Is exercise a flare trigger?

mamadeesix

Since my RA diagnosis, I've never had what I consider a textbook, full on flare that I've read about. Just generally feel bad a lot. lol.

But maybe someone can help explain what is happening to me now.....

So even though I am always tired, I started eating better and easing back into exercising. Child's play compared to what I used to do. Five min. on the elliptical, working up to 14. Some days I could do 5, some days not. But it got better. Did the full 14 a couple of times last week. So then I decided to do a 15 min. cardio thing that I could do in my sleep a couple years ago. I took it slow. I kept in low impact. I was careful. Nothing hurt all that much during the 15 min. I did not get the high I used to get after exercise, it pretty much wiped me out, but I was proud that I did it.

The next day......and still today, 3 days later....I feel like I got hit by a bus. Yes, muscle soreness, but I don't count that as I know what that is and consider it normal and good even. But my elbows, toes, hips that had calmed down a bit are screaming again. And the fatigue is extreme. I just want. to. sleep. Or lay down and do nothing at least. All day.

I would think something else or worse is going on but it happened the morning after my workout.

They say exercise is important for RA......and I knew to go slow....and I thought I did.

Is this what a flare is? Is exercise normally a flare trigger? I have changed nothing else

So frustrated.

frogmorton

When I first started with this malarkey I did flare twice after swimming. I did think it was 'my fault'.

Since then (although I am now on DMARDS to be fair) I have swum and had no particular consequences so I just do not know.

It could easily just be coincidence and you were going to flare anyway.

Sorry I can't give you a definite answer, but in your case I think time will tell.

I now walk at least 5 times a week as far as I can. Don't do anything too strenuous and agree exercise is vital for our overall health.

Take care

Toni xx

mamadeesix

Grace,

I actually saw my doctor on Monday. She said it had been 3 months on the MTX and no help, so switch to Plaquenil...which I have not actually done yet. I am sero neg.....so my blood work is actually no help in this matter, unfortunately. My liver enzymes were up, prob. from the MTX, but that is it.

She made it seem like the exercise thing was part of it.....so switch meds since MTX isn't helping.

turtle

mamadeesix wrote:

Grace,

I actually saw my doctor on Monday. She said it had been 3 months on the MTX and no help, so switch to Plaquenil...which I have not actually done yet. I am sero neg.....so my blood work is actually no help in this matter, unfortunately. My liver enzymes were up, prob. from the MTX, but that is it.

She made it seem like the exercise thing was part of it.....so switch meds since MTX isn't helping.

I hope this finds you feeling a bit better. I find that over-doing it physically will wipe me out completely and increase the pain. I did quite a lot physically yesterday, even worked a bit in my garden. Today the pain is increased and the joints are refusing to function properly.

I find I must make myself slow down to a turtle's speed.

mamadeesix

Thank you everyone. I am feeling better today. Still tired but not as wiped out with fatigue as I was the last 3 days. Joints and tendons still hurting, but better.

I went ahead and started the Plaquenil today. I am also going to get serious about cutting sugar and processed foods. Can't hurt, right?

I want to be able to exercise......so I am going to do everything in my power to be able to do so on some level at least. I'm afraid I am just going to have to get used to more pain in general. But if I can exercise without going into a full blown flare, I'll be happy.

The last 3 days were not good. But feel like I'm coming out of it to the new normal. lol.

dreamdaisy

An over-active immune system is the root of RA and the other auto-immune inflammatory conditions. Excercise would trigger my asthma (an auto-immune condition) but with the advent of inhalers that became a thing of the past. Exercise worsens my OA but as I am bone-on-bone in both knees and both ankles that's hardly surprising. It does not, however, trigger a flare of my PsA.

To my way of thinking my OA does not flare, it merely worsens thanks to weather, eating too many pickles or my doing something stupid. My PsA, however, does and it affects my whole body and self for days and weeks at a time. I always feel better in myself when I stop the meds when I am properly ill which is always a pleasant surprise! I generally feel OK in myself but I am fully aware what I think of as being well others would consider as being poorly. DD