How many of you have found exercising on a regular basis helps with both the fatigue and muscle/joint pains?
yeah, yeah, I know. too tired to exercise. I'm talking about having started of slowly and built up?
I have a power recliner that gives my finger a good work out push the button to raise and lower the chair, the finger on the other hand is exercising on the TV remote. ;D
comanchesue,
I do believe that light exercise helps. It also prevents atrophy (use it or lose it). My rhuemy explains it like a bike that hasn't been ridden in a while. It gets all rusty and clanky and makes a lot of odd noises when you try and ride it. Ride it everyday and it stays in great shape. I do notice a difference if I slack off of activity for a while, I really do feel worse.
makes a world of difference for me, I hike and walk
Hi
I know I should exercise but I find it really hard to do. Walking around at work is enough. I used to walk three hours at a time, two nights a week for work. I very much doubt I could do that now.
Take care - Scottie :)
Like Scottie, I used to walk (hike) a lot. Now a days, I can barely get out of my own way! ;) ;D Seriously, some days I can walk a few miles without much pain, other days, I can barely walk up a couple of flights of stairs without my legs screaming with pain.
Patze
I try to make it at least 3 times a week to Curves. With the CNS and PN the manager knows I can't do all the machines, and she helps me from one to the other, on the ones I can handle.
It keeps my shoulders free (they were frozen) and my leg muscles strengthened (as much as possible).
I won't say I don't hurt because that would be a flat out lie. I only know I hurt whole lot worse when I don't make the effort to go.
Do what you can, but don't OVERDO. The trick is to find your limits and stick to them.
Pooh
I must be having a flare because the idea of excericise is overwhelming. I really enjoy and I'm trying to do a little gardening early in the morning for about a half hour but that in itself seems to wipe me out for the day. All my doctors keep saying I need to lose 40 pounds and I want to scream at them to tell them to try losing 40 pounds when you barely have the energy to climb the stairs. Besides, I've lost and found back 40 pounds so many times that I'm convinced diets don't work. Not for me at least! When I was able to lose 40 pounds in the past it was always a combination of diet and excercise. Its after 10pm right now and I'm sitting here in a face sweat. Excercising!!!! Right!
SjS has caused me to make a few changes in lifestyle, but I've voluntarily made a few changes in thinking and acting that seemed to have helped more.
For example, although I used to actively exercise (gym- I loved Curves too, hiking, running, whatever) I shifted my focus from the exercise to the "active" and now, if I can do one small thing a day that makes me feel active...I do it! That might be a walk, parking farther from the store than I think I'd like to and strolling the extra distance, reaching for things on higher or lower shelves than I need to, or even standing in my kitchen and singing the head and shoulders, knees and toes song (with actions). Some days are better...I can dance around a bit to the stereo, speed up the treadmill, or actually go through a real routine or take a real hike. I know hearing "it's all in your head" is not a good thing, but maybe in the case of exercise, it's OK...try to see your daily chores as activities, and you might surprise yourself as to how active you really are, then push it just a wee bit. I did my gardening this year in 10-20 minute sessions, but I got it done! If I needed a nap after the 10-20 minutes, so be it, I was moving for that amount of time, and if it made me feel like I'd run a marathon so what! Once you realize that things are actually still working (and hurting and stiffening up, yes) you can start to take some satisfaction in the things you CAN do, and not be so hard on yourself for the things you can't.
For the weight loss and dieting part, I've never thought diets work...it's just not human nature to deprive yourself of any one particular source of nourishment. Unless you have a medical problem with some particular element, there are no bad foods! Of course some of them have benefits in reverse ratio to the size of the serving, but try to remember that good things do indeed come in small packages! In the past 6 months, I've lost 40 lbs, while taking prednisone daily (7.5-15 mg) I jokingly say it's because I put my husband on a diet, but we've both been eating well...healthy foods, natural, in measured portions! It's made a huge difference in both weight and health. I think hubby was a bit shocked to find out what an actual portion of meat is (he always figured if it fit on a dinner plate, it was dinner!) but we've adapted and he's lost even more than I have.
I don't have muscle pain, but I do have joint pain. I find that anything I do makes the joint pain a lot worse for a few days. If I sit for a while, I have trouble standing, my knees, ankles and feet hurt...And my hands, oh man, that's the worst. I used to get really bad pain in my muscles after working them, but I found after I quit smoking (after a few months) this doesn't happen anymore. I suppose my muscles heal quicker now that I'm not pumping all those carcenogens in my body. ;D
None of this stops me tho...I'm a home improvement junkie, I build driveways, sidewalks, paint, redo flooring etc., I work until I'm ready to collapse...Then I get up the next morning and kill myself again. :) I do rest occasionally, that's when my hands and knees kill me. I'm ok if I'm moving tho.
Best of luck with your exercise, I hope you find something that works for you. :D
Who needs exercise when one has housework to do,
then there's the shopping to trawl around for, plus my dear little grandchildren to run after. Phew!!
time to rest! Dolly
Aww Dolly, the last one is the best one. Enjoy those little ones they grow tooooooooooooo fast. :)
Pooh
I was just having this discussion with my hubby last night. I am doing a bit better at the moment (don't want to tempt a flare) but I really think that knowing my limits has helped (Woman know your limits :-)). For example, if I am mowing the lawn and I get "the buzzy feeling" in my muscles (not sure if anyone else gets this) I stop even if I am half way through mowing the lawn. I think learning to recognise the signs and stopping has helped me a lot. As has not giving a darn what other people think of my house etc.
