You’ve waited all winter, through spring, winter again… to finally hear summer is on its way.
You’re so excited you don’t know what to do with yourself.
Calm down. You need a plan.
Lots of people make plans, but when you live with fibromyalgia, you especially need a plan if you want to make the best of summer.
I thought I’d put together some tips for you.
● Plan.
I don’t mean to be redundant but the first thing is that you have to plan darling. Plan your plan! Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? What will you need? Sit and do it with whoever you will likely be spending the warm summer days with. It might mean roping it friends and family who will have to help you along the way.
● Be realistic
In planning where you want to go and what you want to do, be realistic. Don’t commit to running a 10k if you can barely get to the street corner out of breath and in pain. It’s good to be ambitious, but realistic too.
● Be ready
Pack the night before. On the mornings when you have outings, set your alarm and get your relatives to help/coax you out of bed if necessary.
In the past I’ve had to say to friends and family the night before ‘No matter how much I beg, don’t let me snooze or ask for another half an hour, or we’ll be late.”
● Walk with essentials
This means more than water. It might also mean painkillers, insoles for your shoes, (I don’t really need to say comfy shoes do I?) your walking stick if you have one, slippers, a snack to keep you going on the way home, an extra cardigan (especially if you’re sensitive to changes in temperature or have trouble regulating your own body temperature.) Something else to note. Many fibromyalgia patients suffer from dizziness, and this might be exacerbated in the heat. It might be worth keeping packets of ginger chews or capsules in your bag to help chase away those spells.
Photo by Lin Pernille
● Go with understanding company
Make sure if possible, you go out with people who understand your health concerns and challenges. So if you are exhausted at the start of the day or in pain at some point, they will support you and encourage you.
● Make the best of it
We wait so long for the warmer, sunny months – make the most of it, even if you go out for a little walk. Continue with consuming lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, drink lots of fluids and try taking up a form of exercise (can’t use the cold weather as an excuse now!). It starts off hurting but it eventually helps especially if you do it in tandem with health eating, taking your supplements, warm soaks with Epsom salts and daily stretching.
2 Replies to “Making the best of summer with fibromyalgia”
I understand about the excitement of summer, because the warmer weather is better for Fibromyalgics than the cold weather. However, we still suffer pain 24/7. I enjoy the warm weather more because I can get out and walk. Winters are hard for me, as Fibro already makes you stiff, but when it is cold, your body seems to tighten up more, making your pain worse. I walk at least 2 miles a week, which is not a lot, but it is something. I exercise on my encumbent bicycle at least 3-4 times a week, and I exercise from my Tai Chi video about 3 times a week. No matter what you do for Fibro, it still is not satisfied. Soothing its pain is better than having no relief at all.
Agreed. Personally I’m not always worse in the winter – sometimes my knees can get a little stiff when I move from indoors to outdoors but my pain isn’t any worse. I just tend to flare up more in between seasons changing.
You manage to do alot – that’s good – keep it up! I’d like to do a little more to make use of the summer – I’m aware I don’t go outside enough. No motivation really but will try harder 🙂 thanks for sharing friend! 🙂 x
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I understand about the excitement of summer, because the warmer weather is better for Fibromyalgics than the cold weather. However, we still suffer pain 24/7. I enjoy the warm weather more because I can get out and walk. Winters are hard for me, as Fibro already makes you stiff, but when it is cold, your body seems to tighten up more, making your pain worse. I walk at least 2 miles a week, which is not a lot, but it is something. I exercise on my encumbent bicycle at least 3-4 times a week, and I exercise from my Tai Chi video about 3 times a week. No matter what you do for Fibro, it still is not satisfied. Soothing its pain is better than having no relief at all.
Agreed. Personally I’m not always worse in the winter – sometimes my knees can get a little stiff when I move from indoors to outdoors but my pain isn’t any worse. I just tend to flare up more in between seasons changing.
You manage to do alot – that’s good – keep it up! I’d like to do a little more to make use of the summer – I’m aware I don’t go outside enough. No motivation really but will try harder 🙂 thanks for sharing friend! 🙂 x