Doing REAL exercise while tapering or after completion of a taper

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Unfortunately, REAL exercise (defined as vigorous exercise) while in a state of withdrawal from clonazepam really messes me up. I'm not sure what exactly happens, but increased sleep latency is one thing, time may pass much more slowly and if it doesn't my body tends to produce an excess of glucocorticoids and other hormonal issues as well.

 

I know that the 'common wisdom' is to abstain from vigorous exercise while in withdrawal if this causes problems. Unfortunately, I'm not healthy and a 'walk in the park' is not exercise (to me) and this body really needs exercise at a higher intensity. Part of the 'why' is that I lose muscle mass real fast (pretty bad at the moment), have a very hard time building some (requiring vigorous/high intensity exercise), and losing muscle tone on top of that is not good. There are some other reasons as well. Point is, a low intensity stimulus does nothing to me except keep the blood flowing. Maybe I can do with an intensity below 'vigorous exercise', but low intensity won't cut it.

 

Most likely, I am not the only one facing this issue. A taper and completing withdrawal to the point I'm 'as good as new' would at best take years.

 

What can I do, if anything to tolerate exercise without getting slammed ? I've read all about the 'HPA axis' stuff, but if you just keep waiting, being sick, till you get better it will take a long time.

Something, anything, an adjustment ?

Being weak and sick also causes distress.

[Guest [ba...]]

I had to reduce the intensity of my exercise.  I did the same amount of work, but a little slower.  That should maintain your muscle mass.  I also found that I had to exercise early in the day.  Exercising after work messed up my sleep big time.

 

It has gotten better.  Beginning somewhere around the 4 month mark, I found that I was more able to exert myself.  By the end of the sixth month, I could push as hard as ever.

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I haven't even started tapering, so why was this moved ...

 

Unfortunately, I have almost no muscle mass left. I can walk, do minor household chores. Even do some exercise. But then again, I haven't started tapering (recently).

 

When tapering, I have to stop exercising. Which is bad ... 'Muscles' get soft and shrink even further.

 

It would get extremely unpleasant if I stopped exercising ... but there probably is nothing I can do about that !

[Guest [va...]]

I'm in the same boat you are. I use to me very active. I'm trying to run 3 miles a day or at least 3 days per week. I feel okay after but by the end of the day I feel sick. My muscle tone is going as well. I just do some sit ups, push ups and stretch every night and run when I can but I thinks I'm going to have to pull back. Try going to the gym and spinning easy on the bike. That's what I'm going to do bc it's snowing here. This is a hard pill to swallow

[[lo...]]

Liberty,

 

Have you tried pilates? I find that it's gentle, yet really gets the heart pumping when I am trying to hold certain poses.

 

Or perhaps some water aerobics?

 

Both of these would give the resistance workout that would help w/ muscle mass issue.

[[ge...]]

Or swimming in a warm pool?  This saved my sanity (and I got fitter too) in withdrawal.  I literally "swam my way through withdrawal"!!  Now I am able to walk and run properly again and I prefer getting outdoors but once a week, I still go swimming as it's relaxing...also good in benzo w/d for the distraction from overstimulated senses and/or anxiety etc...

 

[Guest [va...]]

I would go to Yoga I feel to sleepy these days on the Vallium. It would be hard to be around other people. I like trail running in nature and it kills me that I can't get off the couch. I hope I feeling better as I taper down. Thanks for the advice guys

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i don't know how others manage to even think about exercise, i can't even clean my apartment without 30 min breaks, to walk our puppy its such a task.....i stopped even going out on weekends for grocery shopping......

 

Gosh, im so looking forward to the 1st december, when house help lady will come.....

[Guest [va...]]

Hey Esthermom, I feel your pain. Some days are better then others. I never feel like me in anyway way. It sucks! I think we have to accept our limitations. It's not our fault and we are all doing the best we can