Really bummed...

A

AngelBrt

Cathlete
I have been sick for a few weeks and was trying to take it easy, but couldn't resist working out and hate taking days off from work. Well, it got so bad that yesterday I went to the doctor and they told me I have mono and tonsilitis. As bad as I feel the worst part is that the doctor forbid from exercising for three weeks! Apparently with EBV, the virus that causes mono, your organs swell and they worry about your spleen rupturing?! This scares me enough to keep me more sedentary, but I am just so bummed. So in thinking ahead (and having a lot of time on my hands now) I was wondering what kind of activities I could do once I am allowed to exercise to slowly get back into things. Any ideas from people who have had to take time off before? The most I've taken off before was a week and even then it felt hard to get back into things. So any suggestions/sympathy would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everyone!

Angela
 
Hi Angela.

I know how you feel. I had knee surgery last year on both knees. I was out of commission for weeks. I was so depressed. There is a difference between not being able to workout vs. losing your motivation. Not being able to workout made me WANT to workout sooo bad. Once I was able too, I had no problem getting back into it, except for the intensity part. I had to start out slow, which was hard. I started with bike rides since there was no impact. Then I slowly started adding weights, then step etc. I had to modify everything, something I wasn't used too. Just realize it's not forever and that you'll bounce back. I'm sure alot faster than me.


Good luck to you. :D
 
I had mono two years ago so I definitly know how you must feel. I remember having a fever for 10 days straight, swollen glands, no appetite(lost 5 pounds in one week) and just being plain exhausted. Feeling tired lasted for about six months even though I had started working out way before then. You really, really need to just rest right now and when you do get back to it, start slow. I think I started cardio on a lower step level and without the power. You will be surprised at how quickly you will get back into it. Believe me, this is when your will power needs to come in because you will be tired even when the major symptoms go away. I truly think that working out slowly helped with the chronic fatigue. Don't worry...you will get better soon and be right back into the swing of things before you know it.

Take care:D
 
I hope you get better soon. Don't worry about not being able to work out. Try to see it as, you have the rest of your life to workout, and this is only 3 weeks. We're only human and we get sick...it's part of life.

Get your rest so you can get better and have enough energy to get back into it again.

Take Care!
 
Hi Angela! You will be fine. I know that is easy for me to say because I would be just as bummed as you! Think of it as a time to really let your body rest, get healthy and you will probably surprise yourself once you start back. Your body will respond quickly as it knows what it likes! (Cathe tapes! :7) You will have a renewed excitement about all your vids. Take this time to put together some rotations, some better eating habits, maybe take time to preview any tapes you haven't done or any that are choreo-challenging for you. I don't know about you, but I never have time to just sit and watch them. I have to just get at my workout as soon as I find the time. Hang in there and post whenever you're having a down moment. There is alway someone here who can put a smile on your face or someone who knows exactly how you are feeling. THINKING of YOU!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Hey there Angela,

I know exactly how you feel :( At the end of last year some time, I hurt my right hip flexor muscle. I couldn't do anything, not even walk much. It took about a month and a half before I was pain-free and ready to work out again. But, even then, that area still got very very stiff and sore for awhile before I could start pushing myself. Then, in January/February I got very sick with who-knows-what. I think it was the flu, but it never hit me fully; it just copmletely drained me for an entire month. I thought I was being a hypochondriac until one week I must have kicked the thing and my energy was normal, and I realized that I definitely had been sick. I was thrilled :)) I went back to working out and was just starting to see some improvement! Well, it didn't even take another month before I hurt my other hip flexor muscle, after going on only a 1 mile jog around my neighborhood. I think I had been too tight (I wasn't even sore) from my kickboxing class the night before. Well, it's been a month, and I'm BARELY getting back into the scene. I went back to my kickboxing class last night and couldn't even do the kicks or jumping jacks. It was depressing. This morning I'm sore, but there's no pain, so I'm praying it's alright.

I'm an exercise addict (as many of you are :) ) so this has been hard on me. For me, the best part of my day was when I could work out really hard, take a shower, get a cup up fresh coffee and sit down to study. I was relaxed and able to focus. It's very hard for me to sit still without my exercise :(

You're so not alone. If you're down or feel like complaining, you have lots of us who will listen :)

Take care of yourself!! Oh, and I have actually been previewing my Cathe DVDs that I haven't been able to use yet, drooling :) it's the best I can do.

