AT THE GYM

[fishead]

worked out on elliptical and treadmill today. I got DIZZY dang it

What do you do when you are working out and you become dizzy. Indeed I was sweating but not really HOT. I had to get off the elliptical, because of the dizziness. I felt safer on the treadmill, but the treadmill is not as good a work out.

ANY/ALL suggestions/comments welcome!

[lstrl]

That happened to me the other day in my Zumba class. We were dancing to a song that had a lot of spinning around though, and even though I was turning slowly, it just got to me. Mine was an easy fix though, I just quit doing the spins after that and I was fine.

It might be hard, but have you tried to keep your body more steady while on the elliptical? I know when I use one (haven't in a very long time though), my head tends to go side to side a little as I move. Maybe if you try to keep your upper body more still, it could help? It's hard with an elliptical because there is only so much you can do, but I really can't think of anything else to change.

[fishead]

lstrl,

Thank you for your response!

I believe I was keeping my head pretty stationary. I think I may have pushed myself too hard. Today I was in a mini-flare. Wanted to go to gym (now that I got a member ship again, I find that I am as addicted NOW as I was a few years ago). Oh well, I can think of WORSE to be addicted to.

I plan to go to gym tomorrow and use the weights again. Also, I think I may need to just use the treadmill for a while. I did 10 min total on elliptical the other day, and I had worked my way UP to 20 min when I first used the elliptical at my old gym.

[Alston]

Exercise make you happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out, the more calories you burn, and make easier to keep your weight under control....

[ffjosh]

Once your body gets used to working out you won't be dizzy. Of course that depends what you do.

Yesterday I flipped tires and had to lay down because I thought I was going to puke or pass out.

I love it

[aspen]

I've started to get dizzy on the treadmill as well ...

and I don't know why. Usually after about 20 minutes. This is something I've done for months and months -- nothing new. I'm getting dizzy at other times as well (on a ladder, photographing birds lol).

I'm hoping it has something to do with the amitriptyline which I'm currently tapering down ...

So far, I just hold on and keep on going. I'm not sure that this is the best advice though :-P.

[BigA]

Fishead,

congratulations on restarting your exercise program. I started back on the elliptical 3 years ago and at first could only do 5, then 10, then 15 minutes before having to hold off for a few days. Gradually, and more quickly than I thought, I got up to my current 28 mins. I do the "fat burning" program because it's 4 on and 4 off. I hit it hard for 4 mins and rest for four, 3x in the program. I love it.

Good luck. Have patience.

[fishead]

Thanks for the responses. I have been walking but have not been back to gym. Next week I WANT REALLY WANT to go back. I will cut my cardio in half and only work on freeweights until I see how I do. Then I can use the other machines/weights

[fishead]

Still have not made it back to gym, but am WALKING further. Am going to stick with that, even tho I get dizzy with it. Not dizzy enough to make this "Irish Gal" stop. (having a "hard head" is good, on many levels haha, when one has MS)

[hope32]

Just saw this and it's been a few months; any updates? Hope the dizziness has decreased!

[pitlover91]

Helloo fishead, I also get dizzy on the elliptical. Or any high intensity cardio. The weird part is its that I usually only get real dizzy if I stay too still. The only cardio I can still enjoy and wont really get me dizzy is cycling. Kind of hard to have to cut back on cardio when my body can keep going but my mind(ms I'm guessing) won't let me!

[kelm10]

cooling

Have any of you considered using cooling equipment while working out?

I personally do my workout in the pool to stay cool.

But, if I would try land, I would use cooling equipment to keep my core temperature down.

[Aqua10]

gym workout

I have a terrible sense of balance, so I avoid things like treadmills too. Have you tried the stationary bike?

[Peddler]

My balance is very bad and my left foot just wanders off with a mind of it's own. I used to ride double centuries (200 miles/24 hours) but that floppy foot causes my ankle to crash into the crank with every rev. Though I never cared for elliptical and stair machines but I had to give them a try to try to get my cardio back. A resting pulse rate in the 40's seems like a dream to me now. On both machines the wandering foot made using them next to impossible. The trainer suggested I try the treadmill and in no way did I want to. I always thought them too boring when I was fit. I tried it anyhow and miracle of miracles, that is the machine for me. With my balance problems holding on all the time made things comfortable and the only time I feel unstable is mounting and dismounting that beast.
To be honest, I wish there was a way to keep my ankle from turning in so I could ride the stationary bikes but so far a way hasn't been found through the cycling circuits. Would anyone out there have an idea to keep me from banging up my ankle when riding?
Thanks,
Jack

[Nabbosa]

fishhead's question

If you're sweating, your core temperature is increasing. That's why your body sweats - to cool down.

I try to prevent the core temp from rising much. Drinking LOTS of water before and during exercise helps. In a 50-minute exercise class (I'd say it's a challenging moderate workout - I'm pretty fit for a mid-40s person, but not a long-distance runner or anything like that), I will drink a good 3 cups of water, sometimes a whole quart.

You can also keep a towel with you and wet it and hang it around the back of your neck. This will also help cool you down. If I'm in a class and things escalate quickly, I'll also splash the water on my face, neck or chest area. Once when it I got warm pretty fast, I put a wet paper towel under my top on my abdomen.

You could also look into cooling aids like vests or neck wraps offered through different MS-related organization. The Betaseron Beta-Plus program just sent me a neck thing with cooling packs that I'll try out as it warms up.

Another trick: find the drafts from the air conditioning in your gym and use the machines in those drafts. Or ask if they have fans you could use to blow right on you. A physical therapist did that for me during a warmer time of year in their office.

Heat sensitivity is my biggest problem with MS, so I hope some of my favorite tricks are helpful.