Has anyone else tried yoga for CFS?

[Flatbattery]

Hi all, I'm currently trying yoga to help my M.E./CFS and have noticed a definite improvement in my health. My joints feel looser, my muscles feel like they have a bit more strength in them and I am getting a boost of proper energy after doing it (although the energy is only temporary!). I wondered if anyone else had noticed an improvement with yoga and if so, what positions/stretches they find helpful?

[Kateinbed]

Hi,

I have read your post and your previous one when you were concerned about having a relapse. I am so pleased you are making an improvement in your health/ energy at the moment .😊

I am currently having a relapse and am bed bound again !!!!! I was severely ill for nearly two years and bedbound then in July 2016 I started to gain a little more energy and started getting up and about for a hour or two every day then a little longer and in October and November I even went out a few times ! However I caught a cold / virus after Christmas and it has drained all my energy again!!! Been back in bed for five weeks now and struggle to get to bathroom even to use toilet / clean teeth etc.

Have you had severe CFS then improved and gone back to being severe again ? Now improving again ? As I am in despair and worried I won't ever recover !

Best wishes and hoping you continue to make progress x

[Flatbattery in reply to Kateinbed]

Hi Kate, I'm sorry to hear you've had such a bad relapse. CFS is such a frustrating illness - you think you are improving a bit then something sets you back again. If you get another virus it can take a while to recover.

I was bed bound for about a year at the start of my illness and very gradually managed to do a bit more. I spent years trying different things to help myself but the one thing that really made a difference was joining a remedial yoga class. I never thought I'd be able to do any exercise but found I was able to do some of the easier stretches and felt better afterwards.

I ended up having more stressful things going on in my life the last couple of years and had to stop the yoga and ended up pushing myself too much so felt I had gone back to how I was years ago - totally exhausted all the time and struggling to do everything!!

I've decided to have a fresh start this year to see if I can get my energy levels back up. I've been trying a few things and keeping a diary to see what helps and what doesn't. What I've found helpful so far are improving my diet, oatcakes as snacks, pacing myself, listening to relaxation CDs when I'm tired or stressed, saying 'no' to people when asked to do things I know are too much for me, yoga and gentle walking.

For some reason I've felt better over the last month than I did for the whole of last year. I'm still exhausted a lot and have had some bad days but overall I've had more good than bad days which is a miracle for me. Don't give up hope. The fact that you managed to go out last year is brilliant! Try and think what you were doing then that might have led to an improvement. You did it once so you can do it again!!

Hope you feel a bit better soon.

XX

[Cowern in reply to Kateinbed]

Kateinbed, yes that's how I a affected, some good days, overdo it and three days useless in bed, I have livestock that depend on me everyday, it' s what's kept me getting up, but after the half hour or so sorting them out I collapse. Trying to pace the energy flow is a huge problem, because if I can' t do it, I get terribly depressed and negative. It's been a long depressing winter. Being shut in is part of the problem, I advise, listening to cheerful music and doing something productive that you can feel positive about. Best regards x😊x

[Kateinbed in reply to Cowern]

Oh bless you!!! I fully sympathise with your situation, I too used to have a couple of dogs and 12 hens but when I got severely I'll and could no longer look after myself let alone a young son and my pets. The animals had to go!! totally heartbreaking!!!!! I do hope that you have help and support otherwise you must be very very careful not to push yourself too hard or you may totally crash as I did and I mean for months not even be able to wash or feed yourself!!!! I do try and keep telling myself to "hang on in there " even though its tough. I am very fortunate to have My son to make me laugh and smile he is a real comedian!!!!

At least with the aid of the internet its possible to hear other stories and know that we really aren't alone and that there are people trying desperately to help find a cure!!!! I am positive that it won't be much longer!!!

take care of yourself! please take it easy and ask for help from anyone you can xx

[Kmaria]

Yes yoga definitely helps. I've been doing it once per week for around 3 years now. Sun salutation is a good all round exercise that covers most body parts and gives real benefits that you feel right away.