I faced years of mysterious illness before getting an accurate diagnosis of fibromyalgia. In this excerpt from my book FibroWHYalgia (NorseHorse Press), I share how exercise helped tame symptoms, and offer tips for others...
Exercise has not always been my friend. I’m not a fitness fanatic and have never been remotely athletic.
Shortly after my fibromyalgia diagnosis, however, I read that regular exercise helps manage chronic illness symptoms. I was to consider exercise as “doctor-prescribed.”
That sounded like real commitment. How could I get fit when my fibromyalgia caused so much pain I could barely stand?
I suffered from constant pain and dizziness. I needed a cane to compensate for balance issues, to navigate open spaces such as parking lots, and for standing in long lines. It was not a gym-friendly accessory.
Taking the first steps
I didn’t believe that exercise would work, but when a “women only” gym opened nearby, it seemed like kismet. I had to at least look like I was trying. I peeked inside at the workout machines, balance balls, resistance bands and weighted hula hoops.
I joined anyway.
Expecting to fall, I positioned myself within reach of something solid. Staggering on the treadmill like Captain Jack atop the Black Pearl, my simple goal was to stay upright. I gripped the weight machines for dear life and prayed for the room to stop spinning.
Time flew by. I worked out six days a week and chatted with everyone around me. I shared experiences, family news and plans.
Sometimes, I even forgot I was sick. I found myself building relationships as much as building muscle. Before long, a staff member informed me that my identity there as “that woman with fibromyalgia” had changed to “that woman who comes every day.”
And my dizziness? It fluttered away when I focused on other things. I’m not saying it went away because I ignored it, but I believe that my increased core strength and stamina healed many of my symptoms.
Along the way, I met great women and developed sustaining relationships centered on the primary concept of healthier living. I balanced my work, home and gym life, putting fibromyalgia symptoms on a back burner.
Fibromyalgia was no longer the focus of my life.
Pushing through the pain
About four months into my new workout regimen, I was still in pain and didn’t know which way to go. I saw improvements in some symptoms like sleep, energy and digestive troubles, but pain still clung to my bones.
Like being lost in a cave, I didn’t know whether to reverse and back out or keep moving forward. Each day, saying “see you tomorrow” to my new friends at the gym kept me committed.
I’d previously done sporadic workouts at home, but this everyday routine was tough. I aggressively pursued improvements in the number of repetitions done on each machine and tracked my progress. I felt if I pushed myself a bit harder, I’d break free from the pain that gripped my back, neck and shoulders.
Most journeys reach a point of no return – a point at which we weigh efforts exerted against efforts yet to come. Things look hazy. I didn’t know if my increased pain was real or imaginary.
I wondered about a “Herxheimer reaction” (a condition in which you feel worse before feeling better). Was I progressing or regressing?
Sensing no clear answer, I kept going. I dropped weight (encouraging, yes), but what about my fibromyalgia? Some days I made it through my workout hardly breaking a sweat. Others, I barely kept up.
It made no sense. The gym stayed consistent, the machines, timing, routine. The only variable seemed to be my personal energy. I tracked my fatigue and pain levels, finding a direct correlation between pain and the success of my workouts.
Back then, I didn’t know anyone else with fibromyalgia. I tried to make sense of my kooky condition on my own. Now, I’m glad for what I didn’t know. If I’d heard from any “fibromyalgia authority” that exercise might make things worse, I definitely would have quit. Instead, I slogged along in ignorance.
I also didn’t know that sweating is a powerful detoxification tool. I was sweating out toxic wastes as well as toning and strengthening my body. Ridding the body of toxins can cause temporary side effects, such as headaches and joint and muscle pain. Had I known better, I could have slowed my pace a bit and increased my water consumption to mitigate the increased pain.
I’ll admit, for the first four or five months, my gym visits fulfilled needs more social than physical. New friendships kept me going. I hadn’t planned on it, but I found comfort, camaraderie and encouragement in one location. Oh, yeah, with a little exercise thrown in.
At about the six-month mark, I realized my cane had taken up permanent residence in the trunk of my car. Even better, I’d lost 15% of my starting body weight. Increased upper body strength, and the reduction of body fat, fatigue and dizziness were the benefits. Gaining friends and developing personal confidence were bonuses.
Where did the all-encompassing pain go? The majority of it ebbed away almost unnoticed. How could something as fundamental as healthy eating and physical fitness have such dramatic results?
Diet and exercise. I was well on my way toward restoration.
Fibromyalgia fitness advice
Here are a few of the tips I learned:
1. Manage your muscles. I have mutinous muscles. Or at least I did, before I began a regular exercise program. That was part of my baffling symptom list before my diagnosis.
I appeared in good physical condition, yet I spent far too many nighttime hours hobbling up and down my hallways, trying to loosen the cramps in my legs and feet. My muscles twitched all night as if I’d run marathons all day. Sleep-deprivation symptoms followed.
