Exercise support group

[[Ho...]]

Hit the gym yesterday and today, feeling better after upper respiratory infection.  I am going to stay away from the cycling until mid week at the earliest.

[[So...]]

That's awesome to hear Horizon - I am going on a walk to get some exercise in - going to try and slowly build back up a gym routine tomorrow...slow steps.

 

What was your percent drop doing the DLMT? I am doing 5% every 2 weeks (from previous dose)

[[Ho...]]

It varied for me....started around 10% then had to slow down to around 5%.  Sped backup and tapered at 14% and accelerated from there as I didn't adjust the percentage and kept the daily reduction the same even though the total amount I was taking was decreasing.  In the latter stages I had very little if any symptoms so I kept the daily reduction the same.

[[So...]]

Thanks Horizon - great to hear. Hope I can speed up my taper at some point too but if not will stay at 5%.

 

You did great!

[[mo...]]

For the second day in a row convinced myself not to go running even though I really wanted to go. Convinced myself it was too cold. But I did go for a 1 mile walk later. That’s something. Trying again tomorrow. 

[[So...]]

Nice mountain - I need to get my arse back to the gym finally...slow and steady to start!

[[Ho...]]

It was a really nice and warm day here in Florida.  I went to the gym this morning and then did 40 miles on the bike this afternoon.

[[So...]]

I swear tomorrow i am starting my slow and steady gym routine...20min jog to start - hope that isn't too much. This from someone who used to do boot camp, run all the time etc...

 

Horizon  -you inspire me dude!

[[Ho...]]

Let us know how it goes.

[[So...]]

I will Horizon  -got to keep this thread going!!

[[Rx...]]

Nice idea for a thread!

[Guest [...]]

Nice idea for a thread!

 

I agree!

 

I’m slowly getting back into the gym working with a trainer to rebuild. Skiing was super tough the few times I was able to get out this season with little quad endurance left.  Reminding myself that this will take time....

[[mo...]]

Hope you’ve been able to get it in Hope. I went for a 15 minute walk jog yesterday. I just go by my house it’s faster and easier. I noticed it took slightly longer to get to sleep but I did fall asleep so hoping to get a longer run in today. I need to get some of this weight off right away.

[[So...]]

I am shooting for some exercise today too...hard when tapering and a little nervous it will rev up s/x - anyone else exercising while tapering?

[[Ho...]]

Nice idea for a thread!

 

Yes definitely.  It is too bad there are not more people here as I feel that exercise is very important in healing from most things....psychological or physiological.

[[So...]]

Might have to slowly build up to a real workout...going for a long fast walk soon to start the build up...then the gym is next.

 

Did you slowly build up Horizon?

[[Ho...]]

No, not really, but I was actually exercising pretty vigorously pre-benzo.  When I started having issues with Benzo I made an effort to go harder than before.  For me it was basically a matter of not letting the Benzo knock me out of doing what I wanted to do.  Reading of some of the debilitating issues that people were having here scared the crap out of me.  It was a big psychological edge I think, when I would worry about tapering and withdrawal I would usually say to myself "If I can do x, y, and z....I can't be too bad off".

 

That being said if you haven't exercised in a while....even without Benzos in you life, it is always better to ease into it.

[[So...]]

Horizon  -I was in killer shape even when taking Valium to sleep. At the start of my taper i worked out 6x a week but now have only done yoga 4x since getting to 3mg (now at 2.3mg) and just don't have it in me and scared if I go hard, I will feel it. I am going to start slow for sure but so frustrating because I used to be a workout maniac and "going slow" is just not who I am in the gym...

[[Ho...]]

I posted in here but don't think it got through.  I used to walk 5 miles every day after a full days work.  But when I began to taper I could still do 4 miles ...but as I got down to 10, I began to pass out from walking in the heat, sweating and such.  Now I don't want to walk alone at this point.  But now I'm so tired I have to force myself to work out 20 minutes bcuz Valium harmed my Adrenals. 

[[So...]]

Hope - 20min is great! You will get better and better. I am starting with 20min tomorrow - today it's just walking around my 'hood

[[Al...]]

I haven't posted in this group in a very long time however, I want everyone to know if you can exercise please exercise during recovery. I'm not suggesting that you run a marathon however exercise is very good for the brain.

 

I also recommend that everyone read the book Spark by Dr. John Ratey. I spoke to Dr. Ratey several times during my recovery and he reiterated if I wanted to expedite my healing I should work out daily. Whenever I had a wave I worked out on my elliptical or treadmill. As soon as I started to exercise the wave always abated. This was NOT a coincidence. What I learned after reading Spark is when we exercise we release BDNF which acts like a miracle grow in our brain. I do believe that BDNF plays a role in recovery.

 

If you can't exercise now please try again in a month. You will be surprised to see how much healing takes place every month. I am 50 months off Ambien and Valium and I still exercise 7 days a week. I know that your brain will thank you for exercising.

[[So...]]

Thanks Fran - I definitely need to start building back up my exercise. I post here because I went from a 6 pack to being so lazy and scared to work out and rev up symptoms but now I am going to slowly build back up my workouts - I do think exercise heals so much.

 

I want to read Spark too!

[[Ho...]]

"The only addiction in my life these days is eating healthy and working out for 2 1/2 hours a day:) "

 

Wow!  2.5 hours per day...that is awesome. 

[[Al...]]

The only reason I worked out that long was that I felt great on my elliptical or treadmill. Once I started to exercise my waves abated and once I stopped exercising they came back. Exercise was better than taking a Valium:)

[[Ho...]]

It is amazing the diseases and ailments we can avoid with proper diet and exercise.  It is a shame that most doctors push pills instead of good advice.