Fibromyalgia and Excercise

Hi! My name is Mandi, and I'm a Massage Therapy student. I'm going to be starting my final semester, graduate in May, and then get my medical state license to practice in OH. I have been told that a lot of clients with fibromyalgia seek pain management from MTs, especially those who specialize in myofascial release (MFR).

I know it can get costly at times to see one, but I DO know that sometimes insurance companies will accept a doctor's script for massage therapy if it is necessary for the improvement of your everyday life. It obviously varies in different places, so this may be not applicable in your area. It may be worth looking into though, if you haven't already. You may even have to go once or twice a week for a little while before seeing results.

That's just my suggestion for maybe helping you get through your weight loss plan.

I was diagnosed with fm in 2005. At first I didn't know what to do to help myself. Then in 2006 I quit smoking and started working out. I started slow and worked my way up to 5 days a week in the gym. I felt awesome. One crappy retail job later, here I am, not working out, smoking, and gaining weight. I do take Lyrica, and it takes some of the pain away, but I can't help wondering if it is contributing to my recent weight gain. I go to physical therapy twice a week right now for injuring my shoulder. We are working on strengthening my hips and arms again, so I can get back on the exercise wagon.
The biggest obstacle for me is the fatigue - Lyrica not helping that, either. My resolution this year is to take back control. Everyday I will get up and STAY up. lol And back to working out and not eating crap - and no more SMOKING!

Maybe you could see a physical therapist? My insurance pays for it. FM can weaken you, making working out twice as hard.

Good luck and we know how you feel! :flowerforyou:

Start slowly (five minutes of walking is a good goal). Then, allow yourself extra rest time if at all possible. You will need to push through exhaustion and muscle pain at first, but the movement really does help with the pain. Believe it or not, you will start to crave it.

It takes time, be patient with yourself. But, you can build up to serious exercise, trust me.

Your fibro sister,
v.:flowerforyou:

Today has been rough. I did not sleep well last night - maybe slept for 2 hours ... But I got up, helped husband get kids ready, and went right to the kitchen and made myself a good breakfast. I then showered and did my exercise dvd. First time doing it, except for one failed attempt last fall. I thought I was going to keel over, but I kept going. After, my legs were actually shaking, and it was a 20 minute video! Argh! :embarassed: I have therapy tomorrow, and I'll work my arms there. I am eating lunch right now, trying to stay awake, lol.

So I'm not alone struggling with this? I feel like no one 'gets it' when I say I'm hurting so bad that I don't want a hug. Last year my docotor put me on Lyrica [the new wonder drug :flowerforyou: ] - I went to him and told him I had to have something or I would have to quit work. I would walk into my worksite and see those huge items I had to put away and find a corner to cry my eyes out :sad: as I was already in pain and knew what my night was going to be when I finished. The Lyrica did help but boy did it put the poundage on my already stressed body. I'm fighting to take the weight back off since the plant closed and I no longer take the Lyrica. I look back and wonder which was worse, the pain or the side affects of Lyrica :noway: . I'm sorry for rambling. I find my excercise is gentle stretching in the morning when I first get up - gentle due to the fact I just don't move too fast... :laugh: and then as I do my housework I dance to my favorite songs. I am hoping I will lose enough and regain some movement to actually take part in a regular exercise program. Until then I will gently sway and be-bop throughout the house to keep myself moving. I take Tylenol Arthritis to take the edge off the aches but like everything else - what works for one may not for another.

Betty

bump

Anyone out there? :drinker:

Hello,
I do not have fibro, but I have costocondritis, inflamation of the cartilage in my breast bone. So I have had the same issues. I used to work out a lot before this, and now, everytime I breath really heavy, my chest hurts that night. Mine should go away, buit I have to give it atleast another month to heal, and do low impact workouts. I know, it's a pain!

I also have fibro and it makes it really hard to do anything , especially exercise. It makes it hard for me to even do my normal housework. I am trying to swim and go on short walks with my kids, hopefully I will be able to work up, but for right now that is all I can do. And yes if I push myself to far my body just completely shuts down. And I cant function, I have been known to fall asleep in mid sentence, but this hasnt happened in awhile. If any of you want to add me I would love to encourage each other......

Wow, I have to say that reading some of your posts, you guys are doing an amazing job managing Fm. Also congratz on being smoke free, cudos to you all.

I've been dealing with this for almost a year now. Was diagnosed in Oct of last year and it started because of my car accident. Been having a hard time dealing with this since I went from being an exercise junkie and natural insomniac to having to try and sleep as much as I can and pull back on the exercise. I literally slept only 2 hrs a day and no meds could help me get more. I also used to pull 5 hr workouts at the gym for my off days and 2-3 hrs on work days. Now I'm lucky if I can get in a half an hour to an hour at most.

The thing that gets me through my workouts or my day in general is that I have to be on pain meds all the time. The longest I can go without a pain pill is 4 hrs. Any longer than that and I'm screaming and howling from the pain. It's a low dosage pain pill and I keep trying to wean off of them but I can't, too much nerve damage there and doctor said it will be a matter of time and desensitizing that will eventually take that away.

So here is my question: When I do my workouts I do them to point of failure, in other words I go as hard and as strong as I can. Now have any of you experienced being so tired afterwards that you actually pass out? Today I did my 30 mins of zone 4 (18-22mph) and Hill climbing on my bike trainer and started up with my headach right away and felt exhausted to the point of passing out. I forced myself to not pass out but I'm really light headed and did/am drinking lots of water. Normally when I have nothing going on, I have enough time to get to my bed after the workout and pass out into a nap for an hour. Anyone ever have that?

