Exercise with Fibro
gavians
Posts: 72 Member
What type of exercise do you do with fibro? What can't you do with fibro?
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When I was first diagnosed with Fibro about five years ago, I just completed a successful fitness recovery losing over 70 pounds down to 220. My regime included elliptical and treadmill for cardio followed by hard weight training. At 220, I wasn't skinny but with my large frame I was very fit and in great shape; I would run 5 miles in about 45 minutes barely breaking a sweat or losing my breath.
One day I was doing my first warm-up reps on the bench - just 155lbs which at the time felt like air, when I felt like I pulled a muscle in my arm. A little freaked out, I thought maybe I was over doing something and took a break from weight training for a couple weeks - sticking to cardio. Then I went back to weight training, and again! Thought I pulled a muscle. So I went back to just cardio. Then several weeks later, just on the elliptical, after only about 4 minutes, I thought I twisted my ankle funny and had to quit. Took a week off then went back to elliptical, this time lasted about 40 seconds and could barely walk back to the locker room. Time to see the doctor.
After the routine you are probably familiar with including months of blood tests, MRIs, EMG, all the works.... Neurologist says Fibromayalgia.
Fast forward 5 years, I gained all my weight back. My wife couldn't understand my lack of energy, lack of enjoyment in life, or sexual relationsihp (thanks Cymbalta). So now I am divorced and fat. AWESOME! Thanks Fibro!
Now I am starting over again. I feel a bit better than I did before (I think in part to Fibro-Response) and about to start my fitness journey again.
I ordered a new Octane 47Ci elliptical machine that will be parked next to my bed in front of a nice new LED TV (ex took the old one). I plan to use it as much as possible to burn off these lbs. I am just scared to death that the fibro pain will stop me again. I have been to the gym several times and it seems ok, but what happens when I am in full swing again?0 -
Wow, sorry for all the bad stuff sorry your wife didn't get it, that does happen alot with Fibro,if you don't have it, you don't get it. Good luck with your comeback!!!0
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i can swim (then i can do everything under the water), i can dance around the house til i sweat myself silly. also i just bought a tai chi video workout with a local master who my good friend works for so i know it's good. my grandson will be starting classes with him soon after school. so i hope to start that either tomorrow or the weekend. i walked all over walmart (and i try to instead of using an electric cart) for about an hour and a half. but that is probably not considered exercise no matter how much it hurts. i'm supposed to walk around the block a couple of times also. i'm going to start doing that at least once a week and work up to more. so far that is about it. but at least i know the pain will not hurt me, so i figure might as well work through some of it anyway.
i cannot do YOGA, calesthenics (sp?), aerobics or stuff like that. i cannot run as i have asthma, also i have lymphedema and heavy water weight gain from it. it's permanent. i also hate water and it makes me nauseas or have indigestion/heartburn if i drink to much of it. so my drink of choice is either 2% milk (but i might go 1% soon if i can find it that tastes good), juice or decaf herbal green tea with honey. otherwise, i love food. especially red meat, gravy and chocolate.0 -
Depending on where you live, walking outside isn't a good option (too hot, too cold, too humid). Another option for walking is your local indoor mall. It is usually a nice comfortable environment, more open space, and they usually have really nice lounge areas to rest if need to sit down. The mall makes for some good people watching, too -- maybe a little more entertaining than Walmart (unless you are a fan of www.peopleofwalmart.com, LOL!
Sometimes, there are even groups that meet at the mall just to walk.
I used to drink skim milk to be a good boy. But I hated the taste so much I was always sneaking the 2% I would buy for my boys. It isn't good for small children to avoid all fats since they need it for brain development (1-5 yo). Now my boys are older, 6 & 8, so I have graduated them to 1% and now we drink the same milk! YEAH! I like the 1% just as much as the 2% and it is a little better for adults. I would say go for the 1%, you won't miss the 2%.
