I started doing decent length walks a few weeks back and have slowly increased to very light intermittant jogging. The increased activity seems to be helping massively but my old inflammation problems have reared their ugly head again and my right leg is so inflamed I’m struggling to walk. The cardiovascular benefit I am getting from the exercise is so great that I’m considering going back on naproxen again 😫 as much as I hate meds, in the hope that I can push through the inflammation and get my heart health and musculature back where I think it needs to be in order to come off the naproxen and hopefully 🤞 continue exercise once I’ve built myself up without the drugs.
Wasn’t sure if anyone would know of any interactions or has had similar problems in the past? Any info welcome as usual. Thought someone might know before I go through the usual rigmarole of contacting my gp.
Thanks guys 👍
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Elli86
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I think you have AF. Apologies if you haven’t . You do know that anti inflammatory drugs are pretty much contraindicated in AF . They can cause AF . My only episode of AF to date was caused by a prescription NSAID causing an electrolyte imbalance . I know it’s tough if you have arthritis etc but there it is
Hi peony. Thanks for info. Yes your correct I do have af. The only time I’ve taken anti-inflammatorys was years ago (naproxen) and I wasn’t on them for too long, a few months maybe. I came off them because I didn’t want to screw up my gut. Haven’t been able to exercise for years due to the inflammation flaring up badly after a few weeks. Thought as I’d taken it really slow this time round it might be different. Unfortunately not. What can I say, I’m desperate and will try anything now I’ve seen the benefits I get for my af through exercise. Obviously if the 2 drugs don’t mix or naproxen can make af worse then I won’t be able too.
I don’t know if this would be suitable in your case but have you seen a Rheumatologist to see if a steroid injection into the joint would settle the inflammation down and then you could just manage the pain with paracetamol
I’ve had 2 cortisol injections in the past. 1 in my knee and 1 in my shoulder. Apart from completely freezing both joints for 4/5 days they didn’t do me much good unfortunately.
According to google corticosteroids can increase the risk of AF . You would need to have a conversation with a Rheumatologist who could do a proper risk benefit analysis and would know how much of the injection would stay localised to the joint. Could maybe suggest other ways to handle your condition . Sympathise, you are between a rock and a hard place
I had a hip injection for severe and untreatable pain in my leg - worked like magic so I could do the recommended physio and had no affect on AF - though the inflammation and resultant sleep deprivation certainly did!
Good to know . I thought if localised rather than systemic or a course it might be ok but not being a doctor couldn’t say . I know lots of people have found joint injections wonderful . Glad it worked for you
Rock and a hard place for sure peony. All I’ve wanted to do over the years is exercise because I know how great you feel when your fit. My body just won’t let me so I’m stuck in this never ending cycle of exercise, inflammation then recovery for months before trying again.
Musculoskeletal disorders cause much pain disability and misery. People take their knees for granted until there is a problem . You have a double whammy of not being able to take anti inflammatories . Am sure you have already explored the anti inflammation diet etc. I guess it’s a case of avoiding the boom and bust approach to exercise ( doing too much and having to stop ) and keeping to a lower level which doesn’t cause as many problems . They say you get the same CV benefits from walking as running but you have to go twice as far in padded soled shoes . So frustrating when you think of all the couch potatoes and you are desperate to exercise and can’t
It’s about as frustrating as it gets for me personally. I’ve never understood why people would choose to sit on their ass and do nothing. Doesn’t make sense to me to be honest. Then again most of them probably haven’t ever felt what it’s like too be truly fit so don’t know any different. Once you’ve been there it’s souls destroying to have to stop. 10 yrs and counting but I won’t give up 💪
Hi. I also have af and arthritis in my right shoulder. I cannot take anti inflammatory drugs, However, I was advised by my cardio nurse that it was OK to use topical ibrufen sparingly. I rub in about a fingertip blob every day and also use cura-heat pads alongside paracetamol a couple of times a day it is bearable and workable. Hope this helps. X
Fish oils... highly antiinflammatory ..... Many antiinflammatory foods as well a long list and aome have pain relief too like Cayenne paper which is a blood thinner so don't mix with blood thinners cos it works as well as they do with the only side effect being a spicy bum.
Maybe you are just doing the wrong exercise? I was told ‘no jogging’ though can’t walk much anyway - so I was recommended using a static bike and Tai Chi (which was found in a study to have similar cardiovascular benefits to jogging etc.) Classes online.
Hi buff. I’ve tried just about everything over the years. Always ends up with some part of my body so inflamed I can barely move it after 3/4 weeks. Even yoga believe it or not 😫
Have you eliminated foods that you may be allergic to? And changed diet etc. I find I need a lot more that the RDA to see any effect of supplements like magnsiusm or fish hemp oils ...I even tried cabbage juice and that was amazing but it was like drinking liquid farts.. They said my bloods were fine and just spoke to a friend who had her bloods done too and apparently my levels are actually very high so I will have to go back on all the antiinflammatory foods again and cut out certain things.
I used to train 3/4 hours 5/6 times a week. I’d go to work and then go straight down the gym. Do roughly 10k warm up run then do 2 out of 3 of either circuit training, bag work or sparring. Never had 1 injury ( apart from occasional shin splints which I worked through) in 2 and a half/3 years. Then I got sick and since then I’ve had nothing but inflammation for 10 yrs. so far noones been able to tell me what it is.
I don't dare use any NSAIDS due to fear of my Rapid Paroxysmal AF returning . What I do use to keep arthritic inflammation down is daily Turmeric with black pepper. Its not miraculous but I can tell within a couple of days if I haven't ad any as my thumb joint starts playing up badly. Sorry you are stuck in such an awful position.
Thanks goldfish. I take good quality circumin capsules daily and they also have black pepper in those. I take a decent sized dose. They seem like they are helping but not by a great deal to be honest. I also take omega 3 oil. Need to get back to taking vit d3 also.
Not sure that this is completely relevant , but here goes.
Peta Bee, writing in the Health section of TIMES on Tuesday , March 2nd, in an article entitled 'Would you use this gadget (it's £100 a month !) to change your diet' has identified a new device that can be implanted partly under your skin to carry out continuous blood glucose monitoring. Originally developed to track the blood sugar of diabetics, it is now being pitched as a performance enhancer for anyone trying to improve their fitness.
Chronically elevated blood sugar is unhealthy ( diabetes, heart disease, etc) yet blood sugar levels vary wildly during the day, causing huge swings in energy levels that cause slumps that limit performance, and set off snack attacks. Consistently High levels of blood sugar the can undermine aerobic exercise, with treadmill tests showing that young people with the worst blood glucose control also had the lowest levels of endurance.
The device she looked she tried out was the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor connects to an app called Supersapiens. The app is free but the sensors that stick in your arm are £112-138 for two.
No to the naproxen -- not advised for afib. I ended up in an ambulance to the hospital after taking a "normal" dose of naproxen with an anaphalactic reaction to it. For inflammation, try ice on the area for 20-25 minutes. It works!
Do you do the wim Hoff breathing as well? I've found that amazing off general rheumatism pains and aches but only if I do the breathing. Even the breathing on its own hugely helps my abiity to excersise.
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