Anyone else have Fibromyalgia?

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klgils
klgils Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, my name is Karen. I am starting over on MFP. I have severe Fibromyalgia which makes most days difficult. If you have it you know what I mean. The accompanying fatigue, depression and poor sleep makes exercise tough. But I am on track, logging my food, walking and doing the "7 minute workout". It has been two weeks since I have started exercising and two days back on MFP. I would love to hear from anyone else struggling with Fibromyalgia and how you get through your tough days. A "Fibromyalgia" support group would be great.

Replies

  • jakj00
    jakj00 Posts: 97 Member
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    I am in the process of possibly being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I am going back to the doctor in a week for hopefully some results either way! I always feel like some part of my body is hurting so I have been reluctant to do too much weight bearing exercise..
  • klgils
    klgils Posts: 9 Member
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    Hi jak00. I find walking and exercising bearing my own weight is the best for me. But it is so easy to overdue it. I was diagnosed over 16 years ago. Some days are better than others. If I can at least get out for a walk each day it helps my mood and that is always a plus.
  • linalayal
    linalayal Posts: 10 Member
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    I have fibromayalgia and when its cold and it rains , I feel pain all over my body.. My hip, lower back and knee hurt.. I have depression and thyroid problems too.. I need to loose at least 100 pounds to go back to my original weight.. I need encouragement!!
  • sophiesaur344
    sophiesaur344 Posts: 5
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    With fibro light walking and yoga can improve. Try myofascial release! I strengthen my core and stretch on a large stability ball. I was dxed with fibro in 1999 @ 13 and lupus (SLE) 2 years ago. You can do it! It's hard but worth it. Extra weight makes it harder on your body as well as not eating well. ❤❤ <3
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    I have fibro and psoriatic arthritis and am just coming out of a flare. Walking is brilliant. I also do resistance training with a master trainer who knows about my medical conditions and switch off walking with riding the stationary bike at the gym if my foot joints are acting up too much. I like to work out first thing in the morning to get around the fatigue monster.

    I wish I liked yoga, because I know it would be good for everything, but I really don't, and it tends to aggravate my head (I also have chronic migraines and they're easily triggered by exercise if I move around the wrong way... I know, I'm a mess!) Still, I feel better when I exercise than when I don't.
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I was diagnosed several years ago. I have gotten much better.

    Be careful with exercise. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll trigger a flare. Do be active, though. Try to do some type of exercise every day, just be careful with increasing the amount and level of strenuousness. (A few years ago I thought I was all better. I had felt better for months. So what did I do? I went on a ski vacation which triggered a bad flare. I felt awful for about two months afterwards.)

    Back when I was diagnosed, I could not use walking as exercise, or at least not as my primary activity. An hour a day would hurt too much. Yoga (iyengar or generic hatha yoga, not power/vinyasa/ashtanga yoga), pilates, and swimming are better choices. As you get stronger, you could add weight lifting, walking, and perhaps more vigorous cardio.

    Massage can be helpful, but be careful who you go to. Some masseuses are too tough on us fibros.

    Myofascial release helps a lot. You can buy rollers and balls from power-systems.com. Your local library might have a book on the exercises. There's also youtube videos.

    Some people might disagree or have different experiences, but I found reducing (not eliminating) sugar intake to be helpful as well.

    Finally, be sure you have good sleep hygiene. There's a nice handout on my doctor's website:
    http://www.restfullypresent.com/articles/
  • jvogle
    jvogle Posts: 2
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    lemon629 wrote: »
    I was diagnosed several years ago. I have gotten much better.

    Be careful with exercise. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll trigger a flare. Do be active, though. Try to do some type of exercise every day, just be careful with increasing the amount and level of strenuousness. (A few years ago I thought I was all better. I had felt better for months. So what did I do? I went on a ski vacation which triggered a bad flare. I felt awful for about two months afterwards.)

    Back when I was diagnosed, I could not use walking as exercise, or at least not as my primary activity. An hour a day would hurt too much. Yoga (iyengar or generic hatha yoga, not power/vinyasa/ashtanga yoga), pilates, and swimming are better choices. As you get stronger, you could add weight lifting, walking, and perhaps more vigorous cardio.

