Yoga!

[charlie_red]

Over the last few months I have started doing yoga once a week. The class I go to does yoga and the relaxation after. It has helped me so much, I now have less spasms and flare ups now. My new years resolution is to go to two classes a week. Will let yous know how it goes .. Has anyone tried yoga?

[cornishfaerie]

Hi everyone I've not posted on here before.I find I can't do yoga because of arthritis and painful joints but I've been doing tai chi for about 8 years and I find that it really does help a lot.When I have flare ups and can't do the exercises I practice the breathing and this helps to control the pain to some extent.

Gentle hugs to all :))) xx cornishfaerie

[charlie_red in reply to cornishfaerie]

Hi Cornishfaerie,

Welcome to the site and thanks for your message I have never tried Tai Chi before, is it similar to yoga? The breathing that I have learned from yoga is great for helping me when my pain is really bad and it also helps me when I am trying to sleep.

Hope your having a goo day!

C xx

[cornishfaerie in reply to charlie_red]

Hi Thankyou for the welcome. Yes I do believe that tai chi breathing is similar to yoga breathing in that it helps you relax. I didn't realise until I started tai chi that I didn't actually know how to breathe! Tai chi itself is much more gentle than yoga and can be done from a chair if necessary. There are lots of tai chi forms that you can watch on u tube to give u some idea of what it is about. I find that it's the only thing that helps when I get flare ups do need to be fairly self disciplined tho xx Cf

[sue57 in reply to cornishfaerie]

Ooh!! That sounds good cornish!! I can't do yoga for the same reasons as you, but I did do tai chi some years ago and it was fun. Only thing now is my balance is getting worse and I'd be frightened of falling over!! And the thought of getting a JCB to pick me up again puts me off!!! XX

[cornishfaerie in reply to sue57]

Must admit my balance isn't the best most of the time good thing bout tai chi is that u only need to move your legs a little bit or not at all if u havin a bad day. I've got the job on standby just in case tho lol xx

[cornishfaerie in reply to cornishfaerie]

Sorry that was supposed to say jcb xx

[sue57 in reply to cornishfaerie]

Ha haaaaaaaaaa!! love it!! XX

[phlebo123]

Hi -- yes, I have been going to Hatha yoga (this is supposed to be one of the gentlest forms of yoga) classes (lasting 1.5 hours) once a week for the last 5 years and i too find it really helps me. I also try and do about 15mins of the stretches each evening at home to help relax in the evenings.The stretches are very gentle and the relaxation/meditation at the end of each session is fantastic. I think this kind of exercise is probably well-suited to Fibro. The teacher is really lovely and she does not make you do the hardest stretches (and does not make you feel bad for not doing them!!) I would highly recommend a Beginners class. xx

[charlie_red in reply to phlebo123]

Hello Phlebo123,

Thanks for your message! Oh I haven't heard of Hatha yoga, is the only difference that it is gentle? I go to a gentle yoga class on Thursday's, so maybe it is similar! I love the relaxation part of the class, it's the best part of the class :).

Hope your having a great day!

C xx

[cafaitmal]

That is really great for and do glad for you, I had a go at that but I am not able to do yoga as I am not supple enough. But a few years ago when it was possible I did tai chi chuan and g gong. But can not do that any more. But I keep up the relaxation and meditation at home and it does really help.

Take care

[charlie_red in reply to cafaitmal]

Hello Cadaitmal,

Thank you, I am really enjoying it. The relaxation and meditation is great, so relaxing

C x

[charlie_red in reply to charlie_red]

* Cafaitmal - Sorry!

[Hidden]

Hoping to try yoga classes later this month, glad it's going well for you.

[charlie_red in reply to Hidden]

Hello MaryT,

Oh that's great, let me know how you get on :)!

C x

[Hidden]

Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi are all recommended gentle exercises for people with Fibromyalgia. Please check with your GP's first before starting any of these activities to ensure you are well enough to start and that the activity you choose is suitable for you.

(((hug))) xxx

Libs

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Good point re.checking with GP as everyone is different.my GP recommended I try Yoga as I found Pilates a bit tough. I enjoyed it at the time but had pain and soreness for too long afterwards. Probably depends on the type I was doing core pilates which works the deep muscles quite strongly...A bit nervous about trying the Yoga...

