I could cry (with joy)

[brooklyn23]

After flaring on January 7th, I basically stopped all physical activity. Taekwondo went by the way side, so did my training for the Spartan races. I was in too much pain to do much of anything. And even if daily life was manageable, exercise hurt. As time went on I watched my muscle mass dropping, bye bye biceps.

Two days ago, I ran my first mile since getting sick.

Yesterday, I got back on Couch to 10k, and I found that I was easily able to do week 3. (I'm trying to find a good starting place to start prepping for my races this year.) My core was definitely sore, but I found that it was not so bad that I couldn't push through to make it a mile and a half.

Today, I feel well enough to go back to MMA and take it easy.

I feel like I'm getting my life back.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I'm so glad to hear it and I hope you're able to continue exercising with zero issues! I can relate to being frustrated at not being able to exercise - that's where I'm currently at and have been more or less since late August (got labyrinthitis in late Aug which consisted mainly of horrendous vertigo and nausea, that lasted 3ish months - then got the flu at xmas, coughed for 2ish months - now, my gut issues have started roaring at me again and I've been bleeding almost every day for 3 or 4 weeks). I've been able to exercise sporadically at best, and mostly not at all, so I know it's extremely frustrating. I used to work out 4-6 times per week, and now I'm lucky if I can get in that many workouts per month. I know I need to rest and heal, but it's still frustrating. Anyway, I'm glad to hear you're getting back to it! I'm cheering you on from the sidelines and hope to get back to it soon myself!

 

[brooklyn23]

I'm feeling a bit sore and crampier after having eaten, but I still feel so upbeat.

*hug*

I'm right there with you in the 4-6 time a week camp. And I was doing long workouts. Taekwondo is almost two hours, plus I was getting into sparring, and on top of that I was doing boot camp style classes, not Crossfit per se, but lots of functional training. I felt so ready to just buckle down in January and then the bottom fell out.

I'm going to chalk it up to Pentasa. It's been two weeks since I started.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I was doing fairly long workouts as well - my favorite gym routine was built around weights. I'd do a nice peppy cardio warmup for 10-15 mins, then go around and do basically every weight machine in the gym. (I'd sometimes skip the abdominals machines if my tummy wasn't feeling stellar, and always I skip the hamstrings machine due to feeling like it's going to injure me.) Really take my time, listen to my muscles, make sure I was doing everything I could to absolutely fatigue my muscles and maintain my form and just generally be awesome. After weights, I'd do a good chunk of time stretching plus a few bodyweight exercises (squats, planks, lunges) and then I'd go cool down by doing a brisk walk on the treadmill for a bit. So basically, I made use of just about everything in the gym. Now I'm lucky if I can do any one part of that. I do have some dumbbells and a weight bench at home, so every so often I sneak in there and just do a bit of work on my arms. Usually though I'm too exhausted these days to even do that.

Hugs to you too! I hope the soreness and crampiness is just your body getting used to getting back into exercise and goes away quickly. I'm glad you're feeling upbeat! I always feel upbeat and wonderful after a good workout, too and I miss that feeling. I hope the Pentasa continues working great for you!

 

[brooklyn23]

Well some of the soreness is very clearly not, sadly. I haven't really done any core exercises. I could do some rotational work yesterday but I didn't want to risk crunches or anything.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

That sucks. All I can suggest is to take a rest day and see how you're feeling after that. That's basically what I've been doing - I feel crappy so I take a rest day and re-assess. I feel crappy the next day so I take another rest day and re-assess. And so on. Hopefully your re-assessment period is much shorter than mine is turning out to be!

 

[brooklyn23]

So... a combination of getting my period and a compulsive need to make sure my cat didn't break open the pill case I left home and eat my pentasa and effexor kept me from going to MMA.

 

[mikeymac]

I so want to get back into working out. Seems like every time i do it . I have a reaction in my gut. . I did a walk tonight and I got pressure in my tummy. Since I've had this disease i've noticed that I hurt myself easier. While practicing close combat I hurt my left arm with tendonitis. That was 6 months ago and its still not healed. I"m trying so hard to find a food that doesn't hurt me but it seems like I'm failing. I have to get drugged up to feel better and I hate that. I hope we can beat this thing and get back in to a good exercise routine. I miss my squat jumps and pushups. :-(

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

How are you feeling today, Brooklyn? Are the cramps & soreness gone or still hanging around?

 

[brooklyn23]

Little bit crampy, could be my period.
A bit concerned because I haven't had a BM in two days now. :/
I also haven't really eaten yet, just liquids so far today, so we'll see how that goes. That's usually when I start feeling not so hot

 

[brooklyn23]

I got back to TKD. I made it through class, but don't feel phenomenal now. Lots of gurgling going on; I got thrown a bunch of times. But I finally finally got my promotion. Almost two full months after taking the test, it's taken me this long to be well enough for redos. (To be fair, I wasn't well when I took the test. It was the day of my colonoscopy because I'm an idiot.)

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I'm glad you were able to get promoted (to the next belt I presume?) even though you didn't feel great afterwards. That's an achievement to be proud of! How are you doing today, any better?

 

[brooklyn23]

Due to health/work/finance reasons, it took me 14 months to advance. Most of the people I started with are 2-3 belts above me at this point.

I'm not so phenomenal today, very crampy. Could be period, though. I'm uncomfortable but managing.