Post-yoga flu symptoms

[Shoshanah]

#1307

Gabrielle:

I’m having a severe chills/fever/dry cough/joint ache reaction come on 3-4 hours following the end of every Bikram yoga practice. The symptoms are the same every time. Because I practice in the evening, by the time these symptoms arrive it’s bedtime and I should be falling asleep, but instead I’m shaking with such convulsions and feeling so achy in my joints that I can’t sleep. I’m generally wiped out the next day.

My job is intense and requires a high level of functionality, so this pattern isn’t working for me. I really appreciate the Bikram practice but I’m wondering if I can continue it. (I’ve been practicing for ~3 years; these symptoms began last March. FYI, I’m 51 years old and moving from peri-menopause into my menopause.)

Have you had any experience with this kind of post-yoga response? What would you attribute it to, and what might alleviate these symptoms?

I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Shoshanah

[Rebecca]

#4141

I have noticed this exact same thing, after some sessions but not others. Looking forward to hearing what Gabrielle has to say.

Suspect temporarily weakened immune system as a result of the strenuous workout, combined with proximity to people coughing, etc. in the humid environment.

I am your same age and stage.

[fraseram]

#4142

I have heard this lots… I believe it has to do w/ a hormonal imbalance causing a weakened immune system. My advice would be to stop for a while to let your body even out and go to your doctor to get ALL your levels checked. I have an endocrine disorder and am familiar w/ the hormones of the body and how the practice effects them. (I have had to have them checked every 4-6 months since 12 years)
ask for thyroid estrogen DHEA cortisol and electrolytes
good luck and I hope that hepls.
PS MANY women in THAT stage 🙂 find that the they need a break from practice and know that my doctor is FASCINATED by my success and results and that this is not means to an end per say. Just that the heat and menopause don’t mix for some.

[outward1]

#4143

I was reading your post and wanted to respond/help. I had a few questions for you.

How hot is your studio running…are lots of people sitting down because they
are so exhausted or overheated? Are students and or teachers practicing/encouraging the push, push, push…harder, harder, harder mentality? How is your hydration? Are you taking electrolytes (coconut water is just magic, you can buy it in natural foods stores)?
Are you performing poses to the advanced level?

It’s just that some of your symptoms sound similar to heat stroke or dehydration. I’ve had a studio for 7 years and a practice for 10-11 years. When I first began the practice I was under an incredible amount of stress trading securities for an investment firm. The classes I took during the times of intense stress for me were much hotter and more difficult to accomplish. A few years in to my practice I learned to pull back a bit and not to hit every posture to the maximum. Classes became less about the heat and more about listening to my body. I stopped, for a while, kicking out in standing forehead to knee, trying to hit the standing splits in standing bow, doing toe stand, going higher in spine strengthening series (just went to where I could breathe, deeply). It allowed me to take the pressure off for 90 minutes a day. I think of it now and realize that when stress is being released from the body it doesn’t feel like a big hug. :ohh:

That being said, I have a student who is in her 50s who is really having a hard time in class and getting crankier and crankier with us about the heat…says we must be doing something different (not a thing has changed), that she is perfectly healthy and it’s us. When she practices she is kicking out in standing forehead to knee, kicking up 2 feet plus in half locust (wow), pushing all of her postures to the limit and is just making herself hotter and increasing her suffering. She reports the convulsions, has chills (fever like) and says that she has to sit in the parking lot after class for 45-60 minutes just composing herself to drive home safely. In my opinion, seeing how she is practicing and that she will not back off that she is really doing herself some harm.

So, I don’t discount that there may be some hormonal issues going on (we women have so much to balance out 🙂 ) I just wanted to throw in some other ideas and thoughts about practice. And on a final note, I find it really common for us Hot Yoga practicioners to easily get dehydrated. Water is not enough, we need to regularly use electrolyte replacement…coconut water or emergen-C to replace lost minerals.
I hope this helps, I look forward to hearing how things go with you.

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#4144

Hi everyone!!!

I awoke this morning to find this fascinating and long thread appear before my eyes. I agree with what fraseram and outward1 have shared. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I hope we get some responses to those questions.

If you are spending hours in recovery after class (every class!) then something has got to give. Sometimes I find that students use what they have done in the past as their benchmark for what they SHOULD be able to do today. This may or may not be happening for you. When it does happen it is hard for you to be in the moment. All of us have to take each day as it comes and do as suggested and listen to our bodies.

Shoshanah, can you tell us if EVERYTHING feels the same for you DURING the class, but then it ONLY gets pear shaped after class? Given the responses from the 4 of us, what intuition do you have right now about what is happening?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Suzi]

#4145

I had this happen only once during my first (and last, this far) evening class.

