People with MS who are active.

[GenieFL]

Great thread Genie!
Just last week, I hopped in the pool at the YMCA and did 16 laps, plus strength training on arms and legs. Forgot how much I LOVE being in a pool. I grew up taking every kind of swimming lesson possible,then moved on to teaching, then life saving. I adore the water......I suppose FISHead is a very appropriate nickname.

Fish! I use to like being in the pool too. I should probably find a way to do that here in Florida lol. Swimming would be a good cross training day and I wouldn't die of heat stroke .

Keep up the swimming! You can give me tips!

Genie

[rosepetals]

My exercise varies quite a bit due to symptoms and flairs. I average about 18 days a week per my calender of walking or other sort of exercise. I wish it were more, but at some point in the month the symptoms flair so much I can barely move.

[MSRSX]

Great thread! Thanks for starting it I think it is very helpful to see that not *everyone* who has MS is extremely ill and disabled. I know that many are, and the internet does attract the more severe cases... but as a newbie its scary reading only the bad and thinking that my active days are behind me. I do spend a lot of time on the Active MSers sight, it is an inspiration. I feel that keeping active is crucial to building new pathways, maintaining muscle tone and cognitive abilities. I know not everyone can be active, but I think as long as you do what you can (and you can be active in a WC, a lot of it is about attitude) that is all anyone can ask

As for me... i am in better shape now that I have MS than before. I stopped smoking and now that I can walk again (flare of doom lasted from Nov to Jan) I do yoga twice a week and practice at home, I walk a few miles a day. I have never been a runner, but I starting. I can only run for about 2 minutes before I slow back down to walking... but I call it interval training and its all good.

I also love water aerobics, am getting a bike to ride, and own an elliptical that in the hot hot summer and cold cold winter I use daily.

[jazzgirl]

I'm as active as I can be now, but I don't push the issue. I've had MS for too long (30+ years) and know what I can and cannot do. If you CAN use it, by all means DO. Just pay attention to the signals your body is giving to you, and don't beat yourself up if you find certain things are just out of the question. My husband is an athlete (he's the one in my profile pic!), and I was a dancer. I don't care how much I want it, I just can't dance anymore. It was a LONG time getting to that point, but it did happen. That's the disease, pure and simple.

BTW...I use a wheelchair now, but I specifically had one made that is easy to roll myself...and I do! It's MY exercise!!

[Seasha]

Hi all - I have been ignoring this thread thinking that I am not an active MSer, and then I realized that I am as active as the ms (and my age 61) allows for!

I am an avid gardener and have been for over 35 years. Sure, the gardens have grown smaller over the years, but I certainly work with the plants and soil to the best of my ability. And I get a workout doing so! I don't move around as well and have made modifications and ask for help when needed, but hey! I'm still gardening!! Have been building up the landscaping as well as an organic veggie garden and love it....

Nothing, not even MS, will keep me from gardening!! It gives me peace, a sense of accomplishment and a will to keep going!

So, I guess I'm an active MSer after all and thanks for giving me a place to speak up~~

Keep moving and take care

[TxBatMan]

Thanks for the thread Genie! I am 40, was diagnosed in 2006, and have completed 6 MS150 bike rides since my first symptoms. I typically do 45-60 minute spin classes 2-3 times a week and ride 25-60 miles at least one day on the weekends except when it gets too hot (like now).

I like to view my MS through one of the sayings that one of my spin instructors uses to motivate us. If you never try or if you quit, then you only know what you are willing to do...but if you don't quit and try to go further/harder/faster, and fail, then you have found out what you are capable of doing. I choose to ignore my MS and keep trying to do more until I fail, and that way I truly know what I am capable of, instead of allowing my perception of my MS to limit me to what I am willing to do.

[hunterd]

Hunt(AKA Dave) - I'm so glad you're active! People think a WC means you can't be active not so! What do you hunt?

Genie[/QUOTE]

GENIE, I HUNT TURKEY, DEER (WHITETAIL) AND SMALL GAME IN PA. SOMEDAY, WANT TO HUNT ALASKA AND OUT WEST (MONEY IS TIGHT NOW, AS IT IS WITH OTHERS TOO). I LIVE ON A FARM. HUNT THERE AND AT A CAMP TOO(NOT MINE). USE RIFLE, SHOTGUN AND CROSSBOW.

DAVE

[MSSeattle]

Seattle,

I don't have any experience in it but there is another thread I believe entitled new to Seattle and active. That person runs and also has drop foot. If it turns out to be drop foot he/she may have some suggestions. Actually, I think they're in this thread as well.

I have personally had leg weakness but from a pinched nerve/back injury in the past. It resolved but I had to take it easy for a good four months. I did it to myself doing leg lifts incorrectly . Have you gone to an orthopedic doctor to see if they think it's bursitis? I tend to blame everything on MS but sometimes it's just something else hehe.

I wish you well! I'm running today and I'll ask my running guru if she has any suggestions.

