Overcoming Fibro Success Stories
gavians
Posts: 72 Member
I started this group a couple years as I was trying to get more active but was really concerned I would not be able to. Five years ago something as simple as grocery shopping for more than 15 minutes would put me in such pain I actually walked away from a cart load of groceries and went to sit in the car. I've played piano for 30 years and suddenly I could not handle playing for more than about 3 minutes before I could no longer bear the pain.
For years I looked for a way to live with this. Doctors, Online, Books, whatever I could find on Fibro so I could understand it and what I could do. I discovered that Diet Coke triggered events--so I stopped drinking all pop/soda. I suspected the Aspartame--so I avoid Aspartame if possible. Lack of sleep would trigger--so I tried to get more sleep. I started taking Malic Acid and other compounds recommended. I read of the effects of wheat and gluten--so I avoid or minimize my wheat and gluten. Stress causes events--so I got divorced (amazing de-stresser). THEN the irony of being more active was suppose to make it better. What? If activity triggered an event, how does activity prevent the event? Doesn't make sense.
So I started slow with some walking for a while. Alright. Not bad. Then I started with an elliptical machine and slowly built up my cardio. Alright Not bad. A friend gave me their old weight bench and weight set so I started doing light lifting. Then heavier. Then I started pushing the elliptical. Then this spring I started running outside. 1.5 miles at first. Then 2.5 miles. Then 3.1 miles. Then 5 miles. Then 6.3 miles. Then 8 miles. And all the way up to 10 miles this fall. I do 10k runs multiple times per week now.
Believe me I still feel it. Some of my weight training still causes fibro-shock in spots. I just ignore it. I have bad tendinitis on my left arm so I wear a brace when weight training. I still have some other weird fibro things. But curiously I haven't had an event or severe pain in over 18 months. Nothing that has stopped me from doing what ever I want. The other unexpected surprise is that I am happier -- exercise is the best antidepressant I have ever taken. If I miss too many days without a workout the depression really starts setting in. Not because I didn't get my workout or was guilty or anything silly like that, but it is a biochemical reaction, endorphin or whatever they say but my golly it is really true.
So it has been a long slow journey over seven years. But if you are really willing to make lifestyle adjustments, diet adjustments, and push through the pain it is possible to live with Fibro. It seemed for a long time I would never get my life back. But it is back! You can get it back, too!
BTW - Now I have a grand piano in my home and play for an hour almost every day!
For years I looked for a way to live with this. Doctors, Online, Books, whatever I could find on Fibro so I could understand it and what I could do. I discovered that Diet Coke triggered events--so I stopped drinking all pop/soda. I suspected the Aspartame--so I avoid Aspartame if possible. Lack of sleep would trigger--so I tried to get more sleep. I started taking Malic Acid and other compounds recommended. I read of the effects of wheat and gluten--so I avoid or minimize my wheat and gluten. Stress causes events--so I got divorced (amazing de-stresser). THEN the irony of being more active was suppose to make it better. What? If activity triggered an event, how does activity prevent the event? Doesn't make sense.
So I started slow with some walking for a while. Alright. Not bad. Then I started with an elliptical machine and slowly built up my cardio. Alright Not bad. A friend gave me their old weight bench and weight set so I started doing light lifting. Then heavier. Then I started pushing the elliptical. Then this spring I started running outside. 1.5 miles at first. Then 2.5 miles. Then 3.1 miles. Then 5 miles. Then 6.3 miles. Then 8 miles. And all the way up to 10 miles this fall. I do 10k runs multiple times per week now.
Believe me I still feel it. Some of my weight training still causes fibro-shock in spots. I just ignore it. I have bad tendinitis on my left arm so I wear a brace when weight training. I still have some other weird fibro things. But curiously I haven't had an event or severe pain in over 18 months. Nothing that has stopped me from doing what ever I want. The other unexpected surprise is that I am happier -- exercise is the best antidepressant I have ever taken. If I miss too many days without a workout the depression really starts setting in. Not because I didn't get my workout or was guilty or anything silly like that, but it is a biochemical reaction, endorphin or whatever they say but my golly it is really true.