    Massage can be helpful, but be careful who you go to. Some masseuses are too tough on us fibros.

    Myofascial release helps a lot. You can buy rollers and balls from power-systems.com. Your local library might have a book on the exercises. There's also youtube videos.

    Some people might disagree or have different experiences, but I found reducing (not eliminating) sugar intake to be helpful as well.

    Finally, be sure you have good sleep hygiene. There's a nice handout on my doctor's website:
    http://www.restfullypresent.com/articles/

  • jvogle
    jvogle Posts: 2
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    jvogle wrote: »
    lemon629 wrote: »
    I was diagnosed several years ago. I have gotten much better.

    Be careful with exercise. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll trigger a flare. Do be active, though. Try to do some type of exercise every day, just be careful with increasing the amount and level of strenuousness. (A few years ago I thought I was all better. I had felt better for months. So what did I do? I went on a ski vacation which triggered a bad flare. I felt awful for about two months afterwards.)

    Back when I was diagnosed, I could not use walking as exercise, or at least not as my primary activity. An hour a day would hurt too much. Yoga (iyengar or generic hatha yoga, not power/vinyasa/ashtanga yoga), pilates, and swimming are better choices. As you get stronger, you could add weight lifting, walking, and perhaps more vigorous cardio.

    Massage can be helpful, but be careful who you go to. Some masseuses are too tough on us fibros.

    Myofascial release helps a lot. You can buy rollers and balls from power-systems.com. Your local library might have a book on the exercises. There's also youtube videos.

    Some people might disagree or have different experiences, but I found reducing (not eliminating) sugar intake to be helpful as well.

    Finally, be sure you have good sleep hygiene. There's a nice handout on my doctor's website:
    http://www.restfullypresent.com/articles/
    jvogle wrote: »
    lemon629 wrote: »
    I was diagnosed several years ago. I have gotten much better.

    Be careful with exercise. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll trigger a flare. Do be active, though. Try to do some type of exercise every day, just be careful with increasing the amount and level of strenuousness. (A few years ago I thought I was all better. I had felt better for months. So what did I do? I went on a ski vacation which triggered a bad flare. I felt awful for about two months afterwards.)

    Back when I was diagnosed, I could not use walking as exercise, or at least not as my primary activity. An hour a day would hurt too much. Yoga (iyengar or generic hatha yoga, not power/vinyasa/ashtanga yoga), pilates, and swimming are better choices. As you get stronger, you could add weight lifting, walking, and perhaps more vigorous cardio.

    Massage can be helpful, but be careful who you go to. Some masseuses are too tough on us fibros.

    Myofascial release helps a lot. You can buy rollers and balls from power-systems.com. Your local library might have a book on the exercises. There's also youtube videos.

    Some people might disagree or have different experiences, but I found reducing (not eliminating) sugar intake to be helpful as well.

    Finally, be sure you have good sleep hygiene. There's a nice handout on my doctor's website:
    http://www.restfullypresent.com/articles/

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    lemon629 wrote: »
    I was diagnosed several years ago. I have gotten much better.

    Be careful with exercise. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll trigger a flare. Do be active, though. Try to do some type of exercise every day, just be careful with increasing the amount and level of strenuousness. (A few years ago I thought I was all better. I had felt better for months. So what did I do? I went on a ski vacation which triggered a bad flare. I felt awful for about two months afterwards.)

    Back when I was diagnosed, I could not use walking as exercise, or at least not as my primary activity. An hour a day would hurt too much. Yoga (iyengar or generic hatha yoga, not power/vinyasa/ashtanga yoga), pilates, and swimming are better choices. As you get stronger, you could add weight lifting, walking, and perhaps more vigorous cardio.

    Massage can be helpful, but be careful who you go to. Some masseuses are too tough on us fibros.

    Myofascial release helps a lot. You can buy rollers and balls from power-systems.com. Your local library might have a book on the exercises. There's also youtube videos.

    Some people might disagree or have different experiences, but I found reducing (not eliminating) sugar intake to be helpful as well.

