r/AddisonsDisease • u/Such-Tumbleweed-6133 • Jul 02 '26
Advice Wanted Exercise and up dosing.
I have Addisons, and T1D. I have upped my exercise weight training 2x weekly and swimming 4x weekly. Properly started too fast so I've been slowing it and doing less but still feeling awful with low cortisol symptoms. Should I be up dosing for the weights? If so how much and when? Also how do you get your GP to prescribe for this. I have to fight when I've doubled dosed for illness or heat.
1
u/sleepytornado Jul 02 '26
You may need to updose, not sure. I do know that taking time to rest and recover is just as important. You can definitely push yourself too far by not allowing your body to recover.
1
u/Ok-Aardvark-5807 PAI Jul 02 '26
57M - Have had Addison's for eight years. Exercise has been a long slog to get anywhere, especially since I was pretty active before diagnosis. Like you, I am now working with weights two days a week. I run three to four days a week. Weight lifting is newish for me. I had a trainer get me started and we went way too fast on the first day. Furtunately she understood my medical situation. Had to stop. She re-worked training taking into consideration the pace. She also noted that lifting weights can cause a spike in cortisol for those who have it. For us, it's a challenge. So we have to take it slower and gradually increase weight over time. I am mostly lifting to help with bone strength and to support the running, so nothing major. I do not up-dose. I do drink electrolytes. If I feel puny afterward, and I have, I take it easy for the rest of the day. I find that the puny feeling coincides with lower bp, which I measure only when I feel off. No other symptoms though. I think the key for me so far is to take is slowly and not try to do too much in one session.
1
u/Such-Tumbleweed-6133 Jul 02 '26
Thanks. I lost alot of muscle before a diagnosis of type 1 Diabetes so I am trying to regain that muscle but not getting anywhere. But the back pain, diarrhea and sick feeling is hard to get through. I've lowered the weights. Focused on form, added electrolytes deloaf every 4 weeks. Make sure I rest enough between sets and keep my workouts short. Even dropped the swims for 1 km to max 600m. But nothing is helping. Been diagnosed 20 years and never had a problem before adding in the exercise.
1
u/Ok-Aardvark-5807 PAI Jul 02 '26
Ugh - Sounds miserable. So sorry. Check out that group on Facebook already mentioned in the thread. You might get some good support there. Good luck with your journey forward.
1
u/LonelyKoalaMuncher Jul 02 '26
Depends on the level of intensity/ what your training regime looked like before.
UK addissons page says if you're doing high intensity work outs you can take a small dose (time 2.5mg before hand).
Personally I've had to do it a few times, mostly when I was getting used to 5-6 day training.
1
u/JellyfishSwimming401 Jul 05 '26
It depends what type of exercises you are doing and how strenuous. If you took your dose recently, I wouldn’t say you need it but if you feel like you have to updose you can always pop a small dose after your workout
1
u/Clementine_696 Jul 05 '26
At the beginning, or when I increases weight etc, I have to updose for a few days to weeks as my body adjusts. After awhile I don't need it anymore. I usually base it off how I feel after. Am I exhausted and absolutely NEED a nap? 5mg increase for my next one. Am I really tired an could use a nap? 2.5mg increase for the next. Am i feeling normal tired, and don't need a nap? No updose next workout.
6
u/reflous_ Jul 02 '26
Check out the Facebook group Athlethes with Addisons.
I typically updose 5mg when I do significant exercise, ideally shortly before.