[charlie_red in reply to Hidden]

Hello MaryT,

I had originally tried Pilates, which I found a little tough too, I had a flare up for about a week or two, which was not worth it. I have found that yoga is much easier, my back, neck and shoulders are my problem areas, so I spoke to the instructor before the class and explained that I had Fibro. Throughout the class she show everyone the beginners stretches and also the stretches that are a little harder, giving me the choice, depending how I feel. At the end of the class there is 20 minutes of relaxation, where the instructor using deep muscular relaxation and meditation techniques. I also found that after doing yoga for a few weeks in a row, I was getting less pain after each class.

Hope your find yoga as relaxing and beneficial as I have, it is really enjoyable.

C xx

[charlie_red in reply to Hidden]

Hello LibertyZ,

Thank you for your message. Yes, I have spoken with my GP and my Physio at the pain clinic has suggested I give it a try. I am really enjoying it and seem to have had less flare ups over the last month or two!

Hope your having a good day :)!

C xx

[Hidden in reply to charlie_red]

That's good to hear Charlii, well done!

Hope you are having a good day today too!

xxx

[vajrayogin1]

Hi I was doing yoga for a while it helped but not as much as pilates. I was lucky enough to get a pilates machine from freecycle and have a beginners DVD. I do 1/2 hour 3-4 times a week. The stretching is really helping and if I am in too much pain then I just don't bother doing it. I read when I was first diagnosed to swim and do some weights, what I thought your not serious are you? well dragged myself to swimming and got the benefits so decided recently strength training was next, very slowly and even more gently. It has taken 2 years for my pain to settle into flares as I was in constant agony for 2 years then a reprive for 2 months and now under a degree of control. I heard after 2 years ME settles into a pattern like this and wondered if I had ME or can you have both?

The other good thing is I am toning up too which has really helped my mood, putting on 2 stone in 2 years is very depressing. blame amytryptaline and sedentary life style for that. Changing my thinking about exercise and actually giving it a go was the key to getting started, its still hard to motivate myself to do it never really want to but somehow I have the will.

[charlie_red in reply to vajrayogin1]

Hello Vajrayogin1,

Thank you for your message. I have only tried Pilates a few times and I had really bad flare ups after doing the class, so I haven't been back in a while. What does the Pilates Machine do? Swimming sounds good, I done swimming when I was first diagnosed, but I find it difficult to fit everything in whilst I am studying!

Toning up is always a bonus! I was really sporty before my back, neck and shoulders got extremely painful, so I have started planning a few classes around my studies etc. and hope to get back on track without over doing it!

Hope your having a good day

C xx

[vajrayogin1 in reply to charlie_red]

Hi Charlie, before being diagnosed I was super fit too, ran 3 miles before work and cycled about 6 miles to work 6 miles back, worked full time and babysat twice a week!! Swimming is good especially when the water isn't too cold, I go to lane swimming and use the slow lane, do some floating as well as swimming, manage 40 lengths now after building up over the 2 years, I listen to my body though and if its too much I get out. I don't work am on ESA Wrag group and very fortunate to have a partner who looks after me making meals housework etc when I am in too much pain. I also am studying once a week at class with lots of homework as is diploma level 4. The pilates machine is like a rowing machine in some respects, its on pullys, you sit or lie on the bench, exercise with resistance to the weights, you can also do assissted sit ups and yoga type exercises like the scissors etc. I do beginners exercises from a dvd takes around half an hour. Before I was diagnosed I used to get people to pull me and went to a type of yoga can't remember what it was called but it was one to one with the teacher and she used to sit and pull and stretch me. I have tried acupuncture didn't work for me, massage every week for 2 years (gently) takes determination not to give in there are lots of times i really don't want to carry on but I know I always feel better afterwards. Mind you that's all I do! spend the rest of the day lying down usually.

[charlie_red in reply to vajrayogin1]

Hello,

Swimming sounds like it would be good, I think that I will give it a try. I am still trying to learn how to listen to my body, it seems a lot harder than I thought and the consequences are big, making me suffer for weeks!

Oh the pilate's machine sounds good, I found pilate's a little tough on my body when I tried it. The DVD is a good idea, and if your at home you can decide how much or how little you want to do.

I have still to try acupuncture, it is something that I have not tried yet. I don't really know anyone who has chronic pain and has tried it, so have no one to ask or get any information about it and where to go.

Massage is great, and it really works for me too!

Hope your having a good day

C xx

[vajrayogin1]

Hi, Charlie

Not good this week, had exams yesterday and a class so no pilates done since I blogged. Feel sorry for myself today with the pain sawing my ankles and wrists off aghh! shoulders feel like a drill is driving in to them aghh again!! Good times ahead thats what I hang on to. Hope you get swimming benefits. x