I've found stretching is really helpful if I'm really stiff. I also have a TENS unit. It helps with the lower back pain I have from my ruptured disk. There are days I can't straighten up from bending over. No one else seems to understand this level of pain and it's embarrassing to constantly complain on Facebook. No one wants to be Debbie Downer's friend. :( Thanks for your advice you all!

For me Gentle Yoga 2-3 times a week plus walking as much as I can has been the right balance for me. If I overdo it, I pay for it with for days with pain. I’ve added deep breathing and meditation daily. My pain is down, my mood is up, and I generally feel better all over. It’s been a very long 4 years since I was first diagnosed with Lyme Disease, then subsequent Fibromyalgia. I’ve gone from hardly being able to get out of bed, to walking a mile and a half. I’m on many meds, including pain meds to function. I encourage those who are suffering to find a rheumatologist (they are experts in fibro), find a pain management MD, explore Gentle Yoga, Meditation, and Deep Breathing. I wish you hope and good health.

I can empathize with all of you. At my age which is only 63 (although I feel like 103) exercise is very dificult. The trick is to find a group of women with their own problems and have to exercise slowly by doing Tai Chi. It's been a couple of years for me and I should get back into it. I belong to a ladies club that has members younger than I am to ladies almost 100. We get together to do several things from playing cards to Tai Chi. ,Anyway, where I was going with this is when you join a group like mine the exercise movements are a lot slower and more deliberate, You don't get down on the floor like with yoga, and you use metal chairs to either sit on for leg stretches or exercise or just to steady yourself on when standing. It really helps even if it's only a couple of times a week and then slow walking another coupe. When we lived in Arizona we had a pool. I loved loved loved that pool as you can use those noodles and other pool floats that turn into weights when you push them down into the water. In the end I would just float. It was the only time that I almost felt as though the pain was gone. It was wonderful! It's been 7 years since having a pool and I really miss it.

YeS, you should only do as much exercise as you can without causing a flare. It's
Ok of you are sore for some hours but if it doesn't settle soon after you exercise, you are doing too much. Doing a few shorter sessions IS better than one long session. Do what fits your level, not someone else's. If you can barely get out of bed, just managing to sit up a few times a day may be enough. You can do basic stretching in bed as well. My massage therapist even recommended stretching on the bed for those of us who can manage a little more, as it's soft on our joints and muscles

I just take it slow if I hurt to bad I skip a day I work out about 5times a week I just go slow so I don't hurt to bad. But it helps my pain to . I walk ride bike a and low free weight. I do feel pain but it helps me too.