Fibromyalgia Support Group

Wondering if anyone has had "hands on therapy"? And if so, the results? Just started last week per my rheum. suggestion. Went to her in mid-Aug. (The Rheum. is also a first for me. I'm being told that she is exceptional)

Am also supposed to check into and start "water therapy". Plus (of course) lose weight...

Anyone had any luck w/these???

Don't know what hands on therapy would be...

By water therapy you mean like hydro gymnastics and such? I've heard it's quite good, I can't afford it myself LOL

good luck

Hugs

Paula

Paula,

Hands on therapy seems to me more like "massage therapy" so far. And the water therapy (which I haven't started yet) I believe is more like "arthritis water therapy".

Thanks, Sasha

Yep, massages work for some fibromites and not for others, it depends on the kind of massage too. My Mother in law is a great physical therapist and before I got diagnosed used to try and ease my pain with digit puncture, the one where they poke you really hard on specific places to relax your muscles. It hurt like hell while she was doing it, it relaxed me for like two hours then I had a flare, each time LOL, so that kind of massage I don't recommend LOL

Paula,

They didn't call it "digit puncture", but that sounds like what I had...they put tons of pressure on one spot; hurt like hell and now I'm black & blue all down my left leg. I felt like jello driving home and that was it for the day. Thank you. Sasha

yeah, I kinda roughly translated that, LOL

Take care with that, if it hurts too much call your doc an let her know, this things not always work for us, we react differently than most people.

best of luck

Hugs

Paula

My husband did Aqua Therapy which I couldn't do at the time because I was having seizures twice a day it was too risky at that point it was not dx Epilepsy yet so it was just unspecified "black outs" anyhow they said it's great for Fibro and my husband liked it alot. They use the resistance of the water and have you perform specific exercises but he said he didn't feel as burnt out or sore as when he did PT which is what I was trying and eventually had to stop because at the time I was pushing through but my flares were worse after each visit. My dr finally said no more, thank God because I was going to anyway. I've been pretty stable on my seizure meds for about 3-4 weeks so I may give Aqua Therapy a shot if I can manage through another treatment I'm currently undergoing. I used to get massage therapy after every PT session 10 years ago and it always hurt but after my muscles were so relaxed but only for about 20 min lol.

Best of luck! Pace yourself and Keep us updated! Hugs

Used pool therapy for my new knee, and it was so effective we put up a small pool just so I could continue it between days with the therapist. It was wonderful and really improved my ability to regain full movement with the new knee. If that is the kind of water therapy you are talking about it is good. And if you want to regain muscle strength it is really great for that. I use the same pool for that every year, except this one. Pool time in Oregon is short.

Not sure what hands on therapy is, is it like physical therapy of is it massage therapy???? Need more info.

But anything that helps to regain muscle strength balance and the ability to live a full life is worth it.

The key though is for you to carry on at home, with all you exercises.

Now weight loss:

I have lost 25 lbs since I decided to go on a diet. I decided because when I was hospitalized all the doctors and nurses were plump to chubby to fat. The patients too. BUT the people visiting where thin....really thin.

So we began paying attention and actually researching and thin is the way to go for a better old age....

I am 58 and am not fat by any standards, but want to loose every last ounce I can.

So I have decided I may have to be on a diet for the rest of my life.

Sigh... no more baking therapy!!! Except one batch of Springles at Christmas time.

I chose the easiest diet I could think of. We count calories. I use whatever "diet" frozen meals that are on sale, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, and the other one I can't remember....but all year long they seem rotate them through sales and with a freezer it is easy to stock up when they are on good sale.

It's easy-keeps me out of the kitchen, only use the entree ones, because I dont eat the potatoes or noodles, or deserts. I like the Chinese style ones with rice.

So the calories are about 200 a meal and that leaves me room for my 2 Fuze a day and my crackers....

and my sugar free NIPS, (30 cal a piece) and 1 dove a day, but only one!

If you can, come up with a diet YOU like, that YOU can do easily, and without stress and without a lot of prep and cleanup, which means more work and more stress, thereby saving you spoons* to do things you might rather do then dieting can be easy and rather stress less.

Good luck!

love Natty

* http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by- christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/

Post edited by: Natalia5150, at: 09/08/2010 10:00 AM

Hi, I just started aquatic water therapy last week. First day felt okay, next day felt like I was run over by a truck. In water therapy, no one touches you which is good. Touching hurts and I've already done regular pt and hated every minute of it. The next time I went to water therapy, she lowered the warm ups and stretches and it was better. If it seems like to much tell the therapist. We are not like other people in the no pain no gain. So..... I am trying it because my doctor kept telling me to try it. Interestingly the physical therapist who did my evaluation said not many fibros do well on it which is not what my doctor said. The therapist said to be very careful to not overdo it and if I get a really bad flare to call and cancel. I've been 3 times now and I'm doing okay. the pool is inside and heated to almost jacuzzi temp. I keep you all posted on how it's going and if anyone has any questions let me know. Gentle hugs to everyone. DeeDee

That's interesting he said that, the place we went I was sent to because they all specialize in the care of Fibro patients and they said most of their patients did great with the AT. They really wanted me to come back and try it when I was ready nobody wanted a floater in the pool at the time lol. Just like everything nothing works for everyone but it's always worth a shot.