Pain Management Community

Hey, Dolld.....I'm kind of in the same boat as you....I have those same diagnoses (sp?). I know that fibro and depression can cause weight gain. I lost 40 lbs. with weight watchers, but I've gained back about 6-8. I'd like to get off about 10-15 more pounds.

When you said you're starving throughout the day, that was a red flag to me. Actually depriving your body of food lowers your metabolism and makes your body think you're in a famine. It tries to hold on to weight. The best thing to do is to eat healthy mini-meals throughout the day, especially beginning with a good breakfast. Drinking lots of water throughout the day also helps.

The walking will definitely help. I'm trying to get back on track with that, too. In my case, I know I've been eating too much sugar, and I need to cut back on that. But like I said, don't go without eating....that's not doing you any good.

I hope this helps! Good luck.....I'm right there with you!
Take care.....ELizabeth

Swimming is an all over do your body good excercise and of course theres also rscumbent bikes where your neck and back are supported and you ride at a pace that you gradually increase usually starting at 30 minutes a day with whatever you can handle as a baseline and then the PT will start to work you a little harder overtime, Now you mention Depresion is it year round or are you SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder) because if you are sad there are things you can do to boost the med's and get yourself on an even keel quicker. you speak of being tired even after waking from having used a Hypnotic agent the night before,
I am not a Doctor this is not medical advice but combining the symptoms you have described makes me wonder if you "snore", the feeling tired, your current age , your ethnicity, the weight issues,the depression , and sugar craving Would lead me to a sleep clinic to be tested for "Sleep Apnea" i am sorry you are feeling desperate but it always gets darker before it gets light, i dont know if i have given you any help or not , but if not theres lots of other people here who will come along and might better serve you. but this whole board offers hope to everyone weather we are "regulars" or weather its somebody who stops in for some strenth and healing and moves on again we still care and try to help.

Peace

I have a similar health history. My weight has gone up and down over the years. I finally decided to just ignore the weight, and eat reasonably and exercise every day. I am learning to belly dance with the help of a TV show and DVDs. I am up to at least an hour a day, sometimes two hours.

Although I have some cravings for carbs, I resist it and allow myself one dish of ice cream a day in the evening. It is something to look forward to. I do not recommend allowing yourself to feel "starving", go ahead and eat regular portions of healthy food. Discuss any unusual (for you) food cravings with your doctor, they may be related to meds that you can change, only you and the doc can decide that. I do not believe in "dieting", just find a good healthy way of eating.

Keep up with the walking, even when it hurts. You can break it down to three ten minutes sessions of walking if that hurts less. Exercise for folks with FMS is different than it is for folks without FMS. We have to start slow and increase really slowly. Discuss this with your doctor too. My former doctor did it in minutes, not the length of the walk, he said to work up to at least 30 min. a day on most days. He said it really didn't matter to him if I did it in smaller sessions, several times a day.

I have found that even if exercise seems to cause a slight increase in pain, I do feel better all around than if I don't exercise. Laying still feels good until you move, I am so stiff and sore if I have been watching TV for awhile and then get up and move around. My doctor is willing to increase my pain meds if needed, she says that "no one should decrease their activity due to increased pain". She is a good person and a good doctor.

It is part of FMS that we don't feel refreshed after what seems like a good night's sleep. I haven't felt that way but once in the last 15 years. Just stretch, exercise, and get moving. Do the best you can, that is all you can ask of yourself.

Take care, Annette

Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for your reply. I have a cravinIg for sugar too, and I do try to eat the mini meals through out the day. Sometimes with my back and body pain, I sleep way more than I'm awake. I try not to go out without eating but sometimes it hard to get out of bed. I'm single and live alone so it makes everything SO HARD! I have a few friends that come by and make sure I'm okay, otherwise, I have to do it on my own. But I'm making it. Thanks again for the reply and support!

Doll

Thanks TDXSP08,
I have been to a sleep clinic, and I was diagnosed with a condition called "hyersomnia" which means I fall asleep super fast. I will definetly will try the recumbent bike. I'm taking swimming lessons now. The only problem is feeling well enough to get there. My depression is related to my pain, but I push on anyway.Thank you so for the suggestions and support.

Hi Annette,
Thanks for the support and suggestions. Yes FMS really does a number on the body. I try to walk everyday even if I don't feel like it. I just wish I could do more. I will ask my doctor if my cravings are related to my meds. I also try to eat the small meals through out the day, but somedays I feel so bad it's hard to get out of bed. And living alone doesn't make it any better, so I just do what I can, and when I can. Like you I haven't felt refreshed from sleeping in years, this despite sleeping through out the day at bits at a time. I hate this condition, and my disabilities, the last thing I want is the additional weight, uugghh. Thanks so much for the support. I really needed it.

Doll

Try to get up out of bed and move around no matter how bad you feel. I think it is generally better for you than staying in bed too much.

I think we all have something to hate about ourselves. While my son was overseas on deployment, I decided to let that stuff go, be glad I was alive, and get on with my life. Best decision I ever made.

Take care, Annette