I have now found that I am able to participate in some fun activities, I can go walking and also not quite so grumpy as I was. Which my husband pointed out to me last night lol.
I have not made it to the gym yet, but as some others were saying I am counting my chores as exercise.
Quote from: Bonnie on June 02, 2009, 03:37:51 AM
I have not made it to the gym yet, but as some others were saying I am counting my chores as exercise.
It all counts ;D
As for me...got a job that I have to walk to cause my car is on the fritz...i stand and check groceries
through as well as bag for 6 to 8 hours..my boyfriend comes to pick me up on the motorcycle in the evening so i wont
have to walk back home (30 min walk one way) and by the time I get home I want to fall out. I wake up
several times in the night with my arm and hands numb...by morning my hand is swollen and stiff..so
I take Ibuprofen...drink coffee massage hand and get ready to do it all over again...this is my exercise
program I am on now and to tell you the truth I don't think it helps me one bit. I know it's really chores,
but after that who wants to exercise.....
JJ
I understand your logic - if I can get even a few household chores done, I feel I've achieved a great deal. Today I had a 20 minute walk, and didn't need to lie down afterward! Now that, for me, is an achievement.
Kathyx
That is great Kathy...ya know I really try hard to try and get it pushed back..mind
over matter..sometimes it's a loosing fight...but the days even as tough as they are
i do feel a since of pride that I managed to get it done even though I hurt so bad.
That was helpful that you remind me there are those days that are not so overwhelming.
Sorry if I was being a big downer...just in that place right now...and I hope what
ever anyone does even exercise helps to make things better.
JJ
JJ
No, you don't ever need to apologise for being down. We understand, and want to help you. On my down days, its just work and bed - and I sit on my butt all day at work, so its nowhere near as hard as yours, so you do marvelous.
Keep your chin up.
Kathyx
I have SJS and fibro. I've been having physical therapy for about 7 wks. now and it has helped a lot. I do tons of stretching and some strengthening exercises. I don't really do any cardio yet, but I clean house and work in the yard. Does that count? Sometimes I hurt the day after too much exercise. I also seems to amp up the nerve issues.
My hubby is awesome, but sometimes I feel like I don't know whether I'm coming or going. He says to me take a nap, get some rest and then an hour later he is saying you need to get exercise. I know he just wants me to feel better, but sometimes it's almost too much. I'm pretty slow these days and feeling pressured to do things just makes me tense.
Terri
Terri my dear, any movement at all helps! But it's as bad to do anything that your body is really telling you not to do!
I take it that this yard thing with you US' er's means garden and outside work , am I right?
If so then yes.. that's good workout..
Yes, hubby probably does say and do thing's that he thinks is helping, but don't be at all pressurised by anyone!!
Do everything at your own pace, and when and if you do get spurts of energy then get on with those exercises then..
Dolly.x
My doc did mention to take it easy (no exercise or much physical activity) when there is obvious inflammation (read - flare) so thought I should mention that.
I went from being so athletic to not being able to do a thing. I stuggle with any exercise especially anything aerobic.... however I recently bought a series of DVDs that are made for people who have a hard time exercising (physically) or haven't in a long time and I really like them. It starts with a 5 minute segment and builds from there but it is all very mild exercise. It is the only thing I've done where I don't feel like I'm going to pass out after. It feels good to be successful at something.
The set is called Moving Free Longevity Solution by Mirabai Holland
Hi Jen
Thanks for posting the information about the DVD It sounds just what I am looking for, so I have ordered one of the DVD's. I'll let you know how it goes.
Kathyx
I love to go for walks. I sometimes walk around a block or two at lunch break. I would love to after work, but by 5pm I can barely get the energy to stand up. Even when it is a nice sunny day I just don't seem to be able to make it out of the front door. I tried going to Tai-Chi classes on weekdends which I really enjoyed, but I stopped going due to my recent fatigue. I am hopeful that I can get some answers from the doctors and start the Tai-Chi again.
forest
I have a dvd of Qigong that I really like. I think it is similar to Tai-Chi. I like using the dvd because I don't have to drive to a class and I can do it on my own schedule. I think I would get a lot more depth out of an actual class though because the teacher can help with technique and all that.
I have a lot of difficulty with aerobic exercise. I used to be able to hike and snow shoe. I can walk without as much pain, but I get tired and if it's too aerobic I'm out of breath. I'm out of shape. The doctors say to start really, really slow and build up. I'm also going to physical therapy and that has been great. I have to do stretching and strengthening twice a day. It takes up a lot of time. I use an exercise ball, foam roll and a bar to facilitate this. At least it keeps me moving rather than freezing up. I've gotten a lot of improvement with my frozen shoulder too. I stretch so much you would think I'd be limber, but I am not!!!!
Does anyone else find there muscles to be tight and sore when they stretch?
Terri