerae, Borrelia burgdorferi, leptospirosis, and Rickettsia)

Fungal (Aspergillus)

Parasitic (ascaris, Echinococcus granulosus, Paragonimus westermani, schistosoma, Taenia solium, Trichinella spiralis, visceral larva migrans, and Wuchereria bancrofti)

Bacterial myocarditis is rare in patients without immunodeficiency.
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