Muscle Loss

[meg512]

Hi Cathe, I have posted this question on the Firm forum also, but now that I see that you are back on the forum here, I would rather hear it from an expert. I have been sick with pneumonia twice since May 9. Last Monday, I went back to my dr. and he said that the pneumonia was almost gone but that I was full of fluid, and so I had to have that pumped out of me. I have to go back Monday the 18th for follow up. My concern is that I have not been able to workout for quite a while and that when I was first extremely sick, I was barely eating, just trying to take in the as much fluid as I could (as the dr. suggested). I am now eating a little more. I have no idea when I will get the go ahead to work out again. In your expert opinion, do you think that I will have a big loss of muscle because of this and when I can start again, will I be starting over from scratch. Thanks so much for your time. Sorry this is so long. Mary

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Mary! So sorry to hear of your pneumonia. Right now it is so important for you to take all of your mental energy and apply it to healing your pneumonia. Your workouts can wait, your health cannot. Your well being is the ultimate priority right now. Please listen and follow all of your doctors orders and let your body recover. The best workout for your body right now is REST. Two pneumonia's in a month and a half is very physically(and mentally) draining to the body. Your body has put up quite a fight and its time to let it recover.

When the time does come that you get the clearance to resume your workout schedule, come back very slowly. You will most likely notice that the first couple of weeks will be very difficult. Don't get discouraged and definitely don't push too hard. After about three weeks your body's muscle memory will most likley kick back in, and while you still need to ease back up to the weight that you were once using, you will find your body getting to that point much more quickly after the first three weeks. I'm wishing you a strong recovery and encouraging you to listen to your body with each step of the way. Big hugs to you. Take care and please keep me posted :-)!

[meg512]

Cathe - Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I know that I need to rest right now, it is all just so discouraging. It seems like it's such a long road back. I'm sure others have gone through much worse things than this and made a comeback. Thanks again, you are the greatest for actually coming on this forum and talking with us. Take care. Mary

[starlight6]

Hi Mary,

I just wanted to second Cathe's concern & encouragement. I didn't know you had been so ill - what a terrible time you've had! Also, I had the same experience Cathe described - it took about 6 weeks for my muscle memory to come back completely, but now I feel like I never stopped at all. (And I stopped for almost a year!!) So don't worry, just take it slow like Cathe said.

I sure hope you're starting to feel better now. Pneumonia can be very difficult to overcome, as you well know!

Take care,
Ruth

[Bobbi]

Mary,

I too am sorry to hear you have had such health problems! Don't fret about muscle loss. Last year I found myself clinically depressed and all the love and enthusiasm I usually pour into fitness evaported like water. Recently, everything is back as it should be and my muscle gains are wonderful. My strength and endurance are returning very quickly. I am starting very slowly and cautiously with light weights and moderate amounts of cardio but it's all coming back very nicely.

As long as you take care of yourself in a nutritional way, your body should not canabalize your muscle mass too much. Once you start exercising again, you'll be strong in no time!

Good luck and take care of yourself!

Bobbi

[meg512]

Cathe, Ruth and Bobbi - Thanks so much for all of your support. I got a call from my Dr. on Friday and they wanted me to come back in because the lab found some kind of bacteria in my fluid. They told me that they were going to do another xray, withdraw more fluid and to have a driver and a bag packed because I had to be prepared to go to the hospital to be completely cleaned out of this fluid. By the grace of God, I am not in the hospital and here writing this note. The doctor told me that the way my health insurance works, part of my tests were performed at one lab and the others at a second lab two days later. The tests that showed bacteria were done at the second lab. He thinks that maybe the fluid got contaminated. He told me that all of the other statistics from the tests appeared to be normal. I have to call tomorrow afternoon for the new results, but he told me that he is 99% sure there is no infection present and that I will not have to be hospitalized. I was so relieved. I have to go back for a final check this coming Friday. I have no idea wheather he will give me clearance to work out or not at that point, but after all this time and over 3 weeks off work due to both the pneumonias, you can bet that I will not do anything until he gives me a go ahead. Not to mention, I have used up all my sick time and a lot of vacation time (thank God that I'm a state worker and had this time built up). Thanks again, you people are the greatest. Sorry that I rambled on so. Everyone have a wonderful week. Mary

[starlight6]

Hi Mary,

You poor thing! What a terrible scare you had...I'm so glad your DR. thinks it was just contamination (which happens more than most people know).

This just isn't your year so far! However, I have confidence that things will turn around for you now.

I'm glad you're going to follow your Doc's advice to the letter...talk here anytime you want - these people are real friends & will listen & support you all the way!

Take care,
Ruth
(Let us know how your test comes out, we'll be waiting with you.)

[meg512]

Hi Ruth and thanks again for the encouragement. This is my first day back to work so you will not see me on the forum as often. A lot of times while sick that was my only diversion. This is the time I would usually be working out so I just thought I'd log on for a few minutes. We have the internet at work, but people have gotten fired for using it for personal use and we have all been warned many times, so I do not go into anything other than work related subjects. I'll post tonight if I get the results. Have a good day. Mary

[Bobbi]

Mary,

You have certainly had to deal with more than your share! You will be in my prayers! You just take care of yourself! Everything will be okay. It's just takes time, sometimes, to heal and to return to normal. Before long all this will be a memory.



Bobbi