Severe DOMS

[Feckinlego]

Went to the gym yesterday for the first time in 6 weeks. I did a very easy workout, mainly upper body with a few lunges and squats. I went very easy. Last night I was exhausted, fell asleep at 8pm. Today I can hardly walk, sitting on the loo is agony and it took me 10 minutes to get down the stairs. I didn't pee all day then this evening I had a hypoglycemia attack (not diabetic). Im 51 years old and quite fit. What to do? Anyone ever experience anything so severe? Any way to recover quickly? I took ibuprofen with no effect whatsoever. Help!

Stretch. Hot bath. Nurofen .

maybe you have the flu though? I thought I’d overdone the gym recently but then was ill with flu.

I am not a doctor but it could be signs of rhabdo which is serious

As @Talesfromtheriverbank said, stretch, nurofen and a warm bath. I get DOMS if I try something new or go heavy with weights and find the best thing to do is try to keep moving. Also have been taking a protein drink to promote muscle repair. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thank you both. @yforwankylol you've scared me now. I'm well enough other than the above symptoms so I'm really hoping and praying you're wrong! I'll phone the doctor tomorrow though if still not right.

I don’t really understand why it has a proper name now? Surely it has always been so that if you use a muscle in a different way for the first time, or do a more strenuous workout when you’re not used to it then you’re really achey and stiff for a couple of days after? Then it goes,
and if you do the same exercise again it’s not quite as bad next time and so on

I was told not to take ibuprofen for DOMS as it’s the inflammation that repairs the muscle tears and anti inflammatories prevent this

Stretch and keep moving.

No hot bath - hence why athletes have ice baths

No ibuprofen - can make DOMS worse, Google it

Time - give it a few days.

I think ice baths are for immediately after exercise to reduce potential inflammation.

Second the stretch and keep moving.

No ibuprofen and definitely not a hot bath!

I love a hot bath if I have muscle soreness. 🤷‍♀️

Muscle soreness isn't the same as DOMS though, with DOMS just sitting on the toilet makes you yelp and getting back off the toilet makes you scream!

DOMS is surely delayed onset muscle soreness???

Epsom salt baths are very good for DOMS. And as others have said, keep moving (gently!). DOMS are good; a sign that muscles have worked and are repairing.

I get severe DOMs after trying something new and I am fit. Its as you describe. But mine comes on after 24 hours post exercise. I try to foam roll but no idea if that's a good or bad thing.

I found the best thing for DOMS are those morning yoga stretch videos on youtube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FcXEZF6y5WQ

I actually used them as cool down for a while and found them more helpful than more traditional stretch routines.

Please look up sympotoms for rhabdo and get yourself to hospital if you think it's a possibility. You can die from it.

I was going to say this.

Also be aware of Myositis - this was my first inclination that something was wrong, when after my usual workouts I started to experience DOMS.

I find moving is the best thing to help, go for a walk and stretch your legs.

I always get worse DOMS the day after the next day, so second day from the exercise.

Do some stretching and get some protein in.

DOMS has been in use for decades. It is not new.

I think I would speak to your GP, to see if you need your renal function checked to exclude Rhabdomyolysis. It’s very rapid for DOMS.

If you’re not weeing definitely don’t take the advice to take ibuprofen, unless you are really trying to punish your kidneys. If you’re not passing urine or passing very dark urine you need to see a doctor today.

Thank you all. I'm a bit better today. I did not know about the ibuprofen thing. Took one dose yesterday, won't do that again. I'm heeding your warnings about rhabdo but i would feel a bit silly today (or66months timecwhen I get an appointment trying to get a GP appointment. I'm peeing normally today. I've learned a hard lesson though. How to start exercise without this happening again though?? I mean I hardly did a thing on Tuesday! I can't really go much gentler. I will be sure to drink plenty and make sure to eat regularly after my next gym session.

It's pretty common to have very bad DOMS after starting an exercise programme. I find the first three times I exercise when I haven't in a while are really challenging, but by the fourth or fifth, it's settled down significantly.

The only way to get rid of DOMS is to move and stretch and shake your arms and limbs. It'll feel awful when you first move after you've been resting for a while, but you can walk it off.

A hot bath is perfect for it.

Didn't mean to scare you! Only learned about rhabdo recently but the not being able to pee thing made it sound potentially serious - I'm sure you are fine and it's just DOMS x