Water therapy - Fibromyalgia Message Board

typingterror · 06-24-2004, 11:53 AM

I had my first session yesterday which they did not charge me for seeing it was my first visit. However, I bought ticket for 10 more prior to class so I could cooperate with suggestions by rheumatologist. Well, it was for me like being on Fear Factor. When I take a bath the water is really hot. This was supposed to be heated pool and it felt cold to me. I am only 5' 2" and a nonswimmer. It was a day of maximum arm and leg cramping. I walked to 4' depth where class was and was not a happy camper as I felt like the water was trying to push me over so I spent practically the whole 45 minutes on my tiptoes which further exacerbated my symptoms. Talk about feeling unstable. I was not able to do 5% of the movements. I wanted to hold onto side of pool the whole time, but you cannot with different movements. The people were too close and I did not want anyone within 10 feet of me. One poor elderly lady could not participate when we had to walk in circle as she was clinging desperately to pool side and quit when she would have walked out in center of pool. I looked at her sympathetically and said, "I would hold your hand to help you, but then we would both fall down." That circle walking was terror as they were walking way to fast for me so I felt like I was being pushed and pulled as we all had to hold hands. They did one called in a rocking chair which to me was totally impossible as I felt like I was already in a rocking chair just trying to stand. It was like my worst nightmare and felt like going to ER when it was over. When I first got to class area in water some woman came over to me and touched my arm freaking me out and wanted to know what I had on it. I told her it was a tatoo which ended that. Maybe she thought I had some kind of artistic rash. I should have told her it was a water bug. When I left pool I was in worse shape then when I entered and could hardly walk. Since my driver is such an unpleasant person I am setting up future appointments via transport for elderly citizens which only cost you $1 each way. Since it is so hard to get appointments around noon time these 10 treatments will really be stretched out so maybe it won't be so traumatic or else I will wind up a patient in mental health just from following doctor's orders. (TT)

mollymadison · 06-26-2004, 02:16 PM

TT-
I'm so glad you brought this up! My grandma is a fibro patient and is in really bad shape right now. She is 73, a non-swimmer and afraid of water. Her Rhuemy which is part of the practice that my rhuemy is in suggested this kind of rehab for her. There are other parts that go along with it like behavioral stuff, meditation, learning different methods of coping. I am worried about the water therapy especially if it's in with alot of people. She will freak. She doesn't even like water in her face. She did learn how to swim at a very late age but really hates it. I wonder if this water therapy is going to be OK for her. I can hardly do the water exercises that I try on my own. They sound like the ones that you tried. I use the kickboard, use dumbell floaty weights to strenthen the arms but, I also keep my legs moving (I can only do this about 2 minutes max!), I use the floaty weight belt alot so I can swim without having to carry all my weight and I try to swim a few laps (can hardly do that pulling my own weight), I also use flippers. I did a whole 30 minutes without stopping and paid for it later! I was sore but I felt like I tried to do something that was good for me.

TT - if you don't mind, how old are you and when did you get dx'd. I may have already asked you this but, you know about the memory? and If I haven't thanked you for your posts, Thank You!

typingterror · 06-26-2004, 02:43 PM

I am 62. I have been having run-around with this for 5 years and was diagnosed initially with adhesive capsilitus (frozen shoulder) on right side. I guess they finally gave me official diagnosis of fibro 3 years ago and then a year ago of frozen left shoulder. The person I was with made matters totally worse as she is so obnxious and I have no intentions of being within a mile of her ever again. She created hassle with locker that she insisted I use and I told her I did not want to as door was messed up. I finally stupidly just gave in rather than listening to her and this was a major mistake as I could not get door open and strained every muscle in my body. She had to get door open and then stated, "See, I knew between us we could get it open!" I wanted to cram her head in door and slam it. The exercises would have been simple for most people, but I had every muscle/joint severely strained before I even got into pool so even moving one limb for me created pain so severe I wished for instant death. There was one man next to me which was place she had saved for me and I swear he was 4x my size so it was like being in tidal waves. Hopefully I will get to talk to head of class before session on Monday to see what I can do to make session go better. To me it is as bad as being in an iron lung machine and someone throwing me in water. (TT)

taurus3 · 06-26-2004, 06:17 PM

Hi TT & Molly,

Just wanted to put in my two cents. My Mom (49 - no really) and I (35) both have fibro so we started attempting to go to the indoor pool to swim, float and feel better. We are both swimmers but the coldness of the water made this activity impossible. The pool is kept at about 85 which for me means I cramp in my legs as soon as I hit the water. I tried warming up first like you do for aerobics but it just made the cold water problem worse. Arrgh! - Andy

typingterror · 06-26-2004, 08:31 PM

Andy, thanks for sharing that about temperature of water and effect it had on you. With temperature of heated pool I got in was like when apartment runs out of hot water when I am trying to fill bathtub and I pull plug and would never get in or I would probably have shaking chills. I believe you hit nail on head as rather than water therapy it is more like shock therapy. (TT)