It could have been coincidental, but as I was ill all week end, I have not taken an evening class again.

Then again, it may have actually been the flu! 🙂

[Shoshanah]

#4146

Thank you Gabrielle, fraseram, Rebecca, outward1, and Suzi for your responses. I’m glad to have a forum in which to explore this question. It’s really been perplexing to me, and somewhat disappointing, as I don’t want to give up my Bikram practice. But that said, I have begun to wonder if I’m doing my body more harm than good right now by taking on an activity that continues to bring up these symptoms in the aftermath. I’m glad to have some perspective to work with here.

In answer to your questions, outward1, let me just say that the teachers at the studio where I practice are not “pushers” at all – they are very much more exploratory than militaristic, which is one reason why I fell into this practice. I have a background in movement therapy studies and years of practice in other yoga forms. I wouldn’t be attracted to a “push push push harder harder harder” kind of ethos in the yoga studio. I love exploring the inner movements of the body, so I really am inclined to hold back when I feel I need to and to definitely explore the outer reaches of my strength and flexibility when that impetus is present. It doesn’t matter where my day’s practice falls on that continuum – I’m basically still ending up with fever/chills/cough/joint aches 4 hours out.

I pay attention to hydration, and try to have downed at least 60oz of water through the day before a class. I don’t think the room is OVERheated, and I don’t think there is an undue amount of sitting out that happens on the part of other practitioners. I am drinking Emergence-C now 1 hour before class, and that did help for two nights but I’m back to the same post-yoga symptoms now.

A friend who is in the same class (and is 15 years younger than me) had these symptoms visit her a few times a few months back. I found out yesterday that the symptom visitation happened simultaneous to her changing her birth control pill prescription, so she was in hormonal flux at the time.

I’m beginning to think that this has possibly come on as a result of internal hormonal shifts, and that I might have to wait until my 51-year-old woman’s body reaches her new normal to go back to practice. I wish that wasn’t the case, but it’s sounding more and more like the right action to take at this point.

What do you think?

Many thanks to all for weighing in on this.

Shoshanah

[Robert Scanlon (Webmaster)]

#4147

It does seem as if all evidence is pointing to the hormonal changes – but then, I’m a man, and I *would* say that ;).

In all seriousness though, if this is mostly triggered by the heat, then perhaps a stop-gap as your body re-balances itself naturally (assuming all test results are OK of course) would be to practice at home or somewhere without the heat.

I know when Gabrielle was pregnant (and teaching while overdue!) she used to drop the heat to feel more comfortable – and the same for pregnant women (I’m thinking of other hormonal conditions I witnessed) and that was often “the difference that made the difference”.

You could test/experiment using Lucas’s home stretching book (free to registered members here: https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/poses/), if that works then you might even consider a home practice program (a mild plug for Gabrielle’s Hot Yoga MasterClass and not intended to be a “sell” – we don’t do that on these forums.).

In summary – if 40 mins home practice without heat at the same time of day doesn’t trigger the same reactions then one would assume that it is the elevation of your core temp coupled with increased cardio triggering “something” … so just avoid that while your body re-sets.

Anyway, just another idea to consider!

Robert

[outward1]

#4148

I think you are right to link this to hormones. It sounds like you are treating yourself right in class, allowing yourself the permission to back off if you need it. One final analysis that I am not certain about is your size (weight) or how much you sweat compared to your intake of water. We have a very petite woman (120lbs.) who sweats like a football player and needs WAY more than 60 ounces a day. She’s even resorted to taking salt tabs (she also has low blood pressure) to retain water. A number of my students were really having trouble with hydration, feeling ill, unable to make it through a class without having to sit for longish periods of class. They started drinking coconut water (Zico, ONE or Vita Coco) during and after class along with their regular water intake and it helped them over the hump. I found that Emergen-C helped me to not crash further and that Coconut water helped me recover. I only wish I had it when I first started. It’s great that you are so willing to take care of yourself, it shows great compassion. Stepping away may only be temporary, but do listen to your inner voice and take good care of yourself. I am staying tuned. 🙂

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#4149

Hi Shoshana

Yes, I too am thinking it is hormonal. I know it is frustrating to realize that at the moment your best efforts to stick it out and your sheer willpower are being somewhat thwarted by the changes going on in your body. Keep experimenting as much as you are willing (and in a way that allows you to remain vigilant and aware of what’s going on, yet gentle on yourself)- as you may find a combination of conditions that works uniquely for you. (temperature, length of practice, type of electrolyte consumption and amount of water consumed). You may not fit into any of the pictures that we have offered. So be gentle on yourself and see what you can do to once again enjoy the holistic experience of practicing your yoga. You owe it to yourself.

