Fibromyalgia

Wow, you have a lot going on. Don't give up!

I'm in the same boat. Out on disability and with a toddler. My "exercise" would be my attempts to keep up with him. On my good days, we usually squeeze in a walk or something. But usually nothing that's too much at all.

I have Crohns and just got dx with Fibro on Monday. I'm not on prednisone or treatment for either and Now I'm being tested for lupus. Previously I was on an intense regimen of prednisones and steroids which led me to gain about 55 pounds within two months. I definitely know the frustration that comes with it and even the self-conscious measures that come from it as well because we look in the mirror and our faces are distorted we have all this extra weight that we didn't want and we didn't even bring on ourselves that just happened thanks to the medication we're taking. I did it a day at a time I know that with autoimmune diseases we tend to feel extremely exhausted all the time no matter the sleep. But I did take baby steps. I began to walk a little bit each day and every week I would increase the increment of the amount that I was walking both in distance and in time. And over a period of about a month I was able to get back to the normal distance that I used to do prior to prednisone. I hope this helps and I know it's not easy but just remember that if today you don't feel like doing it tomorrow is another day and any little bit counts

htrombleyl wrote: »

Is anyone else struggling with this? I am have been fighting this for two years and it sucks.. I have gained over 100 lbs and I am back on here trying to get control over my weight and my health once again. I think it may be the 3rd time now. Out of work and it is a good day if I can get the basic household chores done. Exercise is out of the question for now until I get my symptoms under control. Wish me luck! Please!

I wish you all the luck in the world. My fibro story started over thirty years ago (I'm 65 now) when I was suddenly prostrated with what I now realise was ME, though back then no-one seemed to know what was going on. That's when I started inexplicably to put on weight when I'd always been a skinny size (UK) 8-10. Over time the ME symptoms, apart from the exhaustion, gradually receded to be replaced with chronic pain, though no-one seemed to know much about that either. (The particular docs & specialists I've seen don't like the fibro word, just calling it Chtonic Pain Syndrome, with the rheumatologist saying it's probably related to hyperflexibly in my joints. Who knows?) But between the ME and the fibro (or whatever) I have quite literally doubled my weight, though that's partly because of a long period of abnormally extreme stress too. I carried on working until about six years ago, though I was self-employed so could collapse for days after periods of intense working. (I also had five kids to keep me busy.) I'm now at an age when other health issues start to creep in and I need to lose weight so I can stay on HRT (which has been a lifesaver for me) because my blood pressure, unsurprisingly, is sky high, and avoid starting on statins to lower my cholesterol. So I'm trying to be very pro-active and organised about my diet because, like you, having tried so often before, I know how hard it will be. I've been searching for apps to help, and this looks a good one. What I think will help me more than anything is having somewhere I can record every morsel I eat and have it all calculated for me, and calculated more accurately than I would just making notes for myself. I've also found it a comfort to realise I'm not the only one facing this particular challenge — how do I increase my exercise levels when I have to spend most of my time in bed? — so I'm grateful to you for starting this thread. And you sound fairly determined, which is good. I think the trick, if there is one, for both of us and the others who have responded, is to have ambitious goals but also plan to take very small steps, and set up lots of intermediate milestones along the way. For me the goal is to lose half my entire body weight. If that's not ambitious I don't know what is! But my plan is get my eyes down from those lofty heights and bring my focus in much sharper, to take it a week, maybe a month at a time, and not really look at the big goal as long as the weekly/monthly steps are taking me in the right direction. I live in the Scottish Highlands so I know a mountain can seem an impossible challenge. And walking towards them (when I could still do such things) they seem to recede, not get closer. But if you focus on one footstep at a time when you eventually look up it can be surprising how much nearer they've become. So that's going to be the visualisation I hope will help me not to be so daunted by the immensity of the challenge but to be pleased and proud if I reach any little way marker that says I am just that little bit closer to my mountain. And if I do manage to reach my weight goal? I'm going to take my time, go slowly, and tackle a real mountain too.
I've no idea whether any of this is any help to you, or even if you understand my ramblings, but I will be mentally cheering you on (and all the other chronic pain and exhaustion sufferers too). And this just might be third time lucky for you. So hang on in there, and remember you're not alone in your fight. If we can all heroically bring up children and hold down jobs and all the while suffering this painful and debilitating illness we can surely lick this weight thing. We're tougher than that!

Glad to hear your making progress! Massage Therapy is great for fibromyalgia. Treat yourself!