Rhabdomyolysis Support Group
Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of skeletal muscle due to injury. The result of this process is renal failure due to accumulation of muscle breakdown products in the bloodstream, which are injurous to the kidney. Treatment is with intravenous fluids, and dialysis if necessary. The main therapeutic measure is hyperhydration (by administering intravenous fluids), and if...
Hello all, I'm a 44 year old man from the UK. I was diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis on 8th January this year following my first time back to the gym for some while having previously being very fit. I had the classic precursors (which I was unaware of at the time). Intense over-exertion following a period of extended inactivity, I was almost certainly dehydrated and I was also taking 20mg atorvastatin for high cholesterol which may have played a part.
Anyway, immediately after the session my arms were intensely sore which I thought was DOMS come early as I was unused to exercise. This was to the point where I could hardly touch my face with my hands as my shoulders and triceps were so painful. I started taking ibuprofen which again in hindsight I shouldn't have done and had difficulty sleeping through the pain. The dark, stewed tea coloured urine came approximately 40 hours after the gym which I didn't immediately connect to the workout, and it was only the next day when I was travelling on the train and had some spare time that I put two and two together and used Dr Google to diagnose Rhabdomyolsis. Thank goodness I did.
My CK levels on admission were 175,000 which surprised the doctor so much that he had my bloods repeated to be sure that there was no error. Like many of you he said it was the highest that he had seen in his career. CK levels dropped during the week that I was in hospital 125k, 56k, 27k, and finally to 939 when I was released. I was treated with IV saline for 2 days and had plenty to drink (4l per day) and was fortunate in that there was no kidney impairment. It really focusses your mind when the doctor tells you that he is trying to save your kidneys.
During my time in hospital the only physical symptom that I experienced was water retention in my hands and arms which was somewhat alarming, although that went fairly quickly. Even my arms that were so sore were back to full movement with no pain in less than a week. The statin is another question though, and I have been told to cease taking it for 3 months, whilst they monitor my blood both for Ck and lipids. I was signed off work for 3 weeks and this is my 2nd week back. The docs have also said that I can do some very light exercise, but I'm a bit worried that the Rhabdo will come back.
So I am now 5 weeks after the initial gym session and I have to have follow up blood tests to check that's all well. I feel fine other than extreme fatigue towards the end of the day. I have an office job, and by about 4pm I feel absolutely shattered. I've been going to bed at least 2-3 hours earlier than I did prior to my Rhabdo and yet fatigue still kicks in. Does anyone else suffer from this?
There is so much material on the initial treatment of Rhabdomyolysis, and vanishingly little about longer term recovery which is why this group is so helpful to me. It's giving me hope that I will get back to 100%, but it seems like it will be a long road.
All the best to everyone.
I got Rhabdomyolysis on the 27th of October, 2017, after a 40 minutes trial session of Spinning. I am a 23 years old female and this happened after a 6 month period of abstaining from exercise due to studying (I am an engineering student).
My CK level was 100000 when I was admitted to the hospital, three days after hitting the gym. This (I believe) was highly influenced by the fact that I was dehydrated. I rarely drink adequate amounts of water and I also got very drunk the day after I worked out. In addition, I tried to "fix" my swollen thigh muscles by mildly working out. I stayed in the hospital for a week, on IV fluids. The doctors also insisted on me having a catheter (that was the worst), so that I would not move at all.
I recovered fairly quickly, no complications. After about two weeks I started feeling like the incident had never occured. I also experienced some fatigue and still do, but I believe this is due to the lack of an active lifestyle. Forward to now, I don't feel any different than I was before, except for the fact that I am terrified of working out again, although it has been so long since my recovery. I have no stamina, no strength. Exercising used to help me maintain a balanced diet. I have gained a lot of weight since the incident and I feel awful.
I have been to a number of doctors, but they don't seem to have any advice regarding what to do now. I have been told to wait a year, two months, even to stop intense work out for the rest of my life.
Have you gotten back to exercising? Any signs of Rhabdomyolysis reappearing?
Any kind of information is useful! Thank you for sharing your story.
Anyway, the good news is that 4 months after the episode, I do feel back to normal and the fatigue that I wrote about in my first post has disappeared. I have also been back to the gym, but I initially took it really easy as just like you I was terrified that the rhabdo would come back. I've never been so interested in the colour of my urine in the first couple of days following my first session!!
When I was working out I basically just listened to my body. If something felt too hard or intense, I just stopped doing it and fortunately that seems to have worked to the point that after a number of weeks of gradually building up, I can push myself just like before. The only thing I would say is that I am definitely not as strong in my arms as I was previously, although they are getting stronger.
Anyway, all the best with your recovery, its really good to hear from you.