Can U beat his with exercise? | Arthritis Information

Ok those of you thet have followed my posts know i am really at the bottow not just with pain but the depression has me oh work and seeing a physciatrist.

my sys apptmnt isnt till next week.

in the mean tine do is just lay in bed depressed, or do i try exercise to break it? i cam take 3 vicodin and do 1hr vigorours workout. and i feel better, for a while, is this possitive. i still have sleepless nights, thank got for cash in the attic on BBC America. but i can not do nothing waiting 10 days.

Am i helping or harming?

I guess I'd have to ask "What kind of exercise?" My RD said low-impact was o.k. Do you think your insomnia causing the depression?

I'm not sure 1hour vigerous is a good idea.....maybe 30min; low impact daily would atleast keep the blues at bay. Everyones different though.

I just walk and I haven't really been that into that for that long. I do notice if I do too much my pain is worse; but doing it on a regular basis even if it's less I feel better.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

edited to say: I've always hated exercise so I'm surely not the one to ask.

Lovie2009-04-13 15:20:04I would be really careful about exercising after 3 vicodin - exercising in an altered state can lead to injuries that aren't even related to RA. You can get clumsy or dizzy and hurt yourself badly. Not to mention you might be doing something that is hurting you and you are masking the pain and don't know it.are you really feeling up to exercise? I mean..I dont think it would be helpful if you're in pain and you stress something.

Can you take a nice walk? walk somewhere not too hilly for starters?

I wouldn't jump into some low impact aerobics or anything like that.....

Just walk..... and see how you manage.

good luck

Hello Clufus

I knowU will think I am crazy. Are u ready to try something unconventional?

I usually get depressed even as a kid I was asked to put on copper bracelet on right hand.
Believe or not it did help and I never went too deep end. Now every day I drink water which I fill in cooper pot and drink it every morning. See if it helps. U should see the difference in 2 weeks. Let me know if it works.

listen to your body...if you can exercise without an increase in your pain levels then go for it...however needing to take 3 vicodin to exercise pain free is not a good thing because you are suppressing your bodies signals of pain I think some moderate exercise would do you good. My RD has an article hanging in his exam room that's is about exercise being good for everything.
Hope you feel better soon- feeling sad stinks.
You will filll good exercising with 3 vicoden but after it wears off.........??????????

My mom's physical therapist says "Don't do anything that you know will ruin your day with pain. If you push it too hard it's going to turn around and bite you on the @ss. I would do as the others suggests and take a walk or do some stretching. My rd told me pilates are good to do.

Let us know what you decided and how it turned out.

take care

Hi Clufus -

I don't think the vigorous exercising is a good idea as it helps delete needed magnesium which, from research I've seen, is implicated in depression. Maybe if you replaced it after exercising...

Hugs,

Pip

You really need to talk to your doctor. Taking that much vicodin to work out probably isn't a good idea. As the others have said, a slow walk, building up to a quicker walk can boost your energy and your emotional state without the potential to harm your joints.I am a big proponent of exercise but agree with Debra that you should not be taking Vicodin in order to work out.

You are on several drugs. Are they no longer working for you? I don't know your history and I can only assume you have tried them all and are just one of the unfortunate souls who don't respond well to treatment.

But is it possible these drugs are making you feel worse?? I know I felt a great deal better after stopping MTX. That drug really zapped me of any energy.
I agree with all the others Clufus....a slow walk, outside in the sunshine, smelling the April blossoms would surely lift your mood and not put you at danger of hurting yourself further. [QUOTE=clufus]in the mean tine do is just lay in bed depressed, or do i try exercise to break it?[/QUOTE]
Hello Clufus, having suffered from the dreaded 'D' word more than once, you have my empathy. Although I convinced myself that my bed and darkened room were my allies, in fact they were my enemies.

When I began to force myself to shower, dress, and get outside I began to feel better about myself and once that happened I could begin to think and act rationally about this insidious disease.

As others have expressed, exercise can be beneficial but exercise that requires three Vicodin to undertake does not fit the beneficial category. Allow me to suggest that you begin slowly; first get outside three or four times a day, after a few days add a leisurely stroll through the spring, listen to the world awakening from its winter's slumber; gradually increase both the pace and distance you walk.

Spring can be a great rejuvenating force. Best wishes, Shug
Hi, Ciufus. I am sorry to hear of your struggles w/ depression. I have been there myself. 10 weeks ago, I decided that much of my depression was due to the chronic pain, fatigue, and powerlessness of this !@#$% RA. I realized that taking action = getting active was something that could help me in every way. I started out walking - at first for 10 min at a v-e-r-y slow pace - and it about did me in! But I stuck with it, gradually increasing my pace and duration of the walk - and now I am doing 2.5 miles in 45 min - every single day! This is on a treadmill at home. I find that it makes me walk faster than I ever would on my own. I even do my range-of-motion exercises for my hands while I am walking. I do have pain while I am walking but it plateaus, and I just keep going - but a few hours after the walk, I feel *really* good - very little pain and little to no stiffness. I am sleeping so much better at night since I started, AND I have lost 18 lbs, to boot! I really feel better in every way these days - I think the benefits from the walking are huge. I still worry about having a flare and being unable to walk on the treadmill for a while, but mainly, I just try to make the most of every day that I *don't* have extraordinary difficulties. I feel like I DO have some control over how RA rules my life, and that makes a big difference in terms of my outlook on everything.
Hoping that you can somehow take some action and get out of your depression -

Mary-Pat
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