Those with chronic illness/pain trying to get fit.

papetto

Hi, I was hoping we could start a thread for those of us who have chronic illness or pain and are trying to get active, in shape, and/or lose weight. I have a few diseases which make it difficult to work out or expend lots of energy and have been trying my hardest to keep my step count up & keep my exercise sessions going. Please feel free to contribute, check in or add motivation to this thread.

LyndaBSS

I have a variety of medical issues. After two months of eating a pescatarian diet which is plant based with seafood, eggs and some dairy, many of my symptoms have lessened. At the moment, I don't exercise and I'm happy with my weight loss so far.

The weight loss is a result of staying in a calorie deficit. Focus on that, if you're unable to exercise.

Good luck with your journey!

Lyitae

Hello!
I have a number of medical issues as well. At present I'm relying on a wheelchair for about 80% of my mobility and have yet to find an exercise that won't cause a spoon deficit or flare.
I've just started using MFP again and am hoping to get back into daily tracking and sticking to my calorie goal for now.
Feel free to send me an invite, though, please introduce yourself when you do so I know it's not just a random invite from someone looking for a friend list goal. 😉Thank you!

shelaghcol

All my life I've always been able to get myself moving - I was a dancer, a martial artist, rode horseback, worked out on my own, even started a personal stair climb challenge.

The last three years, my body has been betraying me making strenuous exercise next to impossible. Last fall, I participated in a yoga for weight loss study and practically had to drop out because of problems with my wrists and elbows.

Yet, even with all that I could still go out and walk whenever I wanted.

A few months ago, I started having frustrating pains in my Achilles tendons and any walking is difficult.

I can't for the life of me figure out what exercise I could possibly do now. I used to love my legs. Now I can't stand to look at them. The only possible thing left would be swimming, except I can't afford the cost of a gym membership - the only places that have lap pools.

I'd be very grateful for support, motivation, suggestions of any kind.

Thanks for starting this thread.

Hilogirl2018

Hi all! I suggest that everyone bookmark this thread in case it sinks into obscurity. Easier to track that way. I'm relating to a lot of what you're all saying: hard to exercise, joint issues, occasional wheelchair user, etc. I've already lost almost 30 lbs since joining MFP with zero exercise.

@shelaghcol have you had any testing done for your joint issues?

shelaghcol

I thing a lot of it is due to fibromyalgia.
Going for a podiatrist appointment to try to figure out the problem with my ankles. The weird thing is that out of the blue back in January my right elbow went ballistic - took almost two weeks to find out it was tennis elbow - tendinitis. And it took over six months before I could do most things without problems. Still get a lot of pain, but it's at least easier to handle.

My PCP thinks the ankle thing might be tendon-related as well. Expect that both of them are giving me problems - which is unusual.

Last week I was in the middle of feeding my cats when I had a horrible spasm across my back. Took about three days for it to subside completely.

glovepuppet

I don't have any physical disability, but I've cared for people who do. I thought I'd leave this here, because they're often suitable for people who struggle with exercise.

Armchair cycles.

Hilogirl2018

@shelaghcol I was wondering if you'd ever been tested for a connective tissue disorder because a lot of what you're describing is common to CTDs. I have a CTD called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Syndrome hypermobility type and one of the ways it manifests is through joint and tendon problems. It's hereditary, but it's not unusual to get to a certain age without too many symptoms and suddenly fall apart.

Another possibility: if you've been treated with ciprofloxacin, it has a black box warning for tendon rupture.

shelaghcol

@Hilogirl2018 - I actually prefer not to use chemical meds unless absolutely necessary. The back spasm it was unavoidable - I could barely move and had to take ibuprofen twice in one day. After that, the pain was bad but bearable.

I've never heard of CTD, but no one else that I'm aware of in my family has had the problems I've been having.

shelaghcol

@glovepuppet Thanks, I have been considering those. It's the cost more than anything that stalls me on such things.

