Forums:
Not sure how to explain it, but I sure feel better when I exercise.
Does anyone have any success with yoga, Pilates, running, etc.?
Deir, what do you think about Pilates, for example this http://www.amazon.com/New-Dawn-Pilates-Volume-Pilates-Inspired/dp/B00170...? I am interested to hear your professional opinion.
Did anyone try chiropractic alignment? There are chiropractors who specialize in pelvic floor alignment. Because my problems started shortly after giving birth, it might be one of my problem. My pelvic muscles are tight on daily basis. The tighter they are, the more pain I experience.
Hi! I know Dr B would say
Hi!
I know Dr B would say an adamant No to chiropractic. Or at least she did for me.
For me, one of the most troubling things is that exercise makes me worse. I can take walks but I can't dance or do yoga or things like that. it gets the lymph moving too much in a non productive way for me. I would think if it makes youfeel better than go for it! I have only done a bit of Pilates in my time and i would think it would be terrible for me right now but again- if you feel improvement, i don't think she'd object. What I know about it is that it focuses on the deep tiny core muscles that most exercise doesn't touch.
She said 'no' to physical
She said 'no' to physical therapy, which I didn't find much helpful anyway. I think the therapist didn't know what she was doing. After she tried to stimulate pelvic muscles by sending electric waves through it, it hurt, and I didn't come back.
Pilates look fascinating to me, but it is an investment. Most studios require initial investment to learn equipment and details before starting group class. I would not want to flex muscles more than I can tolerate.
I don't have terrible muscle pains any more (thank you, vitamin D). Looking back, it was scary, tingling, cold feet, numbness, shooting waves, etc. My bladder is out of balance and I am looking for something to do to tough it up mentally, otherwise I melt. I started with walking, moved to running, yoga at home, some energy exercises.
Hope your muscle pain will go away (it should!), so you can dance again. What a beautiful activity! I developed appreciation for anything physical. Beauty (like dance and ballet) is an add on bonus. Although there are some ballet classes for adults, but I figured that ballet would be too much. In my condition and age, I'd rather attempt gentle yoga or Pilates where the learning curve is not that long, physical and mental benefits are felt immediately, and results are noticeable.
chiro
She told me I could do chiropractics--and also my mom, so maybe ask her.
I was doing PT in the
I was doing PT in the beginning of my treatment, and all the muscle contractions etc was making my symptoms worse. After a while, i just gave up on it as it was so expensive, time consuming, and i felt worse at the end. Matia said PT was not good for IC patients. I am not much of an exercise freak, but walking everyday helps me greatly. I use my lunch break to walk for 1/2 hour, it's also a good chance to get some sun and D vit :) I find that to be really helping my mind, and worries. If i don't walk one day, i really feel something is missing now.
I do yoga, walking and an
I do yoga, walking and an occasional jog. I feel better mentally when I exercise but I have yet to decide if it makes my bladder better or worse. It seems too much sweating does increase my burning by getting the lymph moving too much in general. So yoga seems best for me in terms of helping me deal with stress and stretching tight muscles. I have tight hips, pelvis and hamstrings. I only do restorative yoga, not the kind where you work up a huge sweat. Not for me.
Regarding chiro--it is so interesting how we are so different! I am amazed that she has approved this for some and so adamantly discourages it for others. I will say, in my personal case, I had the worst 2-week flare of my LIFE after seeing a chiropractor last year. I didn't ask her first, just was searching for something new to get me unstuck. It got me unstuck, that's for sure! I had a horrible flare that made me miserable and Matia had to change a lot of thing to get me out of it. (I of course fessed up very quickly and she was absoutely wonderful and understanding.)
It's tempting to seek out other forms of healing, though, I hear you on that. Especially when progress is slow.
Hi flygirlsam, I was just
Hi flygirlsam,
I was just wondering if there was a connection between too much sweating and symptoms going worse. Since Matia also doesn't recommend saunas etc, could it be that sweating, a natural detox mechanism of the body, causes too much symptoms for IC patients because our bodies are full of toxins and eliminating a bunch of them overwhelms us?
sweat
Hi Selichan,
Matia told me when I first went to see her that I shouldn't do any exercise that makes me sweat because my tissues were exhausted and had a hard time hanging on to moisture. Even if we rehydrate with water, it doesn't necessarily make it back to the tissues that sweat it out and can cause a flare. As a big fan of intense, sweaty yoga, I definitely notice if I push myself, my bladder spasms afterwards but after a year in treatment I don't find this happening if I do something that makes me sweat. I try to do yoga in cold places or just take it easier. Also it seems like your thoughts about detoxing make sense, too. We're so delicate!
Yes, according to Matia there
Yes, according to Matia there is a definite connection bw sweating and worsening of symptoms for the reason you mentioned. That is why I have had to curb my exercise from heavier cardio down to walking and gentle yoga. It's nice, mentally, to have a good sweat now and again but I do notice the difference. More burning in particular.