Hiking with lyme

I have never done multiple day hikes but would love to do that later. Walking works quite well for me and I normally go for a 30-40 min walk most days and then a longer walk in a nearby forest for 1.5-2 hours, about 1-2 days a week.

I work out at home a few days a week with weights and bodyweight, and recently did the first 1 hour mountainbike session for the year.
Cardio leads to more herxing so I have to be careful with that. I waited so long this year because of reducing the risk to go to the hospital if I crash, with all the covid-19 problems.

I will soon have 2 weeks of from work so will be walking and biking more in nature then.

IMO.....The longer you had this...............the longer it takes to get everything back.

Forest hiking, x-c ski, snowshoeing, and biking were various degrees of pain for years for me. For two years (at my lyme peak) it was nearly impossible and It would actually create small injuries that took weeks to heal. Years ago before that, I participated in numerous outdoor endurance events for years.......But It took me a long time to warm up and get flexible...and then a long time to recover, I knew something was not right..

Pre ABX, years of PT/ chiro ect was minimally effective.

After ABX it was effective. I then rebuilt all major muscles a couple at a time as they were all injured to some degree. Did this gradually. Same with lungs- gradually. Now Im a fit old guy...........fitter than most 20 somethings.

So that was strength, as far as mental fatigue, that was also horrible but I endured my outdoor competitions on Adrenalin. You can do almost anything on Adrenalin.....but pay for it later............for days or even weeks!!

After events , I was totally whipped and would need to heavily nap while competitors were somehow socializing. I was a light switch, totally On or off. For years. And would have to sleep on a good mattress once home or on a good cot-----------camping on the forest floor in a tent (like thru hiking) was not an option.

After ABX tick treatment I no longer got sleepy while driving, no need for regular caffine but I had to learn to use my energy wisely as I was used to all or nothing which is how I got used to living my waking hours. .

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It took me 4 years after ABX to get up to ten mile bike rides without pain or stiffness the next morning. Still have same bed so it was not that.

I like day hikes when its cooler out, but thru hiking / remote camping was always out of the question due to body pain, that would really be cool to do though. That said, the older I get, the more I like a shower and a real bed when Im done which doesn't happen out in the woods!

I want to make a camper van before I get to old, I could prob tent again now but after a bear/tent encounter and tent hassles...., I think Im done with tents LOL.

The idea of walking around ticks without a shower after seems a little risky to me, I would personally only attempt this (no after shower) in the fall. Thats just me.

MNT biking- I go fast thru any higher weedy areas or just ride well used trails in the spring and summer. I do more road biking during tick season. My back is healed enough that I can once again ride a drop bar road bike, but do use all three hand gripping positions regularly for change/comfort.

Anyway.....I wish you luck! I always envied "Thru hikers".

I don't go hiking—except when it's really really cold because of ticks. I go running and biking and I can run about 5-6 miles without stopping now. I can go 8 miles, but I have to stop and walk some. When I first started I could run only a few hundred feet.

Timely post. I just got back from a 2-nighter in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness. It was fantastic. I try to go at least once or twice per year. I am terrified of ticks, and have yet to see one in those woods. I do spray EVERYTHING with Permethrin, though. Anyway, hope you get back to the outdoors sooner rather than later.

Hiking is my favorite recreational activity. Being too fatigued to hike was one of the main reasons I went to the doctor and started on this health path.

I will definitely go back to hiking as soon as I get more energy. I think it's one of the best activities for your health for multiple reasons. I really miss it.

Some day I would like to complete the PCT.

There are a few pro runners who had Lyme who are pretty much back to their previous levels of fitness I believe, but I can't remember their names right now... Ben True and some other guy, plus a female triathlete.

Ok I looked it up, Robby Andrews
https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a30432939/robby-andrews-lyme-disease/

and
Lesley Paterson

I have a whole list somewhere of athletes with Lyme. I was a marathon runner, still trying to get back to that. Right now I just walk my dog about 5 miles a day.
I also have links to a bunch of articles if you want some reading material about athletes with Lyme.

Really nice to see the optimism of you all, and the stories of yourselves and others that have improved enough to regain their quality of life. I loved hiking.

God, I'm so jealous! I'm up to a 20 min walk two times a week. I got sick last July and it's been a long road, but it's so helpful to hear these stories! Sometimes I feel like I have the energy but the inflammation in my knees can't handle it and I wonder if it's doing more damage than good for me to push ahead. Plus there are a lot of hills in my neighborhood, though it's all paved. I think most of us with lyme loved hiking and the outdoors, a cruel irony. It's a huge lesson in patience but I will get there.

Post Edited (PandaFox) : 7/13/2020 3:34:27 PM (GMT-6)

For anyone who has body pain, joint pain, tendon pain -- I highly recommend taking Great Lakes collagen powder. It's recommended in Buhner's book too, because Lyme destroys collagen. I was taking it daily for 4 years already before I even knew I had Lyme, and I wonder if that's partly why I was able to fight off the Lyme with my immune system for so long and run marathons. (I believe I've had Lyme and Bart bacteria in my body my entire life, I only got really sick a year ago)

I'm doing better, but I still have symptoms. I've been treating for a year, was diagnosed last July. I have not run in a year at this point. Last time I tried to do the spin bike in Dec. I had debilitating migraines...I'm kind of afraid to try working out again. I just want to let my body rest and heal as much as possible.

I worked out like a maniac for over a decade running and lifting weights, so I am okay with taking some downtime. I know I'm going to run another marathon, that has never been in question. I was 4 minutes away from qualifying for the Boston Marathon when I ran my last one.

The pain thing Is different for all though. I surprisingly had no relief from colegian, great that it helps some. .

Much of my tendons were stiff. And stiff tendons pull on joints feeling like your joints are shot when it might not be. Lyme gave me scoliosis too, and a bent spine can make your whole body stiff and painful.

I can release the correct tendon and the adjacent joint will snap / crack and be free. The trick is to keep it that way (most finally did). High pressure self trigger pointing is like a toilet plunger....................you push out the old fluid release........and new fluid comes in. Just blood and nutrients vs toilet water lol.

Then you need to exercise the tendon.

I envy people whos lyme treatment just let their body heal by itself. Then again, I was like this for decades. And had many bicycle/dirtbike/snowmobile crashes in my life, on top of work injuries.

I also have the Great Lakes brand.