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Question about over-doing it

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Posted 10/3/2007 7:09 AM (GMT 0)
Can doing too much physical activity in one day cause Lupus to "flare" for weeks?  I felt fine the day of the activity (just felt worn out that evening, like anyone would after doing too much), but for the next 2 weeks (and counting), I've felt horribly fatigued, much more so than before.

Thanks,

Posted 10/3/2007 8:09 AM (GMT 0)
Razzle, That is my experience. Right now, I can walk about 1.5 miles, maybe 2 if I walk slowly and I'll be just a bit sore the next day. But I have been building up to that very gradually. I could actually walk about 4 miles, but that would definitely throw me into flare mode. about two years ago, I had been in my worst flare and I just could not get past the fatigue. I got on the treadmill and started with 1/4 of a mile. After a couple days of that, I upped it to 1/3 of a mile and that was either too much or too often. After several attempts (and failures) like that and no gain in strength, I talked to my rheumy about it and he said that we need to add teeny bits at a time and only after tolerating that 1/4 mile for a full week, too not jump up to 1/3. He gave me a percentage and I just can't remember what it was . . . it was minuscule. Anyway, he said that the activity "turns on" the immune system . . . which, in a healthy person, is good . . . but in a Lupan the activated immune system is likely to turn on our own healthy tissue (flare). Same with the sun, it just activates the immune system (good for most, bad for us). He said it is GOOD to work toward this very gradual increase, but to really pay attention to our body each day. I hope this helps. Blessings!
Posted 10/3/2007 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Razzle, I've had the same experience as you many times. My problem is learning to pace myself because when I'm feeling particularly good I seem to want to do all the things that I haven't felt like doing so I overdo it. And then I crash. So like Rosie, I'm trying to learn to pace myself more and to rest even on days when I'm feeling real good.

It sounds like you are listening to your body and getting into the rhythm of lupus and I believe you'll gradually come to learn to pace yourself. I still struggle with it.
Posted 10/3/2007 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
I can identify with half a day of joy and a week of pain/fatigue - my 11 year old had a soccer game I loaded up on spf put on my hat and tried not to get to excited but I missed his luncheon the next day and felt like crap days after, I was not sure if it was the sun or being out the house at the event for 4 or more hours. I am learning to pace myself even though my family always urges me to stay (the infamous statement is- we have you it will be ok, we will take care of things) but I am always the one at home struggling with fatigue and trying to hide pain from my baby boy.  You seem like you are becoming aware that our limitations are different and we really have to follow our internal clocks...when possible an appearance has to suffice and closing down the event will be out of the question.  Please take care hope you feel better and more energetic soon. Thanks Aree

SLE, PULMONARY EMBOLISM, RHUEMATOID ARTHRITIS, PERICARDITIS, PLEURISY, OSTEOPOROSIS, ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME

PREDNISONE 20MG, METHATRAXATE 17.5WEEKLY, ACTENOL, HUMIRA, DIAZEPAM 5MG, WARFARIN 7MG, VICODIN ES OR DILAUDID 4MG FOR PAIN, FOLIC ACID, IRON, NEWEST DRUG RITUXAN

Posted 10/3/2007 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Rosie - I think I remember when you first talked about % increase your doctor suggested -- I think it was 10%.....it may have only been 5 but I really think it was 10..... It's hard to learn the right pacing that works for each of us. I usually try to stop whatever it is when I feel like I've done about 1/2 of what I could do. Of course, depending on the activity -- some things are really hard to stop when we should -- hard to watch 1/2 a soccer game once it gets exciting.... take care
Posted 10/4/2007 9:33 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for helping me understand this.  Unfortunately I had no choice about doing the activity - had to move stuff out of the way for a new piece of furniture that is a lot bigger than what was there before.

Thanks,

Posted 10/5/2007 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, sometimes life infringes on being ill. It's a drag, but there are some things we just can't avoid, even if we know they'll make us feel bad for a while. Thankfully, sometimes we do manage to avoid some things that are bad for us.... It's all an evil trick....just not sure who the trickster is....
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