I read on several Fibro sites that mild exersise will help your Fibro. I wish it were true. I did a little caulking, up and down a ladder a dozen times, swept and mopped a couple floors and the next day I could barely move. I am so stiff that two Advils and a Tramadol hasn't put a dent in my pain. What I did is such mild work that this is crazy. I can't even do simple tasks anymore without paining the price the next day? Is anyone else as bad as me?

Ah yes, definately as bad, I to have been told exercise would help, but getting past the point where it simply kills you stops you in your tracks. I have not known a day without pain in so many years. It is horrible I know. Yes, anything I do one day I pay for dearly the next.... you are not alone that is for sure.

Bless You

YES, YES, YES! You actually did way too much in my opinion. For me, my vacuum cleaner is the devil! Vacuuming cause such severe pain as well as mopping floors. I actually curse my vacuum when I walk by it and when I use it I swear I'm beating it up. Guess what? It broke the other day! Because of my dog, vaccuuming is required at least every other day. The same day I broke the mop as well!! Maybe it's a sign? Now they both sit there looking defeated! And I smile. So for now, we just get to bring a little bit of our dog wherever we go!
I sound insane don't I?

in reference to exercise it is best to start with a physical therapist who knows how to teach you healthful exercise. the ladder is not exercise it is work. big difference. if i can go from a wheelchair to hiking and kayaking with the help of therapy i know it is possible. i have also had several strokes and had to learn stuff all over again, like walking and writing and speech. attitude. i believe in my ability to do anything.
i suggest starting with aquatic therapy. i cannot stress strongly enough how vital exercise is to your physical and mental well being. it helps you be strong so when you do flare the recovery time is quicker and easier. the down time not as horrid or as long.
after 13 years of this journey i feel as tho i am an expert on my body. in time you will also feel that way about your body.
please don't give up. get your doc to script you some p.t. and get started. it hurts like crazy at first and you won't want to get out of bed. do it tho. i remember all the times i have made myself go. like yesterday. once i get there i am glad i did it. i am also proud of myself for pushing thru on something that really matters, my health.
peace,
bluelakelady

hi guys, exercise is a yes it will help in the long run.you need to have a short walk to start and work your way up, if you put on the pounds it make everthing hurt more.i know it kills but the more you do it the more your body excepts it happy exercise ,

I've been told stretching is the key, like warm-ups before exercise, it needs to be done before any activity. After reading these posts and talking to others with Fibro, I've come to the conclusion, everyone of us are different in how we work, how we mend and how long it takes to recover, our pain threshold and what we need to help us get through. We all are the same as far as the continuing pain, but let's not forget, what works for one , may not necessarily work for another. It is this site that keeps us up on new treatments, something someone else has tried that many of us , maybe hasn't. I am glad that we can come here and give advise, comfort some, motivate and show that we do understand. Sorry for the long winded speech, but some of the simplest things we do can cause us much pain and last far too long. Aqua Therapy works for me, but it works better in a pool that is warmed. PT works on some of the areas on my body, but to touch other parts in the slightest way will leave me down for a while for recovery. It also depends on , if the person has other health issues.:confused:
I'm at the point, if someone finds something works for them, thanks for sharing. This condition is about discovering whatever works to lessen the pain and get some quality of life. I'm a stretchin til the hurt goes away. Whenever that will be!! ;)
Mary

I found that exercise was good, but only after I had 1) acheived a temporary pain reduction through medicine and 2) went to a trainer with experience in fibro and physical problems and got taught how to do some gentle yoga correctly.

Before doing 1) and 2), almost all exercise just made me hurt more. There are a few exercises my yoga teacher suggested, like neck rolls, that I will not attempt to this day, but most I can do (except, of course, for the ones I can't do because I now have a bad foot, but, details, details.)

At this point, I am 100% and totally addicted to my yoga. I can't sleep without it.

Of couse, there's no proof that all fibro patients even have the same root problem, let alone the same cure, so, maybe not for everybody.

Exercise, YES!

I'll try to get to the point, but need to give some background.

About two years ago I shattered my elbow in a fall. I had surgery and a titanium implant was inserted to fix my arm. I was on heavy meds while I went to physical therapy for 3 months. (Arm is great-I regained full extension, though they predicted 95%. I'm stubborn!) A few months after I had recovered from my arm injury, I went back to golfing. About a week into golfing I began to have a sciatic type pain. My pain was somewhat different. It didn't bother me during the day. I'd wake in the morning to an extreme spasm in my right calve muscle. I returned to the orthopaedic surgeon, they did an MRI on my spine, and they diagnosed a spondylolesthesis; a long word that means 'a vertebrae is pushed forward.'

The 'shortened story' (sorry if it seems long) is: over the next 8 months. I did physical therapy; I had acupuncture; deep tissue massage; chiropractic manipulation; multi trigger point injections; oral steroids, and 3 epidurals. Nothing relieved the pain. I had told the MDs that the pain was most severe in the morning when I'd step out of bed. Initially I couldn't put any weight on my right leg. I would be crawling and crying. Strange thing (it seemed strange to me) the pain would dissipate after about an hour of sitting at my computer.

Eventually I went to another ortho-guy in Miami, and he said if it was a spine issue, it was mild, and he told me to get back to my life. He said, "Keep moving. That's key."

I stopped going to the MD's, and I began a stretching program at home. (Oh before I broke my arm I had been going to a gym twice a week, and playing golf three times a week regularly. I have always been active. The arm incident had stopped my 'normal life.') I resumed golfing, and walking, and stretching. Very soon, I noticed that I felt so much better when I walked and golfed than when I didn't exercise. It seemed that the pain was lessening and changing with time.

I was telling a friend about my experience, how I thought it was 'funny' that golfing would help a 'back issue,' and she said, "My sister had a similar experience. she has fibromyalgia. Check that out." I set out to research the heck out of' fibromyalgia, and indeed I believe I exhibit classic symptoms.
I read, that fibromyalgia can be triggered by trauma! (My fall?) I read that the frequency, degree and the location of the pain can vary from day to day. I read that the level of discomfort can be the result of mild muscle stiffness to extreme, radiating pain that can be so severe that it is debilitating. (My so-called sciatic pain?)

My pain now travels from place to place on any given day. Now I experience pain mostly at night. It sometimes wakes me. I have pain in my shoulders, neck, but not severe, just like a mild stiff neck. Slow stretching relieves that. Sometimes the pain travels down my arms and legs, and my hands and feet will hurt. Sometimes it feels as though my shoes are too tight, and I'm not wearing shoes!

They said that an exercise program can help. I'm definitely an example of that. I still have pain, but over the past few months my pain has changed and it's truly manageable, I believe, because I've resumed an exercise program.

I don't want to sound 'pollyanna' about it, but I do believe that you can control your body to an extent. Exercise is key, especially stretching and walking. And meditation, relaxation techniques are very effective....but don't get me started on that.....

The mind is a wonderful power..

Judy