Fibromyalgia and Exercise

fletch79

Hi all,

Does anyone else have Fibromyalgia? As it's a chronic fatigue and muscle pain condition, I'm a bit concerned about exercising. I know I need to exercise in order to lose weight. Medical Professionals insist that gradual exercise is beneficial to people with Fibro - but when you're so tired and in pain all over it's hard to push through that!

I'm going to give it a go anyway, just haven't decided what type of exercise. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who has Fibro or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and how they manage exercise with dieting.

Aroz25

I don't know too much about it myself but my mother was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She walks to work nearly every day but thats usually only about 30 mins. If she has had a long day or is feeling tired than she can't walk far at all. I would be interested in finding out more about this too though. Maybe gentle exercises that aren't going to put too much strain on the body like Yoga or Tai Chi might help?

xraychick77

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/health/14pain.html

LisaRussell27

I too have Fibromyalgia and have been wondering about exercise. I have got in touch with a personal trainer with experience on Fibro so I am hoping to start with him soon. So far I have just tried walking and using a cross trainer, but some days I just can't move much at all. I've got two children (11 and 5) so I have to save energy for the school walk and evenings/weekends with them. At the moment I am finding it really difficult. You can friend me if you would like?

fibrogirl

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 8 to 10 years ago and thought the rheumatologist was crazy when he said that aerobic activity was the best thing that I could do! I find that walking helps me alot but have to be careful with any weights, I try to do 30 day shred but find I usually get far too sore so usually have to give up after 4 days!
Luckily with the fibro I´m doing great and have done for the last year but I understand how difficult it can be to get out there and start to exercise.
Just take it slowly, baby steps is better than doing too much and then having a bad episode.
Sending some good vibes,

Angie:flowerforyou:

fletch79

Hi Aroz,

As you will know from your mother's experiences, some days we can walk no problem and other days we can barely lift one foot in front of the other.

I've found that overall since taking Lyrica I've improved incredibly well. My GP said swimming is a really good exercise for Fibro so I'm going to give that a go also.

Yoga or Tai Chi sounds pretty good though. I did Pilates once and really enjoyed that also.

fletch79

Hi Lisa,

Yes I know exactly what you mean! I save up my energy also for the evenings and weekends. My boys are 3 and 5 so need all the energy I can get also.

I simply rest on the bad days now and enjoy the most of the good days. At the moment I'm having a lot of good days so fingers crossed!

fletch79

Hi fibrogirl,

Thanks for your reply also. Yes, my GP said take it slowly. He says to try one length of the swimming pool, then increase it by 1 length every time I go.

I think a positive mental attitude definitely helps!

hermione_ar

I've found swimming and short walks are the only thing I can do, aqua jogging (with a flotation belt) has been great. Can't do much on bad days but have tried to go for a ten minute walk at least. I find the more regularly I exercise the better my pain is, but some weeks I just can't sleep it's so bad, so exercising feels way too hard then! Hang in there and just try and do 10min blocks to start with, little bits build up to make a big difference.

Nana_Booboo

Yes, Ma'am, I know all to well what you're saying. My Daughter and myself have both been diagnosed. I do have bad days but I find that when I'm regularly exercising my pain is much less. I also take a Tart Cherry capsule daily that helps along with my other medications. I walk 20-40 minutes, or do a water aerobics class (no impact) or even the elliptical 40 minutes on good days. Any little bit helps. You'll find out for yourself what works best for you.

rygma2010

Hey all,
Yes! I suffer from fibro also. I am doing well on the dieting, but dread exercise..it causes me so much pain. I have fibro about 10 years. Lyrica and zanaflex for the pain and it does help. My sister in law is doing zumba gold. I have personally never heard of it. I know I would have a heart attack or not be able to walk after a few short minutes of the regular zumba. I wonder if anyone else has the problem of one day being able to do quite a bit, like clean my house good and the next day spent most of it in bed. I can do that now my children are grown. I feel like there is more to life than laying around though.

shadowsz

I was diagnosed years ago along with CFS< I have been working at improving the time and pace I get on the treadmill.Ive also recently bought some hand weights and a bench and am slowly now incorporating some strength and mixing it up with some circuit routines.When i first started i would lay on the floor after 15 mins of walking with the hugest head spins unable to walk a straight line for hours afterwards..i am now able to walk for a little longer and get off after slowing it down and cooling down a little and the dizziness is minimal,i still am exhausted afterwards but i do feel good as well. I think persevering through the times you dont want to work out and doing a gentle walk or stretch just as long as your doing something and working towards the end goal is great.best of luck..just do the best you can do and pat yourself on the back for it..youll get there in your own time

missy_1975

I have worked with clients with fibromyalgia for nearly 9 years. Many doctors (particularly in the UK and Ireland, it may be entirely different in the US and other countries) have very little training in this condition and therefore the lifestyle and exercise advice that many recommend is unsuitable for those with fibro. As you know yourself, it is a condition that can vary enormously in severity from person to person and also for each person from day to day. Some days you can feel pretty good, other days like you are in the worst pain and all accompanied by "fibro fog" (the mental fogginess).

