Fibromyalgia

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peggy60
peggy60 Posts: 40
in Motivation and Support
Is anyone battling fibro? I was diagnosed last year and with all the meds they are trying on me they have "helped" me gain weight. I take FULL responsiblity for the yummy sweets& bindges...but I am so bad right now that the doc took me off work for 3 months! I have been off for 2 1/2 and STILL FEEL THE SAME! But I have to go to work or I might loose my job. Sooooo I am not able to exercise AT ALL right now..and was told not to, maybe later when I am not so flared up I can gently get back to it....I love to go out and dance to get weight off.....been sooo long since I have done that..I am sooo looking forward to a NEW Peggy this year! I turn 50 this year...Holy Smokes where does the years go...I WANT TO BE FIT AND HEALTHY.

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  • josanders
    josanders Posts: 1
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    I was diagnosed three years ago at thirty-six after two years of sleeplessness, pain and every test imaginable. My lifesaver has been taking Lexapro in the morning to help regulate my seratonin and melatonin and Flexeril thirty minutes before bed time. These two drugs have allowed me to sleep well, which for me was causing poor mental and physical function and increased pain. Eating healthy changed how I feel and making myself exercise through the pain helps. Not exercising actually makes most fibro sufferers feel worse. I can do cardio, yoga, and a lot of stuff on Wii Fit but weights are difficult. Lexapro caused weight gain in me too, but I've taken that off by going low fat and keeping to the guidelines a dietician suggested. I saw a dietician for help. Eliminating junk food has helped me feel so much better. When I make poor food choices, especially really sugary stuff, I pay for it in flare days. I was able to get major flare days down to four over the past year.

    breakfast: three-four carbs (in the form of fruits, yogurt and English muffin)
    three protein (two soft boiled eggs and a piece of cheese usually)

    lunch: three-four carbs
    three to four proteins/fats-more protein than fat

    dinner: three-four carbs
    three to four proteins/fats-more protein than fat

    small snacks of a handful of nuts, one cup of fruit, an ounce of cheese, a low fat yogurt, a 1/2 to full cup of vegetables between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner to keep energy levels up

    I hope this helps you somewhat. It's made a major difference for me.
  • peggy60
    peggy60 Posts: 40
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    Thank you! That is encouraging....I have the Wii....but right now if I try any thing I am DOWN for 2 days...never had this much pain in the last year! It is encouraging to hear someone else dealing with this and can do some exercise! Thanx! :happy:
  • cktb4him
    cktb4him Posts: 56
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    I have fibro (along with interstitial cystitis, endometriosis, IBS, and now something is wrong with my uterus I get that checked in 6 wks) so believe me I know how hard it is to struggle with weight and your meds. I know they said not to exercise BUT gentle stretches and a slow walk for as much time as you can bear really helps: mood, sleep, tolerating the pain, and just feeling like you are in control of something. Also, I love taking a warm bath with eucalyptus instead of grabbing comfort foods. Stear clear from caffiene which can interfere with sleep us fibro sufferers desparately need and I've seen it cause my back and shoulder points to get more painful. Rent a funny movie get outside and smell the flowers in your garden...believe me it really helps!!
  • peggy60
    peggy60 Posts: 40
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    Thank you! I love my hot baths..though sometimes it seems like I ache worse after. Where do you get the Eucalptus? Is it like a powder form you add to bath, and does it help the aches???

    Good luck at your Doc. appt.
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member
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    Welcome Peggy!

    My friend (in her 30s) was diagnosed in her late 20's with IC & fibro. She, like you, gained a lot of weight from the stupid medications, etc. This past spring she started working out, lifting weights, taking yoga, and watching what she eats and she's lost 25 lbs. Getting into the routine of working out really helped her feel better and now when she stressed or skips out on the gym too much, she goes back to feeling badly. Maybe some light exercise? Swimming to begin with (less impact)?
  • fitnfabulous
    fitnfabulous Posts: 21
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    hello peggy,
    i too have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. i have also taken a 1 month intensive program at london ontario, st. josephs hospital. http://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/sjh/programs/rdp/fibro/proginfo.htm everyone is different and responds differently to an extent. as for warm / hot baths, they work for me but i know some of my other classmates in the program were not able to have them, cool baths were better for them. if you think of fibromyalgia as arthritis in the muscles / inflamation in the muscles, it makes sense to put ice on the areas that are most troublesome. again, this is very individual. we have a hottub. i am almost immoble if i get in it for any length of time with the jets on. these are water jets in the hottub. they seem to inflame my muscles even more with the pressure, and then added heat, this is dissasterous for me. in my jacuzzi tub, i have air jets. they are gentle bubbles that help your circulation and gently, very gently massage your body. this with australian moor mud is very healing and extremely effective.
    as for weight lifting. no one with fibromyalgia should be lifting weights. this is what i was taught in my program. you should be stretching everyday, starting at 5 seconds each hold, strengthening exercises, every other day and starting at 5 reps each, moving up one or two each week UP TO 15 reps total, (minus the weights, your own body muscles are enough for you to lift). cardio, start off slowly 5 minutues. add a minute or two each week. start pacing, listening to your body, meditate, yoga is very good too. rest, rest, rest. listen to your body! the meds that help fibro are awful for weight gain, there is not much we can do about that.
    good luck and perhaps try to find a program in your area that will help you better deal, understand and live with fibromyalgia.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    no one with fibromyalgia should be lifting weights. this is what i was taught in my program.

    What? Respectfully, what was their rationale for this advice?

