Doctor absolute appauled

We have just got home from the specialist.

After telling hime of the pain in my bone of the last few days, he spoceeded to tell me that ....

"""""Excerise is about all that will help you now""""""

""""""It's been a proven tool in managing this""""

I didn' even bother asking questions, I thought, mate when i can do everyday stuff and deal with my 2 asd kids and get thru the day I might welcome such advice.

I cannot mow my small lawn, i get so exhausted and breathless and my muscles go so weak i feel like i am going to fall over.

I don't walk certain areas in my everyday area I am in as I avoid the slopes of pavement.

It would be nice to sit in a chair and not have it hurt my legs with pressure pain, to rest my arms on the table at meal time and not have pressure pain, to stand in the shower and not want for a chair to sit on.

To remember everything people tell me, to recall things i read and see.

It would be nice to have my nerves in my legs dance and twitch and caryy on everytime i sit down and stop. It feel likes worms under your skin.

It would be nice to not have to pace myself thru each day let alone each week.....

Yeah mate, just go exercise for 5minutes a day for a week, then 10 then 15...you get the idea.....

What a fool, I cannot beleive how much I have not been listened to by this guy....

I will not be returning to him...

Thankfully I have a rhumey appt next month, that I had to go to my old doctor to get a referral for. I might get some more sense out of him.

 

Hi Mum,

I particpated in a pain management clinic to learn different coping mechanisms with the Fibro pain.  I decided to not use medication and wanted to know what were some alternatives.  The Fibromyalgia specialist all believe that exercise does have the same if not better results than medication.  I completely agree with you that it's a vicious cycle with the pain and exercise.  It literally does take beginning with just 5 minutes for a few weeks, then 10 for another few weeks, then 15 etc.  It is all about building up our strength.  Once you can do 30 minutes on the bike, you have to start all over if you want to walk.  It seems crazy but it truly does improve some of the pain.  Exercising is not going to prevent a flare, however it may improve our every day pain.

Also, I have recently ordered a beginner Tai Chi video.  Tai Chi is said to be the best form of exercise for Fibro sufferers.  I have also ordered a Yoga for those with Arthritis video.  I find the regular yoga pushes me to far and leads to a flare.  It is all a matter of trial and error in the beginning of the exercising process.  I find that since I feel strongly about being medication free I will do my best to listen to the Drs. and try regular exercise.

While it is hard for the Drs. to fully understand what we go through with the pain and how truly difficult exercising can be in the beginning, they do know what the studies and science tell them which is how much it helps.  I was very resistant to listening to them for a long time, I thought there was no way they knew what they were talking about, but I have opened up to it more and they are right...  I feel much better when I'm active and I am still beginning but incorporating stretching exercises with conventional aerobic exercise.

Exercise is very important for fibromites.  This is becoming my mantra.  I've seen how much it has helped me over the years.  It's perfectly normal to think that if you don't move as much, the pain won't be as bad.  But that's not how fibro works.  Actually, the more you sit and lay, the more you will hurt and the stiffer you will be and your muscles will become weak so your legs feel like rubber.  Then, if this happens, you think you REALLY can't do anything. 

 

I learned this the hard way...being hospitalized.  I had to stay in bed and by the time I got home, I really was weak.  I couldn't even lift dishes into the cupboard from the dishwasher!  I walked with a shuffle and I felt so old.  The old saying, "Use it or lose it" ran over and over in my mind.  I was not going to settle for this so I started moving more...especially walking.  When I started out, I coud only go about four houses down and had turn around and come back home.  I didn't want to get "stranded" further from home.  I was surprised at how out of shape I was so I continued.  The next day I could go a little further and now I walk my dog at least a mile a day besides all the walking I do in my home.  I have to keep active if I want to stay here.  I'm a widow and my children are all grown and I have to take care of my home and my gardens.  And I do.

 

I know it doesn't make sense at all that exercise could help with pain but it does with fibro.  I'm not saying go out to a gym.  They'd be carrying me out on a stretcher if I did that...I think.  (I am considering joining a gym for some light weight-lifting.  My arms are not as strong as I would like them to be.  Not sure if I'm losing my mind or not!   )

But, walking, yoga, water exercise...these are wonderful for fibro!  You would have to start out slowly, like all the other members have mentioned, but you can do it!  You will feel better and have more energy if you do.  That might not happen right away but it should happen in a little while.  Many members will tell you the same thing. 

 

I hope you will seriously consider taking your doctor's advice.  It really is good advice.  I sure hope you do and start feeling stronger and more alive very soon!

 

Sherrine

Zab, it sounds like you are overdoing it in the exercise department.  I realize you are only 18 and should easily be able to do that but not with fibro.  Try walking.  If you don't have more pain then do some power walking.  Swimming is great too but 1000-2000m might be just too much and WILL cause you more pain.  You have to find the happy medium.  Exercise is wonderful and you need to find what works best for you and helps you...not hurts you.

 

Sherrine

 

 

I'm sorry you have such an uncooperative doctor - that sure doesn't help anything.

