Exercising with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is characterized by aches, pains, stiffness, fatigue and sleeplessness. It can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms vary and little is known about what causes it. What researchers do know is that fibromyalgia sufferers have higher amounts of the neurotransmitters that signal pain responses and lower amounts of natural pain killers such as serotonin.

If you have fibromyalgia, exercise can seem impossible. Your body already hurts, why would you want to make it worse? But, ironically, exercise is one of the only things that can almost guarantee to bring sufferers relief. Increased strength and flexibility are helpful to make aching muscles feel better, and exercise also triggers the release of endorphins that help kill pain. Other benefits of exercise for those with fibromyalgia include:

* Better sleep
* Reduced stress and depression
* Improved your energy levels
* More endurance
* Weight control
* Improved ability to tolerate pain
* Reduced stiffness

If you have fibromyalgia, you need to start exercise very slowly. Since even walking can feel like a chore, you may only be able to exercise for minutes at a time. That's OK! By being consistent with your frequency of exercise, you will be able to slowly increase how long you can exercise. Besides walking, the following are good choices for those with fibromyalgia:

* Swimming - This is a great way to condition your heart and body without the impact on your joints.

* Yoga - Increase your flexibility and de-stress by learning how to relax and breathe. Beginner classes tend to be most appropriate.

* Tai Chi - This 'moving meditation' helps you get back in touch with your body and stay active without impact or jarring movements.

* Strength Training – Again, start SLOW and light. Try Pushups--Do them against a wall instead of on the floor. Lift light weights or even soup cans for resistance. Try resistance bands, or machines at the gym with the pin entirely removed from the weight stack to start out. When in doubt, even going through a range of motion with no weight is better than nothing. Give 1-2 days of rest in between weight training sessions. Gentle cardio can be done daily.

The hardest part of exercising with fibromyalgia can be the frustration you feel that your body is betraying you. Try channeling that frustration into a commitment to your workouts, reminding yourself that every time you move around you are improving. Taking control of
your health can provide tremendous relief, not only physically but emotionally.

Before you do anything check with your doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist so you know exactly what to do.

This is so true...you have to go a little easier. Sometimes when I do high intensity, I either get sick within 24 hours or I am exhausted for a couple of days

You know alot of the symptoms of fibro are the same as adrenal fatigue. I had alot of these issues (insomnia, pain in muscles/joints after a workout, severe fatigue if I worked in yard or worked out hard, etc.) Once I started treating adrenals I felt alot better.

Baby1 has this and I was told after some medical tests so do I.I hurt all the friggin time it sucks.Good post Diva

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Originally Posted by FUZO

Baby1 has this and I was told after some medical tests so do I.I hurt all the friggin time it sucks.Good post Diva

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Sorry to hear that FUZO and BABY. Seriously google fibro and adrenal and see what comes up. I really think there is a correlation there.

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Originally Posted by qhams

Sorry to hear that FUZO and BABY. Seriously google fibro and adrenal and see what comes up. I really think there is a correlation there.

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thanks qhams...i know a lot about the adrenal fatigue, chronic fatige and all the fatigues,lol. I think fibro is general for many things

Its hard for me to workout or even stretch. I have nerve damage on my body and fibro and arthritis so you all can imagine the kind of pain I have.. I figured this article would be interesting for people that have it or don't have it.

Sorry to hear that Mrs Diva. Have you ever tried low dosed cortisol like cortef or prednisone? When I have a lot of issues I take a real low dosage of prednisone 3mg a day first thing with breakfast and it helps a lot. My rheum. said to take a mega dosage of pred. (20mg) which is the equivalent of 80mg of cortisol. We only produce about 20-30mg of cortisol a day. Anyways these lower dosages I take work and I don't get the side effects...but that is just my own personal experience with them. Hope you can find a way to cope and deal with your pain issues. I am sorry you have to experience that.

Qhams

i have the same symptoms in one side of my body and they prescribed a couple different meds for me. i tried taking them for a while and didnt like their effects so i stopped them completely. what i have found that works best for me is that it needs to be completely and fully warm before i do anything and if i take a few days off it is incredibly more painful than usual. another thing they have suggested for me to get rid of the pain is botox in the effected areas. you may consider that diva or baby1.

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Originally Posted by guns01

i have the same symptoms in one side of my body .

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Mine is on the left side of my body from head to toe at times

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Originally Posted by BABY1

Mine is on the left side of my body from head to toe at times

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we are opposites lol. mine is the right side but injury induced. i guess favoring my right side has also caused all the other issues i have from head to toe. that is just my guess but i would assume that all the nerves are tied together in some way down the right side or left side

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Originally Posted by guns01

we are opposites lol. mine is the right side but injury induced. i guess favoring my right side has also caused all the other issues i have from head to toe. that is just my guess but i would assume that all the nerves are tied together in some way down the right side or left side

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Well it is also the left side of my brain that I have seizures in. I always thought that each side of the brain controls the opposite side. Who knows,lol.

Just curious. Has any anabolic compounds like deca or NPP helped with any of your pain?

I read that creatine can help with fibro. I have a jar of the crap in my pantry but I don't like creatine because I get so bloated on it.

Stretching, STEM, heat/ice, chiropractor adjustments, and massage help me.

Also if I cut my calories to much it seems to affect me. My chiro said anytime you cut calories drastically it puts a stress on the body which stresses the adrenals which is probably why I have increased pain. That is one reason I try not to cut calories anymore but instead focus on quality of nutrients I'm eating.

Anyways Im curious to here what has helped you guys.

My dad should read this

My mother has it. They always recommended swimming to her for exercise.