Genie

Thanks! I'll check out that thread. And no I havent been to an orthopedic doc-- just a sports med guy who told me to strengthen my hip. But I actually do think it's bursitis since the pain is in a place where bursa could be and since after tons of PT the pain that remains is a sharp snapping in my hip during certain movements! (That's my self-diagnosis this month anyway.) And probably something going on with my back too. But as soon as I tell people about the MS they are down that road. The sports med guy went down that path and I couldnt get him to even look over his shoulder!

My overwhelming experience over the past 10+ years of having MS is how various doctors seem not to have kept up with the medications and the large number of active MS people in terms of the tools they have available for diagnosis and treatment.

Anyway, if your running guru has any advice please let me know.

Thanks!

[momoffour]

I'm so glad you started this thread, and I'm glad that I found it today, I was needing inspiration. Sort of down in the dumps the past two days, and frustrated with my MS. Don't get me wrong, I know my case isn't as bad as others, in fact I've been told that as far as MS goes, mine is mild, so I don't want to offend anyone, but still, it's MS and I'm "down" at the moment.

I have been an active person, aerobic step, running, walking, weights, etc and hopefully this is what has made things a little easier for me. I've had MS for a year now and started running again this past spring. I'm just frustrated because it's not getting easier. I was running 10 miles before MS, now it's barely 3, and I'm slow and tired. I know I sound like a baby at the moment, especially when people can't even walk, so just hang in there with me. I shouldn't take things for granted. Running and slipping on the ice, herniating two discs, is what set off my whole MS thing.

Today it's so hot and humid (and has been for the past few days) I haven't been able to run, so I've done some videos inside. I never wanted to give in to the heat either. I love sunshine and heat, and now I'm inside. I went to the gym today and did three miles on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the stair climber. I kept pushing myself and had to call it a day because I started feeling really bad. What do you do when you have days like this?

Anyway, sorry for my griping today, especially with all of these wonderful posts, guess I'm having one of those days, and I need to keep reading your posts to cheer me up!! You are all amazing and so inspirational. It really does give me hope that I'll get there again. Catch me on another day and I'll be better, lol. If you can do it, I can too! Thanks for listening.

[Justsayyes]

Dear Momoffour.....

Before MS I used to run 3 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week, that was all I could do, so i'm cracking up that you are now down to 3 miles

Sometimes I would run an indoor track, and I have had men pass me on the track that had to be in their 70's or older....sigh....I was always sooooo sloooowwwww!

Hope this makes you smile

Today I skated and I really sucked. That's OK, it felt good anyway and I am determined to do better next time.

[BubbaDanny]

Newbie but semi-active

I am what I would call Semi-Active?
I was an actor/dancer for over 10 years with Broadway touring companies.. so it was quite a bummer when I realized.. that wasn't going to happen anymore.
But at 35 (when I was dx'd) I was at my peak anyway and the roles were getting fewer and fewer, such is the life of an actor.
Today (at 48) I can't dance, the feet just don't want to do what I tell them to do. So instead I am an Artistic Director for a Community Theater and direct musicals mostly.
I have never been happier!
Once in a while I get a chance to get ON stage again too.
As far as working out - I never did do that since there was no need as I was dancing 6 nights a week and twice on sundays for two hours. Today I swim in the summer since I have a fantastic inground pool and during the winter - I tend to veg just a bit but it is OK. I still have to go out nearly every day to "Work" (I hate to call it that since it doesn't seem like that WORD)
Anyway - I am happy, tend to have faceplants once in a while and pretty much laugh them off - and have a fantastic partner of 15 years who is always supportive of me.
Who could ask for anything more? (Had to get a musical quote in there some place)

[Justsayyes]

Welcome BubbaDanny!

Big fan of local theatre here, your story is inspiring. If I have to give up the skating, I will move right on into the swimming pool. There is even a sports facility nearby that has bicycles in the water, how crazy is that?

Watched Camelot for the millionth time two weeks ago, and Jesus Christ Superstar last week.......I swear I know every line!

Enjoyed hearing from you!

[rosepetals]

I found an 4 exercise support groups for people with MS on sparks people with about 700 members.

[bikerider]

I can't do a lot of things I used to do but...

I found something I can do. I traded in my bike for a recumbent trike last fall. I now don't have to worry about my balance issue and I look so cool doing it . I recently completed a 62 mile biking event; this is the furthest I've ever gone on any HPV (human powered vehicle). It did take me over 6 hours, but I did complete it. I hope to being able to do the MS 150 by next year. I am now averaging 65 miles a week. This trike thing has worked so well it has even inspired my wife (who has fibromyalgia) to get one as well. Who knows, maybe we can do the MS 150 together.

[fishead]

GENIE, what a GRRRRRR8 thread to start

After swimming 16 laps, plus some other water strengthening, I felt so good! Forgot how much I "lived in the water" growing up (went thru every YMCA class Lifesaving, teaching swimming etc). After telling my father about how this felt, he has offered to get me a YMCA membership. YAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO DAD!