I am walking like Frankenstein’s monster today.  My head may be flat too, but I haven’t looked in a mirror that closely yet.  Definite yes on the neck bolts.  The problem?  Exercise. The good news?  This is NOT fibromyalgia pain.

I’ve been doing Crossfit for about six months now.  Or almost six months, I don’t know, but it’s been long enough that I can say definitively that extreme exercise is a great thing for me.  I can work in my garden without getting so out of breath that I have to stop and lay down before passing out.  I really do have more energy, when I’m not feeling quite so green and flat-headed.  However, there are two types of pain I have to keep track of:  the fibro pain and the non-fibro pain.  Right now the non-fibro pain is kicking my butt.  My back (bulging discs and arthritis throughout my spine) is making the ordinary very difficult, stairs, dishwashing….  That pain extends down into my legs with sciatica and bursitis.  My hip shots didn’t take this time, so I’m heading quickly back to the pain I was having before I took a break.  But – more significantly than the too much non-fibro pain is the LACK of fibro pain.  I really only swell and get fibro pain when I walk at lunch time, and when I am able to pick up the pace, that’s minimal.

I can’t ever say everyone with fibromyalgia should try extreme exercise – there are too many variables – but I know I feel better even when I feel terrible, like today, and pushing the boundaries of what I think I can do is important.  Last night at Nanos I cut weight, skipped five burpees, refused to run and rowed instead.  I crept back closer to my safety zone but was still well out of it.  Boundaries are important.  They are what will keep me on my feet, but more important is setting the boundary past my safety zone.  Sometimes it’s more important to jump off the deep end and remember that you can actually swim than it is to creep into the shallow end and try to get the cold water past your privates slowly, if you know what I mean.

Mindset is everything.  Yes, set boundaries, be sensible, no point in getting hurt.  No, don’t hide in the boundaries.  Balance and common sense.  And always get out of bed in the morning, no matter how much you just don’t wanna.