Exercise.

[CureSjogrensNow]

Can anyone here run a mile under 12 minutes?

[SjoGirl]

Ah, only in my dreams, well, actually not even in my dreams.

[Pete0211]

I usually keep to an 8.5 minute pace, but my best mile time last year was 7:15.

[CureSjogrensNow]

That is super!!! Do you have any recommendations given Sjogrens?

[SunshineDaydream]

I don't run, but I walk a mile in 15 minutes. i have a 3 mile route that takes me 45 minutes to walk. Maybe I could do 1 in 12 minutes if I were to speed walk?

[cccourt1942]

I walk a mile at 1/2 mile increments.  I have to rest midway for about 5 minutes.  So...I guess I CAN...but with a break.  ............No, No I can't. 

Last year I took three trips to same place....don't ask....but 3rd trip I was with a friend who wears the fitbit....and we walked a certain route for exercise plus toodling waiting for a store to open.  We walked less than 30 minutes...and as we were standing at the door, she said...look--you just walked over 3 miles.  I couldn't believe it.  Now my knee was killing me...but I didn't stop and rest anywhere.  So SjS wise, I was thrilled.  Oh...just remembered;  when I go ===my rheumy allows me 5 mg prednisone per day while there.  I guess that's a cheat. 

ccc

[markt]

Just started exercising again (running) after a 7 month hiatus from when I first fell ill.  4 Miles in roughly 40 minutes.  Stretching and such didn't seem to ease the post run soreness unfortunately.   I credit being able to try this with rituximab; it has brought back a lot of normalcy in my bodily functions affected by sjogrens.

[Pete0211]

That is super!!! Do you have any recommendations given Sjogrens?

I don't think I'd recommend anything different than I would for someone without Sjogrens. Know your body, know your limits, don't push things. It will come with time. Focus on length of exerecise rather than speed - as long as you are working your heart and lungs, speed will increase as a natural extension. Just enough speed to get you breathing hard and your heart "in zone" is just enough.

I'm lucky in that I don't have the daily fatigue that a lot of others do. I started simply with walking at a 15 min/mile pace for a half hour, every other day, eventually getting to walking pace of 12.5 min/mile. I then would run a bit / walk a bit, until over time I was able to run for 25 minutes at a pop. At my age, my knees seem to be my limiting factor, and right now I'm not doing much trying to let a tendon or something heal up, and will start with the walking again once I feel it's ready to test out.

I do try to run when it's more humid outside, and chew a piece of gum to help fight dryness since the one thing I cannot do is exercise moderately and continue to breathe through my nose. 

[cccourt1942]

markt: how old are you?
c3

[CureSjogrensNow]

Does exercising help or hurt your Sjogrens symptoms?

[markt]

31, but sometimes my body begs to differ.  I've had a very active/physical youth, long before the Navy. 

[markt]

Does exercising help or hurt your Sjogrens symptoms?

Speaking for myself here, but it didn't have much of an impact.  I put some ointment/gel in my eyes, put on sunglasses, stretched, drank some water and took off running.  Rituximab has returned my salivary flow and mucin production to normal (which to me is huge... and absolutely necessary for sustained comfort during physical activity, let alone daily life).  Can't say I had abnormal joint pain or anything.  I have heard from medical professionals that exercise is actually anti inflammatory.  If you feel able, definitely take the crawl walk run approach!

[warmwaters]

I can't run a mile in that time. But.... I probably never could!   

[Kris29]

Does exercising help or hurt your Sjogrens symptoms?

I just started exercising regularly again for the first time since my diagnosis. I'm almost a month in to almost daily exercise (missing one or two days a week). (I haven't broken 12 minutes for a mile, and my best is 12:45 right now. It's fun competing with myself!) I think I have a little more energy than I did a month ago! But it's been uncomfortable for my eyes, especially on the dry, cold, slightly windy days we've been having where I'm at. I hate running with my glasses, but I'm not sure what else to try.

[Pete0211]

I just started exercising regularly again for the first time since my diagnosis. I'm almost a month in to almost daily exercise (missing one or two days a week). (I haven't broken 12 minutes for a mile, and my best is 12:45 right now. It's fun competing with myself!) I think I have a little more energy than I did a month ago! But it's been uncomfortable for my eyes, especially on the dry, cold, slightly windy days we've been having where I'm at. I hate running with my glasses, but I'm not sure what else to try.

I run wearing sunglasses, especially since I hate running without corrective lenses, and contacts are problematic with my dry eyes. I've been thinking of getting sports goggles to use instead of my driving glasses.