I think it's probably been a year or so since I've been here, and I'm too tired to read the entire thread, but I did want to chime in here.
In addition to the fibro, I was in a car accident 21 months ago and my life got completely crazy last year after my doctor got me hooked up with a wonderful 'rehab' center. PT with people who actually know what they're doing.
Between many doctors appointments and more tests than I can count, it took almost ten months between the actual accident and when I started this therapy. At that point, the first day, I did some stretches that were absolutely miserable.
The worst, though, was the treadmill. Five minutes at 0.4 mph felt like torture. And I do mean ZERO-POINT-FOUR mph. I stress this to underline the fact that I was barely moving last July.
Before that, when it was just the fibro, I would shop at four grocery stores every payday, was able to ride my bike a little, forced myself to walk as much as possible, often a mile or so a few times a week. And it didn't take all that long.
But last July I was moving like a scale, and in so much EXCRUCIATING pain that if it had continued I could see where suicide might have been an option for pain relief. The combination of the fibro and injuries was pretty much unbearable. When I 'shopped,' I couldn't make it past the produce department in the front of the store.
So I wasn't all that thrilled to start physical therapy, where every movement was a new adventure in pain. But I could barely walk. Sitting down and laying down were horrible. The pain was so bad I was averaging 3-4 hours sleep every 24 hours.
And I tell you this for those of you who might be skeptical about it, but exercise truly does help pain. By the end of November last year, four months after I started therapy, they thought I'd progressed far enough to be put in their once a week beginners (VERY beginners) Pilates class. Which I absolutely despised for about a month.
But you know what? By the time the insurance company decided I was "fine," which I'm not, and I had to stop going to PT three months ago, I'd come so far I can hardly believe it.
Now I can, if I push myself, go to two grocery stores every payday. Usually just one though, because I'm far from back to normal. Or as normal as I can be with fibro. And I will continue to improve, whether I get the benefits back or not, because I'm stubborn and I want my life back.
So I want everyone to know that I was almost incapacitated from pain and I'm better. And the pain isn't nearly as bad as it was.
Only one more thing I'd like to add here. I worked with four different therapists, depending on the schedule, and I learned one very important thing. That is to hold stretches for a MINIMUM of 20 seconds each-and preferably 1 minute.
I couldn't remember their explanation so I just Googled it and found this...
"A basic static stretch – holding the pose for an extended period – should last about 30 seconds. Anything less than 20 seconds won’t make a significant difference in lengthening muscle fibers and tissue; hold too long and you risk injury."
I hope my story will encourage those in serious pain to maybe give stretching a shot. It may take a few weeks or months before you notice much improvement, but don't give up. If I did, I'd still be doing the front corner of Walmart while my family ran all over the rest of the store getting everything on my list.