You may also want to pay attention to brands. Some of the premium brands actually taste better than the cheapest, IMO. In Chicago, we have Oberweis Dairy (you may have heard of Jim Oberweis - ran for Senator, etc.). I don't know how they do it, but their skim tastes like 1% to me but is twice the price. My theory is that there are specific FDA guidelines on how much fat is permitted in the milk to call it "skim" -- I suspect that they have better process controls to push the limits on what is allowed, i.e. Oberwise skim is like 0.3% where generic walmart milk is less than 0.1% (I made up the numbers just for arguments sake). Anybody know if my theory has any basis? Sorry, I am an engineer so I think about these things! 0 -
Hey guys, Ive been living with fibro for about 12 yrs and i also had WLS about 10 yrs ago. I loss 155 lbs and walking was the key for me. Id walk the mall, i was really into yoga. I was doing well. Then the pain started taking over, if i fold the wash I'm in pain for 3 days. If it rains, snows i feel it. Over the past 6 yrs Ive's had knee work done, work on my heel. This past year bursitis has taken over my hip. So not being able to walk like i use too and being stuck in a body that just doesn't want to work with me i gained 80 or so lbs back. So if i can get to the mall and do half of it it's a good day. I make myself out out and walk walmart (its a big box store i start a one end to the other on a good day) or the food store. My biggest thing is overdoing it. This past summer i got to do some swimming and the 1st few times i was super sore. It felt good! I feel powerless with it comes to my body so I'm controlling what i put into it, Ive been on a 1200 cal diet for about 6 months I'm down 50 lbs. I see my Dr every week. I now have what my 14 yr calls calorie OCD lol Next month I'm having more knee work done. I'm hoping when its healed and maybe my hip will be willing to get back to the mall or where ever to get moving again. I live in Maine its snowing i felt it before it started lol the cold and i don't mix. I know I'll never be pain free, its a one day at a time thing. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one ready to give up. 0
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I'm in PA. and the cold, wet weather is my enemy. I agree, I felt the snow before it ever hit!!!! my husband thinks pushing yourself to the limit is the answer, it is the worse for me, so that is a battle. I use to be able to help out alot with yard work, heavy stuff, I can't anymore, he sees that as laziness I guess. You can only push your body to a comfortable point, then stop and rest it.0
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vittix -
This isn't a group for those ready to give up! This is for survivors doing what ever it takes to reach our goals. Unfortunately, we have more challenges than the typical person. But your 50 lbs and CALORIE OCD proves that you are WINNER! Exercise what your body will allow and maintain those calories. When you aren't carrying around so much weight, your pain should be less than heavier and be able to do a little bit more. Even if we never get pain free, we must do what ever we can do make the best of what we have!
KEEP ON THE GOOD FIGHT! NEVER GIVE UP!0 -
Elliptical machines are a great too for low impact cardio. There is another group with discussions on how to make excercise interesting with elliptical machines: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/83-elliptical-users
This is my new Octane 47ci. Waiting for delivery in two weeks.
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I'm having so much trouble with exercise! When I was younger I use to go until I couldn't anymore. Of course I can't do that anymore. It's hard for me to make myself stop even when I feel fine. I know the next day (or few) will be hell if I over do it! I do a few things to keep myself on track like timing my exercise and things like that.
I am in a weakened condition from being very ill for a while so I have to start so slow it almost hurts! lol :P
Any advice for finding a good limit? Sometimes I feel like I haven't done enough, and other times I KNOW I've done too much.0 -
@Gavians, i ment Not giving up. Im not giving up. Im happy to see groups like this. I think for alot of us you can feel alone and not understood. One of my PT gave me these huge bands and they help with you can't get out and about. Its a good warm up but dont over do it lol i know that now..... 0
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I have had fibro for about 14 years. Exercise and weight loss have always been issues for me. In addition to Fibromyalgia, I also have diabetes and hypothyroidism. I take Cymbalta now. I tried Lyrica and Savella. Lyrica did nothing for me and the Savella made me very mean, angry, sad and depressed, even more than usual. I can't feel that way and teach third grade. I find that stress makes my fibro worse as well as cold weather.
I joined a gym a couple of months ago. I used to do a lot of walking but got out of the habit and quit. Now, I use the elliptical, and I also do step aerobics and aerobics. It is so hard and there are times that I want to quit, but I keep pushing through. The treadmill makes my hips and back hurt terribly, so I don't use it unless I have to.
I have found that taking magnesium and vitamin D help with the pain, and also help me sleep. I have found also that taking a multivitamin helps as well. I feel much worse if I eat a lot of carbs, so I watch those. All of these things help me get through the day and get through the exercise. I have not lost any weight, my weight actually goes up and down from day to day. Its frustrating, but I am not going to quit.
