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Working out during prednisone taper

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/28/2021 3:20 PM (GMT -5)
I can't find any data on this online. I have been going to the gym and doing moderate weight lifting since my prednisone taper reached 20mg. I never really feel large impacts from lowering to 20. Going below 20 is much harder.

I recently went from 20 to 15mg and I felt it. Today I am feeling more or less stable. I'm wondering if going to the gym during a taper is going to risk bringing back my IBD flare? I've never been in this position before. I've read studies that say intense exercise in general is a risk factor for bowel problems, but I don't workout that hard.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot.
Posted 6/28/2021 7:07 PM (GMT -5)
In what way is it a risk in workout a lot. I’ve just been diagnosed with pancreatitis. I’m wondering if my protein powder caused it
Posted 6/29/2021 9:15 AM (GMT -5)
I went to a piyo class that I thought I could handle since I’ve been doing yoga for years. I couldn’t handle it but was too embarrassed to leave in the middle so struggled thru it but it just about killed me. Turns out it really did almost because 2 days later I woke up with bloody stools and the beginning of my UC journey. Of course this also followed a month of extreme emotional stress that followed 2 years of “regular” emotional distress. 😳

So yes I’m a believer in not overdoing physical workouts.
Posted 6/29/2021 9:22 AM (GMT -5)
I will give a comment on my personal experiences of working out during a flare. It sets me back. I feel great right afterwards.. but the next day I have more cramping, blood, trips to the bathroom, you name it. I finally figured out that I need to let my body focus all its healing processes on healing the flare and not recovering from the stress of working out. Because working out is a stress on the body. Normally it is a good stress. For example lifting weights stresses and "damages" your muscles. Then your body heals that damage and your muscles become stronger. Same with your bones, that's why weight bearing exercise makes your bones stronger.

I'm sure you know all that already, but think about that in terms of your body also trying to heal the damage from your flare. No, I don't have a scientific journal to link to as backup so feel free to disregard. In my own experience, once I quit with the workouts (other than something gentle like Pilates or a gentle walk) then my flare recovery really speeds up.
Posted 6/29/2021 11:23 AM (GMT -5)
You're fine to do moderate to light workouts and they're not going to cause flares or make them worse. If anything, you feel better after a good workout, a natural feel-good that's always a plus.

Ultra marathons and other extremes might cause gut inflammation, so don't push your body to it's physical limits.

I continued to go to the gym during my yearlong flare. On Pred, I healed slower. So, I was still sore the day afterwards even after a light workout. I was also physically weaker from the rapid weight loss, and lack of sleep during the flare. More reason to take it easy.

Don't powerlift on Pred, had a poster tear his tendon off of his bone doing that. Pred weakens ligmants.
Posted 6/29/2021 1:05 PM (GMT -5)
This is a difficult one for me!

During this last flare, I stopped working out and I felt absolutely terrible. (6 months) The prednisone killed my body. I'm not talking about just appearance, which is the least of my worries, but heart health, blood sugar, fat, bone density etc... I'm a weight lifter, and have been for 20 years. I definitely can't workout as hard as normal while flaring, but I'm going to do my best to never stop completely again!

I was so depressed and worthless feeling. Come to find out my hormone levels were in the dumps. I started testosterone therapy about 4 months ago. This has made a huge difference for me. I'm not talking about steroids, I'm talking about getting my body in the normal appropriate levels. I'm still far from perfect feeling, but I don't have that hopeless, depressed feeling anymore. It definitely gives me more energy while working out and just in general, which is a blessing! Another thing it does is it helps your body recover faster. It's actually been used for IBD treatment in Germany and Syria..

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26020563/

I definitely think exercising puts more demand on our body to heal, while battling inflammation in the gut, but what else are we doing to our bodies by not working out?? I'm hoping my body will be versatile enough to handle both..

Side note-I can't drink any protein shakes except vegan.

39 year old Male
Current meds & supplements-Testosterone injections twice a week, Vitamin B12 injections twice a week, Remicade, Vitamin D3-10,000 IU's daily, Vitamin K2, 100mg oh DHEA daily, and 2 fiber gummies daily(Inulin). Iron infusions when needed for anemia.
Posted 6/29/2021 5:08 PM (GMT -5)

UCinsouthfl said...
This is a difficult one for me!

During this last flare, I stopped working out and I felt absolutely terrible. (6 months) The prednisone killed my body. I'm not talking about just appearance, which is the least of my worries, but heart health, blood sugar, fat, bone density etc... I'm a weight lifter, and have been for 20 years. I definitely can't workout as hard as normal while flaring, but I'm going to do my best to never stop completely again!

I was so depressed and worthless feeling. Come to find out my hormone levels were in the dumps. I started testosterone therapy about 4 months ago. This has made a huge difference for me. I'm not talking about steroids, I'm talking about getting my body in the normal appropriate levels. I'm still far from perfect feeling, but I don't have that hopeless, depressed feeling anymore. It definitely gives me more energy while working out and just in general, which is a blessing! Another thing it does is it helps your body recover faster. It's actually been used for IBD treatment in Germany and Syria..

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26020563/

I definitely think exercising puts more demand on our body to heal, while battling inflammation in the gut, but what else are we doing to our bodies by not working out?? I'm hoping my body will be versatile enough to handle both..

Side note-I can't drink any protein shakes except vegan.

39 year old Male
Current meds & supplements-Testosterone injections twice a week, Vitamin B12 injections twice a week, Remicade, Vitamin D3-10,000 IU's daily, Vitamin K2, 100mg oh DHEA daily, and 2 fiber gummies daily(Inulin). Iron infusions when needed for anemia.

You're the only other person on this forum I've seen who takes DHEA, and you take way more than I do. I take 25mg orally. You take testosterone injections in addition to DHEA? Was the DHEA not enough to help you feel better while on prednisone? I take DHEA and pregnenolone but I have never asked my doctor about direct testosterone.

I can't workout at all in the higher pred doses (above 30mg), I just don't have the strength. Pred really wastes my leg and arm muscles badly. At 15mg I am starting to see leg and arm muscles again, but after yesterday's workout I have major D today. No blood, but I need to take it easy. I didn't even workout that hard. The weather also got really cold after having a beautiful heat wave. The hot summer weather always helps me heal faster, but now it's freezing again.
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