High hopes dashed yet again …

In a previous post I had analysed the possible reasons why I seemed to get better whilst on holiday.  I concluded the following:

1.      I did not go on holiday in the first place unless I was feeling a lot better. 

2.      I did loads of exercise whilst on holiday.

3.      When I get home I get much worse again

I looked into the exercise theory and found:

1.      if you do moderate exercise for 45 minutes or so, regularly throughout the day on an empty stomach this stimulates the stress response

2.      This results in natural Cortisol production

3.      Natural Cortisol is about 1/5 of the Steroids I am being prescribed but could account for maybe 5-10mg dose

4.      Exercising in this way is known to cause immune system suppressing effects, normally a draw back, which is what I need

So this week as my symptoms were not too bad I started so such a regime:

1.      ½ hour cycling

2.      1 hours walking

3.      ½ hour swimming

The effects were just like when I was on holiday and soon I was pretty much symptom free.  Unfortunately it only lasted for 3 days, and then all of a sudden my elbow started to hurt, then my kness and then my ankles etc etc.  I could not sleep because of the pain so I took sleeping tablets.  By the next day I was exhausted and most of my joints were hurting and concentration was typically poor.  So what have I concluded?

1.      I haven’t given up on the exercise theory,  I will have to wait until symptoms subside before I try again though

2.      It may be that it works for a few days and then something triggers a new flare, this is consistent with this trial and the holiday experiences, none of which have left me symptom free for more than 3 days.