I don’t think I am out of line in saying that ‘we’ wish you courage and a quick resolution to this!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Shoshanah]

#4150

Thank you for the input, everyone. I haven’t really thought of making this series a home practice – I really love working out in the heat and the extra muscle-lengthening it encourages, and besides, I’ve always loved to sweat. Also, the yoga studio is very close to my home, so it is convenient to get to class. But it seems as though working out at home right now would be the ticket, and I appreciate knowing that there are at-home videos for Bikram. I’m going to look into Gabrielle’s.

I also appreciate the tip about coconut water. I have not heard of its benefits before. I’ll look into that and see how it works for me.

I’m thinking that I will pull back from in-studio practice by going to class maybe once every 2 weeks or so, just to see by experience if my body has done it’s hormonal reset yet. As I’m generally healthy in other ways, I’m disinclined to get my hormone levels checked. I know that hormonal shifting is a natural progression as a woman moves through her meta moon-cycle.

I will keep you posted on progress. Again, thank you for your thoughtful responses.

Shoshanah

[fraseram]

#4151

I understand your reluctance to get tested….. however try to remember that we are not superwomen or experts and that asking for help is OK! My concern in testing the waters by going back ti class is this
1. either you will feel great the first class and keep going back only to fall back very soon
2. because you haven’t been in a bit you will find it hard and assume your body is not ready so…… don’t go back when you would be able.
I know for myself (though sometimes hard to hear) having the truth and guidance from another seems to take the weight and guessing off my shoulders. to surrender and say I don’t know is very relieving for me.

[Waterwatch]

#4154

Hi Shoshana!

Everyone here has given you great ideas. One suggestion that I haven’t seen is the possibility of still going to class, but only performing 1 set of each pose. I know it may be hard to do since we all tend to unintentionally push ourselves. Stand in the back of the room, so you won’t feel self -conscious sitting out so often. Just really concentrate on your breathing during your “breaks”. I wonder if it will turn into a real meditative type of practice for you.

Obviously, alert your instructor to what you plan on doing so they don’t worry that something is terrible wrong.

Good luck in your future practice. FWIW, I also practice at home and it is much more relaxing than at a studio. Start a collection of CD/DVD’s, such as MasterClass ;-), Bikram CD and even Jimmy Barkan’s. Gives a nice variety.

Barb

PS I also have been practicing about 18mos and just turned 50. Some days the heat is just too much and other days a blessing. I just go with the flow!

[Rebecca]

#4155

I am so thankful for this thread! It’s a real catalyst for some of the thoughts I’ve had lately about this practice. What good suggestions, all.

I am in Shoshana’s age/stage. I see my endocrinologist yearly to adjust thyroid hormone dose. For the last couple of years, I’ve had some hormone level tests added to the thyroid one. They vary wildly. This is a roller-coaster time hormonally in our lives, as you ladies have already noted.

The endocrinolgist’s advice for peri- and menopausal years (unless there are intolerable symptoms from hormone flux) is to ride it out, but get lots of exercise, drink water, do something centering like yoga or meditation, and eat as healthily as you can. Curb sugar intake, avoid drugs.

Also, look at the areas in your life where you are frustrated, underappreciated, inappropriately directing energy, etc. Make changes to nourish yourself now, instead of ignoring your needs in favor of others’ needs. This is the time to recapture or re-invent our own lives, and let others live theirs. Our brain actually changes in menopause, and we become more curious, creative, and free-thinking!

As for Bikram yoga, it is unquestionably INTENSE. I am evolving into NOT GOING when I sense a SURGE or DROP in my mood, feelings, joints, etc. When I feel strong and balanced, I go to practice. This thread helps me see why this evolution took place.

Again, so grateful for all the comments here.

[Shoshanah]

#4167

Thank you again, all of you, for this input. I appreciate all thoughts and suggestions. I also appreciate the tone of this discussion: everyone feels open to exploring – which is the only way to be in the body, in my experience.

I have ordered Gabrielle’s manual and DVDs to begin an at-home practice. I think I do need to stay out of the heat for a time, much as I prefer the wet, hot practice room. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Rebecca and Barb, thank you for the reminders to be gentle and good to myself now. I have been focusing that way, but I think always we can do more.

I’ll check back in as I settle into the at-home practice. Namaste.