One thing I agree with is that doctors often don't listen to our own story of what we're already doing. They tend to assume that we're all couch potatoes who are waited on hand and foot - uh, NOT! And if we start being aware of all of our movements, we realize they add up!

Take credit for what you're already doing, whether it's unloading the dishwasher (my worst chore), walking the aisles at the grocery store or doing laundry. It may not be called exercise, but it is. Exercise is just moving your body. The degree to which you do that is the degree to which you're exercising.

But you're not just a blob who does nothing! Debbie

Try to do a lot of stretching. Stretch whenever possible. This will loosen up your muscles and make it easier to start the exercising. Gentle stretching is the best. Don't go past the feeling of resistance. And as far as exercising goes. You don't have to go to a gym, or even have equipment. Your body is your own resistance, so it can be quite simple. Like everybody has said, start out slow. Do it right in your own home. There is a show called "body electric" which is low impact and they go slow. It is on pbs (2:00 pm here). You would definately benefit from checking it out. The lady that runs it is in her 60's. I think you would like it. It is mostly muscle toning and stretching.

Hugs, Karen

It sounds like an optical migraine. Usually not too serious but it may increase your risk of a stroke. You should talk to your doc about it next time you go. If it happens again, you should call your doc.

Chrissie,

Why don't you start your own topic under "Post New Topic"? That way you'll get more replies. Welcome to the forum.

I do agree with you. I'm someone whose pain goes into overdrive if I lift a light little pan from the bottom of the fridge to the counter (most of the time.) Kinda hard to build up muscles under these circumstances, and I used to have pretty stellar ones.

I had to laugh (but not really) at your description of wanting to let your kids take over like Lord of the Flies....how well I remember that feeling! Hope you get a good night's rest.

Debbie

to acheybody! didnt mean to hi-jack the thread. started out just trying to say i understand, and dont know what happened. pity-party here if anyone wants to crash it, lol.

mum, just wanted to let you know that i might understand how you feel! I do hope you find more empathy in the future from your drs.

Glad you got it off your chest chrissy.
I understand wanting to let the run wild when you have to dig deep for a few more hrs till bed time.
And when you know you are not 'letting on' to the kids on how you 'really' feel.
We do this every day, when human nature we say to others ''''''''''how are you''''''''' when we greet them. You cant be honest every times some one asks, I know for me i dont want to allow this to control every conversation, every moment.

You put a 'game face' on at work, at the shops. Or we would all be walking around with scrowly horrid looks on our faces.
Its not that you are being dishonest, but you have to deal with pain everyday, you know there are some things we have to do around the home that we pay for in pain and you have to space those things out and not do them all at once or on consecutive days.
Statergies are what I have had to utilise.
I even have paper plates in my cupboard for the days when i have to mow my lawn, so I dont have to do dishes for dinner.
I cook spaghetti bolonaise in bulk so that i have left overs and all I might need is extra pasta, or the kids can have the mince and sauce on toast, or the mince/sauce is ready for lasagne.

Sometimes I cook sausages and freeze them in packs of 6 (2 each for my 3) and if the kids want a sanga on bread or a snag in their lunch box they can just warm one up in the microwave.

I have always taught my kids how to do things around the home to be indepandant, they make their own lunchboxes each school day. I make sandwiches (2loaves) and label them (spreads-jam-vegemite-p.nut butter etc) so they can choose the one they want for that day.
I bake 3 or so cakes at a time and freeze individual serves for lunchboxes.
Hot cross buns are in the shops now, so I bag them indiviually.
When i make biscuits I freeze some for lunchboxes too.

It all just makes getting out of the house in the mornings that bit easier. And shoudl I feel that horrid, they can do it themselves.
I have 2 kids that are hard work and my 3rd is very 'go with the flow', the eldest 2 demand so much energy so stategies make the household work. Especially when you are a single mum.

Chrissy some people, not always men , just take forever to 'grow up'.
After a horrible break up 5.5yrs ago myslef whcih took me years to work through I now know, I can't make him be responsible and do all the things that I feel he should.
I am fortunate that he does not try to be in our lives though, and without giving all the gory details, that is a ver good thing for us.

I trust that the big guy has great plans for me and my kids and on most days I wil tell people "I don't care what it is, it's not staying' on a bad day I want to crawl in to my bed and cry. My good days outway the bad so I am glad for that.

And as much as I dont want to keep my body the way it is I trust that in my faith I will have the strength and tools to manage it .
I can see this happening already. I know that its not everybody's cup of tea as we all beleive different things.

But definatly find strategies. My kids are outside on the driveway with a tarp making a slippery slide in the rain with my dish drops, or a cake of soap, i can hear them but not see, but I know what they are up to.

I don't hide every bit of my pain from my kids I will tell them "I'm sore, cuddle gently" as kids they want to lean on you, then you get all thier weight. On a nasty flare up I say "just a kiss tonight, I hurt to much for a cuddle" (that was last night after gardening to much)

Chrissy if you want to pick my brain on other cooking/lunchbox stuff I do just let me knwo.....

ps ...i know this is mammoth