Absolutely. I go to the gym and work out with light weights to keep toned and flexible. The closest I ever come to pain free is when I'm leaving the gym after a workout. Endorphins are powerful pain killers, and keeping toned and flexible will both make you feel better and keep you from being injured doing what I call "stupid stuff" like bending over to pick up the laundry.

Yep, I'm definitely better when I do workouts on a regular basis....I like jumping on my mini-trampoline, doing light weights, treadmill, and swimming in heated pool....all keep my muscles more loose, and help me sleep better at night....

HUGS from down south :)

shtupndance - YES! I actually had a specialist I flew to MI to see prescribe exercise for me, specifically at least 30 minutes of hard aerobic exercise at least 5 out of 7 days. I know a lot of docs tell us to exercise (mostly because they don't know what else to tell us) but he explained to me why my walking and yoga weren't helping with my pain level. He said to think about how my pain trigger is dialed all the way to MAX. And then he said that my endorphin release trigger is also dialed all the way up. That means I have to do more exercise than the prefibro me or than non fibro folks for my endorphins to release (endorphins are the bodys natural pain killers). He told me that the walking and the yoga actually were ok but didn't count at all towards my "prescription". He said "if you're not gasping, it doesn't count" I said everything I read tells me to just do gentle stuff. He said, if I was like 280 pounds that may be true, but for me, there was absolutely no reason why I couldn't run. I should run. So, I decided to try. I was in a wheelchair when I saw him. Pain level at 7. It is now almost 2 months later and I have stuck to the program. I ran this morning at 6 am. My pain is SOOOOO diminished. I hardly ever reach for my cane to help me walk (my mobility was very poor before exercise). In fact, most days I devote an hour to exercising. I run 30 minutes, walk 10, then cool down with yoga for 20. The very first day I did this I felt "high" at the end. I was eager to repeat that feeling but, it hasn't happened again. For me, and everyone, I am only speaking for me, Exercise, really hard exercise that I thought there was no way I could do, has been the answer. Better than any drug I've ever been on for fibro.
PM me if you want to know more or chat more.
HUGSS,
Marie

I thought there was something wrong with me because so many people on here talk about how they aren't able to do much of anything at all. I got more done this afternoon than I have all week. I expected to have to pay for it hard core, but that wasn't the case. If I keep this up, maybe I'll be able to go back to work in the fall without much of a problem AND be in shape in time for my wedding in March!!!

I definitely think there is merit to this.

When I was diagnosed initially, the NP looked me straight in the eye and told me that I would become a fibromyalgic cripple if I wasn't careful. He recommended hot baths, 30 minutes of walking at least three times a week and some light meds. I am on the lowest dosage of the meds that are available.

I have been doing very well about walking in the last few weeks and it has made a huge difference. I get up very early and walk. My neighborhood has a little block loop (.4 miles), a medium flat loop (.8 miles) and a big honking loop with a killer hill in it (1.5 miles). I try to to the big loop or two medium ones in the morning and I like to try to make a couple of medium loops in the evening.

I have more energy and things hurt less.

I also make a big deal out of stretching my calves and hamstrings. This also seems to help. I have an old bathrobe belt that I use to help me stretch.

The big kick in the pants is that when we feel poorly, we don't want to move at all, but for me, that just makes things worse. If I feel like total poo, I just slowly walk the little loop. And failing that, or int he event of bad weather, we have a treadmill that I can do a little bit of walking on.

I added my two cents on exercise on the Discussion Page about 2 weeks ago. I was "officially" diagnosed with fibro Feb 2007. My doctor refused to give me pain meds. I soon found a doctor who would. Until then, I was pretty much bedridden with pain.

Today I go to the gym a few times a week. I do full body weight training plus I ride my bike for cardio. I am in great shape and have my fibro under control. A few weeks ago I went on an interior camping trip which involved a 3 hour paddle by canoe and sleeping on the ground for 3 nights. I couldn't have dreamed doing that 4 years ago.

I started out with baby steps (walking around a mall). I increased my walking gradually.

Today, even though I have bad flares sometimes, because of exercise, by flares do not last very long. Even when I get sore from any physical activity, my recovery time is a lot faster and the pain level is tolerable.

I would encourage all to try exercise.

Exercise is crucial!

However many fibro patients are in a vicious cycle where they can't exercise because they hurt too much, then they become deconditioned, and then exercise itself hurts, then they gain weight, then they take Lyrica and gain even more weight...

I needed to get my vitamin D levels up before I could go beyond walking and gentle stretching. I also needed magnesium supplements with malic acid to get my muscles to relax enough to exercise. I needed decent opioid pain meds, which are rarely Rx'd to fibro patients. Once I did all those things, I dropped 15 of the 20 lb I gained and returned to my super-athletic roots! (I was a figure skater and coach before fibro.)

I'm thinking exercise for basic body maintenance. The body must be serviced or it WILL break down. Having F is bad enough but we've got to grow old as well.

I have always been a gym fanatic and in really good shape for my age. When I got really sick in November, I couldn't go to the gym for a while. I have since gotten back to it and I go about 3 or 4 times a week. I have to push myself to get there but once I am there, I feel good and don't have a problem working out. But I do pay for it later. I usually have a lot of pain when I go to bed that night and have a hard time sleeping. I'm not sure this problem is caused by the fibro. I really think it is caused by my chronic fatigue. But no matter what, I will always try to keep up my workouts. I think it is extremely important to everyone!

