Fibromyalgia Exercise Routine Theory

I started seeing a rheumatologist who immediatley started weening me off of Prednisone. Prednisone is a commonly prescribed oral steroid used for a variety of things from ear infections to autoimmune diseases and arthritis. People with Fibromyalgia and Lupus, like myself, often take it for prolonged periods of time which isn't very good for you, but is supposed to be helpful with pain. I had been on 10 mg everyday for two years. Withdrawling from Prednisone is like withdrawling from any other drug or alcohol or smoething like that. It's very difficult and painful. When I tapered down to 9 and 8, it wasn't THAT bad. I was in pain. sweaty and tired. When I tapered down to 7mg this month, it was horrible. I couldn't eat for a week, was sweating constantly, couldn't sleep but I was exhausted and my bones were creaking and popping and aching like crazy. I have six more months of this. I hope it doesn't get worse, but I have a feeling it is going to. But on the plus side - after that week of awfulness, I feel pretty good! More energy than I've had in awhile, in a better mood, I'm not having as many hot flashes. I am in a lot more pain in my joints, but otherwise I feel pretty good. I hope that when I continue with the withdrawls, if the week of withdrawl is terrible - hopefully that means I'll feel even better after each one. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

My hypothesis : Every month my withdarwl will be worse and wosre until I am completely off of the medication. But after that withdrawl, I'll be getting more energy, but accompanied with more joint pain. Hopefully my doctor and I can figure out a good pain regime. I'm starting a warm stretching routine. With Fibromyalgia, you're supposed to start out very slow and gradually increase.

Here's what I'm doing:

Warming my muscles in my leg all over for about 30 seconds. just enough to warm the muscles. stretch each of these muscles in this order gently for 15 seconds EACH (bottom of foot, ankle, calf, knee, upper thigh, inner thigh, groin.) each leg. (once i get up to 30 seconds i will increase to stretching my upper thigh and calves while standing.)

warm arms and sides and shoulders of individual arms, then stretch each muscle individually (i have my own way of stretching i can't erally explain. but generally the same concept. 15 seconds at first for each muscle.)

warm front, beck of neck, collar bone, etc and stretch each side individually, 15 seconds each.

warm stomach and stretch stomach foe 15 seconds.

everyday i'll test my limits.. try to make it another 5 seconds gradually, and i want to do the regime at least twice a day.

i tried it today and i had some pain immediatley in my shoulders and back. i'm going to keep trying it and blogging about it though. i guess i just have to keep pushing even if it hurts.

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