Doctors told me I exaggerated, that muscles don’t cramp nearly every night. They had no answers, so I tried my own. I swallowed pills; applied lotions; took long, hot detox soaks. I tried potassium, magnesium, calcium and manganese supplements. I ate bananas until I could swing from trees and glugged enough chalky white concoctions to stripe a football field. Nothing helped.
It turns out that muscles are designed for use. Like our brains, they’re healthiest when stimulated. Regular exercise keeps toxins from taking up residence in the muscle fibers, and helps maintain healthy blood flow to surrounding tissues.
My nighttime leg cramps only diminished as my daytime workouts increased.
2. Find your stride. If you like the outdoors, walking may be your exercise of choice. Leave running and jogging to those with pain-free joints; simply challenge yourself to a brisk pace.
If practicality keeps you indoors, you don’t have to forgo fitness. Get DVDs or home equipment (but before spending money, review consumer comments online or ask friends for recommendations).
Even better, borrow a video, weights, a stability ball or resistance bands to see what feels right. What fitness education resources measure up at your local library or community center? Many cities offer a variety of low-cost classes such as yoga, low-impact aerobics, tai chi, dance, stretching, aquatherapy and Pilates.
I searched for fitness routines that could be adapted for those with physical limitations or restricted range of motion. For instance, the non-impact yoga moves of Fibroga are designed specifically for fibrofolk and those with limited mobility.
One piece of home gym equipment I couldn’t do without is a mini-trampoline or “rebounder.” I purchased one for about $30 at a discount store several years ago and still use it almost daily. Who can’t find 15 minutes here or there to bounce around? It jostles stiffened muscles and gets the blood flowing.
Improved circulation helps reduce muscle spasms as well as overall pain. In only minutes of bouncing, I benefit from stress relief, too.
3. Get lost! Lose yourself in nature, music, physical experiences and thoughts that interest you.
Surfing, horseback-riding, rollerblading, gardening, biking, nature walks, yoga and tai chi in the park are all examples of this ideal mental/physical combination.
Don’t happen to live close to the beach or mountains? Do what moviemakers do: Make a sound track for your exercise routine.
Walking down a crowded suburban street with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on your MP3 player can mentally take you to the canals of Venice or the forests of Germany. Movies use music and sounds to influence our thoughts and emotions. Manipulation turns to motivation when used with your own permission.
4. Try tai chi. My tai chi instructor is not just good; she’s amazing! For that and many other reasons, I’ve come to love tai chi.
My favorite part involves tapping along the acupressure meridians, which wakes up and energizes parts of the body. I leave each class feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.
Instructor Melissa explains that tai chi is all about quieting the mind. She encourages us to “stop chasing shiny objects.” Tai chi focuses thoughts into the present. By concentrating on the coordination of body movements, the mind lets go of other concerns.
Tai chi has numerous physical benefits. It employs a full range of motion; each body part is moved – slowly – to its natural extent and within its limitations. There’s no hyperextending of knees or elbows, no straining, pressure or impact to joints or muscles.
Tai chi may look easy, but moving slowly with accuracy takes muscle control and mental focus. It also takes a concentration on breathing. I sum it up this way: Tai chi calibrates my internal compass.
5. Find something to tap into. I’m always looking for additional methods to augment my fitness routines. I found Teresa Tapp, a fitness guru, and her methodologies blew my socks off. Her low-impact/high-intensity moves blend with aerobic activities in a seamless physical flow.
Her methods and philosophies are geared to help condition people with illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. Done properly, her routines put little to no pressure on joints.
Her 15-minute video, Basic Workout Plus, has been a staple in my exercise routine for many years. And her website offers free video clips of exercises to try before you buy.
The exercise prescription
Treating exercise as if doctor-prescribed makes good sense. I’ll admit a health crisis sharpened my focus, but isn’t that what crises do?
I choose to take care of my health, and I choose to make it a priority.
Reprinted with permission from FibroWHYalgia (NorseHorse Press, 2010). You can read another excerpt here.
Susan Ingebretson is a writer, speaker and the director of program development for the Fibromyalgia Research and Education Center at California State University, Fullerton. Her book FibroWHYalgia details her own journey from illness to wellness. Ingebretson’s writing has appeared in the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) online and print magazine, FibromyalgiaAWARE. Susan is also featured in the NFA’s Public Service Announcement, The Science Behind Fibromyalgia.
How Much Do You Know About Fibromyalgia?
Described by Hippocrates in ancient Greece, fibromyalgia is one of the world’s oldest medical mysteries. The disease – a complex illness marked by chronic muscle, tendon and ligament pain, fatigue and multiple tender points on the body – affects about 2% percent of Americans, most of them women.
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