| Fibromyalgia is known for its disabling symptoms of | | | | that you have a schedule, try to stick to it. Some |
| widespread chronic pain and fatigue. If you have | | | | people find it best to make a schedule one day at a |
| Fibromyalgia, then you know how severe these | | | | time. In this case, it may be best to create your |
| symptoms can be. However, the severity of your | | | | schedule the night before or first thing in the |
| symptoms may vary greatly over time. Some days | | | | morning.e. Prioritize: You may find your schedule |
| you feel okay, others you don't. | | | | was too much to follow. Don't despair! This is a |
| Here is an effective strategy to help manage your | | | | learning opportunity. Make a list of the things you |
| symptoms so you have more good days than bad, | | | | want to accomplish and assign each task a number |
| and you may also find your bad days are more | | | | according to its importance. Then, when you make |
| manageable. Striking this 'balance' is the goal of good | | | | your schedule you can spread the tasks out over |
| symptom management. | | | | time. Don't try to do all the important tasks all at |
| A program of symptom management should always | | | | once. Also, don't put too many strenuous tasks |
| include an element of "pacing". This is extremely | | | | together. Plan for rest breaks. Remember, you're |
| helpful in managing both pain and fatigue and is | | | | pacing yourself.f. Split tasks into smaller bits: Do |
| probably the single hardest thing you will need to | | | | you have to wash all the dishes at once? Do you |
| learn how to do! | | | | have to put them all away right after washing? Same |
| Pacing doesn't mean waiting until you are worn out | | | | with vacuuming. Instead of doing the whole house, |
| to stop what you are doing. It means setting a | | | | do one room each day! Learning to split these jobs |
| schedule of activity and rest. Sometimes only a few | | | | up into smaller chunks is an important part of |
| minutes each. Then you gradually increase your | | | | pacing.g. Learn To Delegate: This can be really |
| activity until you find the right balance between | | | | challenging for some of you. Asking for help is not |
| activity and rest. Most importantly, you do this for | | | | always easy. But for many people with fibro, it's a |
| everything you do, even when you feel well. | | | | necessary part of symptom management. Try to |
| Now, be honest. When you have a good day what | | | | enlist the help of family members. This might cause |
| do you do? You run around the house trying to | | | | some friction at first, so it is vital that you first |
| catch up on all the housework. You stay a little extra | | | | explain why you need their help. Get some |
| longer at work to finish up that project. You go out | | | | information on Fibromyalgia and print out some copies |
| with your family for a whole day in the park. Or | | | | to hand out. Then go through it together. Once they |
| maybe a big shopping trip. You just plain overdo it! | | | | more fully understand the situation, they may be |
| Then what happens? You CRASH BIG TIME, right? | | | | more willing to help.h. Learn to say NO: This is |
| You spend the next few days in bed or on a strictly | | | | tough to do, I know. We often feel bad when we |
| reduced schedule. | | | | have to refuse someone's request. An easy way to |
| STOP! This is not the way to manage your | | | | say "no" gracefully is "I'm sorry, but my schedule is |
| symptoms. Experts agree that learning to pace your | | | | really full right now. I don't like to say yes and then |
| activities by alternating between periods of rest and | | | | not be able to fulfill my obligation and let you down." |
| activity is the proper way. Now, this doesn't mean | | | | They'll understand that your refusal is partly because |
| just when you are feeling poorly. The key to this | | | | you don't want to disappoint them and it's not |
| strategy is to pace yourself when you are feeling | | | | against them personally. |
| good! This way you won't cause a flare-up by doing | | | | Some of you may be asking, "Well how can I pace |
| to much. | | | | myself at work?" Granted, your boss may not like |
| So how do you do this? Here are some basics you | | | | you taking a 5-minute break for every 5 minutes you |
| can implement today and improve your symptom | | | | work! It may just be that your symptoms are so |
| management through pacing.a. Start Using a | | | | severe you might have to reduce your work |
| Stopwatch or Timer. Learn to pace your activities by | | | | schedule or maybe even stop working all together! |
| the clock. To start, set your timer for five minutes | | | | This can be a very difficult decision. You may want |
| or longer if you think you can do the activity that | | | | to consider working from home as an alternative. |
| long. When the timer rings it's time to change | | | | Some employers now offer this option. As well, the |
| positions or rest. You can gradually increase the | | | | Internet provides you with many work from home |
| intervals of activity and rest as you learn what your | | | | opportunities. This is not for everybody. You do need |
| endurance level is.b. Change positions: If you are | | | | some computer skills and the self-discipline to stick |
| sitting, stand for a few minutes and vice versa. | | | | with it. Some of you may not even be well enough |
| c. Stretch: At least twice an hour, do a little | | | | to work from home. But it could be something to |
| mild stretching. People with fibromyalgia need to be | | | | work towards. Learn to pace yourself using the |
| cautious about overdoing it with stretching. By this I | | | | strategies outlined above. You may just find you can |
| mean "intensity" rather than frequency. Our muscles | | | | handle one or two hours of work at your computer |
| respond to extreme stretching by contracting even | | | | each day. |
| more. The way to avoid this is to stretch mildly - just | | | | However, if you must work outside the home, then |
| until you feel the muscle extend. Easy does it is best. | | | | planning your pacing schedule and using the above |
| Ask your doctor or physiotherapist to recommend | | | | strategies becomes even more important. You will |
| some good stretching exercises. (You can do a lot of | | | | definitely need to delegate more, learn to say "No" |
| stretching while sitting.)d. Set A Schedule: Plan | | | | to many things, and not overcrowd your schedule. |
| out your activities for the next week. Don't | | | | Managing your symptoms of fibromyalgia through |
| overbook your schedule. Plan time for rest, personal | | | | pacing is not always easy, but if done properly you |
| time, family time, as well as work - if you are still | | | | will find that you will actually reduce the amount of |
| working. Remember, your schedule doesn't have to | | | | "down" time and get more done. Remember...easy |
| be written in stone. You can always change it. Now | | | | does it! |