Okay, I debated on whether or not to post. You all sound so wonderful and I don't want to dampen anything you have said by any means. I think you all are awesome people who are overcoming a major medical challenge!!! Before I became super sick with fibro, I worked out 4-5x/wk, and rode my bike after work 5-10 miles/day and on Sat. unless it was raining any of those days. It felt great to do those things and my sons went right along with me. I played football, baseball, softball because I am a Dad too LOL Maybe it is because I have other things going on too? I don't know. But, ever since last September, I am not able to walk most days without a walker? This is making me cry. Why can you all do it and I am not able to? I do try to walk everyday for at least .5 mile. I am not able to walk fast because my left hip 'pops' out of joint. And whats worse is I can only walk if I take my breakthrough medication...it is how I force myself to keep walking. Sometimes just the car ride to a new place is too much. It has been too long now for me to be in this stupid house!!!! Have to go now. I am truly happy for you all. God Bless,
Eva

I agree and exercise almost 5 days of the week. pilates, yoga, feldenkrais, weight machines, etc. But I could not have started without physical therapy. I had that for a few months to get me going and i couldn't have done that without sleeping again and I only started really sleeping well when I saw a sleep specialist who prescribes xyrem for me to give me the stage 4, restorative sleep I couldn't get on my own. That was four years ago. I'm eternally grateful to my medical team that has enabled me to have almost an ordinary life.

I just wish my doctors would do something, PT or whatever, I have been in the worst pain of my three years this last two weeks, I want to do something.......

I've had Fibromyalgia for almost 25 years and managed it , for most of those years, with exercise. About two and a half years ago I started to realize that I had slipped into a pretty bad place. I knew what I had to do, but my efforts to do it failed.

It was time to see a doctor and do what he said. That meant Lyrica and Physical Therapy. I did two rounds of PT, once for Fibromyalgia and once for what was supposesd to be DDD in my neck, but my shoulder problem revealed itself and took over the second time. After that, my Rheumatologist gave me a Cortisone injection in the bad shoulder.

It wasn't until then that I could even begin to do the PT exercises at home with any consistency. Over months, and months, and months I have seen great improvement in my flexibility and range of motion, not just in my shoulder, but everywhere. I no longer have that Plantar Fasciitis type of pain in my feet.

I do 30 minutes of PT stretching and strengthening exercises five days a week, before I get up in the mornings. My mornings aren't a mess anymore. I get out of the house on time now.


I went on "Protein Power" and lost the 25 "Lyrica Pounds" and 5 of the extra pounds I was already carrying. Throughout all of this time, the doctors kept looking for additional factors contributing to my continued pain and fatigue. I'm being treated for a severe Vitamin D deficiency and my shoulder, gait and balance continue to get better.

I can actually take the dog walking now, for his potty breaks, instead of just letting him go in the yard. I'm starting to feel some excitement now, at the thought of doing more. I bought a new bike and have ridden it a few times. I'm even stating to feel like I might just be ready to try "Couch To 5K".

No matter how many flares I managed in the past, with yoga and bike riding, there was no way I was going to scrape myself up off of the floor two years ago without my doctor's help. There were no quick, easy answers. It's been a very difficult, uphill climb and I've still got a long way to go, but it's worth it.

Eva-

Don't feel bad about not being able to exercise! We are all at different stages with this illness. Just because we can do something doesn't mean you should be able to do it too! I am working out but like I said, I pay for it. I have a lot of pain afterwards. I just keep hoping that soon it will be better. I went 6 months where all I could do was lie on the couch. I couldn't have gone to the gym no matter how badly I wanted to. Today I went shopping with a friend and I stumbled badly twice. I just couldn't lift my feet properly. I may be getting to the point where I have to give up a lot of what I am doing now. I hope not but I don't know where this illness is going to lead me. So please don't think that I am saying you should be exercising. If you can't, you can't. All we can do is the best we can and pray that someday we will get better.
Hugs,
DJ

Evasthoughts....Sweetie. I too went through that mode. I was active....then all of a sudden BAM....I got hit a hard dose of can't do nuffins!

But I did it anyways. Even if I was using my cane...hobbling...I pushed myself to do something. The dishes, just 1 load of laundry....Something to push myself. And it worked. I pushed through the flare.

I don't fully understand Fibro and how and why it makes me feel like I'm 2 feet in the grave waving my last good bye to everyone one day and the next week feeling like my leg is about had it and it's ready to pop off. Or how I can function now.

What I have learned is this. Nothing really does break down on us. Yah, it may feel like our elbows are gonna fall off...or our head if we hear or see one more loud sound or bright light, it's gonna deflate or something. But it never does.

Because of this I've taken on that attitude that if something hurts, I'll nurture it some...if it persists, I'll get my happy butt into the docs office. Otherwise, I push through it all! For as much as my family puts up with my whining & complaining, they deserve that much from me back. So they are my source of energy even when I'm running 1/2 tank past empty.

So shtupndance hun....you're absolutely right....moving is the best treatment!