Hilogirl2018

@shelaghcol sorry, I was lazy not spelling it out lol. CTD is connective tissue disorder and that's just shorthand for a whole bunch of diseases/conditions: Marfan syndrome, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and Scleroderma. Oh, and the ciprofloxacin I mentioned is just an antibiotic.

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mbaker566

i have behcets and hypersomnia.
the way i look at it, my body overreacts to pain stimulus. so a lot of times, i will suck it up.
the more i move(within reason), the better i feel. but not pushing too hard is vital

PuppetStringsArt

I think this thread is a great idea!

(@Hilogirl2018 I also have HEDS. Found out about it this year while I was pregnant with my daughter and my whole life of complications made sense afterwards.)

I also have a benign pituitary gland tumor that causes a lot of health problems when it’s acting up. I’m almost done with the bulk of my 2 year weight loss journey, but could use some friends that are trying to better or maintain their health long term even after initial goals are met.

Iamfocusingonme

Hello, I also have multiple medical issues that make losing weight and exercising more difficult. I have been trying to figure out how to get the weight down without surgery for a few years as it continued to grow. Im now here to make a change in my calories and the nutritional value of my food.

singingflutelady

I have Crohn's (w/ ileostomy) and gastroparesis (w/ J tube) and can only manage to go for short walks because of the pain, fatigue and malnutrition. It really is a battle some days.

HazelMayes

Hilogirl2018 wrote: »

@shelaghcol I was wondering if you'd ever been tested for a connective tissue disorder because a lot of what you're describing is common to CTDs. I have a CTD called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Syndrome hypermobility type and one of the ways it manifests is through joint and tendon problems. It's hereditary, but it's not unusual to get to a certain age without too many symptoms and suddenly fall apart.

Another possibility: if you've been treated with ciprofloxacin, it has a black box warning for tendon rupture.

I also have hEDS—almost eight years ago I also severed my left ACL so my knee is even more unstable now—makes it hard to get around!

Hilogirl2018

Already 3 EDSers in this little group! @PuppetStringsArt I had the same experience, diagnosed fairly recently and now my whole life of pain makes sense! @HazelMayes knees are so tough with EDS. My mobility is more affected by my hips. I find my rollator to be a huge help!

@singingflutelady GP is a condition that a lot of people with EDS are susceptible to, and I'm being monitored for it (annual GI tests with eating the radioactive egg to time my stomach emptying). And Crohn's on top of that- you're a total warrior, seriously.

@Iamfocusingonme MFP works, you got this!

LernRach

I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.

amskinner87

I have chronic fatigue syndrome which means that 'over-activity' (i.e. normal life ) can make me feel very unwell and exercising tends not to be sustainable.

I haven't been trying to up my fitness but am aware that I will want to at some point. I'm not sure how I'm going to without causing a massive crash. The only way I know how is to start out at a really low level and very slowly build it up, but this has always inevitably fallen apart in the past because either the activity itself makes me unwell or other life makes me unwell and I have to stop.

However, I have lost nearly 50lb since January just through calorie counting alone so if weight loss is the goal that is definitely achievable. I find that fatigue complicates my ability to make good food choices and plan and make healthy meals but luckily I have a mum who will make dinner for me every night during bad periods. Also I do eat a lot of fast food and so far I've still managed to lose weight. Just coming up to the top of the healthy bmi now so it might get a little harder.

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shelaghcol

I went a bit drastic this week after too much overeating and stress eating. (Ate 2/3rds of a 10 inch pizza on Monday the same day I got a call from the doctor's office telling me my cholesterol is up.)

Started on Tuesday going completely vegan and cutting out almost all gluten to sort of reset myself.

Not surprisingly I lost almost five pounds this week which I'm sure is mostly water, even though I upped my liquid intake too.

Five days and counting and I do feel better physically and, truth be told, mentally too. For the first time in a long time I've been able to tell myself "no" to snacks and too much of everything.

