Trying to stay healthy with fybromyalgia. Advice?

Two of the simplest things I've seen in treating patients with fibromyalgia at my acupuncture clinic is that folks with fibromyalgia who pay attention to their eating habits and get some very gentle exercise feel better.

If you stack bloated, gas-y discomfort from eating poorly on top of the fibromyalgia, I see it cause more distress, and stress related fatigue. I'm a huge fan of promoting eating more vegetables and more variety of vegetables for the fiber, vitamins, and minerals. I do think the limiting (not eliminate, just limit) the amount of processed grains (cereal, noodles, bread) and dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc) is helpful for some patients. I do see patients begin to feel better longer as they shift their calorie intake over to more fresh produce and meat with some fat in it.

The other thing is that people with fibro have to move and get the blood circulating. It is a feedback loop when fibro-folks are inactive because of the pain, which leads to more pain, which leads to less activity. This means go for a 20 minute walk. Get up and do some simple calisthenics and stretching for 4 or 5 minutes four to five times a day. Start slow. Build into it slower.

I do see patients respond extremely well to acupuncture treatments. This is often what helps them over the hump, so to speak, of getting started with some life-style changes.

Everyone's experience is going to be different. What helped me was getting up and moving. Yes, I know it hurts, and it's exhausting, but exercise really does help.

Vitamin D supplements helped me enormously

It is all about what is right for you. It will be trial and error. I gave up going through the NHS as I had not got anywhere for too many years. I consulted a nutritionist to cut through everything for myself. I felt at 65 its get things right, its now or never. Supported by blood tests initiated by the nutritionist we discovered among other things high levels of yeast based inflammation something general medicine does not recognise it can underpin so much, CF, Fibro, Thyroid, immune system issues and more.

I'm one month in, on a 4 to 6 month exclusion of foods with added sugar. Its been dramatic, even though I had already excluded so much for good reasons. For the first three weeks there was no fruit and for as long as it lasts no yeast which means bread, alcohol or grapes as well as no pineapple as it is high in sugar. I'm experiencing benefits. My residual pain is past, I breath better, nails stronger, my sweet tooth a thing of the past, I don't react to perfumes and chemicals as much as I did, true, there is still a long way to go before I attend a concert again. It will get harder in the next few weeks especially with all the temptations of birthdays, Christmas and New Year treats timed perfectly just as things may get tougher. I'm 12 lb down, now, measurements changing to the good. (I had already improved without pain relief and salicylate in foods, (plants use it as a protection from molds and mildews) I had lost some weight apx 50 lb, but needed something more for the last 50 or so to be well)

All the best, do what is right for you. Especially if you do the unconventional. Please what ever you do please don't leave it as long as I did.

My advice is don't hate yourself for the days when pain got in the way of eating well. When I'm in a flair up, I eat badly, fibromyalgia flairs seem to make me hungry and I can't exercise, so the weight piles on. Also some medications cause fluid retention. I'm looking to get a vibration massage machine to help with the days I can't exercise, but the good ones cost a lot. I'm also looking for fibro friends on here so we can help each other, so anyone wanting to add me as a friend would be great.

Phizzgig - do hope you are finding your way to coping. As I said earlier, Vitamin D supplements helped me a lot. I also found that giving up my much loved COFFEE, improved me very quickly, I now have some pain free days, hoping that weight loss will bring even more improvement.

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Oh, I forgot: schedule your time. If a shower exhausts you, allow time for the shower, then rest time. Google "The Spoon Theory". You'll learn how to use your energy. Don't aim for any kind of perfection.