Those with chronic illness/pain trying to get fit.

papetto
papetto Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi, I was hoping we could start a thread for those of us who have chronic illness or pain and are trying to get active, in shape, and/or lose weight. I have a few diseases which make it difficult to work out or expend lots of energy and have been trying my hardest to keep my step count up & keep my exercise sessions going. Please feel free to contribute, check in or add motivation to this thread.
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Replies

  • shelaghcol
    shelaghcol Posts: 165 Member
    I thing a lot of it is due to fibromyalgia.
    Going for a podiatrist appointment to try to figure out the problem with my ankles. The weird thing is that out of the blue back in January my right elbow went ballistic - took almost two weeks to find out it was tennis elbow - tendinitis. And it took over six months before I could do most things without problems. Still get a lot of pain, but it's at least easier to handle.

    My PCP thinks the ankle thing might be tendon-related as well. Expect that both of them are giving me problems - which is unusual.

    Last week I was in the middle of feeding my cats when I had a horrible spasm across my back. Took about three days for it to subside completely.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    I don't have any physical disability, but I've cared for people who do. I thought I'd leave this here, because they're often suitable for people who struggle with exercise.

    Armchair cycles.

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  • Hilogirl2018
    Hilogirl2018 Posts: 687 Member
    @shelaghcol I was wondering if you'd ever been tested for a connective tissue disorder because a lot of what you're describing is common to CTDs. I have a CTD called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Syndrome hypermobility type and one of the ways it manifests is through joint and tendon problems. It's hereditary, but it's not unusual to get to a certain age without too many symptoms and suddenly fall apart.

    Another possibility: if you've been treated with ciprofloxacin, it has a black box warning for tendon rupture.
  • shelaghcol
    shelaghcol Posts: 165 Member
    @Hilogirl2018 - I actually prefer not to use chemical meds unless absolutely necessary. The back spasm it was unavoidable - I could barely move and had to take ibuprofen twice in one day. After that, the pain was bad but bearable.

    I've never heard of CTD, but no one else that I'm aware of in my family has had the problems I've been having.
  • shelaghcol
    shelaghcol Posts: 165 Member
    @glovepuppet Thanks, I have been considering those. It's the cost more than anything that stalls me on such things.
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  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i have behcets and hypersomnia.
    the way i look at it, my body overreacts to pain stimulus. so a lot of times, i will suck it up.
    the more i move(within reason), the better i feel. but not pushing too hard is vital
  • PuppetStringsArt
    PuppetStringsArt Posts: 4 Member
    I think this thread is a great idea!

    (@Hilogirl2018 I also have HEDS. Found out about it this year while I was pregnant with my daughter and my whole life of complications made sense afterwards.)

    I also have a benign pituitary gland tumor that causes a lot of health problems when it’s acting up. I’m almost done with the bulk of my 2 year weight loss journey, but could use some friends that are trying to better or maintain their health long term even after initial goals are met.
  • Iamfocusingonme
    Iamfocusingonme Posts: 15 Member
    Hello, I also have multiple medical issues that make losing weight and exercising more difficult. I have been trying to figure out how to get the weight down without surgery for a few years as it continued to grow. Im now here to make a change in my calories and the nutritional value of my food.
  • HazelMayes
    HazelMayes Posts: 187 Member
    Hilogirl2018 wrote: »
    @shelaghcol I was wondering if you'd ever been tested for a connective tissue disorder because a lot of what you're describing is common to CTDs. I have a CTD called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Syndrome hypermobility type and one of the ways it manifests is through joint and tendon problems. It's hereditary, but it's not unusual to get to a certain age without too many symptoms and suddenly fall apart.

    Another possibility: if you've been treated with ciprofloxacin, it has a black box warning for tendon rupture.

    I also have hEDS—almost eight years ago I also severed my left ACL so my knee is even more unstable now—makes it hard to get around!

  • Hilogirl2018
    Hilogirl2018 Posts: 687 Member
    Already 3 EDSers in this little group! @PuppetStringsArt I had the same experience, diagnosed fairly recently and now my whole life of pain makes sense! @HazelMayes knees are so tough with EDS. My mobility is more affected by my hips. I find my rollator to be a huge help!

