Fibromyalgia & Exercise

I have fibromyalgia, cf and depression.  I find it difficult to do consistent exercise because of pain and lack of motivation.  Also I find that I need to nap for at least 2 hours a day.  Has anyone dealt with this kind of thing?  Any help with this would be REALLY appreciated.  I'm so tired of being tired and overweight.

Hello,

I just ran into your post- I am awake though I need and want sleep!!  My right hip must be inflamed cause it just will not let me sleep due to pain.  I have bursitis in the other one so probably in this one, too.  I have fibro and spinal arthritis and probably a bit of depression.  I only use pain patches and once in a while ibuprofen cause typical fibro me does not take to meds very well.  Makes me dopey and I refuse to be dopier than usual.  So what do I do for exercise?  I get out and get some though I hurt like hell.  Sorry. That does not sound very motivating.  BUT I hurt whether I exercise or not.  I am down 20 pounds and am working on trying to get more down- hit below 200 a couple of weeks ago and am battling my sugar addiction to try to go down further.  For exercise, I found a gym that has a pool- a Have To for this screaming body.  I over did exercise last August and ended up barely walking so I have slowly slowly worked back to 30 minutes, sometimes up to 45 minutes in the pool- walking, jogging, jigging.  Stretching, knee to stomach, sometimes helps and is good for the lower spine.  I also walk outside the pool and am hoping to garden once this winter junk goes away.  I just can not sit and watch my life go away.  I am in my early 50s and am sick of feeling like crap and vegetating.  I understand about your need to nap.  I am so far in the hole when it comes to sleep.  I really have to watch myself when I am out and about in the day time cause I can do dumb things cause I do not have enough rest.   I hope this answer is not too much of a downer.   For sure, you are not alone.   I am fortunate in that my hubby earns enough money for us to get by without me having to work- we live a pretty simple life- not sure what interests you and what gets you up in the morning but this is me.  Take care and again, know that you are not alone in the struggle between pain and trying to live a happy life.

Thank you for your message.  It was not a downer so much as a reality check.  I guess it is a "just do it" kind of thing.  I don't know if I can do it but I want soooo much to find a way to be "my old self".  I used to be a type A personality.  I worked and made a good living as well as being active in my church and with my family.  Now I can barely take care of my house.  It is really depressing that SSDI rejected my disability claim so I am now dependent on my husband.  I have to get out of this rut in order to get my life - or something like it- back.

I live in the northeast (Massachusetts) and the weather is not cooperating with walking.  I cannot afford a health club or even the YMCA right now.  I don't like the water (I did some PT in a pool).  Any suggestions for other means of exercise?

Also, I'm addicted to carbs and to some degree sugar.  My husband is a total meat and potatoes kind of guy.  My daughter is thin (size2) and more health conscious than either of us.  Do you have some recipe, meal suggestions or websites that can help me satisfy them and yet support me losing weight? 

 

 

I've found that chair exercises really help when you can't get out of the house or you can't leave your desk at work.

http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/exercise/1.htm l

http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/exercise/index .cfm

 

I have lupus and have alot of similar issues.  I like the eliptical. I also have to alternate muscle groups that I work on.  When I am fatigued I go to the gym anyway.  Something is better then nothing, right.  For me its all been baby steps. Trial and error figuring out how to manage this disease and my life. Most of all listening to my body.

Take care and best wishes

Tricia 

 

I am also limited financially-- I am down to about $50 in my savings. As a college student, I find it easiest to just exercise in my room. At first I used to complain how I didn't have equipment or a place to exercise or a program or anything and then I realized something really important-- I just need to get moving. It doesn't really matter what you do. Even just something simple like going for a walk or running in place in my dorm for as long as I can bear it gets my heart and blood moving and burns calories. I also improvise. I do step aerobics-- without the step. I know, kinda weird. But I find it just as effective if I keep the pace up so I break a sweat and then I ALWAYS stretch out thoroughly (at least 20 min)-- which burns almost as many calories as some exercises. I happened upon a set of 3 lb toning weights but I don't use them much because all you really need is the resistance of your own body. I do lots of strength exercises-- a random combination of sit-ups, push-ups (once my shoulder heals), yoga, intense stretching, leg lifts, power squats, bending over (you'll be surprised the effort this one takes after some high repetitions), spine strengthening exercises, stuff I saw on youtube, television, stuff I made up, lol etc. Good luck! And get moving today!!!! You will feel so much better once you do I promise!!!

Original Post by lauriehc:

I have fibromyalgia, cf and depression.  I find it difficult to do consistent exercise because of pain and lack of motivation.  Also I find that I need to nap for at least 2 hours a day.  Has anyone dealt with this kind of thing?  Any help with this would be REALLY appreciated.  I'm so tired of being tired and overweight.

