I am told the same thing from all the doctors and when I do I hurt just as you and they try to make me feel guilty for not doing it. I would love to exercise I used to walk 3 miles every other day. I do not want my body wasting and I hate being a couch potato. I just don't know what to do that will not make me hurt.

I still walk on the treadmill everyday...even if it does hurt...if I am in a lot of pain that day then I just walk slower. But I hate that I almost always have to take pain meds after I exercise.

Im hearing you girls. I decided to ditch the advice i was given and find something i could do. I found that rolling up and down a wall with a fit ball behind your lower back is a good one for bum and thighs.. Water walking (walking laps instead of swimming them) then getting on the floor with fit ball under feet (legs out infront) and lifting your bum up then down.. Looks really funny to others so maybe not one for the gym. This one really helped with the pains i was getting during sexual intercourse (mayb to much info) hope this helps xx

For me, exercise does not help with the pain. I got the same guilt crap from doctors that mlp1960 did when I told doctors that the exercise makes the pain worse.

I do exercise when I'm feeling good (generally during two weeks out of each month), which includes walking and bicycling, and that is to keep my body fit overall. I have other issues going on (buldging disks in my neck), so I can't lift weights like I used to, or do situps and such. The type of exercise I can do is limited.

But exercise to ease the pain during endo flareup? Hell no - I'm bedridden, nothing works except lots of drugs and heating pads and being in bed for me.
It's different for everyone I guess.

I really like Emm13's water walking idea!

HI Guys!
Thanks for all of your posts! I feel so much better knowing I am not the only one being told that and struggling with doing it.

I work as a waitress so my job involves lots of walking and lifting,i would always stay home in bed when i had my period cause the pain was so bad then 5 years ago i decided that this sickness was not going to keep me in bed forever so i went to work (of course i took some anaprox) and to my surprise i felt a bit better.My guess on why i felt better 2 things
1 i felt that walking helps the blood cloth to come out and when it comes out it eases the pain
2 i'm not alone at home thinking about my pain,i noticed that the more i think about this sickness the worst i feel.
So that's my story hope this helps.

I can't do any exercises it makes me twice as ill afterwards. I am glad to hear that you have the same poblems as me as some times I feel like such a useless dollop. Especially as I used to be so fit, I used to ride 20 miles a day as well as do double shifts at work. I ran in marathons, played football and now look at me! Even walking to far blooming hurts it is ridiculous at 27 to feel like this. I am so frustrated because my all time favourite hobby is to dance and I can't even do that. My life quality is so poor.

Exercise made it worse for me, too. If I had a busy day of shopping or running other errands, I thought I was catching the flu from being in public. The gyn said it was from being in so much pain from the endo. It didn't hurt, I just felt sick.

I can't exersize, makes it worse. Sometimes between periods I can, but I hope all the walking I do at work and all the lifting is enough. I've gained some muscles since I got my new store, (busier and bigger) so I'm assuming I'm okay. Only thing I can reccomend that helped without pain was swimming.

ah swimming! I don't know why I didn't think of that one!! I might have to try that! Thanks!

I find it hard to exercise regulary. I get moments of feeling great and energetic during the month so I try to burn off the energy, but then extra crap later:(
I'm so sick & tired of people saying to exercise and everything will be fine.
Realistically I would love to be physically active most days, I have my fingers crossed for all of us! x

On days when I can't do the elliptical machine (my favorite if the pain isn't too bad), I go in the sauna or in the pool. Even simple stretches while I am in the bathtub keep my brain focused in a positive direction. I agree with all these posts that say it is quite impossible to exercise when you are in pain, and that many times the pain is triggered by exercise. It is very frustrating to have to stop a workout or physical activity because of the pain. No one understands unless they have been there.

Thank you guys so much for all the replies! I am glad to know I am not alone...and that you guys have been told the same things about exercising. Most days I just do it thru the pain...there are days the pain gets worse while I am doing it so I have to stop...but my problem is that I suffer from depression too. And while I am on medication for that...exercising is still something that always makes me feel better, emotionally. So I like to try to do it any way!

For me exercise hasn't been helpful either. I feel without energy when I'm in pain and I do the exercises with less zest. I still drag myself to the gym on heavy pain-days and just sit on my side on the bike or walk crooked on the treadmill, as long as I'm exercising! I don't care much about what other people in the gym must be thinking.

It's so crazy! I have yet to find one person who suffers from this who has said exercise has been great for them! It seems the only ones who have told me that are Drs who have no clue!