Hi all. I'm new to this forum, and I apologize for starting with a question right away, but I don't know what else to do. I've searched on the internet for answers, but didn't find anything that related to my situation specifically enough. I'll try to keep a long story short...
I'm pretty sick. About 2 1/2 years ago, I discovered (after a trip to the ER) that I had massively high blood pressure (214/144 at the ER). After almost of year of tests and minor procedures, it was determined that I have hyperaldosteronism. Essentially my body produces way too much aldosterone, and it jacks up my blood pressure. I felt terribly sick through most of that year, but medication took my blood pressure down to normal levels. I didn't work out much during that year, and gained about 15 pounds. When I felt better, I hit the gym hard and lost the 15 pounds, and was in the best shape of my life.
However, it wasn't long until I was feeling sick again, and a year after my hyperaldosterone diagnosis I was told (after some blood work) that I probably had celiac disease. A biopsy confirmed it, and in the beginning of February 2011, I went gluten-free and slowly started to feel better.
Around April 2011, I went to see my specialist who deals with my hypertension illness. She told me that she was worried because my aldosterone levels were still too high (one of, if not THE, highest she has ever seen). She told me I could be experiencing, or would eventually experience, brain, kidney and heart damage if I didn't go on a medication called eplerenone. I had previously been on a birth control with a tiny amount of a drug similar to eplerenone, and it made me hypotensive (extremely tired, out of breath easily, hard time concentrating etc). The symptoms of the hypotension are similar to the symptoms I was experiencing with my celiac disease, which were just starting to finally disappear. I was finally beginning to get my energy back, so the prospects of needing to ruin it all with medication was incredibly frustrating, but I didn't really have a choice. I start it next week.
Meanwhile, my gluten-free diet has caused me to more effectively digest my other blood pressure medication (acebutolol) and I had to go off of it 2 weeks ago because it was making me extremely sick, physically and mentally. My blood pressure has been climbing and making me sick as well (most recently it was 130/100), but will go down when I go on the eplerenone.
A few weeks ago, I was also sent for a genetic test by my celiac specialist, to see if I have Hereditary Hemochromatosis, a potentially fatal illness that causes the body to absorb way to much iron. Complications include diabetes, liver disease and heart failure. Since I'm younger (24) I assume that it isn't progressed to this point yet (fingers crossed). I'm still waiting for the results.
To make matters worse, I ordered food from a restaurant the other day that claims to offer gluten-free food, and it made me very ill. Usually when I get "glutened" it lasts a week or two, so I have that on top of everything else!
Despite all these issues, I still try to make it to the gym. However, since I started feeling sick with the celiac, my gym visits were sporadic. I still usually got into the gym for a minimum of three days a week, but I prefer to go 5. But for the last month or so I've just been too sick. I'm extremely fatigued, dizzy and nauseous. I also have headaches, body aches, and generally feel unwell. However, I still want to workout. I try really hard to eat well, I cook all my meals from scratch myself, and my diet is made up primarily of veggies, fruit, beans, lentils, etc. (I'm vegan). My brother is also getting married in 3 weeks, and I barely fit into my bridesmaid dress right now as it is. Not fitting is not an option!
Wow, sorry that this was such a long description. My question is, what should I do? Is working out while feeling this sick healthy? Is there something I could do that would be better? (Just cardio, cardio and muscle, just walk and do yoga?). I've been working out since I was 15, and get antsy when I don't workout in a while. I'd like to get back, but with a program that won't make things worse. Obviously I don't expect medical opinions on here, just general advice on what people do when THEY are feeling sick.
Thanks to anyone who read this far. I didn't intend to write a novel, but it's hard to explain one illness/issue without explaining the other. Also, I promise that I am not a hypochondriac. I have been medically diagnosed with these illnesses. In fact, I have been dealing with most of these illnesses for most of my life, but ignored them because I felt that it was just the way I had to feel for the rest of my life.
Thanks again fro your patience and your time,
Marie
I'm pretty sick. About 2 1/2 years ago, I discovered (after a trip to the ER) that I had massively high blood pressure (214/144 at the ER). After almost of year of tests and minor procedures, it was determined that I have hyperaldosteronism. Essentially my body produces way too much aldosterone, and it jacks up my blood pressure. I felt terribly sick through most of that year, but medication took my blood pressure down to normal levels. I didn't work out much during that year, and gained about 15 pounds. When I felt better, I hit the gym hard and lost the 15 pounds, and was in the best shape of my life.
However, it wasn't long until I was feeling sick again, and a year after my hyperaldosterone diagnosis I was told (after some blood work) that I probably had celiac disease. A biopsy confirmed it, and in the beginning of February 2011, I went gluten-free and slowly started to feel better.
Around April 2011, I went to see my specialist who deals with my hypertension illness. She told me that she was worried because my aldosterone levels were still too high (one of, if not THE, highest she has ever seen). She told me I could be experiencing, or would eventually experience, brain, kidney and heart damage if I didn't go on a medication called eplerenone. I had previously been on a birth control with a tiny amount of a drug similar to eplerenone, and it made me hypotensive (extremely tired, out of breath easily, hard time concentrating etc). The symptoms of the hypotension are similar to the symptoms I was experiencing with my celiac disease, which were just starting to finally disappear. I was finally beginning to get my energy back, so the prospects of needing to ruin it all with medication was incredibly frustrating, but I didn't really have a choice. I start it next week.
Meanwhile, my gluten-free diet has caused me to more effectively digest my other blood pressure medication (acebutolol) and I had to go off of it 2 weeks ago because it was making me extremely sick, physically and mentally. My blood pressure has been climbing and making me sick as well (most recently it was 130/100), but will go down when I go on the eplerenone.
A few weeks ago, I was also sent for a genetic test by my celiac specialist, to see if I have Hereditary Hemochromatosis, a potentially fatal illness that causes the body to absorb way to much iron. Complications include diabetes, liver disease and heart failure. Since I'm younger (24) I assume that it isn't progressed to this point yet (fingers crossed). I'm still waiting for the results.
To make matters worse, I ordered food from a restaurant the other day that claims to offer gluten-free food, and it made me very ill. Usually when I get "glutened" it lasts a week or two, so I have that on top of everything else!
Despite all these issues, I still try to make it to the gym. However, since I started feeling sick with the celiac, my gym visits were sporadic. I still usually got into the gym for a minimum of three days a week, but I prefer to go 5. But for the last month or so I've just been too sick. I'm extremely fatigued, dizzy and nauseous. I also have headaches, body aches, and generally feel unwell. However, I still want to workout. I try really hard to eat well, I cook all my meals from scratch myself, and my diet is made up primarily of veggies, fruit, beans, lentils, etc. (I'm vegan). My brother is also getting married in 3 weeks, and I barely fit into my bridesmaid dress right now as it is. Not fitting is not an option!
Wow, sorry that this was such a long description. My question is, what should I do? Is working out while feeling this sick healthy? Is there something I could do that would be better? (Just cardio, cardio and muscle, just walk and do yoga?). I've been working out since I was 15, and get antsy when I don't workout in a while. I'd like to get back, but with a program that won't make things worse. Obviously I don't expect medical opinions on here, just general advice on what people do when THEY are feeling sick.
Thanks to anyone who read this far. I didn't intend to write a novel, but it's hard to explain one illness/issue without explaining the other. Also, I promise that I am not a hypochondriac. I have been medically diagnosed with these illnesses. In fact, I have been dealing with most of these illnesses for most of my life, but ignored them because I felt that it was just the way I had to feel for the rest of my life.
Thanks again fro your patience and your time,
Marie