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| I'm 25 years old and in really good shape. For the past year I've done Bikram 1-3 times a week. I stopped exercising for a month because I moved. Now I'm spending a few weeks with my parents and there is a Bikram studio nearby so I joined. I've been going every day for the past week - so that is 7 times in one week.
Physically I feel really good although the first 3 times were really hard. My parents live in a location that is very high altitude and I used to practice at sea level. It's also very dry here, but I've been drinking lots of water.
Anyway, the point is that yesterday I started to develop a very painful rash that looks like shingles (its on one side of my back in a line and it hurts a lot). I've had chicken pox. I know stress can cause it but I haven't been stressed at all because I've been on vacation.
Sometimes I guess these things can be random, but its rather weird considering my age...so I was just wondering if anybody thinks the intensity of Bikram could possibly cause this. Or could it be Bikram + the altitude change. I guess I'm mostly wondering whether I should go back to Bikram tomorrow (for healing purposes) or if this is a sign that I should lay off for a few days... Any advice much appreciated. Thanks,
roadrunner |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Well, we tend to think of "stress" as mental distress caused by work etc. but moving, spending time with family (not because they aren't wonderful but because they are people, and people that you have not been used to living with for some time), having an extreme change in altitude and going from no exercise in a month to 7 Bikram classes in a week is most definitley and assuredly a serious amount of stress to your physical body. When you are 25 this seems like a walk in the park, but it isn't  Your body will tell you things need to change loooong before your mind will clue in. Take a break! Rest, recover, let your body settle down a bit. Then, if you really want to get back into Bikram, start back at 3 times per week, which your body was once accustomed to. Or, if you are really lucky, you will find an Iyengar studio nearby and take a few classes there per week as well |
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| Hi Roadrunner,
Hopefully the rash has subsided by now, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents.
My boyfriend had shingles about 1 year ago. He is 25 and is very active. We talked to a few doctors about the cause, and they all agreed it was stress. (His grandmother had passed away and he was playing a ton of basketball to take his mind off of it) Does your arm on the rash side causing you a lot of pain? In his case, he had a couple rash clusters on his right shoulder and intense pain in his right arm and shoulder (which apparently, is a marker for shingles). He got on valtrex right away to keep the pain from increasing. It took about a week, but the pain and rash slowly subsided.
I hope you're feeling better, but if not, and you think it's shingles, I'd go to the doctor.
They advised him to take some time away from classes and work, so as to reduce the stress level. He also took a couple weeks off from basketball.
I do think that its possible that the elevation/change in weather caused stress in your body.
I would take some time off from Bikram and see if there are any improvements.
Get well soon!
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| It turns out it IS shingles...thanks so much for your input. It's true stress isn't always just mental, could have been all the physical stuff too. I appreciate it.
-r |
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| When I had shingles it was in a line, but I had the classic "belt" position, lateral and under my ribs. I'd have it checked out. Doubt if it's the Bikram, but who knows? People react differently and it could be a heat rash of some kind. |
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| roadrunner - 2006-05-28 9:52 PM
Anyway, the point is that yesterday I started to develop a very painful rash that looks like shingles (its on one side of my back in a line and it hurts a lot). I've had chicken pox. I know stress can cause it but I haven't been stressed at all because I've been on vacation.
roadrunner
ah yes, the early bikram addiction....I have you beat. I went twice a day for two weeks straight. Early on I was so out of shape at 31 (and injured) that I couldn't push myself really hard. As such I could go twice daily. Anyway, now I'm getting in better shape and I started going only every other day because I push myself soooo hard it takes me 48 hours to recover. Going daily now is far too much. I believe once I get a little more fit I will be able to go daily and twice daily again AND keep pushing myself.
WHen I was going twice daily I developed exzema--the reason was because:
1. hot showers
2. irritating soap
when I stopped using soap the exzema cleared up. It looked like I had developed a rash all over rmy legs.
interesting to hear you have shingles at such a young age.
Edited by Peter Mac 2006-06-04 3:37 AM
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| I'm gonna bring extra Towels... Just in case... LOL
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Am I doing too much Bikram?
