2 August 2013, by Tan Yi Lin

A Brush With The Dark (Brown) Side

Barely a week after I blogged about the big, never-ending juggling act that is parenthood, I fumbled and dropped one of the balls.

I returned to full time work on 4 July. Determined to get back into shape and regain fitness levels of my pre-baby life, I signed up for lunch time fitness classes at a studio nearby. After all, my weekday lunch hours are pretty much the only time that I can dedicate to getting some proper exercise (that is not in the form of repeatedly lifting a 6 kg baby and 9.6 kg toddler) without being stabbed by mummy guilt.

Although breastfeeding and attending to two babies had whittled my body back down to its pre-pregnancy weight (which was a pleasant surprise), stubborn bits of post-baby flab still clung to hard-to-reach areas like my tummy, upper arms and thighs. Impatient to change this, I jumped straight into a vigorous exercise programme that aimed at toning flabby bodies through strength-training exercises such as squats and push-ups, with the use of free weights to increase the level of intensity.

Although my muscles ached for days thereon, I beamed inside out from the accomplishment at having taken the first step towards regaining my fitness.

However, two days after my second session, my pee turned dark brown. Think ice-lemon tea. Coca cola. Brushing it off as dehydration – I unintentionally neglect my water intake when busy at work and with the babies – I downed more water in hope that things would return to normal.

But by midnight that day, my pee still hadn’t lightened up. Too worried to sleep, I furiously searched online for possible causes of dark brown urine and thanks to Google and Wikipedia, I concluded that I had come down with rhabdomyolysis.

Rat-do-my-ol’-sis-WHAT?

Uh huh, I too had never heard of rhabdomyolysis before. In fact, neither had many people whom I spoke to during and after the ordeal, which is surprising given that according to online sources, it’s not an uncommon medical condition amongst athletes and fitness (over)enthusiasts.

Essentially, it appeared that after not doing any vigorous exercise for the past three years, my post-childbirth body was not ready to be subjected to such a sudden return to an intensive fitness regime. My muscles had suffered serious internal injury and the damaged muscle fibres were releasing a muscle protein called ‘myoglobin’ into my bloodstream in such large amounts and at such a fast pace that my kidneys struggled to handle it all. The dark brown pee was the result of the copious amount of red-tinted myoglobin that my overworked kidneys were rapidly clearing from my system.

With the possibility of kidney failure looming over me, we checked in at the nearest A&E where a blood test confirmed that it was indeed rhabdomylosis. Under doctor’s orders, I was to be admitted into hospital immediately and warded for three to five days.

Me: Three to five days?!

Doctor: The level of creatinine kinase (a muscle enzyme) in your blood is 122,000 units / Litre. It’s off the charts. 

Me: What’s the normal threshold? 

Doctor: Less than 1,000 units / Litre. You are 122 times over that. We need to hook you up to an intravenous saline drip for the next few days to help your body flush out all the myoglobin and creatinine kinase. 

Oh. My. Goodness. How did one exercise session result in this?

In short, I survived the episode. My kidneys are fine. I’ve since been discharged and am resting at home. Full recovery is around the corner. Through drinking plenty of water, the amount of creatinine kinase in my blood has been decreasing by 20,000 units / Litre daily and is now at 8,000 units / Litre. We need to get it back down to a few hundred.

Thank goodness for easily obtainable information on rhabdomyolysis on Google and Wikipedia that got me seeking treatment early. Thank goodness for medical insurance that will help cover the cost of hospitalisation. Thank goodness for good family support – everybody pulled together to help take care of the girls while I was marooned in my lonely hospital room. Thank goodness for an understanding boss and good colleagues who are taking on my workload while I’m on medical leave.

While I fully appreciated the opportunity to rest and catch up on uninterrupted sleep – a luxury that we haven’t had in months on end – the episode left me unable to breastfeed until my body has fully recovered, so as to ensure that no nasty muscle waste products go to Claire through my milk. Although Claire is feeding just as well on formula, it really sucks to have to pump and dump for a whole two weeks. Plus, the doctor advised me against carrying the girls until my muscles have recovered and are no longer weakened or sore.

Fluids in; fluids out

Fluids in; fluids out

Also, I really missed the husband and the girls over those four lonely days in hospital. Even though Dannie is quite envious that I got the chance to do nothing but eat, sleep and watch TV, I kinda wished that I was out there running around with them instead.

They had a lovely outing to the Marina Barrage where they chased kites and played in the fountains.

Water babies

Water babies

Running free

Running free

Reaching for the sky (and ladybugs therein)

Reaching for the sky (and ladybugs therein)

Claire even went on a growth spurt while I was away. Look how much she has transformed!

Hello Coco and Claire! Mummy missed you both.

Hello Coco and Claire! Mummy missed you both.

Just kidding! She was staying over with my in-laws. Here’s a picture of the happy baby on a post-bath high.

What a happy baby!

What a happy baby!

 

As for rhabdomyolysis, the more aware people are of such a medical condition and how to prevent it, the better. So go ahead – share the link to this blog entry, spread the knowledge and save some kidneys. Especially kidneys belonging to new mums, fresh from the throes of childbirth, who are intent on getting back into shape quickly.

So much for levelling up on my juggling skills. Trying to be a superwoman and doing it all just hasn’t been worth the risk to my health and the consequences on my family.

Knowledge and experience (of going beyond one’s limit) aside, old habits die hard. Multitasking is too ingrained in me. I’m eating lunch as I put the finishing touches to this entry. After all, eating on its own is a simply inefficient use of time. Or am I the only one who thinks like this?

I guess I’ll have to learn to take it easy for now…

… and drink lots and lots of water.

Posted on : August 2, 2013

Filed under : New Mums & Dads

6 Comments

Tan Yi Lin

Yi Lin

September 16th, 2013 at 1:19 pm    


Thanks edna. I have a final doctor’s review scheduled for Nov. But I’m pretty sure that I’ve fully recovered. Fingers crossed.

edna

September 11th, 2013 at 1:21 pm    


oh dear, glad you are all better now babe! take care! 🙂

Tan Yi Lin

Yi Lin

August 26th, 2013 at 1:42 pm    


Thanks Evelyn. I know, right? Why did I even think that results-driven fitness classes titled, “eat the pain” and “feel the burn” sound good?!

I’ve recovered and am back at work. Trying to remember to schedule more rest, food and drink breaks in between rushing through the day.

Celine, it was nice seeing you again! Yeah, rhabdomyolysis is sneaky. Body looks and feels totally fine even though your kidneys are crying for help. Sneaky.

Celine

August 22nd, 2013 at 5:04 pm    


Gosh, didn’t realise when I saw you! Do take care and please, slow-by-slow, ok?!

Thanks for sharing this condition too.

shawn

August 4th, 2013 at 9:20 am    


Hi,

Chanced upon your blog while browsing. If not for your post, i would not have known about such uncommon medical condition.Will definitely let my wife read about this. Thank you!

Evelyn Tan

Evelyn tan

August 3rd, 2013 at 8:48 pm    


Hope u r feeling better already YiLin ! Thanks for that sharing ! I totally understand how our efficient Singapore psyche works — been planning which gyms to hit after giving birth in nov myself ! Let’s all remind ourselves often to take pace in life yah ?

Take care and many blessings to u and family !

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *