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Thread: Any experience training with autoimmune diseases?

  1. #1
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    Jul 2020
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    Default Any experience training with autoimmune diseases?

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    I have Crohn’s Disease, so pushing my calories much beyond 3K a day is difficult at best and dangerous at worst (I have to allow my gut some time to rest or I’ll become ill.) Additionally, my recovery ability is impaired significantly as my body is in a near constant inflammatory state. I took a while off training, but I have significant past experience throughout high school and college.

    I’ve started having serious trouble recovering from performing multiple heavy compound exercises three times a week. My CNS feels fried, my sex drive has dropped through the floor, I’m not sleeping nearly as well as usual, and I generally feel unwell. I’ve begun to have more extensive Crohn’s symptoms after several years of remission. I want to keep training, so I’m considering hopping to an intermediate program in hopes that the decreased frequency of near maximal lifts will allow me adequate recovery time. I’ve had good luck with 5/3/1 in the past and if I run it again I’m going to switch to body weight assistance to reduce the stress on my joints. My lifts aren’t impressive at all (squat 190x5, bench 170x5, press 100x5, deadlift 175x5) and under normal circumstances I would continue with SS. I just don’t think it’s physically possible for me to recover adequately to continue with LP, even given my low lifts. Does anyone have any advice/experience training with an autoimmune disorder that severely limits work capacity?

  2. #2
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    Default

    Age/height/weight/testosterone level?

  3. #3
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    Sep 2019
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Age/height/weight/testosterone level?
    Could an option be to workout every 3 days? Instead of every other day? Mom-Thurs-Sun-Tues-Fri, etc?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2020
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    My mom has lupus and reports similar challenges. Spreading the SS NLP over more days has worked well for high stress time periods. Either 1 day on 2 days off, or splitting into squat, bench/deadlift, rest days.

    Also might be worth reading The Barbell Prescription, since it is aimed at populations who don't tolerate stress as well.

  5. #5
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    Jul 2020
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    Hi Mark, thanks for replying. 23, 6’2, 180, unknown. I’m planning to get my T levels checked soon as the loss of sex drive has really scared me. Always had a bit tougher time than my buddies recovering but never experienced any sex drive issues.

  6. #6
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    Jul 2020
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    I can definitely do that. If I switched to 5/3/1, I was already planning to use the 3 day a week template to try to maximize recovery time.

  7. #7
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    Jul 2020
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    I appreciate the advice. I’ve never read the Barbell Prescription, maybe it’ll be helpful. I’m 23 but I honestly think that I have the work/recovery capacity of someone in their forties due to my health.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Hi,

    I have Ulcerative Colitis (diagnosed in 1990. Pretty severe at times) and at least for me, training at maximal capacity just can’t happen when I’m in the midst of a flare up. I just am too exhausted from inadequate nutrition and constant inflammation.

    I do think it’s important to continue to get to the gym but your expectations will need to be adjusted a bit. I typically will switch into “maintenance mode”. I back off to training twice a week and focus on trying to minimize any significant loss of strength. My diet also gets changed up mainly just due to the disease but I try to consume more low fiber calorie dense foods and I completely ignore fat content. Basically, if it has a lot of calories and I can tolerate it, I eat it. I should have bought stock in Jiff peanut butter years ago....

    Hope that helps.

    Andy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    starting strength coach development program
    Sorry for the extra post. Forgot to say, sexual dysfunction of all sorts is not an uncommon thing with IBD patients and generally improves once the flare up gets under control.

    —Andy

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