I am frustrated! I was a very fit and healthy young woman before the birth of my daughter. So first you have the weight you gain with the pregnancy. That, I actually did well and gained the recommended amount. The funny thing is I lost all but 10 of those pounds by the time she was two months old. Then my body turned against me with RA which stopped exercise. I was basically limping for several months. Then you add the lovely steroids that make you blow up like a balloon! So I gained alot of it back. There was a point in my treatment in which I actulally felt well enough to try one of my old exercise videos. Great idea! I had to go see my rheumatologist to get my knee drained -again and a cortisone shot-again. He said I over did it with exercise. How do you know how much is too much? What is safe to do? I try to at least walk around the neighborhood, if for nothing else to get my daughter and I out of the house. My knee stays swollen and sore so I don't know what is over doing it. Not to mention the rest of my body that hurts so that I can barely move for the first few hours upon waking. As if it isn't bad enough to have RA, not be able to be active, but to be fat and unhappy too. I don't want to whine but sometimes it is just too much. Any advice would be greatly apreciated.
So what's going on with my ra buddy, Becky Sue? I know exactly the frustrations that come from wanting to move followed by the risk of feeling worse. I have found the only exercise that I can tolerate is just walking. Even then I sometimes flare. But if you make your goals very attainable, say, walking one block for a week then maybe one and a half the next week, you may be able to slowly work up to more. Remember that anything you do can be exercise: working in the yard, vacuuming, that kind of thing. Try to have several small meals instead of three large ones. And try really hard not to eat after dark. You have every right to feel sad and sorry for yourself. You have a systemic issue that effects your life. You have been a source of comfort to me with my ra issues and I so appreciate you. ---Amy
I agree, I have RA primarly in my feet, knees and hands, so walking is really hard during a flare. I do lots of swimming and I ride my bike. I do relaxing yoga, and stretching exercises. When I am not in a flare, I use leg weights and do low impact exercises, think leg lifts and squats. I don't do very much at a time or I will flare. The trick is small bursts of exercise in small increments a couple of times a day. I try for 3 times. I ride for 15 min in the morning and then do leg exercises at lunch (when I was working) then relaxing yoga before bed.
The trick is moderation in all things. You will never be able to totally get rid of the roids(at least in my case). I however always decline the shots, and take the smallest amount that removes the pain and inflamation.
I know it is really hard the point is not to loose weight the point for me is to not become disabled.
BJ