Progression?

[Guest guest]

I've heard and read that before, but it doesn't explain Fibromyalgia for me.

For one thing my mind has never stopped being active. That is one muscle I

still exercize almost everyday. I do Sudoku and other brain teasers and read

profusely. I don't believe that the brain fog can be included in any of that

research and I think that lumping it in with the catch 22 of not exercising

hurts our proving to the world that it's real. There are many days when I can't

use my mind the way I want to. My decision making and problem solving on a big

scale are diminished whenever I am in brain fog. That is when I have to give up

doing some of the things I love for a while and why my house is such a mess. It

is also why I can't maintain a full time job and why I have to work from home

and be flexible.

Granted I couldn't have a job where I lifted large things or stood up for the

day or did many other things that require physical stamina. But my knees and

hips didn't start hurting like they do for years after I had the dx and my hands

and wrists either. I didn't give up walking a mile a day until my knees just

couldn't do it anymore, not the other way around. Why would I give up another

thing I loved, walking a mile, if the pain didn't come first. And I didn't give

up walking just had to walk shorter and shorter distances and not on varied

terrains, because my balance started giving me hell. My balance problems didn't

come until later too. I only recently had to give up Letter Boxing with my

grand kids in hilly places or under bridges or on long hikes. It was this

summer that we had to start doing it on flat places that weren't too far away

from the car. That was very, very hard for me to give up because it was one

more thing Nana couldn't do and I wouldn't have

done it if I didn't have to, not the other way around.

I know I'm less active for sure. But I became less active right when the

symptoms started in 1989 because I had to give up Tennis 3 to 4 days a week

first of the things to give up. I hurt too bad to play and tryed not playing

" so hard " but any kind of running made my ankles and up my shins hurt like hell.

My shoulders, neck and upper back would hurt the next day and for days

afterword.

But that was the only thing I gave up then. I hung on tight to all my other

activities and to working and doing for the kids for years. I was still running

around and traveling alone by car and by plane and working until 2003/2004.

Everything about Fibromyalgia came over me gradually after the first shock of

symptoms and I don't believe it is because I gave up doing things gradually. I

believe wholeheartedly it was the other way around. Why would I give up

something I loved, like my independence and caring for my grand children, before

my health caused me to and then develop more pain because I did it.

I am as active as possible. I do push myself to the limits. I can't be

anymore active than I am because of the Fibromyalgia, not the other way around.

My family would love that statement to get more active and fight this, then it

would be my fault and not the diseases.

Anyway, I guess I got on my soap box, but that has been said to me before many

times. All you have to do is exercise more and you will get better. Over the

years it has been among many things I've heard from my family and friends like

get out more and you won't feel so isolated, go to physical therapy and get

back in shape and you will just feel better, get in there and de clutter your

house and you will feel better, do more and you won't get so short of breath.

In other words I gave up all of those things not because I had to but just

because I did and I would be better if I did them again.

Sorry more soap box. I will stop now. Got me on a bad day I guess. I'll

just leave you with this. a Martism.

I do what I do because I can.

I don't do what I don't because I can't.

If I could fix it I would publish a plan.

I would love to do it all again.

Take care, Marti

debra van ness wrote:

I guess so sweetie. I mean fibro is a wierd creature. You never know

how it will affect you. I am sure though that when we get more sedentary it is

true our muscles don't work as well... if you don't use it you lose it. LOL.

This is very true actually. So it is really damned if we do and damned if we

don't.

Thanks,

love and hugs to ya,

Debra V.

Jeanne and Dave wrote:

Yes, I know there are always cases that argue the point. I guess I was just

basing my answer in what I've read lately in a couple books. There is a

fine line for us between not using our muscles enough and overdoing it. I

bet that line has definitely shifted for you.

Jeanne in WI

>I don't agree. LOL. But everyone of course has a different experience. I

>really have not changed my activity levels much since diagnosis.

>Because...... I HAVE to work. So I still work full time and it seems this

>crap has gotten worse and worse the last few years. An example, I use my

>hands everyday and my arms and legs... however the pain is alot worse now.

>(in fact it was not painful at all up until 5 years ago). I know my right

>shoulder is not used any less than it use to be. But it has been in a

>constant state of stiffness and pain for the last 3 months along with loss

>of range of motion.

> love and hugs,

> Debra V.

>

> Jeanne and Dave wrote:

> I would tend to agree that there is no physical worsening to the

> body as in actual FM pain signals. The progression comes from us being in

> pain and inactive and then getting the weaker deconditioned muscles which

> causes us more pain when we try to use them. We should try to fight this

> by being as active as possible, but man, IT IS SO HARD!

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