    Finally, be sure you have good sleep hygiene. There's a nice handout on my doctor's website:
    http://www.restfullypresent.com/articles/

    I agree on sugar intake as compared to a standard diet if you're eating sugary cereal and desserts after every meal. Sugar as an occasional thing is fine, but ... yes... I do feel better limiting it and it helps keep my calorie intake in check. For me, the sugar intake limit has more to do with my migraines (it can trigger them).

  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    I, too, have had severe fibromyalgia for about 18 years and am currently experiencing a bad flare up after breaking my ankle. I would recommend some gentle exercise, like walking or swimming. You can build up the time you exercise for, but start off with small amounts and build it up very gradually. I have started pilates on the advice of my physiotherapist (she runs the class) and although it makes me ache for 2 to 3 days after the session, it seems to be helping my strength and flexibility. I also think losing weight has helped me as I have less weight to drag around on a daily basis! :wink: Best of luck Karen! If I can do this, anyone can! :smiley:
  • klgils
    klgils Posts: 9 Member
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    Hi everyone. Great replies. I have struggled with my weight for years. Doesn't it seem like flare ups are triggered so easily? My arm is very really giving me trouble right now. I also have osteo arthritis throughout my body. I have had four surgeries in the past two years all related to the arthritis. Of course after each surgery I have to start over with my exercise. It is so good to hear what others have to say. Although it is often difficult to keep a positive attitude it sounds like many of you have one. Just knowing that others are getting through it is helpful.

  • onlymugwump
    onlymugwump Posts: 4 Member
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    I have fibro, diagnosed in my teenage years and now in my 40's. I have found the more I exercise the better I feel. I know it's easy to say hut for me it has been a godsend. I started very slowly with walking making myself do an extra 20 steps each day so basically I challenged myself to walk 20 more steps than the previous day. Then moved onto swimming followed by Pilates and now onto running and strength training. It's a slow journey but definitely worth it. Just remember to try and do a little bit more each day, you will have set backs and days that you think you can't cope but you have to remember how far you have come and how much better you feel for it xxx :)
  • onlymugwump
    onlymugwump Posts: 4 Member
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    klgils wrote: »
    Hi all, my name is Karen. I am starting over on MFP. I have severe Fibromyalgia which makes most days difficult. If you have it you know what I mean. The accompanying fatigue, depression and poor sleep makes exercise tough. But I am on track, logging my food, walking and doing the "7 minute workout". It has been two weeks since I have started exercising and two days back on MFP. I would love to hear from anyone else struggling with Fibromyalgia and how you get through your tough days. A "Fibromyalgia" support group would be great.

    There are lots of support groups around but beware of the competitive fibro sufferers, one group I joined just seemed to be everyone trying to get one up on the others in terms of who was suffering the most or could get the most in benefit payments! Definitely not supportive!
    There is a Facebook group called fibro fit people that is good, lots of great fitness advice and nutritional tips, I found a link there for Epsom salt baths which really do help with pain, won't get rid of it but will reduce the severity. The other person to follow on Facebook is a lady called Tina Hamnet (spelling maybe wrong but you can google her) she went from overweight and wheelchair/bed bound to average weight and fit through exercise and good eating - again she is really positive but also understand the downside of fibro. She occasionally runs free seminars around the UK which are supposed to be good but I haven't been to one yet. I am booked in for one next month in Wyboston so can feedback once I have been :D
  • bhdon
    bhdon Posts: 117 Member
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    I was told I have fibromyalgia about two years ago. I'm not 100% convinced, but I have found that diet and exercise help a lot to reduce my pain. I notice a significant difference when I exercise and eat unprocessed whole foods. Exercise is hard, and painful some days, but it also helps. Stretching, yoga and meditation help too. Also, here's an article re: foods that might help and foods you might consider avoiding
    that you might find of help: http://fitlife.tv/fibromyalgia-healing-soup-recipe/
  • arkowalyshyn
    arkowalyshyn Posts: 132 Member
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    I've got the mindset that since I'm always tired and achy I may as well give my body something to be tired and sore about! (Within reason ) add me if you like.

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