Can I work out

[arnie696]

Hi..
I am new at this.
I have had activity for the past month and a half, I have not went to doctors yet and I have not been officially diagnosed.
I know it is sle and I am just going to live with it,,, but I do have some questions...
Have any of you noticed more activity on the days the you do physical activity and do any of you workout.. I use to be a lightweight body builder and since my first attack last year I have lost 40 pounds of muscle. I hate what I look like and I was wondering if this is what I should get use to.

I know that Red meat and Dairy protein are bad for me and that I should be sticking to more of a Veggie Diet. I have been doing the best I can but, Protein is what builds muscle and I was wondering if it was all types of protein or mainly red meats and Dairy that I should be staying away form.

This is all so new for a man that has been so physical his whole life. It is hard to cut out the meat and potato diet.


Thanks and this message board really helps.

[Clare.T]

I don't know how you can be sure you have SLE, and do wish you would see a doctor at least to have some basic blood work and a urine test.

It is very important to keep exercise up so long as it does no harm .

The general recommendation is not to exhaust or overdo ( anything), so many people find they have to modify their exercise programme and physical activities in general.
Some people however really push themselves through pain so individual determinations clearly play a large role too.

Without knowing what's going wrong it's impossible to say what you should be avoiding. Feeling bad after exertion is also common. After all having a chronic autoimmune illness is in some ways like having chronic flu, as regards abnormally high immune system activity.

It is also important for self image of course as changes in appearance are so demoralising.


I don't know why you think meat and dairy protein are to be avoided. It is essential to have the right calorific input for one's activity level and a nutritious diet, obviously, otherwise one will lose weight rapidly and risk deficiencies or at least put an additional strain on an already stressed immune system

There are all sorts of theories about diets to control arthritis and many people say they feel better for cutting out this or that. Some foodstuffs do trigger flares in some people & some diseases like gluten intolerance ( celiac) do tend to be found along with lupus ).

Maybe a person is lactose intolerant or reacts badly to the nightshade plants but this is no way a given for us all.

But apart from kidney disease, some medical conditions like blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease etc and some meds, I can't think of any formal dietary restrictions.

Maybe you simply aren't eating enough ? Life is hard enough without adding unnecessary restrictions and depriving oneself of pleasures.

Seems to me it's a question of moderation, balance and compromise.

Very reduced animal fats is a general recommendation for all. Ditto sugars. But other 'healthy' fats are essential

I am very happy with skimmed milk, in fact feel sick with other sorts. We don't eat any prepared deserts except fruit but I am very fond of an occasional cream cake. I'd just as soon not eat any cheese than fat reduced, but maybe fat reduced is fine by you. Choose a breakfast cereal without added sugar, use skimmed milk and add fruit. Try whole foods instead of refined. I never eat commercial fries because I am very fussy about fats, but potato quarters baked in their skin with olive oil and French or Italian herbs - yummy.
I am sure that a good steak is less harmful than sausagey stuff with preservatives, colourings and heaven knows what else.

I suggest making a list of everything you eat through a week, seeing what healthy adjustments can be made, smaller portions for example, with additional fruit and veg. Add a solid salad to the meal- try eating it as a first course.

Eat less but more often A lot depends on what's available, what your normal eating habits are, and your life style. If you have to eat catered that can be tricky.
It almost certainly means taking care and planning ahead so there's usually something suitable available.

All the best but please, please get a basic check up - the worst sorts of lupus tend to be hidden until they are advanced. No amount of healthy life style can stop this happening if that's in the cards, god forbid.

Cheers

Clare

[rwb200]

I'm confused you sound like a person who cares about yourself and your body from your question but I wonder what the reason is you do not want to see a doctor ?

If you have not been diagnosed then it is very hard to say just what you may or may not have.
If you do have Lupus then you are going to need treatment.
Meat and dairy are needed in certain quanties or some substitute source of protien to keep your protien levels in your system right.
There are organazations such as the American Heart association that publish very easy to find dietary recommendations for people. These are easy to find and can be followed with some practice and disapline.

As far as exercise that is something that a Doctor could better tell you just what you can or can't do. Chances are he may give you some low impact exercises to try and see how your body handles it and if you feel like you can handle more.
Today many Clinics and or Hosipitals have work out rooms that a doctor can send you to or you can sign up for on your own and get a guided exercise routine that will be monitored and can be lowered or increased as your body handles it.

In some areas organazations such as the Arthritis Association has exercise programs that can be taken for little charge to help keep you mobile and the joints loosened up.

I think the thing that most all of us will tell you is your first step is to get to a doctor and find out what is wrong and get a treatment program started.
We are not trying to scare you put somethings can not just be allowed to run its course and figure it will be ok.

[Mighty Oak]

I'll start by parroting everyone's recommendation that you see a doctor and add a few of my own. I was diagnosed with Lupus very recently. I've been symptomatic for the past six years. I've been on Plaquenil since February and it's working famously. I also have a light workout regime. I life weights twice weekly and do a pool workout three times a week. Pool exercises are recommended for arthritic pains and are generally safer than other higher impact exercises.

I do not recommend that you push yourself though. I'm friends with my fair share of hardcore athletes and my personal trainer was a body builder when she was younger. She still has, despite her osteoarthritis, a frequent tendency to overdo it and do more damage to herself. She also suffers (as do I) from Fibromyalgia. Fibro, much like Lupus, can cycle with periods of increased and decreased symptoms. Overworking during a period of increasing pain or general symptoms can seriously aggravate the duration and intensity of symptoms. Today, I plan to go to the gym, but I'm not lifting my full weights at all. The general suggestion from my trainer is, "do the work, but take it easy." I generally have to go ahead and do the workout in order to keep feeling reasonably well, but it's very important that I cut myself a break when I'm experiencing pain, fatigue, soreness, stiffness, or any of the wide variety of symptoms. No body building for me... just strength maintenance. I wouldn't recommend body-sculpting for a Lupus patient without medical supervision, and neither would my Arthritis Foundation certified personal trainer.

--Oak

[Tom]

Kevin,

First I would like to start with the main issue, diagnosis. I don't know why you think you will lose you job in the military? I'm guessing from your age that you have some time invested and that it's a big concern for you. If you do have Lupus, now is the time to find out before real damage begins to happen. Treatment is very important with this disease and testing can be very costly. Get it done now while it doesn't cost you anything. More importantly, find out what's going on before something irreversible happens. I know someone who just got a medical discharge because of having Lupus, and gets a percentage of base pay plus benifits for life (VA Disability). The other side would be that treatment will let you finish out your career if it stays under control. Either way you are covered if it does turn out to be SLE.

Second issue, physical activity. I used to be an Journeyman Industrial Maintenace Mechanic / Machinist. If they rated jobs for being physical, this would be right up there. It took basically 12 years from my first symptoms before I was diagnosed with lupus. I would bet that I would still be working my trade if the doctors would have caught it sooner (5 heart attacks takes a lot out of you!). I will tell you that I personally feel much better working out on a regular basis. I have a bowflex and work every muscle group every other day, and walk 2 to 3 miles on a treadmill on the off days. That is just what works best for me. You will find out quickly that everyone is different and have their own requirements and limits. I also take a multi-vitamin daily which gives me more energy and stamina most days (Flaring has it's own rules).

Third issue, diet. Unless your have allergies, sticking to the food pyramid is what I try to do. I'm with Clare on the occational cream cake! :highfive:
Just eating healthy is good for anyone.

Good luck and take care!