The idea of 30-45 minutes of exercise a day is just not a possibility for me. Great idea, but in practice it just doesn't happen, plus it causes enough pain that it doesn't happen at all the next day.
I pick an activity (vacuuming the entire house, raking or pulling weeds in the yard, scrubbing bathtubs, picking up "after the dogs") and set the oven timer for 15 minutes. Then a work at my chore as hard as I am physically able till the timer goes off. I set down and rest for 15 minutes and get up and do it again. After doing 2 or 3 rounds of this every day I've gotten some exercise and some chores done too. Since I'm "pacing" myself by timing it I don't overdo to the point that I'm not functional the next day. I've found that I can do a lot of things for 15 minutes. Maybe it's psycological because of the time limit, but whatever it is, it works for me.
Hi Maks, It sounds like you've found a great solution to getting more activity without overdoing it. I really like the idea of setting a timer. It's easy to get involved in a chore or an activity and get so focused on getting it done we don't realize that we're overdoing it until it's too late. Thanks for sharing that! – Karen
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I saw a new Rheumatologist a few weeks ago. He said my FMS was a little out of control so he increased my Savella to 100mg BID and fish oil to 3000mg daily. He also instructed me to stretch 20min twice daily and walk 30min 6 days per week. At this point, I am not sure I will ever get there. After I work 8-9 hours per day, I am only able to walk 15-20 minutes. I felt really good Monday so I walked 25 minutes but have paid for that with muscle pain and fatigue. I'm trying the stretching but it seems impossible to stretch my stiff and sore muscles. Maybe these people are correct - walking will help. I just know for myself, I feel as if I am pushing up a very steep hill and paying for it along with way.
Hi Vanessa, The guidelines your doctor gave you sound like good goals, but it would probably be best to work up to them gradually. Most people with fibromyalgia need to start any new activity slowly and increase gradually. Otherwise, as you learned, you'll likely trigger a flare of pain and other symptoms. I usually suggest people start with five minutes (or less if necessary) and add another five minutes every week or two until you get to your goal.
It can be particularly hard to work in additional activity when you're already working full time. I don't know what kind of work you do, but take a look at it and see if you're already getting some activity there. If you work in an office, perhaps you could park a little farther from your office so you're taking a few more steps each day. Or walk to an associate's desk to ask a question rather than sending an e-mail. It doesn't sound like much, but any little bit we can move around and keep our muscles active is helpful and can be counted toward the 30 minute goal.
Don't push yourself so hard that you feel worse. The main goal is to move regularly so you don't stiffen up, which results in more pain. Good luck! – Karen
My daughter has moved back into town and I have tried to keep her 2 children (5mos. and 5 years old) 2 days a week. It is killing me, but I want to help her so badly. I don't know what to do. I am "down" for 2 days after I keep them. Does anyone have any words of encouragement? lizzilou
Hi lizzilou! I can so relate to your dilemma. I adore my grandchildren and want to help the kids out when they need me, but I've had to put a limit on what I can do for them when it comes to babysitting – especially when it's for more than one child. After just a couple of hours of keeping up with two little ones, I'm in bed for several hours. I can't imagine how you do it all day two days a week!
I was just up front with my kids from the beginning. I told them that when I get so tired and hurt so much, I'm really afraid that I can't take care of the children properly. I really do worry that if anything happened, I might not be able to react quickly enough to keep them safe. Thankfully, they've all been understanding and only occasionally ask me to babysit for short periods of time.
As the little ones have gotten old enough to be comfortable spending the night, I've tried to have one at a time come for a sleepover. That gives me individual time to do special things with each one without wearing myself out completely. By the time they're old enough for a sleepover, they're no longer running full speed all day and are happy to play games, watch movies, and do quieter things that I can handle. It still usually takes me a day to recouperate, but it's worth it once in a while to have that quality time with my grandchildren.
I understand how badly you want to help your daughter out, but you're going to have to take care of yourself, too. I hope you're able to figure something out that will work for both of you. – Karen
thanks so much for the reply. you are very helpful and understanding. how long have you had fm & cf ? do you ever get so tired that you vomit ? guess that is a wierd question, but i bet you know the feeling. guess that's my body saying rest! my" quack dr." says its because i take pain meds, i have told him many,many times that i have done this long befor i ever heard of "narcodic pain meds. i have had this symotom since i was in high school, when my "cf & fm" was acting up. sorry it took so long to reply to your answer, I really do appreciate the reply. Thanks a lot,brenda
Hi Brenda,
I've had FM and ME/CFS for about 21 years now – although it took seven years to finally get an accurate diagnosis.
To answer your question... I don't vomit easily, even when I have a stomach virus. But I understand what you mean by being so tired that you vomit. There have been many times that I've felt so sick, I wished I could. And I've known of other people with FM and ME/CFS that have been so tired and/or in so much pain that they have vomitted.
It sounds to me like you're pushing yourself too hard if you're getting to that point very often. It's so important to learn your limits and pace yourself. Here's an article that might help you: Learning to Manage Your Energy
I hope that helps some. – Karen