    I have fibro, arthritis and some other fun things. I lift, and I lift heavy. I only do weights once or twice a week, because I do have a longer recovery time. But, I know lots of other fibro people who lift.

    I just hate to hear anybody say "never" or "can't" to those living with a disability, but that's just my personal pet peeve.


    Moving on from that, I find that it is, within reason, good to move through your pain a little bit. The muscle soreness is sort of a trap. A little gentle movement almost always helps with muscle soreness. Respecting that everyone experiences fibro differently (and man is that ever true) my muscles tend to spasm and become immobile if I don't move, which leads to more pain. So, the biggest part of my treatment protocol is movement. Gentle movement like slow walking, stretching, yoga (although be aware that even gentle yoga can feel strenuous), tai chi and slow dancing are all great places to start.

    You can do it, and find what works for you.:heart:

    Here's a blog post of mine that talks about my protocol:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/viviakay/view/my-fibro-protocol-9610

    (as I'm wordy and have already blabbed enough here.:wink: )
  • AtomicIron
    AtomicIron Posts: 3
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    Here is a good little article about lifting weights with FM: http://www.livestrong.com/article/338855-does-lifting-weights-help-fibromyalgia/
  • merylmartin14
    merylmartin14 Posts: 6 Member
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    I have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, interstitial cystitis, hashimoto's thyroiditis, and two other severe mental health diagnoses. I have lost over 20 pounds since February. I gained an initial 20-30 pounds from the mental health medications. After I got fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, I gained more weight. I started at 120 pounds and got up to about 182 at my top weight. I lost 20 pounds of that due to C Diff and then gained some back. What I have done since February to lose weight is a graduated exercise program,which was recommended by my physical therapist. When I first got chronic fatigue, fibro, I started at 5 minutes a day, 4 times a week of walking or the elliptical. Then I increased my time by 10% every week. So the next week I did 5 1/2 minutes, 4 times a week. I did this until I got up to 1 hour of exercise, four times a week. I went from there and did hikes and so forth.

    I had to stop exercising when I got C Diff and then didn't exercise for awhile except for walking and Yoga. Because of this, when I started my graduated exercise routine last February, I started off at 15 minutes four times a week, and then increased by 10% a week from there. I have been able to hike this last summer, even doing some long hikes. In the past month I started weight lifting and am doing ok with it but am afraid to increase my weights. I am seeing my physical therapist on Thursday to ask her about goals for weight lifting. I guess in summary it is very beneficial to see a physical therapist who can design an exercise program for you. It has been very helpful for me.
  • jaimrlx
    jaimrlx Posts: 426 Member
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    Hi, I'm also battling fibro. My joints are so inflamed, even with anti-inflammatories, that my hip has been popping for a month straight now whenever I walk. It sucks!

    Swimming. If it's getting cold where you are, find an indoor pool. They can be pricey but it helped me in ways I can't even describe. Such great exercise. You should try to at least walk or something, stagnant muscles and joints make fibro much worse. The more active you are, the better you feel all around! I know how hard it can be to start, though. Good luck.

    If it helps, I'm completely off meds for it now. I still have pain, but I know I can do this without it.
  • jordansdesigns
    jordansdesigns Posts: 15 Member
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    I have fibromyalgia too, along with severe osteoarthritis, neuropathy, plantar fasciitis, spurs and heart problems. I've just started cymbalta a month ago and can tell a big difference in the way my joint and foot pain is. Actually had appointment to go get shots in feet the other day but cancelled, it has helped me that much! I'm on many different meds as well.
    I've been back to the gym all last week working both cardio and weights with no problems! My feet have been killing me but I just keep pushing, you have to to be able to have any results. :))
    I also quit smoking 3 mos ago after having smoked for over 30 years! This doesn't help with losing weight Lol...but will help health!

    Best of luck to all of you!!!
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    Here is a good little article about lifting weights with FM: http://www.livestrong.com/article/338855-does-lifting-weights-help-fibromyalgia/

    If you're going to awaken a dead thread, this is the way to do it.

    7 years since diagnosis. I lift. When I don't, I get achy. When I can't, I walk and/or run.

    Exercise of any sort is beneficial.

    Med-free since 2007.
  • mom2hazdec
    mom2hazdec Posts: 3 Member
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    I was recently diagnosed, all these suggestions help a lot! I'm trying to start exercising but really need to starting slow. Glad I'm not alone in all this. Thanks everyone that has posted!
  • NoExcusesFitnessCoach
    NoExcusesFitnessCoach Posts: 106 Member
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    Hi!

    I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 8 years ago. I suffered for YEARS with the symptoms. Tried all medications and never found relief. In March of 2013, I decided to FIGHT BACK. I started by cleaning up my nutrition. I eat clean and am vegan now. This helped a LOT. Then I started exercising DAILY. Starting low impact, and gradually going up in intensity.

    Almost a year later, I've completed 4 programs and am now doing P90X3, which I could have never even considered doing before. I haven't had a single symptom for almost a year. No medications, no pain, no fibromyalgia. It can be done. It takes hard work, determination, and FIGHT. Luckily I'm really stubborn :)

    Wendy
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
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    I too have fibromyalgia I am med free as I don't like the way they make me feel. Tried 2 both made me feel drugged. I decided to battle it through diet, I am on a strict paleo diet and this works for me. I also run training for a half marathon, the furthest I have run is 18 miles. I am also doing Focus T25 at the moment. I have been known to lift heavy and will start again after my half marathon. I still hurt but exercising helps and since going paleo my dreadful neck pain and headaches have gone. Don't give up it is manageable.

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