I too have Fibro but not a severe case. I hurt all the time and have issues exercising. March in place while watching TV. That is a good at home thing to do, low impact and you don't have to spend any money on a machine. If you can though, I have an elliptical that I bought on Craigs List. It was only $200 and is a nice one. My Fibro zaps my energy and has a related sleep disorder attached so I am tired a lot. I have been on CC since the 6th of Feb and have only worked out once so far. I know I need to get back on the machine but it is hard. The key is finding out what your own barriers are and overcoming them. Mine is lack of energy but I do know that once I get moving I do enjoy it. Exercise will help with the depression, but I haven't had it increase energy. It zaps me pretty good actually. 15-30 minutes and I don't feel refreshed, I feel I need a nap. But, I feel better about myself. How long have you had Fibro?

hi laurie and fibro community,

it's so good to hear from other with people with fibro sometimes... it reminds me that all of the craziness isn't just in my head =) even though i have supportive friends, people often forget that i can't always do the same things as them, and i don't like to have to bring it up because i feel like i'm complaining...

as for exercise, i typically work out on elliptical machine at a slow pace so i can keep going for 45 minutes. a chiropractor of mine told me that the first 30 minutes of your workout is burning your food and sugars, and after that, it starts burning from your body fat (however, this doesn't mean you should work out on an empty stomach! it's important for your body to be able to start off with some energy, especially if you're in a fatigued state like we are). if my body begins to hurt, i stop and just walk for awhile. i've found that exercise is really helpful with depression as well, so you're not just doing it to look good, but to feel good as well, which is an even better pay off.

something that i have found VERY helpful while trying to manage my fibro is considering the possibility of trigger foods. my nutritionist did some food allergy tests for me and discovered that i have a wheat allergy that really causes my fibro to act up. avoiding wheat early in the day makes it sooo much easier to make it longer without napping and also is helpful for dieting because i'm eating less simple carbs.

last year i lived in australia, and after a month or so, i honestly felt like my fibro was gone... a week back in the united states, and i was back to the pain and fatigue i thought i had overcome. just based on my own observations, i think it may have to do with eating foods with preservatives in them. just something to consider!

one last thing i learned from my nutritionist - 90% of your serotonin is created in your stomach. so what does that mean? if you don't keep your stomach happy, it's not going to create serotonin as well, and which can lead to depression. by using CC as a resource to monitor what you're eating and checking on your nutrition, you can begin to take even more control over your fibro.

here's to making it through the hard times,

christy xoxo 

I'm sure this will make me wildly unpopular with some people but, please bare in mind that fibromyalgia and depression is kind of like what came first the chicken or the egg. You do what you can to exercise and what you can to help your over all mental wellness but, don't feel like since a Dr. told you that you have fibromyalgia that your forever doomed to suffer. It's a diagnosis which is given a lot of people in the past 5-10 years. 20 years ago it was unheard of and a lot of people could be diagnosis with it. It's not something they can test for it's just label for symptoms you have.  You could also just say those are side effects of being depressed or out of shape or both. I've had a dr. tell me I might have it. It was just whatever he decided for the day. It's that much of whim!  The facts are Dr. will send you home with something pretty much anytime your consistent about any complaint. Be it meds. or some kind of diagnosis like fibromyalgia, bi-polar or a number of the catch phrase illness which seem to overnight effect 1 in 4 people.  For your pain I'm sorry and it stinks but, please don't feel like your diagnosis with something that's solid proof your ill and you'll never overcome it.

I think it's great you've started this post. It's important to surround yourself people who know what you're feeling and how they've overcame and dealt with similar issues. 

Thanks for all the great replies (even you im_amy)!  I have had fibro for probably7-8 years.  I started to feel crappy and I went to a TON of different doctors trying to find out what was wrong with me but no one could figure it out.  Finally a friend told me about fibro and that I should find a good rhuematologist to check things out.  I finally was diagnosed about 4-5 years ago (fog is acting up this morning).  I was soo relieved.  It does have a phychological aspect for me since emotional stress causes major flare ups.  I have tried accupuncture, water therapy, pt, deep tissue massage, yoga, walking and meds.  I have never been told about food allergies. 

I haven't been consistent with exercise so I'm glad to have the support of CC.  I will try some of your ideas and see how it goes!

im_amy...there are blood tests they take to assist in diagnosis along with symptoms, etc. As with any autoimmune disease they are difficult to diagnose but it is very real and finally being understood well enough for people like us to not be called crazy and put on anti-depressant meds because they think there isn't anything actually wrong with us. I can appreciate that MDs tend to grab onto the disease of the day but this is real. I am sure it is related to environmental causes we have been exposed to. Autism is new as well and has varying degrees of severity. The fact that more people are being diagnosed just shows the progression of education! Like any chronic pain diagnosis, we can do our best with what we have.

Hi - I too have Fibro and feel constantly fatigued, although my new meds seem to be helping somewhat with the pain.  I also nap most days, but that's not surprising as I sleep so little at night.  Since my symptoms for Fibro began I've put on well over 4 stone (in just under 2 years!).  I start my diet in the morning though because I too am fed up with all this excess weight (I weigh 15 stone, but should be about 9 stone).

One thing I would say is try NOT to give too much credence to people who try to tell you that Fibro doesn't exist.  It does.  Perhaps if they could just feel what we feel for even 1 day they would defo be singing from a different hymn sheet to the one they are singing from now!  G'rrrr

Anyways, good luck with the diet.  Do you know how much you need to lose? 

I just wanted to jump in and say I agree with im_amy completely. (I applaud your courage--telling it, "like it is".)

Consider, I was "diagnosed" with fibromyalgia...consequently my persistent symptoms were ignored. The real problems went untreated. I've since changed doctors and never mention the (previous) diagnosis.

I know we hear (or read) about this all the time, but I still feel it's not stressed enough...smoking is an anathema to good health; obesity is a disease process with multiple pathological consequences; stress kills; depression is real; sleep is the key to emotional well being.

Poetnw also said it, "like it is"...exercise has incalculable benefits...do what ever it takes to push through (find the motivation) and "just do it".