Those that advise Tai Qi and yoga are right, however I recommend going to a practioner (esp for yoga) who has small classes and is aware of your condition and has experience with it. I would avoid going to general yoga classes in a gym where the teacher won't know your history.

Some people find gentle swimming helpful, whereas others find the heat of the water causes flare ups. Be sure that you are swimming with the correct posture , ie with your face in the water. Swimming with the head and face out of the water will aggravate neck presentations. If you can find a personal trainer or physical therapist who has a good knowledge of the condition all the better.

Exercise is important, but when this condition is present it is vitally important to really listen to your body. Some days you will be able to do moderate exercise, other days when you feel flared up it is essential that you rest. "No pain no gain!" and "pushing through the pain" is not recommended! Despite what I have heard reported from clients from doctors and physios at pain clinics in my country! :grumble:

I would highly recommend the following book: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Survival Manual, Devin J. Starlanyl + Mary Ellen Copeland. It's written by two Doctors who have fibro.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fibromyalgia-Chronic-Myofascial-Pain-Syndrome/dp/1572242388/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326533422&sr=1-9

Eating a healthy diet is one of the key ways of managing this condition, eating the way all of should be! There are other books on the topic, but if you are following what people here call a clean diet (cutting out or seriously reducing processed foods and stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine and keeping alcohol to a minimum) it will help enormously.

My clients find that certain types of bodywork really helps manage their symptoms. I do a pretty large variety of complementary therapies ranging from traditional acupuncture to reflexology, and every client will find something that helps. For me the most effective therapies are The Bowen Technique and the Emmett Technique.

If anyone wants to send a friend request thats cool too. I'm no expert but I work with a staggering number of people with this condition every week. Good luck to you all :flowerforyou:

scrapmonkey

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 8 or 9 years ago. I was thankfully caught in the early stages by a very astute doctor, so my pain levels are not as high as most people who usually go through years of pain before diagnosis. I also dreaded exercise for some time, but I do find that it does help. I take Celebrex for the pain which helps with my hips (the most affected joints in my body). I have had a hard time with yoga because of both my weight and the fibromyalgia, but found taking a class that works with those with pain management issues helped in determining how to adjust poses that cause issues. Walking has been the best exercise for me - last September I actually finished a half marathon. Because of my weight and the fibromyalgia, I am fairly slow (it took me a litle over 4 hours), but I still do it. I tend to like longer distances, as I have found that the first half hour is the hardest and my joints and muscles complain the most then, but they loosen up after that first half hour.

A few things that help (or at least helped me): 1) stretching! Find someone who can teach you some good stretching exercises with proper form. These may include some yoga moves that double up as stretching. It will really help, or at least it does for me. 2) relatively low impact exercising - I already had to watch out for this (I have had stress fractures in both legs for 25 years that were never repaired), but I found the more intense the exercise the more the pain "flared". Walking is good, but so is water aerobics and certain yoga. Biking is tricky, depending on which trigger points hurt most - my worst ones are in my lower back/hip area, so biking can be stressful for me. 3) make sure you don't have sleep apnea and insomnia - I do and I personally think it's what triggered my fibromyalgia. If I take a light sedative (tylenol pm works for me, but each person is different; I used to take Trazadone as well which doubles as a mild anti-depressant), it helps me and wearing my CPAP at night helps even more. Since I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and started wearing my CPAP, my symptoms have lessened significantly. Do not take Ambien if you might have apnea - biggest mistake I ever made. It will worsen the symptoms as you will not get enough oxygen to your body which just adds fuel to the fire for the nerves causing the pain.

I hope you find what works best for you. There are others with good advice here, too, but it might take a bit of time and persistence to find the best options for you and your body.

Gt3ch

I understand your concern but can tell you exercise is the last thing you should be afraid of. Just brace yourself for a bumpy ride and try to look at things long term. You can make things worse with exercise but de-conditioning and sleep depravation are major factors that set ppl up for FM and keep it going. Ultimately you need the blood and endorphins flowing. You need the sound regular sleep exercise can eventually help you with.

Chronic diseases including Fibromyalgia & Myofascial Pain Syndrome are really out of the scope of most Drs, physical therapists, & trainers. There will be some false starts and setbacks but stay with it. Lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and sleep are your main weapons in this battle. You’re on the right path.

