Rachel Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Our neighborhood pool is open for the summer, and so I am trying to go swimming a few evenings a week for exercise. It is such hard work, but I want to do what I can to maybe feel a bit better. My husband has taken me twice, and my sister has taken me once. Wow, three times in the pool in the past 7 days! On the days that I know I'll be swimming I take a Provigil. That gives me an energy boost so that I can swim a few laps. My hope is to build up some extra strength so that I can fell a little better on the days that I can't have Provigil.I used to be a year-round competitive swimmer, so I'm quite at home in the water. Swimming is one of my favorite things to do, so even though it is very hard now, I'm having fun with it! It is also fun to watch my son play at the pool. He is turning out to be quite the water bug too!Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 I love the freedom of being in the water. My gym has an outdoor pool and I managed to go swimming last week - wish I had the energy to go today. How does the provigil help?Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted May 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Provigil increases my energy level. It just about doubles the amount of energy I have. That's not saying much since my fatigue is so extreme, but still, for me it is huge. I would take Provigil every day, but it is just too expensive, and my insurance won't cover it. I have some pills, though, that I've been taking on really bad days when I need the extra boost. I've decided to take them more often now so that I can swim regularly. Hopefully this will help me to have more strength on the really bad days, or maybe make the really bad days fewer and farther between.Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalalisa Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Rachel,Hello! Thanks for posting about your swimming, I'm impressed! I truly hope this ends up helping you!Take care,Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 rachel!thanks for posting this little bit of good news. it will feel so good to be in the water this summer on these hot days! a few laps is pretty good in my humble opinion! i worked and worked and worked at swimming several years ago after seeing dr. grubb and could never get to a few laps! i know, i know, you used to be a competitive swimmer so what's a few laps, right? but it's a big, big deal! you go girl!i wish so much that you could get provigil. i just think that it is unjust that we don't have access to meds that help. and this one clearly helps you. you deserve that extra boost (however small it may be) every day...not just as a 'treat'....it's good to go in the evenings AFTER you don't have to put your compression hose on for a second time that day! emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 How fun!!! Congrats! I hope it continues to work out! That is a nice and uplifting update! I too wish that you were able to get Provigil to take whenever you need it and not just special occasions. That is awful that you find something that works positively and due to insurance and high drug costs that it is not readily available to you. Frustrating! I hope the weather stays nice so you can continue to go, keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Friends,Thanks for the encouragement!!! I'm going to keep at the swimming as long as the evenings and the water are cool enough. I actually find swimming much easier than walking. I'm sure people look at me funny - I arrive in my wheelchair because I can't walk from the car to the pool, but then I get in the water and swim laps! Since swimming is a horizontal exercise I can keep going when normally I would be faint. The weightlessness in the water helps, as does the water pressure. I can stand for quite a while in the water because of the compression. Once I get tired I have a large "noodle" float to rest on. If I hadn't been a trained swimmer in the past, the swimming probably wouldn't be going nearly as well, so I'm very thankful for the training I had years ago. It is beneficial even now. My muscles don't give out as quickly while swimming as they do when I'm walking. I think because swimming involves my whole body working together, not primarily my legs. The last time I was at the pool I could have swum another two laps, but there were too many kids playing in the water, so I climbed out of the pool and rested on the side for a few minutes. Then I tried to walk to my seat, but couldn't do it. I had to crawl about 15 feet and then just lie down on the concrete. I couldn't walk 20 feet, but I could have easily swum much farther than that! It's so strange!My sleep specialist is going to prescribe a new med, Adderall, to see if that will help me to have more energy in the day, like Provigil does. We tried Ritalin, but that didn't help. My insurance will cover Adderall, so I'm hoping that it will help me. Wouldn't that be wonderful?!!! I'll be starting it this week. I'll let you all know if it helps me to have enough energy to swim like the Provigil does. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie32 Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Rachel --Fantastic! I missed your original post - but wanted to add my encouragement. Hydrotherapy has long been recognized as exceptional for muscle building and strengthening! The plus of being a competitive swimmer is probably something you never thought of at the time -- but are obviously really cashing in on those benefits now. It has to feel even better to be able to share the moments with your son!Jeannie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi,That's nice that you can enjoy swimming. It will help you rebuild your muscle and your cardio.Keep up exercising and you will see that in a few weeks you will be a different person! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Rachel, glad to hear that the swimming is going well - I hope you can make the most of these early summer evenings to enjoy the water and get some exercise.I didn't know much about provigil and adderall so I have just done a quick search. I did find a caution that taking antacid medications with adderall can increase the effect of the stimulant so if you are going to try a reflux medication don't start both new meds at the same time - try one first then add the other! I hope that you find the adderall helpful.Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4cem Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Wow that is great. Keep it up as long as you can, bet you will notice a postive feeling soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 That's great news Rachel. Hope it helps you to feel better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Flop, thanks so much for the warning about stimulants and antacids. I didn't know about that. I will definitely be careful and run everything by my pcp, who keeps track of all my meds. I appreciate the heads up.Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Cool beans you can swim a little bit again. That sounds like a lot of swimming to me.I bet the looks on folks faces as you come in a wheelchair and swim like a fish is priceless!!!! It's so tough to explain this illness, ain't it? Hope it continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Awesome that you can swim like that! I think I could last longer in the water if I had ever actually mastered swimming properly. :-) Hopefully the new med helps you, too.Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eillyre Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 I'm so glad you're finally able to get back into something you love! Wonderful news!Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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