Exercise? Diet? Therapy? Has this helped you?

[UndercoverHippie]

Hey there!

I am on a mission to research and implement different techniques to help me lose some weight, increase my core strength and endurance.

A little bit about me: I am 27 years old and have suffered most of my life with joint and chronic mechanical back pain, Hypermobility, Spina Bifida Occulta, etc. I was diagnosed in 2021 with Fibromyalgia and for a while I totally gave up because I felt that any hope I had been harbouring about getting better had been ripped from me. In this time my weight rose as my mental health plummeted. I only got to 14.5 stone from 11, but as a 5'8 woman, it put me firmly in the 'Overweight' category. My energy levels swam by my ankles and the amount of time I spent active dwindled to near none. A lot of this also had to do with my partner at the time, where every bit of support he gave my from making my coffee in the morning (my worst time) to pushing me in a wheelchair, he would chuck back in my face with gusto, lording it over my head. I have since left that relationship for many reasons and my mental health has improved drastically as a result!

I have decided in recent months that I am not going to let my conditions stop me from living the life I want to. I want to be able to go for walks to beautiful places (Waterfalls are my weakness but can be hard to hike the long paths uphill to get to them) I want to have a homestead in the future, which takes a lot of effort end endurance, and if I have kids in the future I want to be able to keep up with them more than I would be able to to in this time of my life.

I have a few plans in place that I am starting with as a baseline in all three of the titled categories, including Regular exercise, Stress Management, Nutrition and seeing if a more Holistic approach works for me such as Medical Cannabis and consulting a Herbalist. I am considering potentially writing a blog or something to document this process and the trial and error results- would anyone be interested in reading it?

Also, dearest gentle readers, I ask you- Is there anything you've done that has eased your symptoms? Any particular exercise or foods thats have helped or hindered? Any particular websites, posts or videos that could lead to more information for my research? Do you recommend going to a specialist via GP? Has anyone had therapy to help cope with the permanence of the conditions and has this helped?

Thank you all for reading and for any responses 🥰

[Dinkie]

Hi, diet has definitely helped me both pain wise and weight wise. Being diabetic I have to watch what I eat but the best advice I was given by the diabetes nurse was to use intermittent fasting. Start with 12 hours, as that is the easiest way of doing it as overnight we are generally asleep and not needing to eat. I have breakfast really early - by 6am so at first did not eat after 6pm. That means no drinks apart from water, or tea or coffee without milk as well as food. Gradually build up if you can to 16 hours. I lost 3 stone in as many months by using this method along with carb counting and watching portion sizes. I felt so much better pain wise and energy wise although of course I still need to pace and watch the fibro pain side of things but the diabetes is well under control and the weight loss a welcome extra! What helps fibro, prior to the diabetes diagnosis I found processed foods really impacted on the fibro as did anything with refined sugars so it may be worth looking at this. Please remember what works for one person with fibro may not work for another.

Exercise wise I am very limited as I have severe osteoarthritis so can't really comment on exercise. A gentle stroll up the garden is about all I can manage.

Please check with your doctor first before embarking on anything though. I wish you luck.

[Gigiruth]

Hi UndercoverHippieWell done on keeping a positive mindset, on here we know how hard that can be.

I would read a blog but everyone is so different and many of us like yourself have challenges in addition to FM. But as your personal account I hope it would be helpful to yourself and others.

I am struggling with weight gain too.

Not much to say on that as I have tried different approaches and got nowhere.

I have an auto immune condition as well as FM.

Over a number of years I have struggled with pain medication. It does not suit me. I had to reduce prescription pain meds and have been off them since 2010 after 8 years on them. This is not possible for many. I take devil's claw sometimes.I am in pain every day.

Slowly I have increased exercise daily. I do not have mechanical spine problems but lots of back pain. Some days I can't stand straight when I set off. I have physio who checks I am not doing any harm.

I have cut out most processed food,caffeine and drink little alcohol. Starting to reduce hidden sugar now in food.

I use crafts for mindfulness and work from home. I take probiotics for gut and a mix of supplements. I got a dog to help me have to go out and walk when I don't feel like it.

I have one consultant at the hospital. I did have 6 departments over 2 hospitals as my condition is complex but left 5 as they all reached a monitored position rather than treatment as there is no cure. This has sometimes meant relying on emergency care with staff not expert in my own condition. It has saved me time and pain getting to another town. I hope other people may have made use of the appointments I turned down. My remaining consultant monitors my bloods regularly.

How others see you is an important factor in how you see yourself and are supported. I have never had great health so am quite resilient in expressing my own needs and have not been through grief for the health I had. I stopped trying to change other people's behaviour and left unhealthy relationships behind.

Talking therapy has been helpful,especially after loss.

This is getting very long so I will close now.

Good luck with the blog and your personal journey.

Take care

Gigi

[Tjba]

hi, on the medical cannabis issue, I am in the Uk and get medical cannabis pescribed and subsidised by Project Twenty21 and the Leva clinic.. it works out to about £80 a month for me and it does give some help with pain. I use it mainly at night as it helps me sleep.

[FrostGyre]

UndercoverHippie (great name)!

No need for trial and error. No need for stress management. Just follow the carnivore diet.

Meat, fat, salt. Drink water.

That is it.

Any questions, fire away. 🙂

[Dreamgreen]

Hello UndercoverHippie, I would love to read your blog. I go for a holistic approach to manage my pain levels as well as medication. I've found since looking at my diet- I've cut out ultra processed foods, have very little sugar & swapped from white to wholemeal carbs, I'm having less flare-ups & my pain levels are so much better.

I find acupuncture & going for a spa very beneficial,plus pacing(though easier said than done with this one).

When I can I like to take a gentle walk in the woods, I find this very calming.

Have you heard of grounding or earthing? This is basically taking your shoes & socks off & grounding to the Earth, I find this helps with the pain & inflammation. There's a good utube film called The Earthing Movie that explains the science behind it.

I also practice meditation, belly breathing in particular I find helpful.

I also see a specialist OT who helps me understand the FMS better & gives me advice & information on what can help.

As for exercise, I find somatic movement very helpful.

I think doing this stuff helps my mental health, because I'm doing what I can to help myself stay onto of the fybro.

A long reply though passionate about this subject.

All the best with your research, sending gentle hugs.🤗🦋🌻