Does exercise bother you?

[partlycloudy]

I'm admittedly pretty inactive. Last night we ventured into the mall and walked around for about 45 minutes. That's more exercise than I'm used to for sure, especially wearing the stupid slick-bottomed ballet flats I had on.

About a half hour into it I noticed my stomach beginning to get That Feeling. That certain tug and pull that indicates a Crohn's cramping is on the way. Sure enough I spent the rest of the night nauseous and cramping, although not badly.

I was also suspicious a few months ago that walking on the treadmill triggered an attack twice.

Has anyone else had problems with exercise?

I also have lots of bowel adhesions due to many surgeries so wonder if that's the problem. But this feeling is always in my right side where my disease is.

 

[Rebecca85]

When my flare was worse, yes I did have oroblems with exercise. If I was any less than 100%, even walking the dog would result in me being almost doubled over with the pain, which would subside after resting. Now I am almost in remission (no symptoms but bloodwork not right), I only notice aches and pins and needles feeling in my legs (from iron deficiency and lack of fitness I assume), but no bowel symptoms from it.

 

[robbo87]

Over the last few months ive started to play 5 a side football after barely even running in over a year. I've found it very difficult and have noticed that it does affect me quite a lot, the day after especially ill be getting a lot of stomach pain and find myself nipping to the loo more, aswell as it taking seemingly forever for my joints/muscles to recover. Whether thats down to being in the middle of a mild flare or just being shockingly unfit im not sure.

 

[Mister_Hotspur]

Since having surgery in June i get out of breath just walking, i have been to the gym just once to try and regain some fitness but my muscles started aching after a 15 min walk and a gentle cycle.

Recently my bloods have shown that im anemic so i need to start taking iron supps again, i played football quite a bit before surgery and i really miss it, although i picked up muscle strains quite a bit..

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Heavy exercise when anaemic is not advised. I tired once and nearly passed out lol. Your muscles need lots of oxygen to work and if you're anaemic, they're not going to get it and it's going to put your heart and your body under a lot of stress.

I exercise a lot these days. I run about 4 days a week and feel great. But I'm pretty much asymptomatic these days despite my colonoscopy pictures.

I think your best bet is to not do anything that makes you feel unwell, as obvious as that sounds. Maybe just try walking for shorter periods of time and then slowly build it up and see how it goes.

 

[Manimation]

I've found that in times of mild to moderate pain, I can still weight lift (heavy weights, slow controlled reps, 8-15 reps per set) as well as swim, but more cardio based jarring exercises such as treadmill, elliptical, or cycling are just not doable. I also don't do ab workouts during times of pain.

I'd say swimming is the safest if you're looking to attempt some physical activity to feel better. Hydrotherapy works wonders on my gut.

 

[Jennifer]

Oh ya, hydrotherapy for sure. Best exercise for everyone.

Exercise not only gets things moving around in there but also puts stress on the body and as we all know, stress tends to do a number on our intestines. So if you do want to exercise, try doing the ones that put the least amount of stress on your body, like hydrotherapy as suggested. If there's no body of water, then keeping your walks limited would be good. Kind of like having many small meals throughout the day but instead its exercise.

 

[tpd320]

I exercise on a regular basis, usually running three miles a day. This is a year after a 3 week stay in the hospital to include a resection. Doesn't seem to effect me at this point.

 

[partlycloudy]

Interesting how different we all are. I was taking 10-minute walks recently and they didn't bother me, but I could tell if I pushed it it'd bother me. So, I'm back to my tiny walks.

I'm sure my mall walk was just too much but wanted to see if I was the only one bothered by exercise. Two years after my diagnosis and I'm STILL figuring things out!

 

[Manzyb]

I actually find just the opposite. I feel a lot better when I exercise. I'm pretty into it, and on days that I don't go I seem to feel worse. Now, with that being said, on days where I'm having D up to 20 times a day, I take it easy, I still try and do some sort of cardio, but not my normal 30-45 minute exercises like normal. I definitely stay away from weight training if I'm not able to keep much in and am dehydrated.