    @singingflutelady GP is a condition that a lot of people with EDS are susceptible to, and I'm being monitored for it (annual GI tests with eating the radioactive egg to time my stomach emptying). And Crohn's on top of that- you're a total warrior, seriously.

    @Iamfocusingonme MFP works, you got this!
  • LernRach
    LernRach Posts: 286 Member
    I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.
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  • shelaghcol
    shelaghcol Posts: 165 Member
    Wow - did I just break the thread?
  • anisagldn2
    anisagldn2 Posts: 1 Member
    LernRach wrote: »
    I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.
    LernRach wrote: »
    I suffer from MCTD - a mixed connective tissue disorder in the family of lupus and RA. I go through phases. right now I am right up there with exercise; spinning, pump etc. However, there will be a day where I wake up and bang crash, I cnnot do anything... my fitness slowly goes into decline... until my health picks up again and I restart my journey. It is frustrating, but I know that this is how my body works. Once I understood this, it made it much easier for me to accept.

  • Hilogirl2018
    Hilogirl2018 Posts: 687 Member
    @amskinner87 I have lost almost 30 without exercise, either. I crash so easily these days and it's scary for me to "risk" any kind of workout. PT always knocks me out. But like you, I do want to start doing *something* healthy.

    @shelaghcol vegan AND gluten free, wow! I did GF for 3 years but then switched to keto, then gave that up after 2 years for intermittent fasting. Always in search of the mythical (for me, anyway) anti-inflammatory diet that will reduce my pain.
  • Hilogirl2018
    Hilogirl2018 Posts: 687 Member
    My current challenge is that I'm getting IV hydration 3 days a week, and on the other days I'm exhausted from lack of hydration, so I feel sluggish and sick most of the time right now. Maybe we could try a gentle exercise challenge in this little group? A check in for doing just one little thing?
  • fatoldladyonamission
    fatoldladyonamission Posts: 581 Member
    Hi all, great idea for a thread. I have fibro, recently diagnosed and with it some mental health issues too. That said I used to be fairly active and I know it would make it easier to be again if I lost some of the bulk. My main issue is that I suffer from extreme pain for the slightest things and just trying to do every day stuff makes me exhausted. So I have to pace myself.

    Would be good to have a thread we can all support each other on 😊
  • papetto
    papetto Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2019
    Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for all the wonderful responses. I have a few pelvic pain disorders, most burdensome being interstitial cystitis/endometriosis, which make almost all exercise extra difficult. I have been to the gym twice this week and plan on going tomorrow and again on the weekend. I have to take breaks a lot, which is annoying, and somewhat embarrassing, but I am trying to get back to my old routine of working out 5-7 times a week. I find weight machines to be very soothing even though they can be tough - cardio (like running, and cycling) seems to make my pain worse sometimes. I also want to start doing yoga again, too. Let's keep checking in together! :)
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    shelaghcol wrote: »
    I went a bit drastic this week after too much overeating and stress eating. (Ate 2/3rds of a 10 inch pizza on Monday the same day I got a call from the doctor's office telling me my cholesterol is up.)

    Started on Tuesday going completely vegan and cutting out almost all gluten to sort of reset myself.

    Not surprisingly I lost almost five pounds this week which I'm sure is mostly water, even though I upped my liquid intake too.

    Five days and counting and I do feel better physically and, truth be told, mentally too. For the first time in a long time I've been able to tell myself "no" to snacks and too much of everything.

    Two weeks and I'll start re-introducing more normal foods to my diet. Hopefully the lengthy purge will help me keep on track.

    Reintroduce foods slowly and consciously. You may find an unexpected inflammation trigger in there.
  • domeofstars
    domeofstars Posts: 480 Member
    I'm so sorry to see so many beautiful people on here suffering with bad health and i wish i could help you all. I too have suffered from several health issues in the past. What has helped me ALOT is free reiki healing videos on youtube. There's 'reiki for pain' videos that have been an absolute life saver for me, i watch them on my phone and its saved me from taking alot of pain killers.

    Also I'm just starting to listen to subliminal messages on youtube, one helped give me motivation to clean and tidy my home (by Miss Synergy) so I'm now looking to subliminals for help with weight loss and also health. I'm trying one for weight loss by Akuo, and there's a few health ones by Miss Synergy and also Hynodaddy that I might try. I was very skeptical for a long time, but so many people left positive comments so i tried it and it worked.

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