Shoshanah

[kembali]

#10698

Thanks every one for this thread. I am male and 47 and have been practising Bikram for 2 years. Recently I experienced the sever body aches after class. Each time this happens I experience a spew like taste in my mouth after class then about 5 hours later the aches come on and last for 12 hours. Neurofen is the only thing I can take to sleep otherwise the aches are too intense (flu like)
I gave my practise a rest and used meditation to slow myself down as I have been running at top speed in work and life in general. I tried everything else, vitamins, blood tests, diet, even had some polyps removed from my bowel ! I thought this must be why the aches are happening, it’s my body telling me to slow down and not put myself under the intense stress of the hot room.
I came back to class today and went up the back and just focused on my breath. Enjoyed the class mush better than down the front, but alas the spew like taste came in my mouth and the aches about 5 hours later again.
I am going to stop practising in the heat and do the practise at home to see what happens

Frustrated as to what it can be 🙁

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#10713

Hi Guy

Wondering what has happened for the last 2 weeks. You mentioned you would give home practice a chance.

It does appear that you have a high stress job and fast paced life. The physiological stress added to the heated room could be a reason why you are experiencing your problems at the moment. But I have a hunch it could be more involved.

However I need to ask you when in your 2 year Bikram yoga history you started experiencing the problem. It is likely that we can discover other issues by delving into the situation a little more thoroughly. Did you always attend the same studio? Any changes to you, your life or the studio?

So, if you don’t mind, let me know the current status and any other information that can deepen our understanding

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[kembali]

#10715

Hi
Thank you for your reply,
I have practiced at the same studio for the past 2 years and there have been no changes to the studio. I started getting the aches after class the last 3 times I practiced. They were so intense that I was not game to go back as even after the aches go after 24 hours I am left feeling very flat for about 2 days. This has only started to happen the last 3 months as I have had breaks in between the aches just to see if I can get over them. The owner of the studio said he had similar symptoms and believes it is dehydration.
I have slowed down the pace of my life with meditation and purchased your home package so I can practice at home with just a little heat to eliminate things so I may be able to get to the bottom of this. I have only just received the package so haven’t done a class at home yet.
I want to return to the hot room as I like the group energy so I really want to get to the bottom of this.

Guy

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#10716

Hi Guy

My mind keeps taking me back to the heat exhaustion explanation. But I would need some more information. It would be odd to experience it all of a sudden. And it would also be informed by your exposure to the heat: How often were you going to class when it happened? You may have been to 5 classes in a week and the last one you felt unwell. But if you’re taking a few days off and feeling the problem again and if it is heat exhaustion I need to ask you about the heat levels and moisture levels in the room.

Heat exhaustion can happen over time and not just one time exposure to high heat. It is my belief that MANY students experience mild heat exhaustion fairly often. They usually put it down to the challenge of the hot room and in this way many people unwittingly ignore the risks.

Heat questions include: What temperature is it? How can you be sure? How many people in class? What number of people have to stop and take a break? What is the humidity level? How can you be sure? Sometimes the studio is not really sure what the levels are. Oftentimes studios hide the gauges from their students.

Usually, as seasoned hot yogis we know when we haven’t had enough water. Urine colour is a good gauge (unless you take lots of vitamins and you can’t tell what the base colour is!). So usually I find people aren’t fuelling their bodies with enough electrolytes (sea salt, or proprietary electrolytes).

Does any of this resonate for you?

Meet you back here 😉

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

PS Thank you very much for purchasing the Home Practice Kit. I hope you can get back to loving your yoga all the time, very soon.

[kembali]

#10717

Hi Gabrielle
I was practicing 2-3 times per week when this happened. I also do a mild workout at home using my own body weight and some cardio on the rower. I couldn’t tell you the settings exactly in the room but could say some teachers have it higher than others. The classes this happened in were varied. I must say that I wasn’t using an electrolite replacement when this happened but had previously used one. I don’t have much salt on my food except a little sea salt flakes every now and then. I use endura as an electrolite replacement. How does that rate ? Can you reccomend a good one ?
Not sure if I mentioned it but I sell vitamins for a living and have tried everything under the sun to fix this including blood tests etc. all the reports say I am in balance. I am thinking of loading up on water and electrolite sand trying a class again but as I mentioned I am too scared to try as the aches are too intense.

Btw I received the DVD and cd’s but no sign of the book yet

Guy

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#10718

Hi Guy

Robert has checked on the tracking of your book and the CDs and DVD (as a point of comparison). The book will come separately and as it seems to have left the US at a similar time to the CDs and DVD it would be reasonable to suggest that they should turn up in a similar time! Your discs arrived by USPS but the book is coming with a different carrier. Please keep an eye out and let us know when it arrives. It should be within days. Having said that I know that deliveries traditionally take a little longer at this time of the year. We WILL make sure you get your book, so don’t worry! If you could wait just a little longer please that would be great. [Oh, with international shipping we only get to know when things leave the US and only sometimes do we know when it gets to Australia, and never to the final destination. But you WILL get it! I promise!]
[strong]
As for the aches… [/strong]without knowing the heat and moisture levels it’s really only going to be a guess as to whether you have had some [strong]mild heat exhaustion[/strong]. If you want to find out then that will mean [strong]a little detective work[/strong]!