Sara
 
Add me to the list! I pulled a back muscle 3 months ago, took some "time off", by that I mean not doing Cathe but doing Kathy Smith and Firm workouts, felt better, resumed the intenstity, and now am suffering for it. I finally went to the doctor and he told me I have to completely rest it for a month! It's very frustrating because I finally got to a certain point with my exercise routine where I felt like I had reached my goals and could only get better, and now this! Oh well, I resolved myself to the fact that this was my body's way of telling me to slow down.

So, you have my sympathy. And, as Sara said, you're not alone!
 
Thanks everyone! I knew I could post here and get some encouragement! I really feel for those of you who have physical injuries, in some ways I think that would be even worse. I guess it's just frustrating because exercise is what I turn to all the time to improve my mood and make me feel good. So when I'm sick and feeling bad to begin with, and then don't have the exercise outlet it's even harder. But the time will go by. I liked the ideas of focusing on my new rotations and especially my eating habits. When I exercise a lot eating doesn't seem as important (even though I know it is) but now I should really take the time to make sure I am feeding my body well to get and keep my energy up. Thanks again! Everyone's thoughts really do brighten my day!:)

Angela
 
Hi Angela,

As someone who's been there, I want to encourage you to follow the doctor's order and get total rest. I understand this is the best and probably only thing you can do for mono.

I had an awful case of mono in college and ended up having to drop out for the semester. My doctor felt I'd had it for quite some time before they discovered it, and I had made it much worse by denying I felt bad and continuing to push myself.

Please take care of yourself and know that by doing so, you'll avoid an extended illness!

Hope you'll feel much better soon,

Another Angela:)
 
Hi Angela,
Don't forget to laugh. :D:D They say laughter makes the body heal faster. DH bought me some Calvin and Hobbes books during my recent shoulder injury. I was in the "Why did this happen to me NOW" mode. Comedy really does help.
Debbie had a neat idea about reviewing the videos. I'm thinking of doing that myself.There are so many things we can miss on the video when we are actually doing them. :D

Your body needs gentle care right now. How about some OPI colors for the nails? Anna has got me hooked on polish so I couldn't resist the suggesstion. LOL
Hope you Get well very very soon.
 
Hi Angela,
I know how you feel. I am suffering from my second attack of sciatica in one year. I cannot do any impact (I can hardly walk) for a couple of weeks. I was doing so good with the Intensities and was fine for about eight months, and from not stretching correctly, I irritated my sciatic nerve and now can hardly walk. Chiropractor visits again, and waiting to work out to my Cathe's again (starting with 4" step and modifying but still having fun). Actually, I can do upper body with very light weights, but that's it. So I totally understand. But I know one thing, when I couldn't work out last year for a couple of weeks I really saw no major changes in my body and I bounced right back. MaryAnn
 
I've heard a lot of people say that. After taking time off for various reasons, they've returned to their exercise routines even stronger than before. Of course, you have to start out slow. But, because you're familiar to the workouts, and your body does retain some muscle memory, it doesn't take as long to get back into condition. See what you have to look forward to?!
 
Hi Angela, I Am sorry to hear that you are ill.Just remember that your
recovery time is needed in order for you to feel well again. Its only for a few weeks. You'll amazed at how fast it will go by. Use this time to catch up on some r&r. Your body needs it right now. I hope this helps. Norma:)
 
Angela --

So sorry you're sick! Don't be surprised if you start feeling a little depressed; sickness, especially one with fatigue, can change your brain chemistry and make you feel a little down. Just realize that your body really does need rest more than anything so it can heal itself.

A few years back, I had chronic appendicitis. The docs finally figured out what was going on, but not before the thing had perforated and I had a lot of poison in my system. It took several months after the surgery before I was up to my full regular w.o. routine. I eased into it with yoga and with walking. Then I worked my way up to weights and cardio.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery! I hope you're feeling better soon.

Juli
 
I had Mono last summer and my job is in fitness, so not only did I have to curtail my own personal workouts, I also had to take a leave of absence from work.

It's the jumping and jarring that can cause problems with Mono... anything that could cause sensitive organs to rupture. I curtailed all aerobic activity for two months, and only did light strength training from a seated or lying position. Nothing that made me work up a sweat or taxed my muscles too heavily. Abdominal work was off-limits, but all other muscle groups were worked with either resistance bands or weights that would enable me to fatigue by around 20 reps versus the usual 8-12.

My taste buds were really off and everything had a metallic taste. I lived on fruit, yogurt and bagels - that's all my stomach would accept without wanting to puke! I ended up dropping 8 lbs despite the lack of aerobic workouts.

It took almost a full year to build back my strength.

Hang in there! Listen to your body for a speedy recovery!

-Roe
 
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