Sometimes it really sucks though when you are exercising and have to keep getting off of the eliptical to run to the bathroom!! grrrr...

Overall though, I seem to think it does great things for me. Right now at 5 1/2 months pregnant I've been having a hard time though, but I have been vomiting anywhere from 2-5 times a day! Just not taking in and keeping in enough nutrients to be able to exercise much right now. :yfrown:

 

[Tacykakes]

I am a runner (or at least I was a more active one) and since I started being symptomatic I have a diffcult running long distances. In fact after I run there is this buzzing feeling in my gut and I am usually just so exhausted since I am not eating right.

I have been able to walk but I manage my diet well as I am constantly drinking drinks that are easy on my and provide whey protein and all natural vitamin supplements. Try the natural section in your grocery store to see if you can boost your electrolytes.

Since you, I, and everyone else has diarrhea before taking on excercise try boosting those electrolytes if you want some drink reccomendations I have plenty.

I never thought of hydrotherapy...Thanks guys time to get a pool membership as I miss my highly active lifestyle.

Try the elliptical over the treadmill and the bicycle over anything else. My boyfriend got me riding bikes and I get the heart workout without all the...bounce that bothers us so much!

 

[crankypants]

I hit the gym 3-4x a week, and walk a lot.
Any time I do crunches or situps, I cramp up majorly with spasms and usually get a blockage the next day.

Easily avoided, but frustrating.

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Interesting how different we all are. I was taking 10-minute walks recently and they didn't bother me, but I could tell if I pushed it it'd bother me. So, I'm back to my tiny walks.

I'm sure my mall walk was just too much but wanted to see if I was the only one bothered by exercise. Two years after my diagnosis and I'm STILL figuring things out!

I've been diagnosed for 18 years and I'm still figuring out things too! I think the main thing to remember is that crohn's effects us differently depending on if we're flaring or in remission and even on a day to day basis.

For example, I too went to the mall yesterday and had to go find somewhere to sit most of the time because my stomach kept hurting. Yet today despite a bit of d this morning, I've been fine and did a very brisk 20 min walk with no problems. It's all very odd!

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I used to do yoga 3 times a week and I always felt great after that. I stopped doing yoga after having a series of flares, I just didn't feel like doing much of anything for awhile. Now I've got a dog and have been taking her out for walks. My dog is young and energetic so the walks always end up being longer and at a faster pace than I'd like, so I do get some negative repercussions from my guts afterwards. I think it'll be easier in the summer, as right now we're walking through lots of snow and ice.

 

[partlycloudy]

Misty-Eyed, that makes me feel a lot better. I was beginning to wonder if I'm just going to lose more and more of my abilities until I'm wheelchair-bound. I'm glad to know something can bother me one day but be okay the next.

At least I didn't have to fight that crowd to find a bathroom.

I've been diagnosed for 18 years and I'm still figuring out things too! I think the main thing to remember is that crohn's effects us differently depending on if we're flaring or in remission and even on a day to day basis.

For example, I too went to the mall yesterday and had to go find somewhere to sit most of the time because my stomach kept hurting. Yet today despite a bit of d this morning, I've been fine and did a very brisk 20 min walk with no problems. It's all very odd!

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Well one thing I've learnt is never to feel guilty when I'm unable to do things, like go for walks with the family or go out for the day.

It's only recently that I've been feeling like a 'normal' person and find it so liberating to spend an entire day away from home or walk around a city sight seeing with no problems. It's made me realise that I wasn't lazy before, I was genuinely not well and to listen to my body more. If people don't understand that, then it's their problem, not mine.

Haha public bathrooms are always a delight this time of year too! /sarcasm.

 

[Mountaingem]

Yes, exercise causes me to get cramping, and I have a fistula that opens up with any exercise-even walking. Yeah, no one wants to go to the gym with me lol!