Ask HN: Undo muscle loss due to chronic overuse | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Undo muscle loss due to chronic overuse

2 pointsbryanrasmussen3 comments

I have a problem that I have a heavy physical regiment because I have an autistic child with ADHD who needs constant safeguarding and physical interaction, picking up throwing around, take to playgrounds 6-9 hours a day on weekend, constant watching etc.

I'm in Denmark so I get some help with this, but my muscles are basically worn out from overuse and I used to be quite muscular. My legs especially, I find it difficult to go up ladders, and other things requiring leg strength because I never get an adequate chance to rest my legs up (if my child goes away for a couple of days I need to spend those days fixing everything around the house, so constant movement)

Part of this is age obviously but from my experience guys who are in their late 50s generally don't have these problems if they have kept in shape, to me it seems a result completely of over stress and the problems of age regarding rebuilding muscles once they are torn down.

So what I'm asking is what medications etc. would one recommend to reverse chronic overuse muscle loss in a man near retirement age who also needs to keep using his muscles all day long?

I need a plan I can basically talk to my doctor and argue for, because the way the Danish medical system works is you don't get anything unless you fight for it. I've already been told there is nothing that can be done. But I find stuff about handling muscle loss in older people when I google so I think there is probably something that could be done to help.

For relief of tired muscles I'd suggest (after taking to your doctor in regard to a health check in case there's some other matter that needs to be considered,) purchasing some pure 100% unflavoured Creatine Monohydrate. Ignore the higher amounts for muscle building, or the initial loading - view it instead as a daily supplement, and take about a third to half of the rate given in directions for the first couple of weeks and then vary it accordingly.

Note be mindful of how much you normally do in a day and try and stay at around that level of activity. I was using it about 30 years ago and encouraged my parents to try it out, not at high rates either, both stopped taking it after a few days as it gave them bad cramps - when I dropped by I discovered they were well and truly over-doing it (such as the daily weeding a fairly large vegetable patch) getting though what would have normally been done in a week, in a singular day.

As for muscle mass, that's different, as people get older it seems unfortunately the skin gets thinner as well as losing some mass around muscles - when one is younger, inactive periods don't incur much muscle change as it does when we're older. There are new medications coming but they are either expensive or will need to pass tests for regulations.

I think your love and dedication to your child are amazing! He or she is lucky to have you as a parent.

---

I am not a doctor and I'm not qualified to give you medical advice; the following should not be construed as medical advice.

My first suggestion would be to get qualified professional help, not HN help. In your shoes I would go to a physical therapist (or occupational therapist, perhaps) off the bat. There could be a functional, non-medication intervention that would solve the problem. For example, perhaps deep rest, a stretching/flexibility regimen, or aquatic exercise would help. (I don't know; I'm just throwing out hypotheticals.) And the PT might have good advice for approaching your doctor if medical treatment is needed.

If the Danish medical system is not working out, consider traveling elsewhere and seeking quality treatment there, if only to get a second or third opinion, but also to get suggestions of ways you could approach your doctors back home.

Good luck, and I hope you get the results you're hoping for soon!

You are low on testosterone, not surprising as most males above 45 years are. You should go to a private hospital and get your testo levels measured, and with that paper you can _try_ to get TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) from a doctor but if the doctors in Denmark are anything like in Finland you are not going to get the prescription...

Not sure what the legal situation regarding steroids (testo is a steroid) is in Denmark but if you can't get a legal prescription I recommend getting testo from alternative sources. Somewhere between 150-200mg per week should give you a very noticeable improvement.

Getting your testo levels to normal means you'll have loads more stamina to do physical activity and it also helps to grow your muscles back to the size they were before. Ever wonder why old men have a different posture than younger ones? Lack of testosterone. Same reason why older men have thin arms and legs but bulging belly - muscle mass is reduced but fat remains.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com