Anyone ever try doing cardio to kill Borrelia (lyme)? It works!

I first read nearly two years ago that Borrelia happens to be a type of bacterium that cannot tolerate anything more than very slight exposure to oxygen, hence hyperbaric chamber treatment is said to be particularly effective with killing it. I also read that for the same reason cardiovascular exercise would have a healing effect because if done for longer periods of time it would move a lot of oxygen into the cells of your entire body.

My parents gave me one of those superduper fancy treadmills a few weeks ago to use as a Lyme treatment because they read cardio could be effective. I'd been using it, but never felt anything like a Herx, which you'd expect if it really were killing Borrelia. Just yesterday though I asked a guy who used to be a serious runner about doing cardio and I learned that exercise doesn't become aerobic unless you keep your heartrate in a certain zone for at least 30 minutes. Only performed this way does any exercise become aerobic at the cellular level.

So yesterday I stayed on the treadmill for 45 minutes and kept my heartrate between 110 and 125 for the entire time. Woke up today with unmistakable symptoms of a mild Herx. WOW....guys it actually worked. I didn't add any meds or herbs recently, and it's not my "time of the month" for a lyme die-off, yet about 12 hours later I'm feeling mild Herx symptoms.

Any exercise could be used. Maybe just stairstepping up and down from the bottom step of your home's staircase. Certainly appears to really work, and it costs nothing. :)



Here's the rough formula for calculating your aerobic zone: 220 minus your age, then multiply by .50. This is the low end of your cardio zone. I'm 25, so for me it's 220-25 = 195 * .50 equals 98 beats per minute. Do not allow your heartrate to go more than 20% higher than this low number. (220-age *.70 is high end) For me that would be 136 beats per minute. Since we're sick I'd think it'd be advisable to aim for staying just above that lower threshold.

Check your heartrate frequently the first workout to make sure you're keeping your heartrate in the zone. You should feel comfortable the whole time. Aerobic work isn't hard work. If you begin to feel uncomfortable or like you're working pretty hard, you probably have gone over that 70% threshold. Get yourself one of those cheap chronographs you can get at Walmart for $12 or so. After exercising 5 minutes or so, start it and count your heart beats in a 15 second span, multiply by 4 to get your rate. After probably the first few workouts you won't need to keep checking your heartrate because you'll learn how you feel when you are keeping your ticker "in the zone".

Post Edited (Sulma) : 2/14/2009 12:05:27 PM (GMT-7)

And be careful if you have a PICC line...some exericises cannot be done if you do have one.

I was taking an African dance class and it greatly helped me. I considered it to be a healing influence not only for the exercise but also for the joy I felt while doing it. Unfortunatly it is a long way to drive. Last week I started a Salsa dance class that is local and hope to go twice a week. This kind of activity presses me to my limit without the feeling of working because I enjoy it so much. I have a tread mill kind of thing and haven't stepped on it in years. I agree with you and am glad to hear someone confirm what I was thinking and feeling. It is winter when I really decline and perhaps that is partly because of inactivity.
I also just started Bartonella treatment and am on Levaquin so have to be careful of tendonitis which can be brought on from over working. When I was doing the dance class before I got a few really bad cramps that seemed to tear something as it remained sore for weeks to the point that is was hard to walk - so you do have to be careful! I notice my ability to have a future, to dream, is coming back to me. I just saw an Andalusian stallion for sale - a 2 year old - and I felt inspired that maybe life isn't completely over, maybe I do have years, even decades to go. . . .and I am 62!

I've had similar experiences to you guys in that exercise in general has always seemed to help, but I've never done aerobic exercise, so I wasn't prepared for a two-day Herx. I've always lifted weights, which has seemed to help, but it doesn't elevate the heartrate for long periods of time like cardio.

As it turns out, both Saturday and Sunday I had decreased energy, more arthritic pain, some additional deep tissue pain, definitely more brain fog, and unshakeable sadness.  On an intensity scale, with 10 being the most severe Herx I've ever had, I'd say it was only a 3-4, but prolonged.

This is such great news... but does anyone have any issues with energy? I have been trying to do yoga (I used to do it several times a week) but can barely make it through an entire class because my energy is so slow. It probably doesn't help that I have been sick and out of shape for so long. I've been struggling to keep my B12 up and I am on Mepron w/. Zithr. so that probably contributes to it. I would love to find a way to get some aerobic exercise in through... does anyone have any suggestions?

Hi elle03.  Sometimes cardio exercise can be detrimental when you are treating tick-borne illnesses.  For me, it was best to avoid it when treating Babesiosis.  Babesiosis can cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue so you need to be careful.  Maybe you could do some light strength training while treating Babesiosis or do part of a yoga DVD at home.  Do what you can, but listen to your body.

Hi IH8Ticks.  I have always been big on exercise, but when getting treated for these diseases I believe there are times when it can be detrimental.  For me, Babesiosis was definitely one of those times.  Do what you can when you can, and know that when you get stronger you will be able to do more.

 

i have also had great results with exercise.... on a bad day exercising and sweating makes me feel better immediately it really does work! i don't always feel like exercising and the first 15 minutes feels really bad but it's worth persevering b.

I'm finding my resting heart rate(assuming this wrist monitor is accurate) to be about 85. Sinec 220 - age 31*.5 = 95, that leaves very little room and just walking should put me there(which I've been doing for 30 minutes 3 times a day for the last 10 days, but I just got the monitor so I haven't tested it out yet while doing the exercise).

For those of you concentrating on this are you finding a similar situation -only need to walk to reach this point?