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@deanap1232 - Thanks for sharing. Almost everything you mentioned I am VERY familiar with. You are not alone. You didn't mention your thoughts on Cymbalta -- I am interested compared to the others (I hated Cymbalta, btw). Keep on the fight -- even if you don't see big weight loss, staying fit will give you a bit more stamina. We are all pulling for you!0
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luckily we have an indoor pool and it's very warm. very clean too (which is great considering it's a public pool out in the boonies). so i can swim year round. just have to have the money to do it. lol!
as for 2% or lower. i prefer 2%, but somebody gave us 10 little 1 quart boxes of gossner 1% milk and once i open them for cooking i finish off the box myself over the period of a day or so. otherwise it's 2%. i refuse to drink non-fat. i do not want just a little bit of milk in my water.
i also refuse to drink 8 cups of water a day. but i will drink 1 or 2 and that's fine. YUCK. i can barely stomach ice water. luckily i have an ice machine on my fridge. lol!0 -
DEANAP, how much vitamin D do you take, and how often? I was told I should start taking it, but wasn't told how much. Thanks, Red0
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DEANAP, how much vitamin D do you take, and how often? I was told I should start taking it, but wasn't told how much. Thanks, Red
my dr gave me an Rx for it. but i think it's like 50000mg.0 -
oh that is once a week, then every two weeks and then once a month after that.0
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You didn't mention your thoughts on Cymbalta -- I am interested compared to the others (I hated Cymbalta, btw).
I hated it as well. It made me really tired, but I'd wake up with terrible night sweats, and I put on weight like crazy on it. Didn't have much effect on my pain, either, and I sure as heck didn't need more "fat and sleepy" in my life, lol.
Loved Savella, I almost felt like a normal person again on it, but unfortunately it raised my blood pressure from around 110/70 to 140/100 so I had to stop taking it.
I recently got my vitamin D levels up to the low end of the normal range with 2000iu's a day.
For cardio, I use the elliptical machine at the gym 5x a week, and it's going really well. Getting started was hard, but keeping with it has really helped with the pain and depression.0 -
Glad to hear you liked Savella, I am considering it, but didn't know much about it. Did you gain weight with it.Thanks,hsmithway.0
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Are there any side effects you experienced with Savella?
Yes, I hated the night sweats on Cymbalta, too. It was pretty gross. I started buying new pillows every few weeks because of it. Since getting off Cymbalta for about 6 mos now, I have been able to keep the same pillow! Hooray!0 -
I did not gain any weight with Savella. The worst side effect was the increase in my blood pressure. Other than that, the side effects were pretty minimal for me. Some nausea, but that faded pretty quickly as long as I took it with food. And by with food, I mean literally *with food*, solid food, immediately after or during a meal. If I took it 20+ minutes after eating, it would make me really sick to my stomach, but if I took it within 10 minutes of eating, I was completely fine.
Sorry you were so miserable on Cymbalta too gavians, but I'm glad to hear that your pillows are fresh and long lasting these days
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Hello, I'm new here and am glad to find a fibro message board on here! I was going to start one myself if I didn't find one, so THANK YOU!
People who don't know what we go through have no clue about our disease! It will be nice to be able to support each other.
I'm 50 years old (5ft 3, 166lbs) and I've had fibro since I was 16 years old. I'm doing VERY well now. The only drug I take for fibro is Tramadol. I have been on it for over 10 years. I can take up to 4 per day and I never go over that amount because I heard that you can develop a tolerance to it. I usually take 3 per day. If I don't, I can hardly walk the first hour or so after I get up in the morning.
As far as exercise, I am now walking 3 miles per day at about 3-3.5 miles per hr. on my treadmill. By the time I'm done, even after cooling down for up to 20 minutes I have quite a bit of pain in my calves but I get right into the shower, cool down and then point the shower head to my calves and turn the temp up as high as I can tolerate it. I then rub the entire calf and behind my knees with shower lotion (I use Olay). After I get out of the shower, I rub them down yet again with lotion. If I don't do all of the above, I can hardly walk and I'm VERY sore the next day.
In the summer I use my pool. I can do a lot of different exercises in water without the pain. I know how to swim but I hate doing it for long, maybe because of a shoulder problem, or laziness, boredom more likely! The local indoor pool here is awful so I'm out of luck until May.
I've found that if I sit around I end up hurting more. You just have to learn what your body can handle and work with it, push yourself just a little bit harder but do it slowly and cautiously. Another thing I did was to set a goal to walk 1,000 miles for charity this year! It keeps me motivated, I log my progress and I'm helping out a good cause. (St. Judes). If it wasnt for that goal, I'm sure I'd slack off and not walk on some days. If I do miss a day, it's hard to make it up so I try to get it done and do it early otherwise I wouldn't do it. I'm NOT a morning person at all but it's the only time I have the (mental) energy to do it. So far this year I have walked a little over 41 miles.
There are some things I know I can't do but I hope to be able to do them in the future, unless it involves a shovel. I run from those things!
