I exercised like a mad woman for the first 23 years I had fibro, but keep in mind, I didn't know I had it for 22.5 of those years.

My rheumatologist told me the treatment for fibro is 'sleep, and exercise, exercise and exercise.' I took his word on it and gave it my all. Funny thing though was that I wasn't getting any better. In fact, my flares were becoming almost nonstop.

I later bought a book on CFS and found the following quotes very insightful. Explains why exercise always left me worse off.

The following is an excerpt from Dorothy Walls book, Encounters with the Invisible about her experiences with chronic fatigue syndrome:

'No one knows for sure what causes this postexertional mailaise. One theory is that a mitochondrial dysfunction in the cells means the body doesn't produce energy the way it should. Another theory links the problem to an immune system defect in an enzyme called RNase-L that in turn produces poor oxidative metabolism, which means people get fatigued more easily during exercise. Others have suggested that malfunctions in the autonomic nervous system results in decreased blood flow to the brain and muscle tissues, compromising the ability to exercise.

Some investigators have postulated that cardiac insufficiency is at the root of CFIDS. Unexplored heart problems may cause the heart to pump abnormally, resulting in postextertional symptoms that parallel those of heart failure patients. One exercise physiologist claims that when a CFIDS patient takes an exercise test, the results look like those of a pateint with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease.

There's been tremendous debated within CFIDS circles about whether to treat CFIDS with graded exercise--gradually trying to increase one's exercise program--or whether postextertional malaise makes this impossible or counterproductive. Many persons with CFIDS are adamant that those who champion graded exercise don't understand the biological nature of CFIDS and are advancing the misguided notion that CFIDS can be cured through force of will: If you would just get up on that exercise treadmill, you could work your way to better health. This line of thinking implies the enervation of CFIDS is similar to that of someone who is deconditioned, an assumption that ignores the science on severe physiological dyfunction in CFIDS patients.

Dr Anthony Komaroff sets the debate in perspective: I think the literature demonstrates some patients will respond well [to exercise] and others clearly do not respond well, suggesting that there are subsets of patients among those with CFS..... [pg 88-89]

Well Judy, the most exercise I am able to do is walking at a normal pace about 4 times a week and I do gentle stretching every night. It's all I can handle and it keeps me feeling a little bit better. Thats the extent of it though.

I do water arobics, just started and I love it. I'm also learning! You don't over stretch those muscles! Which I did today and I am paying dearly!! You also don't work out too hard! I think walking at a slow pace is good. Parking at the end of the grocery store parking lot is good. Another idea is walking with a book on tape. Keeps you distracted. I hope you find something that helps you. I don't like exercise either. But I love the water!

most days my exercise consists of me just doin normal chores around the house.. other days i might add some yard work and of course i have days that just getting out bed is a chore...
only do what u can when u can . even if it is only a couple stretches in your chair .. something is better then nothing..**hugs**
and dont stress over it .. we all are not able to o the same things .

you can exercise but you have to make sure you only do what will not make you feel like crap the next day. if that means only 30 seconds of an exercise, then that should be it. and soemthing you consider exercise, will probably not be someone else's definition. some days getting out of bed is exercise for me, not to mention just trying to get to class (which involves many stairs), but if i tell anyone else that i go to school with that this was my workout for the day, they look at me like i'm crazy. but on those days, i'm proud of myself for just getting out of bed. lol.
you could even just start with gentle stretches b4 you try to do anything else. just make sure you don't stretch to the point of pain (believe me, you will regret that one later). i hope this helps!

(btw, my favorite form of exercise is dancing--ballroom, swing, latin. its the perfect exercise for me b/c i can take frequent breaks and no one gives me a hard time about it. i decide exactly how much and at what speed i do stuff. some days i can only dance to a song or two but other days for an hour or so, so i kno i'm getting a little stronger.)

I like to walk, and I also found Yoga to be relaxing .

I try and walk my dog every day, I do GENTLE exercises for my upper body daily, even when I hurt as it does help. When I can physically, I go belly dancing, a great tension and stiffness buster! I admit I'm a bit more achey, with a bit more pain the next day, but wow I feel so supple for days after. Hugs to all, Owlxx

I don't even try anymore. I use to enjoy exercising but now I just want to get well and detoxing is a bitch.

as part of my day at any time of day i'm stretching, stretching, stretching. i need to i have a physically demanding job. when i sit down is when it really starts hurting. nap regularily. swimming oooooo swimming feels soooo good.....
(whispers) pst.. sometimes theres a hot tub attached to the pool ooooooooo yah

CAN'T RIGHT NOW,PAIN IS NUMBER 1 RIGHT NOW.....LOVE....HELEN

I exercised everyday for about 30 minutes before I got fibro and really enjoyed it. I went to the gym about three times a week. I was no freak on it I just tried to do some most everyday. I felt very good. I've had fibro for 10 years and have hated exercise for every minute. I have also missed my exercise the whole time. If I try to do any I get a flare up. Often a really BAD flare up. They tell you to exercise, but they don't tell you what to do so you don't get a terrible flare up and are in very bad pain for weeks. So, I do the chores at home, try to take it easy.

the only exercise I am getting right now is the walk from the car to the office building which kills me. I do walk around to stretch when my body gets stiff from sitting too long at my desk. Other than that it kills me.

I had to quit physical therapy because for several days after I was down for the count and in severe pain. I was going 2 to 3 times a week. By the time I got to the end they only had me doing the TENS machine and they would perform stretchs on my body while laying down. They had me doing shoulder crunches, rubber band stretches, knee movement back and forth, lifting one leg and holding, performing the walking movement with one left and one arm opposite of each other, lying on my back and lifting my lower back off the mat (This really killed me and would put me into tears). These were supposed to be for indiv. with Fibro and CFS but I could not do them without killing myself even further.

So I think it is all in what your body can do without making the condition worse. Right now I just can't and the girls at work want me to walk with them everyday but they do not realize or want to understand about my illness. Therefore, it is easier to tell them I just can't.

Hi Judy,
I find walking to be the least hard on me. I walk my dog each night and have gotten up to 20 minutes. I can't do gym type exercise because it kills me the next day.

New Balance walking shoes (fitted by a pro, not from a discount store) have been a Godsend for me.
I don't feel the fatigue the way I did in other shoes.
I also workout in a warm pool at a PT hospital nearby.

I try to exercise regularly, mainly because I am working on losing weight. Exercise has always made my Fibro worse, not improved it. I don't know what the science behind this says, but it's never helped me. And I have never been able to work out while working full time! Try to do what you can-maybe a 10 minute walk 3 days a week can help you.