Exercise

[PrincessDi]

I have been in a flare for the last 4 weeks and haven't felt well enough to do any exercise (I make a big effort to play netball 3 times a week when my body lets me).

I feel so guilty about not exercising and I feel pretty nauseous today (just started on Imuran last week and think it is making me feel worse).

Can someone please tell me it is okay to not exercise and the best thing I can do is rest until I feel better.

Di

[Lily]

Hello Di :)

It is okay to not exercise and the best thing you can do is rest until you feel better :) :)

Of course it is..........it's your bodies way of telling you that you need some rest right now, we shouldnt overdo it when in a flare anyway and the fact you have just started a new med requires some adjustment for your body as well.

The nausea from the Imuran should pass soon and hopefully then you will not feel so bad..........and a few weeks from now you should be starting to get some benefits from it.

I think you have started on 100mg straight up though is that right? Are you taking the two tabs all at once? I would try splitting the dose, say 50mg am and 50mg pm and it may help the nausea, also make sure you take it on a full stomach. Thats the way I take mine, half in the am and half in the pm, I doubt I could tolerate the whole 150mg all at once.

Even then...... after splitting the dosage, if you still feel nauseous then ring your doc............because he may decide that its ok for you to take just 50mg for starters until your body gets used to it and then increase the dosage in a month or so.

I would try the split dosage regime first though. It should help and it doesnt matter how or when you take it as long as you take it daily my doc said.

Things will improve, I know its frustrating not being able to do the things we want to :( :hugbetter: but it will improve and hopefully you will be feeling a lot better soon :hugbetter:

love
Lily

[Clare.T]

Hello Princess
It's not only OK, it is important not to exercise when flaring.

I agree with Lily too about the Imuran. I wouldn't keep on with that high starting dose. You can start as slowly as you like I did it in 25 mg increments every other day - it took several weeks to get to my 75mgs dose. I have heard this time and time again, people being made ill because they start too high. The drug takes several weeks to start working anyway.
The other thing is that if you are going to have serious side effect like blood or liver it will be detected at once at the lower doses so it will be less. I hope you are getting the very regular checks.

Feel better soon

Hugs
Clare

[AmandaB]

Hi,

It's better not to exercise if you are unwell - you may do more harm than good.

I used to go to the gym 4 times a week and ran however I felt so unwell that I then stopped altogether for a period of 2.5 years and it's only just this weekend gone that I have had my induction back into the gym and I intend to take things very slowly!

Amanda

[PrincessDi]

Thanks everyone for your advice on exercise - I need to be told sometimes. I ended up going straight home from work, not exercising, then needing to call in sick yesterday (something I do very rarely). If I had exercised I guess I would still be off work sick.

Thanks also for the advice on the imuran. I started on 50mg last Thursday and am supposed to be going up to 100mg tomorrow. I think I will wait until Saturday and then start the new dose - 50mg in the morning and 50mg in the evening.

You guys are great! I feel so isolated sometimes and don't know what I would do without this website.:wink2:

[peonyprincess]

Di,

It is more than okay to take a break from exercising when you are flaring. Right now you need your rest. If you feel that you need to be doing something, do leg lifts while lying in bed. Rotate your feet in circles and flex them as well. Do some basic kegal exercises as well. Another thought would be to get a couple of cans of veggies and lift them, etc. When I am down and out and not able to do my normal exercise routine, I find some way to keep active. Remember, any little movement you can do is beneficial.


Nancy