Two weeks and I'll start re-introducing more normal foods to my diet. Hopefully the lengthy purge will help me keep on track.

shelaghcol

Wow - did I just break the thread?

anisagldn2

LernRach wrote: »

I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.

LernRach wrote: »

I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.

HopefulMom2boys

Hello all, I have congenital scoliosis/RA/large joint disease/degenerative disk/and a nerve condition. I see a pain specialist and between meds, and being a binge eater , weight loss is hard; between pain, it’s even harder. I relate to everyone here’s struggles. Thank you for starting this thread. I hope I can figure out how to book mark it. Anyone feel free to friend me tomorrow I am starting to simply watch what I put in my mouth, write it down, be aware and how much. My doctor put me on saxenda, to help with binge eating. We will see. I’m gonna try to go to gym too with my 10 year old and get swimming in. Every move counts right? I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Hilogirl2018

@amskinner87 I have lost almost 30 without exercise, either. I crash so easily these days and it's scary for me to "risk" any kind of workout. PT always knocks me out. But like you, I do want to start doing *something* healthy.

@shelaghcol vegan AND gluten free, wow! I did GF for 3 years but then switched to keto, then gave that up after 2 years for intermittent fasting. Always in search of the mythical (for me, anyway) anti-inflammatory diet that will reduce my pain.

Hilogirl2018

My current challenge is that I'm getting IV hydration 3 days a week, and on the other days I'm exhausted from lack of hydration, so I feel sluggish and sick most of the time right now. Maybe we could try a gentle exercise challenge in this little group? A check in for doing just one little thing?

fatoldladyonamission

Hi all, great idea for a thread. I have fibro, recently diagnosed and with it some mental health issues too. That said I used to be fairly active and I know it would make it easier to be again if I lost some of the bulk. My main issue is that I suffer from extreme pain for the slightest things and just trying to do every day stuff makes me exhausted. So I have to pace myself.

Would be good to have a thread we can all support each other on 😊

papetto

Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for all the wonderful responses. I have a few pelvic pain disorders, most burdensome being interstitial cystitis/endometriosis, which make almost all exercise extra difficult. I have been to the gym twice this week and plan on going tomorrow and again on the weekend. I have to take breaks a lot, which is annoying, and somewhat embarrassing, but I am trying to get back to my old routine of working out 5-7 times a week. I find weight machines to be very soothing even though they can be tough - cardio (like running, and cycling) seems to make my pain worse sometimes. I also want to start doing yoga again, too. Let's keep checking in together!

concordancia

shelaghcol wrote: »

I went a bit drastic this week after too much overeating and stress eating. (Ate 2/3rds of a 10 inch pizza on Monday the same day I got a call from the doctor's office telling me my cholesterol is up.)

Started on Tuesday going completely vegan and cutting out almost all gluten to sort of reset myself.

Not surprisingly I lost almost five pounds this week which I'm sure is mostly water, even though I upped my liquid intake too.

Five days and counting and I do feel better physically and, truth be told, mentally too. For the first time in a long time I've been able to tell myself "no" to snacks and too much of everything.

Two weeks and I'll start re-introducing more normal foods to my diet. Hopefully the lengthy purge will help me keep on track.

Reintroduce foods slowly and consciously. You may find an unexpected inflammation trigger in there.

domeofstars

I'm so sorry to see so many beautiful people on here suffering with bad health and i wish i could help you all. I too have suffered from several health issues in the past. What has helped me ALOT is free reiki healing videos on youtube. There's 'reiki for pain' videos that have been an absolute life saver for me, i watch them on my phone and its saved me from taking alot of pain killers.

Also I'm just starting to listen to subliminal messages on youtube, one helped give me motivation to clean and tidy my home (by Miss Synergy) so I'm now looking to subliminals for help with weight loss and also health. I'm trying one for weight loss by Akuo, and there's a few health ones by Miss Synergy and also Hynodaddy that I might try. I was very skeptical for a long time, but so many people left positive comments so i tried it and it worked.