This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I'm getting mixed opinions over the thoughts of MS and exercise. Somebody in my IRL group says that it made their exacerbations a bit more frequent. Others say it makes it less frequent and less severe. I run pretty much whenever I can (Along with some mild strength training 3 times a week), and it didn't really seem to have any effect whatsoever on the occurrences of my attacks, but it did lessen the severity a bit

_________________
I refuse to fail, to kneel or bow.
No power in the 'verse can stop me now!

With MS, we either use it or MS will take it away. I would recommend that you keep exercising as best you can.

hi rob, as NHE says it's use it or lose it - but just make sure you keep your nutritional status topped right up. athletes/runners with ms would require even more total nutrition from food and supplements than patients with more average activity levels. have you had any nutritional bloodwork done?

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

That was originally my motivation for running. I figured I'd better keep my muscles in shape, for I may not be able to in the future. I was once crippled by this disease for a month, and it screwed my muscles up so bad. At least after my last attack, I feel I'm able to get back into running a mere 15 hours after finishing my treatment.

_________________
I refuse to fail, to kneel or bow.
No power in the 'verse can stop me now!

definitely feeling the magnesium connection on this one. ever had nutritional bloodwork rob? a serum magnesium level would likely be very telling for you.

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I know that if I push WAY to hard I can bring on a excarbation. I find that by keeping the core temprature as stable as posible it helps limit this. I have found that swimming is a good sourse of cardio while keeping the core temp down. Good nutrition will help alot as well. I know when my magnesium level drops I tend to get alot of muscle spasticity after excersise. I curently take B-12 and D suplaments and they seemed to be benifichal as well.

ha awesome that you're on top of the magnesium levels.

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I'll order up some blood work the next time I talk to my doc. They're usually the kind who'll order up several hundreds of tests anyway, so adding an extra 10-20 shouldn't be a bother to em ^_^

_________________
I refuse to fail, to kneel or bow.
No power in the 'verse can stop me now!

cool - serum magnesium, zinc, selenium, 25(OH)vitd3, vit b12
a few great things to know!

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

How far are you able to run? Do your legs feel week when you run?

Exercise has been shown to increase neurogenesis (at least in mice, and possibly in humans as well, I think they measure BDNF in humans), so its not just your muscles you are benefiting. And trust me, IF you can no longer run in the future, you will miss it more than you can imagine now.

As for it triggering a relapse, I think everyone's MS is unique to them. If you do not get a relapse from running. Keep doing it. I am not sensitive to heat, and actually hate the cold; I go all stiff. Oh, exercise does not cause my relapses, usually a cold or flu.

Sorry I hadn't replied in the past month; I've been working out my medications with my doctor (Betaseron ^_^).

I can usually run about 5 miles if I push it. My legs never feel really weak when I run except for the usual muscle fatigue from running.
I'll try to get back to running as I haven't been able to for the past couple of weeks; my last attack seems to have left behind some weakness when it left, but I'll push through it

_________________
I refuse to fail, to kneel or bow.
No power in the 'verse can stop me now!

I try to exercise as much as I can, and I think I generally perform better at other times because of this exercise. I do not drink coffee or other caffinated drinks, so am basically very sensitive to caffeine. And I think because of this fact, I find it much easier to push harder physically after a can of "red bull" or any other similar "energy" soft drink. I find I can do 10 to 30% more time on my cross trainer.

Yeh, I usually use this weird stuff called "L-Carnitine" along with an energy drink. It lets me push farther and harder than I ever could before. Can't be too unhealthy though: I bought it in a health store

I've given up slightly on my legs though. I do the stationary bike maybe twice a week, and I push myself as hard as I can, but my left leg's pretty much dead weight. As such, I've been forced to use a cane in the past month
Still pushing through it though

Also makes my signature a lot more literal. I can't kneel or bow, or I fall over. I'd still refuse anyhow
No power in the 'verse can stop me now ^_^

_________________
I refuse to fail, to kneel or bow.
No power in the 'verse can stop me now!