Good luck everyone and keep posting! You all have already helped motivate me. Thank you!0 -
Sitting around is definitely not the answer. The walking, exercise, etc. definitely causes pain, but sitting around is so much worse.0
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I have been off "bad carbs" and started pushing through exercise and next thing I know, I am not having the crippling stiffness. I have had a few weeks now with improvement and being able to exercise. It gives me more hope of getting this extra weight off. Bellydance is a great workout, fun, and easy on joints. Some yoga aggrivates my stiffness but I have found a style that helps. When I am doing better, I love TurboJam and Zumba. I am even doing some weight lifting with extra joint care. I find I have to mix it up a lot. If I am repetitive, I am prone to body damage, Have any of you found that? Sometimes I think I have other undiagnoised issues that are tied to the fibro. For example when I am doing something and a joint starts to bother me, if I don't stop in time, I will always have an issue with that joint. Sorry to get off track. I love to exercise and am doing my best to make lifestyle changes to overcome the fatigue, pain, and resulting stiffness to be able to do so. I appreciate this site and the community for the motivation and support. Much gratitude!0
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HI JOYFUL,I HAVE BEEN HEARING SO MANY FIBRO PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT BELLYDANCING, INTERESTING. I DEFINITLY HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO STOP, OR I JUST CAUSE MYSELF MORE PAIN. 3, 15 MINUTE WALKS A DAY IS MUCH BETTER FOR ME THAN TRYING TO TAKE A 45 MINUTE WALK. KNOWING WHEN TO STOP IS A GOOD THING. GOOD LUCK. BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF YOU AND DOG. RED0
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Hi all! I've had Fibro for 13 years, and tried all the different drugs. Frustrating, isn't it?
As far as exercise, yoga works well for me, as does walking. For the last two years, I've also done pole dance fitness. SO much fun! It really helps me build up those reserve muscles for when I'm having a flare-up.
Other things I do that help me: consistent/weekly visits to my chiropractor, good quality vitamins (I use Usana), and eliminating gluten. We think I have celiac (too scared to go back on gluten to get the official diagnosis)... Now if I have any gluten, I get really sick! But being off of it has made a huge difference in the amount of bad days I have. I'm also learning what foods (like pop) trigger flare-ups for me.0 -
My dr forbade me to do squats. Now I have quads like you wouldnt believe. They are natural. But when I squat and work out and shred I have quads that are amazing. I am starting to squat again. Very small weight but I know I will increase it. I just stop if I feel any pain. I love body pump and miss it like crazy. I am eyeing the new home version and think im going to purchase it!0
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I have had Fibro symptoms all my life, but was oficially diagnosed in 99. I take Cymbalta and love it. I also just had WLS. I love to take my rabbits in their stroller for walks in the park. I also really enjoy working out in the water- walking, water aerobics, water zumba. My gym has great classes for the water. I also like the strength training machines that use bands becaue I have more control over how hard I work. The more I put into it the more I get out of it. I'm going to find out Wed (2 week post-op appt) when I can get back to the gym. Until then, I am strolling in the park. I hope as the weight comes off the pain goes down.0
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Yall are going to think I'm crazy but I do Turbofire. Yes the super hard super intense kickboxing workout. I didn't start out with turbofire I did wii fit first, then walking, then zumba. But that high that you get with really intense workouts oh my lord amazing I positively love it! When I work out hard it shuts my fibro up! Its wonderful. I love it. My rest days are the hardest its like my fribro decides to bully me and I'm stiff and sore as ever!0
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Sounds great FibroFit! I love Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire too. I have to switch it up though. With the fibro, exercise makes my body stiffen up so severely I can barly function. It is so wonderful your body responds well to the strenuous exercise! 0
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This is going to sound crazy but hear me out. I have had Fibro for almost 8 years now. I tried the meds some made me crazy, some made me sleep all day etc. I gained so much weight
I didn't leave my house unless someone made me. I couldn't sleep at night because it felt like things were biting me and I could feel every wrinkle in the sheets and in my clothes. It felt like I had bruises every time anyone touched me. It was a nightmare! Then about a year ago my aunt told me about these nutrition shakes and said she thought they might help me. I laughed it off cause I had tried everything. I was given a bag anyway and it sat in my cabinet until about 20 days ago. I decided whatever, I'll try it. Let me tell you, for the first time in years I have been able to get out of bed without rolling out of it and I got out of my tub last night in a standing position. Seems like a stupid insignificant thing but to me it's a miracle. I don't hurt like I used to and I have been going to the park and getting out of the house something I never did. I would suggest trying it. It might not work for you but it is worth a try. I am not trying to sell you anything even though I can sell it. Just get it from somewhere somebody and try it. I wish I had done this a year ago! I know I probably sound like an advertisement but it's true and it has a money back guarantee. JUST TRY IT. There is a link on my page if you want to know more about it. Fibromyalgia sux! 0
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