The safest exercise is light cardio although strength training is possible if you can go slowly and get excellent guidance. The key is lots of stretching between sets and avoiding overloading muscle groups. So, for example, if you do some sets of modified push-ups the triceps are done. Leave them and forearms alone and stretch the back, chest, arms, neck. If you do then go on to shoulders (after lots of progress) keep it light with lots of stretching.

Ideally, though, start with some swimming. Swim a little and stretch. Then swim some more and stretch. Wash, rinse repeat. Start very gentle with very modest goals. NEVER stretch cold. If you can’t warm up with exercise pull out the hot packs or take a hot shower. But remember this is absolutely 2nd best and may even still not really cut it.

Yoga, Qigong, and safe core exercises (even if only pelvic tilt) would be very smart moves. Try Hatha Yoga with someone good. If you see Power Yoga run for the hills!

Recovery can be a problem. Try to figure out what might be interfering with sleep quality or your sleep schedule. Try to see if you can find a trigger that is keeping your pain and spasm cycle going. Eat whole foods and lots of lean protein and raw veggies. If you are addicted to sugar or carbs detox. Try to reduce or get off coffee and whatever meds you can. Coffee isn't good for "brain-fog" anyway.

I know that’s a tall order (and sounds a bit insane) so take things one step at a time. Don’t make any changes suddenly. Instead transition into each change over a period of time. Don’t expect perfection and try not to be too disheartened by setbacks. But if you keep fighting and struggling to figure out what you need you may wind up in a better place than you were expecting.

Good luck!

izzysmum

I also have Fibro and really wish I had the ability to do some of these things, I cant even walk for more than 2 minutes so have to use a wheelchair when I am out and have a stick for short distances. I have in the past tried to push my body because I was told that exercise would help and was starting to feel like maybe it was me that was the problem but any attempt at really pushing myself resulted in days of agony.

I do talk to others with fibro on another site and they made me realise that everyone can vary in how much they suffer, because I started wondering why some people were talking about walking for only an hour (that would be miraculous for me) and being able to clean the house and still walk to get their children from school.

Since learning that things differ from person to person, I have realised that for me I just cannot stick an exercise dvd on and do the whole thing, I could probably barely do the warm up! But I am now trying to focus on what I CAN do. I have Sky tv and on one of the fitness channels they have seated workouts. Its a little embarrasing when you see that it is done with a woman in her 70s and I didnt think seated exercise would do much but I was out of breath and felt good by the end. I have also tried swimming, cant swim many lengths but anything is better than nothing. I took a water aerobics class and had in my mind that I wouldnt over do it if it was too hard but I done the whole class and loved it. Being in the water really makes a difference for me and it is one of the few physical activities I can enjoy with my Daughter.

I think you have to find what works for you but I would definately recommend swimming or water aerobics, which I find is easier and more fun than swimming. If you have sky, take a look at the fitness channel and see if you can record some workouts and just start off easy - even if you only g part way through, anything is better than nothing.

fletch79

Thanks for all your replies. Some great tips there. I am feeling positive about changing my lifestyle and therefore ultimately taking control of the fibro.

I have already cut out caffeine and artificial sweeteners and now on a healthy diet. I need to aim for exercise now and have decided to give swimming a go. I like the idea of stretching in between. I'm sure my GP also recommended stretching with the swimming actually.

I guess it's gonna be a bumpy ride and I may have days where I don't recover so well but fingers crossed I'll get past that barrier and keep going!

Feel free to add me fellow fibro sufferers!

Gt3ch

izzysmum, that workout show sounds like a great place to start. (I think I’ve seen the one you mean.) You also don’t have to do laps for hours. Enjoy yourself and the time with your daughter. Try to strike up a casual conversation with someone there. It doesn’t matter if you’re just walking in the water or taking breaks after each lap or even 1/2 a lap. You’re expanding your life and getting something out of it. The more challenging workout shows or water aerobics etc. will come.

fletch79, the changes you’ve made are great. Caffeine is tempting and probably fine every once in a while. I believe the big problem is it raises cortisol and your stress hormones are probably already through the roof with chronic pain. It also messes with sleep. Make sure you don’t just think about a heathy diet in terms restricting calories or fat. Add to your diet instead. Add micronutrient rich whole foods!

Keep fighting! Your road may not be as bumpy as mine. Don’t let my words discourage you in any way. My view is a little skewed. I sustained some significant injuries 23 years ago and received the FM and MPS labels in the following years. Since then I’ve been clawing and scratching and looking under every rock to survive. I’m only very recently starting to feel almost like a human being. I don’t know if that sounds disheartening or inspiring. The important thing is I’m not you.

If you or anyone else wants to see what workout routines on the other side of this can look like, add me. If people watch, it will help me to keep it going.