Re: Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Begins

[Guest guest]

Fibro friends,

The below is very good advise from the National Fibro web site for people with

fibro considering exercise as a treatment for the pain. Has anyone out there had

great success in any certain exercises or do you know of a specific tape I can

purchase with exercises that are good for those of us with the pain of fibro.

Thanks

Delia

Starting an Exercise Program with Fibromyalgia

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by Lorden

When you suffer from Fibromyalgia (FM) or an overlapping condition, just the

thought of " physical fitness " may be an exercise in frustration and pain. Your

muscles already hurt, you feel exhausted. How can you even consider exercise

when just getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain? The answer

is...very carefully. But exercise is possible for many patients if it is begun

correctly. And the benefits may be greater than you thought possible. In her

essay, " Fibromyalgia: Improving through Fitness, " Deborah Barrett writes of a

doctor with Fibromyalgia who once told her: " You can have weak muscles that

hurt, or strong muscles that hurt. " While exercise is in no way a cure for the

pain and fatigue of Fibromyalgia, strengthening our muscles and increasing our

endurance may actually allow us to do more and feel better. Research has

repeatedly shown that FM sufferers who exercise experience a decrease in their

symptoms. This data should not be used as evidence that FM

is " all in the head, " or to imply that if FM patients would only get up and get

moving, then they wouldn't be ill. Exercise can easily be damaging for some

patients, if it is done without gradually building up tolerance. Especially in

people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, for whom the diagnosis is in fact defined

in part by a difficulty to exercise (i.e. post-exertional malaise), any physical

activity must be approached extremely cautiously, and for some patients may be

contraindicated. But for many of us, gentle exercise can be helpful. Starting

an exercise program should be done under supervision of a doctor who is familiar

with FM and can monitor your condition, noting any exacerbation. Nevertheless,

you are the one who will have the most essential role in keeping track of your

progress and adjusting your program. So where do we begin? Following are some

essential strategies in starting a successful exercise program. Start Slowly

With Fibromyalgia, you cannot start too

small. For a healthy person, the recommended fitness program is at least 20

minutes of aerobic activity three times a week. For many people with FM, 20

minutes might as well be 20 hours. While many of us have memories of what it

felt like to " get in shape " before we were sick, FM makes the process completely

different. There is no reason to feel ashamed of starting slowly; remember that

you are limited not by laziness or a lack of desire, but by a disease that is

severely debilitating. Make sure that your expectations are realistic. One

physical therapist once told me, " anything is better than nothing. " If you're

moving more today than yesterday, that's progress! For some of you, it may be a

workout to walk to the mailbox. That's a great place to start; after doing that

for a few days, try walking a few steps past it. Walking is a great form of

exercise because it requires no special equipment, and it is easy to alter the

length and intensity of the exercise. Start with a

level you know you can tolerate without an exacerbation in your symptoms. If

you know you can walk for five minutes, but any longer is pushing it, than start

there. After you are consistently successful for several days, you can slowly

increase the length of the exercise session--add a minute to your walk. Resist

the temptation to increase too quickly; the goal is to do some exercise while

minimizing any flare in your symptoms. According to Barrett, " The golden rule is

to moderate your activity so you can exercise again two days later. If you hurt

too much, cut back! " The most important thing is to listen to your body.

Tracking Your Progress Create a personalized report sheet to keep track of

your exercise program and your reactions to it. It's helpful to include other

factors that might be affecting how you feel, such as medications or quality of

sleep. Be sure to note the exercise you're doing and how you feel both during

and afterward. It's quite common to feel fine

while exercising but then be completely wiped out a day or two later. If this

happens, try cutting back. Careful record-keeping will make it possible for you

to adjust your program and monitor your progress. As the weeks and months pass,

long-term improvements will show how much you've accomplished and help keep you

motivated. Coping with the Pain & Fatigue Even healthy people who have not

exercised in a long time experience muscle soreness when beginning an exercise

program. Initially, you are likely to hurt more than the average healthy person

and that pain may last longer. In one article about exercising with a chronic

pain condition, it said " No matter what you do, you're going to be in pain. "

But the article went on to say that while the pain may increase at first, in the

long term it's worth it if it allows us to participate more fully in our lives

and/or experience an ultimate decrease in symptoms. Since increased muscle

soreness can be excruciating to FM sufferers

with already high levels of pain, it's essential to avail yourself of any

available strategies to make yourself feel more comfortable and make it possible

to keep going. Make sure you stretch your muscles before and after exercise,

which can decrease the likelihood of muscle soreness. Applying heat, using

muscle relaxants and analgesics, warm baths or jacuzzis, and relaxation

exercises may be helpful tools in relieving pain. Barrett points out that you

should " keep in mind that although our muscles may hurt like hell, using them

will not injure them. Post-exercise soreness will decrease over time,

especially if you respond to your body's signals and pace yourself. " Getting

extra rest can also help make exercise possible. I find that it is impossible

for me to exercise if my general activity level is too high. But if I'm resting

during the day, I find that some exercise is tolerable. Most of all, remember

that each of us is different. Our experience with exercise will vary

according to age and severity of symptoms. Listen to your body, and keep

adjusting until you find something that works for you. As Deborah Barrett

writes, " In the worst case, you will be stronger, in better shape, and look

better...and still hurt. Most likely, however, physical fitness will decrease

your pain and increase your abilities. It has for me. "