So it has been a long slow journey over seven years. But if you are really willing to make lifestyle adjustments, diet adjustments, and push through the pain it is possible to live with Fibro. It seemed for a long time I would never get my life back. But it is back! You can get it back, too!
BTW - Now I have a grand piano in my home and play for an hour almost every day!
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Replies
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Nice post. I'm in the midst of going through the stages that you have found success with. I believe 2014 will be a better year.0
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I've defnitely had my ups & downs over the years ....... right now I'm in a "down" period, achy & exhausted & making up excuses to avoid the gym .......
You've given me some things to think about ........ I'm feeling better already :drinker:
Thanks for sharing your story !0 -
Hi everyone!
I wanted to share my success story...
I was diagnosed 8 years ago. I suffered for YEARS with the usual symptoms - pain, exhaustion, depression, etc. I had several flare ups a year. I took the usual medications and listened to my doctors. I kept getting worse and worse. I January 2013, I'd had enough. I knew the meds weren't helping and felt like the doctors didn't understand.
I already knew there was a strong connection between nutrition and my symptoms. So I tackled nutrition first. I completely cleaned up my eating habits. I identified my trigger foods and got rid of them. Even if they were things I loved - things I said I'd never go without. It just wasn't worth it to me. I ended up going vegan because of the foods that triggered my symptoms. I felt an immediate difference.
Next came fitness. I started with a low impact cardio kickboxing program. I knew I had to move to kick fibro out of my life. I knew I had to work hard. I completed this 8 week program and felt completely different. My symptoms had disappeared. I had energy. I felt like a "normal" person.
Then I started an INTENSE 20 week cardio program. And finished it. And then a strength training program. And finished it. I had some major accomplishments during this time. I went from barely being able to walk up a flight of stairs to hiking. I went from hiking to hiking to the top of 2 13,000 foot mountains. Fibromyalgia was gone. I took my life back.
It's been almost a year since I've had a SINGLE SYMPTOM. No medication. No pain. No exhaustion. No fibro. It can be done. It takes a lot of hard work. You have to push yourself. But it can be done.
Best of luck to you all!
Wendy0 -
i'm showing up a little late to the party as per usual...
bravo, gavians. bravissima, NoExcuses. deeschange and verptwerp, i feel it. i feel both victory and defeat every day.
i was diagnosed 10+ years ago. my life went steadily down the drain. shortly after my diagnosis i lost my job. i lost several jobs. i dropped out of college when it hurt too bad to hold a pen. four years ago i tried to kill myself with my pills. i was on a lot of pills, and i was miserable. i was consumed by fire when i layed down, unable to sleep. i had no income, no hope, no ability to cope from moment to moment with the unrelenting pain.
i had done everything the doctors had said to do. i had taken all their pills. i had done everything, saving this: exercise. i had done it all to myself.
sometime after i didn't die like i'd wanted to, i was still struggling with pain and depression and hopelessness. somehow this hopeless rage found an outlet in running. i'd never been active in all my life; at 30 i started exercising for the first time ever. you know what i found. once i got my feet under me, i rekindled my long-buried love affair with longboarding. i fell in love with movement-as-art and connected with my body in a way i had never before. i adopted yoga as my physical therapy and started taking my responsibility to physical self seriously.
my entire life changed. i could stand in line at the grocery store for more than 5 minutes without needing to sit down. i could walk for 30 minutes without terrible pain. i could run a mile. i could longboard 5 miles. i could play my violin again. i could work full-time. i could enjoy life, smile.
i still have flares. but they only slow me down a little. these days i know that i can handle anything FM throws at me. it was a hard-learned lesson.
stay strong. and for the love of pain relief, EXERCISE :happy: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:0 -
Wendy,
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story! I am working to overcome fibro as well...I don't want to just control it, I want to see it go away entirely. I know my weight has been a contributing factor and diet for sure! In the past I all but got rid of symptoms by controlled diet and exercise...It has been worse than ever this last year and I am ready to take my life back. The one thing I am doing differently is having more realistic goals. C25K is working well for me and bike riding. I am going to gradually add in weight training again. Your story is just what I needed to hear! I vowed I would never led that dreaded disease define me as a person.
Most Warmly,
Nirvani0