This condition is so hard to handle and there are days I just cry that I can't do more. My body is nowhere near getting used to the new conditions. I still try to do my normal schedule and I can't so my days are usually forcing myself up to do stuff or having someone else drag me to it.

Any thoughts?

Sometimes I can get carried away. A few months ago, I put a light curtain rod up, it took three screws. I was in pain and did it anyways, then I couldn't use my arm for months!!! But I have not excercised to the point of passing out! My muscels would seize on me first. And I don't like it when that happens. :noway:

I have continued walking once my muscles seized and then cannot walk for 3 days!! I do light excercise for longer periods of time. My goal is to condition my body and get healthy and build my muscle strength/endurance just so I can walk without problems. My worst fear is not being able to walk anymore!!! I know if I overdue it, I will pay for it later. Sometimes I pay the piper and I have not done anything.

Like a previous poster stated, even my housework I have to rest in betweeen and do short intervals and rest in between. I have OCD and sometimes when I get started cleaning I can go on a cleaning binge and last for days to the point I cannot walk, I really try NOT to do that anymore but sometimes it just takes over. :ohwell: I am learning my lesson though because it takes me weeks to recover again

Thanks for all the replies! There was a lot of good information here. I had already made some changes that were similar to some of them mentioned. I'm going to go into a little more detail on some things because I think there may be a bit of a misunderstanding here.

Yes, I do have a severe form of FM. Yes, I'm on the lowest dosage of pain killers as possible, it's almost just a glorified ibuprofen. I refuse to take any other medication for the nerve pain. I'm a firm believer in holistic healing but since FM changed the playing field, I fought my doctor against taking any pain killers but it was the only thing that worked. Otherwise, I do have backup meds, muscle relaxers, nerve relaxers, etc for if I ever need them but I NEVER use them. I only take them if I absolutely must for some strange reason. So every day I do make myself go through some level of pain just to get used to it. My doctor is fully aware of this and I do have a high paint tolerance and how I'm trying to use desensitizing to manage the pain.

Like I said earlier, I was a workout junkie and it was literally an addiction till the FM. "Knock on wood", I have not shown any of the mental signs you usually get like depression, etc. Yes it is difficult just starting low on my workouts because I'm used to a certain level and for that same reason I have not really started back on weight lifting again. Before this happened, I was using 30lb weights for rows and arm presses. I'm definitely NOT ready for that.

Now my final love, cycling! I have to do some form of cycling, it has become a new addiction. As for the pain pills, I don't specifically take them for my bike rides but more like time them along with my rides. Yes, it may be masking any pain but I remember the level of riding I used to do and use that as a gauge to NOT push myself any harder with the new condition. This is why I've been working more with my bike trainer at home. If I want to push hard, I can do it for 10-15 mins then take a break and drink lots of water.

As a matter of fact, I'm so happy and excited that Sunday I went on a 20 mile ride and for the first time in my riding history with my bike club I was able to keep up with the group and maintain a 12 mph pace! The only stops I really had to make was for crossing traffic and I developed a nasty cramp in my hip so took a 5 min breather with a muscle relaxer. I was damn tired but I finished the ride really relaxed and feeling really good with my achievement. I even went without a pain pill for 7 hours afterwards! This weekend I have a 30 mile ride and really looking forward to it. Although I was tired at the end of the 20m, I know that if there is a break in there, I can definitely do a 30m ride. :happy:

I'm finding now that the more I cycle, the longer I can go without pain meds. Hence the reason I'm pushing myself a little more when I work out. After I work out, I feel the normal soreness that comes along with an intense workout but there is no nerve pain. As for the tiredness, yes it is still there and yes I need a nap but it no longer is the type of, "I'm going to pass out quick catch me'" tiredness. I hope that made sense. lol.

I find that I need to push myself through this because I'm worried that if I take it easy on myself I'll just start getting lazy and I'll begin to get depressed. That is the last thing I want to do to myself. I have too much going on with work, the kids, school to let it all fall apart because I start to withdraw and I know it will happen if I stop.

Viviakay - That is EXACTLY how my days are! I haven't had a pain pill since this morning but now I'm wiped and need to sleep for work tonight. So I will have one for while I sleep so I won't be achy with not moving and then later tonight while I'm at work. That will put me at 3 for the day and only 1 since 6am. So yes, the endorphins do act as a very good pain killer so it does give some of us a reason to push just a little bit.

I am by far only doing light excercised and I find it helps. Some days I don't do as much as others deprending on my pain or energy level. Whatever I do though< I am glad I have done it. Every little bit helps.

Iluvwdw -

My energy has been pretty much shot since this all started and I find that when I have a big workout day, I need a couple days to recover and have the energy to go at it again. This past weekend I walked about 10 miles at the museum with the kids, used the stroller for support and carried a towel with me since I knew I would be sweating buckets the whole day. Come Sunday I was all set to go bike ride for 30 miles with my bike club. Was real tired but was going to force it anyways. I never went, everyone else was so tired from the museum my pit crew couldn't help me so I just slept. Then that's all I did yesterday and today, feeling pretty good now for a nice bike ride tomorrow. :happy:

I also have CMP which contributes to my difficulty walking and my muscles seizing if I do too much or too fast. My calf muscles will seize and will not stretch so there is extreme pain if I walk too much. However, on a good day, I can now walk further than I could before. I don't know if this is a forever thing, it seems to go in spurts.

At my afterschool program job I only walked two or three blocks both ways and then could not walk for two days afterwards. So while I am doing more, I dare not push myself like that.

I just came out of three years in college and that was very hard on my fibro. The stress was unbelievable and the flares. If I push myself too much I will flare and could be in bad shape for weeks or months. I am having more issues with my skin burning/nerve pain lately though.

I am glad you are able to do that much activity I just hope you do not put yourself into a big flare up.