You may have had some [strong]mild hyponatremia[/strong]. Medical science is reversing their thinking on low dietary salt. What’s important is to have your body working optimally fuelled by the right ions to keep your electrical system firing! Hyponatremia is potentially fatal whereas hypernatremia is incredibly rare and fixed by a day of no salt! In other words, to the best of my knowledge and with research, it appears that for most people hypernatremia is not fatal. I have mentioned elsewhere in this forum that the likelihood of overdoing salt is almost impossible unless you have a couple of specific chronic conditions.

I would like to suggest that you try a couple of classes where you take water that has had added a pinch of sea salt plus a few drops of lemon juice. Drink that during class and see what effects that has. It can be the difference that makes the difference for many yogis (or anyone doing anything strenuous). No reason to withhold from the body what it needs when it needs it.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[kembali]

#10720

Hi Gabrielle

I will try a few classes at home with a milder heat and then try a class back in the studio with the drinks you suggested.

I will keep you posted

Thank you 🙂

[kembali]

#10764

Hi Gabrielle

I have tried the salt and lemon you suggested for 3 home classes. The heat was quite high similar to a studio class but the humidity a little lower as I only have a fan 3 bar heater at home. I sweated as much as a studio class but I certainly felt a little easier than a studio class. There were no body aches after each of the 3 classes so I ventured back to the studio to see if I was cured. The studio class was hot and left me feeling like it was harder than the ones at home. It was an afternoon class and if the aches were to come they would come on that night like clockwork at about 12 midnight. They didn’t come and I was ecstatic. Then at about 11am the next day at work along they came and completely flattened me for 2 days. Again neurofen was the only thing that would fix the pain. I also got mouth ulcers and cold sores around my nose this time.
So here I am back to square one !
I have a friend who is a head trainer at an AFL club who suggested I go and see one of the sports doctors they use because they may have more commonly seen this reaction so I will try that but basically I have come to the conclusion that , the aches only come around when my body is heated to a certain temperature that I can be sure from the elimination of I have been doing.
Some people have suggested I may be carrying a disease that flares up only when the body is heated to a certain temperature. Limes disease was mention as one. If I was to listen to my intuition then I would say that I feel this is most likely as it feels like something inside me is wrong.
Others have suggested I stop going to class, however I don’t believe this as you would recall in my earlier posts that I was not suffering from these symptoms in the 2 years I have been practicing so why now ! ?
I am at a loss and frustrated 🙁

Gratefull for your thoughts 🙂

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#10770

Hi Guy

I think an investigation into Lymes or other diseases is worth your while, because you can exclude or confirm a problem that lies outside of the studio’s conditions.

There does appear to be an issue with conditions at the public studio. Despite what people will tell you, it is nigh impossible to accurately guess the temperature of a heated room because of the variables of humidity. It’s also (for the same reasons) impossible to tell simply by the amount of sweat.

The good news is, that when you practise at home you do have that satisfying sweat. All is not lost.

You may want to have some blood tests done and ask for the additional 25 Hydroxy test to ascertain your Vitamin D levels. The question to ask when one is unwell is ‘how is it that my immune system is not coping?’.

I am curious to know what you discover.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[kembali]

#10910

Hi Gabrielle
Well I just thought I would give an update for anyone who is interested.
I have been practicing at home and whilst it has been harder to get the heat up here in NSW due to the cooler weather I have had some good sweaty classes and no reactions like I was getting before. I have done a few classes back at the studio as well but when I feel the body heating up too much I rest. I have been doing only 1 set of standing and 2 of the floor and I have not had the reactions back.
I have enjoyed your home practise and improved a lot as there are no distractions, just me and your teaching and the mirror. I mix it up with a class at the studio every now and then. For me if the heat is too high then it becomes less about the yoga and more about surviving the heat and this restricts my progression in the postures. When I practice at home I listen more to your teaching and progress further faster.
I now have Bikrams audio as well so I have two teachers so it’s great !
Your book is gold, it sits on my coffee table and I reference just one pose every 2 weeks. I improve in that pose with practise. I now only drink salt and lemon as a hydrating drink cause it rocks !
I still believe I have a weakened immune system as I do still get mouth ulcers every now and then so I am trying different supplements as well to see if that helps.

Will keep updating as I go

Guy

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