Fibromyalgia Complicating Weight Loss

Rbom82

Hi. I have Fibromyalgia (overactive nerves= in pain all the time). I have been trying since my daughter was born (3+ years ago) to lose weight and get healthy. I was diagnosed with Fribromyalgia last year after years of tests and doctor after doctor not knowing what was wrong. Recently work has gotten more stressful and the holidays didn't help. My healthy habits went out the window and now I am 7 pounds away from what I weighed the day I delivered my daugher! I am committed to getting my weight back in check (I am 5' 2" and weigh 163 lbs). I know my weight is having a negative impact on the fibromyalgia. I recently had to take short term disablity from work. I would say this is my rock bottom, or at least as close as I want to be to it. My biggest problems: I get lazy, I really like junk food- chocolate in particular, and my husband is also overweight and doesn't seem to care which means no support from him. I need some support from people who want to get healthy. Now that I have poured my heart out, very cathartic by the way, I am going to go to the gym.

LinaBo

Hi, I have Fibromyalgia, too (as well as a bad back, and calcific tendinitis in both shoulders). I was diagnosed 4 and 1/2 years ago, at age 25, one year after a car accident that left me with lingering injuries. At the time of this car accident, I was about 180 lbs. I was very muscular and energetic from hitting the gym, despite having some more body fat to trim down (my highest weight prior to this was 238 lbs). Since going off work as a stock person at a GNC for 9 months, and then taking a desk job, then 3 and 1/2 years later finally going off work again for long-term disability, my weight has sky-rocketed as high as 279 lbs. I am now at 271 lbs, and I'm aiming to get down to 135-145 lbs.

I know how hard it is to get that exercise in! You just have to do what you can, push yourself a little beyond your comfort zone, focusing on exercises that also build your muscle mass in addition to just burning calories. My prefered form of exercise right now, which I feel greatly relieves the full-body nerve pain, aches and joint pain (from carrying so much extra weight) is SWIMMING. More specifically, water aerobics/calisthenics that incorporate foam dumbbells and float belts in deep water. It can burn an average of 500 calories an hour, and builds a surprising amount of muscle (because any motion, back and forth, that you do in the water provides resistance). I was introduced to this through the Chronic Disease Management program of my local health authority partnered with the local recreation centre. I did classes with the "blue hairs" for a few months, and then when my free time ran out, I turned to dropping in to "Everyone Welcome" swims using a free pass for low-income people and doing the exercises while dodging a few 8 year olds in foam kayaks. I would enquire at your local rec centre about deep water programs that are geared to people with chronic illnesses, that serve not only to increase your range of motion, but also build muscle and burn calories.

I also know all about the junk food addiction. I have been through months of very useful eating disorder counselling for compulsive overeating, as well as binge eating. I think it's easy to pick up these nasty habits with Fibro: you're in pain, the meds don't really help enough for the pain, you are idle more often because of the pain, so you eat as a way to feel some form of pleasure, compounded by the fact that you are stationary a lot of the time and have your hands free a lot. That's why it's so important to keep on a healthy diet, because you can't make up for diet slips as much with long, intense periods of exercise. The other benefit of a diet with healthy foods is that, personally, I find the junk food aggravates the Fibro symptoms. Processed foods, sugar, starch, saturated fats, are all some of the most inflammatory foods on earth (not that I still don't struggle with them). www.nutritiondata.com has an "inflammation factor" rating for most of their listed foods, showing how inflammatory/anti-inflammatory a food is. I think the top 3 anti-inflammatory foods are turmeric, garlic, and ginger.

Anyway, I know that you posted this 3 months ago. I hope that you still use MFP, and if you do, please feel free to add me to your friends' list! Same goes for anyone else in a similar situation.

Lina

tetecia

Hi!
I don't have Fibromyalgia, but i do have Chronic Neuralgia. It's not exactly the same, considering that Neuralgia doesn't effect the muscle fibers. But, it does effect my nervous system; specifically my arms and my hand (fine motor skills). My Fine motor skills are completely shot; i can't even hold a pencil. So i am a bit limited as to what sort of excersises i can par take in. (I also have CHF/CHD). I'd love to be able to meet others on here that are working through the pain.

sazzyp1973

Hi, I too have recently been diagnosed with arthritis and fibromyalgia. As you know it isn't the nicest of things. I am currently just trying to adapt some lifestyles but do find exercise difficult because of the effect it has on the muscles.

I hope you are doing ok and good luck. I think I will send a friend request!