How much is too much?

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Alex

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
13
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
06/1999
Country
US
State
Fl
Hi, I'm Alexis and I am brand new. I was diagnosed with fibro and chronic fatigue in 1999. although its a sever case I handle it well most of the time.

This week I am going to a "skinny spa" and they have 8 hours of workouts a day. Some are inn water but some are't. BF ((before fibro) I exercised a LOT and I'm afraid I will get there and work out too much the first day. Now I am a big slug and have gained 70 pounds.

So how much is too much exercise? I can walk 3 miles plus maybe do another 30 min right now. (Over the day.) I don't want to over do it but I don't want to waste the trip either.
 
welcome ...well i would start just taking 1 class a day to start and then see how you are the following day unless you are confident from your own knowledge of your body it can handle more.

Walking 3 miles is really good plus 30 minutes...so you do have a reasonably good tolerance to exercise but that's different to hammering away at lots of classes.

Maybe pick the least challenging at first.

Sorry you dont say how long the trip is so im not sure if you want to pack in plenty in 2 days or if its a whole week?

Either way i hope you enjoy it and get the benefits.

Exercise in moderation is good.....some can do much more than others.

I for one struggle walking around the house and garden now although i used to be able to do a 40 minute or even an hours walk several days a week and miss it so much.....so good for you with your 3 miles.

Good Luck
 
Hi, sorry I wasn't clear. I will be there a whole week.

Your approach sounds really good. And for the record, after I signed up for this trip, I started walking a little more (I have to walk the dog) - I increased the frequency and the distance. It has taken months to get to 3 miles. It does help me sleep better!

And of course there are days when I can't do it.

Thank you.
 
Super well done for your determination....im trying to rebuild to doing more myself.

I hope you enjoy the forum and contribute some of your own ups and downs.

Let us know how your week away goes...it will be good to hear how you find it...and again i hope you reap the pleasure and some benefits.
 
Hi Alexis. Welcome to the forum.

I think the main thing is just to listen to your body. I know from experience that exercise is so hard in the beginning and can easily bring on a flare but it can eventually get better with time. I was looking after my sisters dog six months ago for 3 weeks and after only a few days of walking with her, I walked 4 & a half miles. The last mile or so I could have cried it was so hard but unfortunately I had no option but to keep going slowly until I got home. I suffered a bad flare for a few days & I know it was my own fault for trying too much too soon. Anyway, by the end of the 3 weeks I was managing to do 3 miles or so every day with a lot less discomfort so it is possible if we take it really slowly and gradually building it up. Unfortunately now I have so much pain and weakness I feel like it would take forever to get back up to that level and that was only 6 months ago but I live in hope. I'm determined to get back to cycling in the spring even if it is only short distances. I have asthma too so it's not the best idea to go out just now in the cold & damp weather.

Good luck with your spa, I hope you really enjoy it.
 
Hello and thank you both. I thought i would give a mid week update.

My plan was to do mostly water exercise but when I got here the pool heater was broken. It sort of threw me.

The first day I walked 3 miles, it is very cold here and there are HILLS which I am not used to. Big hills. It was really, really hard. Embarrassingly enough I was the very last person. But I did it. Then I took aerobics. I was sore but it seemed a normal soreness. Took Tues off from hard work, just walked around the grounds and took meditation and yoga. Today the pool is fixed so I did 2 hours of hard water aerobics. I'm really tired but again it's a normal tired.
So I think what i have learned here is that I can push a bit harder and not be in a flare, and also i see what bad physical shape I am in. ;)
 
I have lots of chronic fatique , bad balance, and exercise intolerance, so most exercises are too much for my body to push through . But I do enjoy Tai chi a lot. Even the painful day I find it help with pains.
 
That's what I thought too but I am finding I can push through, especially by stretching my muscles. Then I get to a point where I can exercise and it is not quite so painful.
 
I can only do the kind of exercise that agree with me. So water exercise is good , but sadly it's the sun trigger my skin pains very badly and There's no indoor pool around me. I can't run cause my bad balance and sensory processing disorder made it quite dangerous, long walk with a cane does quite a number on my shoulder do to muscle weakness . But still moving is better than not moving cause not moving at all mean PAINS . So too much for me would be how much pain I can endure the next days or weeks?. If it worth doing and going through then why not? But if not , then I have to stop my self eventhough I want to keep on going. It's a part of learning curves. You'll know once you went overboard a few times. 8)
 
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Alex may i ask do your joints and muscles seize/lock up with exercise?
 
Hi Diamond. Yes they do, how did you know (LOL).

My hips especially hurt so bad I want to die. My low back just left of the spine hurts constantly. When I start to walk, both thighs become locked up/painful. It is embarrassing not to be able to walk!

But this is what has happened to me this week: I have NO fibro pain today. I'm so amazed. I want to freeze time, or bottle this day. We brainstormed it at lunch (a couple friends and I).... I'm sure this is not the whole picture but what we came up with is
--hydration: Drinking a minimum of 64 oz of water, probably more.
--diet: Gluten free, dairy free , sugar free, salt free, balanced vegan diet. I'm pushing the protein, and could even use more. Everything made from scratch, no processed foods. They also portion it out, so I am not over eating.
--push through the exercise. Even though it hurts, I stretch the muscles and try to keep going, or stop and rest but start again. Very light exercise except in the pool, where I can push harder.
---no stress: I'm at a spa! No worries, no pets to feed/dinner to cook/ house to clean.
---sleep: I have slept the past 2 nights which hardly ever happens. I'm positive this has helped.

Of course I am not claiming this is the answer for everyone, but it seems to be working for me! I hope it lasts? Just one more day please?
 
oh Alex that amazing feeling when we have good days....no healthy person knows that feeling ... winning the lottery 10 times over wouldn't compare to the thrill and appreciation of low/no pain and being able to accomplish things! :)

I hope too this carries on for you .
 
Sad to say, my pain has returned in the past 2 days. Well it was good while it lasted!! I feel pretty sure this is diet related. It is so hard to cut out sugar, salt, gluten, and diary from my diet. The dairy (specifically cheese) may be the problem. We had pizza 2 nights ago, and I had some lights pain yest. And am back to 'normal' today. Booo!
 
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