Exercise and Gym with IBD

[Dotmatr1x]

Hi All

I have Crohn's and take biological treatment with Pentasa. I have been on a good run and have managed to stay off steroids for a good few months for the first time in a year and a half.

Prior to my Crohns taking a bad turn in 2018 that forced me to go and get diagnosed I was fairly fit and tried to work out several times a week.

I know that exercise is meant to be good for IBD and kept as light exercise during flare periods.

I have over the last few years been trying to get back into exercising with a little more rigour during times of feeling better. As I have been steroid-free for a few months and feeling good I am in the process of try to start up regular exercise.

Every time I try to start with more intensive exercise I seem to get a flare in bowel symptoms, from pain to passing blood.

The exercises intensity that I am working to is around 30mins resistance training with machines, weights or body exercises and 10-15 mins for cardio, jogging or cross-trainer.

Just wondering if there are others with moderate to severe Crohn's or UC that have had a similar experience or any advice on how they manage to increase their physical excursion capacity?

Thank you

[CharlesEdd]

Hey man, how are you doing?

So, I have UC and lost 30kg of basically muscle mass when my symptoms started, I was a very regular gym guy (around 8 years of working out).

I'm recently getting back to the gym too, It's been around 1 month rn, the first weeks I felt some strong pain after exercise and if I push too hard I still do.

What I'm doing is some light work, nothing too heavy, just to get used to it again.

Always listen to your body, eventually it will catch up, and if you always have symptoms like that afterwards maybe it's time to talk to your doctor about your treatment probably something isn't working the way it should.

(I still feel moderate pain 70% of the day so I hardly count this anymore)

[Dotmatr1x in reply to CharlesEdd]

Thanks for sharing. Based on what you have experienced and what I am getting............ I guess I will need to reduce the routines further. It's a petty when the limbs and mind can do more but the guts can't!

[SuzyQ67]

It does not sound like you are in full remission yet. Do a light work out & give it more time.

[Dotmatr1x in reply to SuzyQ67]

yeah had some feedback and think i will have to reduce the load further and see if that helps