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No energy & this pain is driving me crazy!

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Posted 9/15/2009 3:20 AM (GMT 0)

I am so tired of being tired! lol I just don't have any energy & can't seem to even force myself to do things that need to get done. It is really getting bad. It seems that no matter how much sleep I get, I'm still tired! I thought after finding out I had severe sleep apnea last year that it would get better once I started using my cpac, but it really hasn't. It is so bad that I will go to the bathroom and sometimes fall asleep sitting there!! I started taking Vitamin C & B12 vitamins about 9 months ago and that has not helped. Any advice or ideas, I would appreciate it.

 

I also have been having more and more flares & it seems like they last longer. I know that my weight gain over the last year does not help at all. I gained 40 lbs. last year after being on Lyrica & Cymbalta. That was after I had already gained about 30 lbs. over the previous 3 yrs. from sitting around and doing nothing because I was tired or hurting all the time. I bought some exercise videos my Primary doctor suggested are good for people with arthritis, so I'm hoping that will be the start of me feeling better?

 

I guess I just needed to vent & have someone listen! Has anyone else had problems with weight gain because of Fibro? If so, have you found anything that helps to get on the right track to losing? Thanks for listening & hope everyone is having a pain free evening!

 

                                                                                                     Hugs

                                                                                                      Springfling

Posted 9/15/2009 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
Losing weight is at least 80% what you eat and maybe 20% exercise. Think about it. A woman, especially one with fibro, would be really lucky to burn 400 calories in an hour of rather intense exercise. I don't know about you, but I can eat 400 calories in about 42 seconds.

If you walk for exercise, you probably won't burn more than a few hundred extra calories a day. It would take forever to lose a pound. It is a lot easier to cut your calories. You'll lose weight quicker and it's easier to stay consistent. It's easier to control what you eat when you flare than it is to exercise when you flare.

My friends that have been most successful with weight loss have stuck with a lower carb diet. They eat vegetables and protein with a bit of fruit, usually berries, occasionally. They rarely eat bread, pasta, potatoes, or junk food. I lost over 50 lbs and kept it off by eating this way. I gain weight when my "Ileitis, probably Crohn's" flares up and I eat a lot of carbs.

I exercised like crazy and lost some weight, but not enough to make it worth the effort for weight loss alone. When I cut my calories, I lost a lot more weight. I had to stop exercising when I had surgery but I kept an eye on my diet. I ended up losing more weight from cutting calories than when I exercised, but didn't watch what I ate.

I'm not against exercise, it's the best thing for my fibro and general health. I just think it's not the most important element in weight loss.
Posted 9/15/2009 11:37 AM (GMT 0)
The trick to losing weight is to burn more calories per day than you consume, while making the calories that you consume as healthy as possible. There are lots of very useful websites that can help you count calories of regular food and fast food. You can also find websites that have programs that will tell you how many calories you burn based on how long and how hard you worked out.
Posted 9/15/2009 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry that you are so tired. It's really hard to get over the fatigue. I hated that feeling of wanting to be productive, but just the thought of making myself move seemed like too much effort. Start off with baby steps. Exercise is a great first step. I never exercised before fibro. Now I sound like a health nut when I talk of the endorphins! But it really does work, you just have to keep at it until it becomes second nature... a part of your day. You could also make yourself a schedule of tasks that you want to accomplish. It doesn't have to be anything too major, start off small so you don't get discouraged. Do you have a kitchen drawer that needs cleaning? Organize a file cabinet? Refold you linen closet? Make a list of what you want to get done each day. You'll get great satisfaction of crossing things off your to do list. And the more you do, the more energy you will have to do more and more. It's just that much harder to get our fibro bodies started ;)

To lose weight, I have been on a low carb diet that I was on when I had gestational diabetes. That with exercise, I lose1- 2 lbs/week. Unfortunately, I have cheating lots lately, probably the fall weather. So I take it off, put it back on. Oh well, I'll get there eventually. I have lost 35 lbs in 1 1/2 years, with lots of plateaus, but I'm in no rush.
Posted 9/15/2009 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
You have gotten some great advice.  I lost 85 pounds about six years ago and have kept it off.  I counted carbs and stayed away from sweets.  I still had meals and was never hungry.  I'm still eating this way.  I did become an avid label reader.  You won't believe the carbs and sugar in products!  That's why I use a lot of fresh foods in my cooking.   

 

I also started walking and used a walking-in -place video at home.  The movement seemed to kick in my metabolism.  It also helped me with pain and fatigue.

 

When you are really tired, it's hard to get moving.  As Mamanan said, start out slowly.  Doing something is better than doing nothing.  You will feel better when you accomplish whatever  you decide to do.  That feeling of accomplishment does help with depression which, in turn, helps with attitude and pain!  So, give it a shot.  We are here to cheer you on!

 

Sherrine 

Posted 9/17/2009 5:17 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks everyone for the support & advice. Hopefully I will be able to change my eating habits & lose some of this weight! I'm hoping the exercise video will also help me to get moving a bit more.

Sorry I did not respond before this, but I didn't think I had any answers! I've been gone for some time, but I used to be notified by email when I had replies. For some reason, it isn't working for me now. I didn't get any notifications, so thought I had no replies.

Hope everyone is having a beautiful pain-free day!!

                                                                                    Hugs

                                                                                    Springfling

Posted 9/17/2009 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
I hear you about the weight gain. I have gained quite a bit of weight...about 20lbs, in the past six months. I am at a good weight for my height and build, but I am not used to weighing this much. It kind of hurt me that I wear bigger pants than my mom does. If you need more energy, try the SuperB vitamin. You can find it at Walmart in the vitamin section. It is full of all kinds of B vitamins. My mom swears by it. She says to take it for three weeks because that is how long it takes to kick in. And then just take it every day. She says she feels so much better since she has started taking it. It is worth a try. I wish you luck. I know that you hate exercise when you hurt, but if you don't exercise, your muscles get weaker, which leads to more pain. I try to go on one or two walks with my son a day. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.
Posted 9/17/2009 6:29 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks Sassy, will definately try the Super B vitamins. I will try anything at this point! My mom swears by her Vitamin C & B12 vitamins. She has taken them for years and says she doesn't get colds or sick like she used to.

I know you're right about the exercise. I feel worse now because of all my weight gain & I know half of my pain is brought on by my weight and not doing enough. I'm hoping by starting the exercise video I will be able to slowly work my way back to what I used to be able to do.

                                 Hugs, Springfling

Posted 9/17/2009 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Springfling! I can relate with weight gain, I'm trying to lose too. Years ago I was a
weight loss consultant, so I am trying to practice what I used to teach.

You have recieved some great advice. The only advice I can add is never skip breakfast.
Eating breakfast jumpstarts your body in the morning, it is the fuel you need for your morning
activies. Skipping breakfast can actually slow down your metabolism.

Make sure you eat enough protein, if you do not get enough, the body will start breaking down muscle and muscle burns fat. Excercise builds muscle and relieves stress. Find something
you really love doing. Some days I turn up the music and just dance!

Eating Carbohydrates are important too, try to eat the whole grain products and fruit.
Watch the fat, eating too much is hard to metabolize and hard on liver and kidneys.

Don't forget to drink lots of water

Good Luck To You!

Robin
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