Fibromyalgia: Simple Relief through Movement
February 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under Additional Resources
Product Description
This caring and knowledgeable guide can help you feel better—starting now Fibromyalgia causes muscle stiffness and pain, debilitating fatigue, and numerous other symptoms. Most frustrating of all, people with fibromyalgia syndrome don’t look sick; standard tests for injury or chemical imbalances often show nothing wrong. But if you suffer from fibromyalgia, you know that your disease is real, and so is your pain. It’s natural to feel discourage… More >>
Fibromyalgia: Simple Relief through Movement
This book offers sound advice on living with fibromyalgia. I am not saying that it is easy because it is NOT! But, the author has a point, you have to do some kind of movement every day. Every single day whether you feel like it or not. We aren’t talking running marathons here, but movement is crucial to keeping the fibro body from becoming stiff and more fatigued. Other books such as Starlanyl’s books are great for more comprehensive information. Additionally, Merek’s book “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Other Invisible Illnesses” was one of the first fibro books I read and I found it very helpful as well. This book, however, I would recommend as a first read, followed by Markek’s book and rounded out with Starlanyl’s detailed books.
Rating: 5 / 5
Because we are all dynamic, incredibly complex beings, as different from each other as we could possibly be, naturally, with any health issue, from a common cold to schizophrenia, different medications & different therapies work better or worse {or not all} for different people.
With that caveat, and as anyone with FM would tell you, when you’ve tried everything else, it won’t hurt {much more} to try this.
I was one of those who listened to my doctor & jumped right into low-impact aerobics. After a week I would have welcomed death, both his and mine.
I opened this book, as I opened a few dozen other books on FM, with a little hope & a lot of cynicism. I’ve only gotten as far as the illustrated stretches, which I spent an hour on last night, with these results:
…I slept better & more comfortably last night than in recent memory, without feeling as if I were lying on a bed of rocks;
…I didn’t wake up & take inventory of aches & pains that were about to ruin my day;
…I didn’t have to spend 10 minutes trying to nerve myself up to get out of bed, with dread at facing another new day with the same old loathing for my body & its lack of cooperation;
…I didn’t have to prioritize my entire day based on my pain level, knowing I would feel up to only 1 or 2 small tasks, & trying to decide if I would be able to shower AND still go to my son’s school play.
I feel looser in my muscles & joints, clearer in my head, more optimistic about life in general & in my ability to stay this particular course with, well, maybe not grace, but at least without constantly living on the edge of desperation & depression, not living but just putting one foot in front of the other & not looking any further ahead than the next painful step.
Overall – the best investment of time & money I’ve ever made. It’s early days, but I finally feel ready to look forward to the future.
Rating: 5 / 5
I was concerned based on the review below that this book would disappoint me, but every concern vanished after reading it. Ms. Bigelow is motivating about movement, but does advocate rest. She does describe FMS as a neuro-endocrine suggestion and there are photographs of stretches, along with very specific exercise recommendations. A trustworthy, useful, refreshing reference!
Rating: 5 / 5
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about a year and a half ago and have read everything I can get my hands on. With as debilitating as this syndrome is, I refuse to let it stop me and after almost a year of medication decided that I dont want to spend the rest of my life medicated. So, I have opted to treat my FMS by eating healthy, exercising and other alternative treatments (like acupunture). I bought this book thinking it would provide me with some additional guidances about exercise and movement. For me, the book was too simple. I already know everything it suggests. However, I do think that it could be something positive for those who are not moving or for loved ones of FMS sufferers, like my boyfriend who found the book quite informative.
Rating: 3 / 5